Star Walker

Chapters

Chapter 1: A Whole New World
Chapter 2: Assassin's Greed
Chapter 3: Nursery™ Rhymes
Chapter 4: Confessions
Chapter 5: Thaumus ex Machina

Chapter 1: A Whole New World

On a quiet summer's night beneath a full moon, in a small rural community not far from its country's capital, ponies slept soundly, their sleep punctuated only by the occasional venture into dreamland. Out on the streets, the world was nearly silent. But that silence was broken suddenly by a light sound of swirling wind.

In the darkness of a back alleyway, a small aperture opened in the air. It started out small, but grew to become a vertically oriented vortex of blue light large enough to fit a pony through, if they were so inclined. When the portal stopped growing, it allowed through a tall, slender mare wrapped in a black cloak. She stepped through and the vortex closed behind her.

The only parts of her body that were visible were her snout and hooves, which were a dark blue, like the deepest depths of the ocean. Her eyes gazed out from under the cloak in fascination at the world around her.

"Well, now," she said in a quiet, silky voice, "it seems this world is quite beautiful at night." She started forward, and was immediately lost in the darkness.

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat bolt upright in her bed with a gasp. Her mane was raggedy from not having yet been combed. She panted, trying to regain her breath. A small reptile raised his head from his smaller but still quite large bed next to hers.

"Twilight?" said Spike. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Spike. I... I had a... nightmare of some sort... I think."

"How can you not know whether you had a nightmare or not?" he asked tiredly.

"I just... I felt something. I felt... dread." Twilight scrunched her face, trying to discern what exactly had caused the feeling, but Spike could not have cared less.

"Twilight, the clock says it's 2:00 in the morning, and you have that meeting with the mayor tomorrow about the library. You need your sleep. And so do I." He turned around in his bed, pulling the covers tight around his body. "Now go back to sleep," he grumbled. Twilight laid back down and tried to let sleep find her again.

Celestia's sun beat down on Applejack's back, and on the cart full of apples she was rolling behind her. She entered town at a slow trot, trusting the momentum already built up to do most of the work in moving the cart. She rounded a corner and noticed a tall form walking along the street, hugging the shadows. When she looked closer, she could see a dark blue snout poking out from under the pony's cloak. She suddenly realized who it must be.

"Your Highness!" she said when she was close enough to avoid being overheard. "What're ya doin' here in Ponyville this time o' day?" The tall, cloaked mare turned to see who was addressing whom, and realized someone was speaking to her. She politely stopped to speak with the orange farm mare as she passed by.

"I beg your pardon?" came the reply, coated in the silky smoothness of a voice honed over many years for clarity. Applejack stopped, the apples jiggling in the cart behind her.

"Wait a minute," she said slowly. "Yer not Princess Luna."

"Indeed. I do not suppose you could forgive me for having a coincidental resemblance to your royalty."

"I suppose," she said, turning away. Then she abruptly turned back. "Wait. My royalty?"

"'Your,' as in plural," said the mare, a barely noticeable smile poking out from under her hood. Her mouth then returned to a neutral line. "I am afraid I do not hail from this area. Please forgive me of any ignorance."

"No," said Applejack quickly, "yer fine. It's jus' we don't normally see anypony with yer... stature 'round here."

"Yes, I have realized that most of the inhabitants are slightly shorter than I. I also notice that you have a cart of apples, and assume you are making a delivery, so we should walk if you wish to continue speaking with me and deliver your payload on time."

"Naw, I got plenty o' time. These here apples are goin' to Sugarcube Corner, right up yonder." She pointed with a hoof toward the large building down the street, looking for all the world like an enormous gingerbread house.

"Alright," said the other mare. There was an awkward stretch of time where nothing was said. Or at least it was awkward for Applejack; the tall stranger seemed perfectly content to stare at her new acquaintance for as long as the orange pony kept eye contact.

"Oo-kay," said Applejack. "So, where ya from? Ya don't look like any pony Ah've seen 'round these parts."

"That is a private matter which I would not like to discuss," she evaded.

"Alright, then," Applejack said, beginning to get slightly annoyed. "What's yer name?"

"Name?" She appeared confused, as if not understanding the concept.

"Yeah, my name's Applejack. Ah live up at Sweet Apple Acres. That's my farm just outside o' town, by the way. So what's yers?"

"I suppose," said the mare after a brief pause, "you could call me... Star Walker."

"Well, it's mighty nice t' meet ya, Star Walker." Applejack stuck out a hoof in formal greeting. Star Walker hesitantly stuck out her own hoof and touched it to Applejack's, who then proceeded to shake it quite vigorously. Surprisingly, when Applejack's hoof came away, she saw no expression on the mare's face other than the same stony neutrality from before. "So what brings ya here t' Ponyville, miss?"

"Just passing through," said Star Walker.

"Where ya stayin', if ya don't mind me askin'?"

"I have not yet made arrangements; I only came through this morning. And I do not have any currency to rent a room."

"Well, that jus' won't do," said Applejack. "I say you should stay with me up at my farm. No sense in lettin' a nice mare like you sleep on the street."

"That is alright. I can make my own shelter if needed." She turned to leave Applejack's side, but was stopped by an orange hoof on her shoulder.

"Nonsense! You deserve t' be shown some genuine Ponyville hospitality. And that's not a request," she finished good-naturedly.

"I suppose if it is not too much trouble," said the tall mare.

"Course not! We got a nice guest bedroom on the second floor, complete with closet and a panoramic view of the orchards. Just follow me an' let me drop off these apples, and I'll take ya right there." She started back on her path toward Sugarcube Corner, followed by Star Walker, but stopped after a moment. She turned to look at the mare on her left.

"By the way, when we get there, watch out for Pinkie Pie. She's more'n a little rambunctious, and likes t' overwhelm any new arrivals with cake and parties." Just then, before Star Walker could reply, the aforementioned pink mare leapt out from behind a trash can, apparently aiming to tackle the new pony in town.

"Gotcha!" she screamed, hurtling toward the cloaked mare. But before she could reach her target, a glowing blue wall of energy wrapped itself around Star Walker's frame, protecting her from the onslaught of pink. Pinkie Pie impacted the magical shield with a dull thunk and bounced off, landing on her back at Applejack's hooves.

"Ow!" she said, rubbing her head with a hoof. They both looked to see that the mare's hood had come down, revealing a long, dark blue horn, glowing with magic.

Star Walker sported a thin, petite snout, on which she wore a neutral expression. Above the snout were a pair of vibrant cobalt-blue eyes, fringed by long, luxurious lashes. Her mane flowed down her neck and was animated by an imperceptible breeze, appearing similar to her royal doppelganger's own flowing locks, though much less pronounced. The shield evaporated into thin air, as did the glow around her horn. It then reappeared to pull the hood back up over her head.

"Please do not assault me," she said to Pinkie Pie with an almost imperceptible note of anger. Her voice conveyed power, and seemed to bore straight through Pinkie's many layers of energy to the little filly underneath. "One does not attempt to tackle a stranger without probable cause."

"I wanted to throw you a party," said Pinkie Pie, trying to maintain her trademark smile under the verbal assault. "Is that cause enough?" she asked uncertainly.

"For all you knew, I could have been an escaped felon. If you had tackled the wrong pony, you may have gotten a knife to the gut for your troubles." Pinkie Pie sniffled, then broke down sobbing. She got up and ran away, streaming tears, even making puddles on the ground as she ran. Applejack turned to the perpetrator.

"Now, hold on, there!" she said angrily. "Just where're you from that you c'n say sonethin' like that to a pony?"

"I was simply advising her to be careful."

"All she wanted was t' be friendly! That's what she does!" She groaned and took a moment to calm herself. "You jus' can't be sayin' stuff like that, alright?"

"I fail to see the problem," said Star Walker.

"Yeah, well, maybe where you come from, ponies say things like that, but here in Equestria, it's not normal conversation."

"Understood."

"Good," said Applejack. "Now you stay here while I drop these off. Then I'll take ya back t' my place. I'll even let ya ride in the cart if ya want, jus' t' show I forgive ya."

"I would rather walk."

"Alrighty, then. Don't move, and I'll be right back." Applejack moved away to finish her delivery, leaving Star Walker standing on the side of the road. Applejack was originally going to take her to meet the Cakes, but now she did not quite trust that she would be a good influence on the twins.

Sure enough, Star Walker did not appear to have moved from her spot when Applejack returned. As she trotted over with the cart in tow, she even saw a bluejay leave its perch on the unicorn's shoulder. She trotted up next to the mare.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Star Walker replied. They then set off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

***

"That there's my brother, Big Macintosh," said Applejack as she introduced her family. She gestured to the tall red stallion in the back of the room, wearing the brown yoke with which he went everywhere.

"Eeyup," replied Big Mac with his characteristic stoicism.

"Charmed," said Star Walker.

"That's Granny Smith in the rockin' chair." Applejack's hoof moved to indicate a green mare, old and gnarled with a stark white mane, taking a nap in her favorite piece of furniture.

"Whuzzat?" the old mare said, half asleep.

"We got a house guest, Granny. Be polite an' say howdy."

"Howdy," she mumbled before resuming her snoring.

"Howdy," said Star Walker, the word clearly alien to her tongue.

"And this here's Apple Bloom," said Applejack. She indicated the yellow filly with a red mane and tail standing next to her.

"Hey there, Miss Walker!" Apple Bloom said excitedly. "Where'd ya come from? Why ya wearin' that coat? Ain't ya hot or anythin'?" Star Walker reached up with her front hooves and retracted the hood to reveal her face, her stony expression stopping Apple Bloom's standard tirade of questions in its tracks. But then it softened.

"I wear it to avoid attracting attention," she said. "I am a mostly solitary pony, and have a general dislike of socialization."

"Wow!" said the awestruck Apple Bloom, the words flying miles over her head. "You look jus' like Princess Luna!" Star Walker let out a short sound of mirth.

"Hm. Yes, so I have heard. I believe it to be a simple coincidence."

"What's yer cutie mark? Can I see it?" The blank-flank filly made a move to peek under Star Walker's cloak and her hoof managed to graze the fabric before it was thrown off by a blue aura.

"No!" the mare shouted, backing away, her expression losing any hint of friendliness. Apple Bloom looked up with mild terror at the mare. Applejack gently cuffed her younger sister on the back of the head.

"Apple Bloom! What've I told ya 'bout personal space? You apologize right now!" Apple Bloom looked at her front hooves.

"Sorry, Miss Walker," she said quietly to the floorboards.

"No," said Star Walker, having regained her composure, "I am sorry. I should not have thrown you off. But your sister is correct. I strongly value my personal space, and I would appreciate it being kept my own."

"Yes, ma'am," said Apple Bloom, still attempting to shake her fear. Her older sister stepped forward.

"Alright, now that ya've met the family, I'll take ya to yer room." She led Star Walker up the stairs to the second floor. "That's the bathroom." She pointed to an open door on her right, leading to a tiled room with a toilet and tub. "We're close enough t' Ponyville t' get runnin' water, so if ya wanna take a bath, just get in an' turn the knob." They moved slightly further down the hall, and Applejack showed her guest another door on the left, this one shut tightly.

"That's Big Mac's room. He keeps the door shut, normally. Keeps to himself, even at home."

"I noticed," Star Walker replied. Applejack proceeded down the hall and showcased the rooms of herself and her sister. Finally, they reached the final door on their left.

"And this here is yer room," Applejack said, sweeping her hoof in front of her. "It's not much, just a bed and closet. But the view's to die for." True to her word, Applejack had given Star Walker what was certainly the best room in the house. The window ran along the entire length of the wall, giving the occupant the exact panoramic view that Applejack had promised.

The plentiful fields of Sweet Apple Acres stretched out below, covered in endless rows of apple trees. Their branches sagged with the weight of the bright red fruit for which they were being grown. Harvest time was only a month away, and as such they were nearing full ripeness.

"It is quite beautiful," said Star Walker. Her voice did not give it away, but she was completely in awe. In all her traveling, she had never seen anything quite so beautiful. Nothing she had seen in her travels could compete with the pure beauty of the apple orchards, grown over a lifetime of hard work and dedication.

"So, were ya plannin' on gettin' a job anytime soon?"

"Oddly enough, I was just recently considering that. Is there anywhere I can work that would allow me to learn? A library, perhaps?"

"Y'know," said Applejack, rubbing the back of her head nervously, "it's funny ya should ask that..."

Out near the edge of the Everfree Forest, Lily Valley tended a flower bed around the back of a client's house. Her gardening business had been booming lately, but even though she was under a lot of stress, she still loved it all the same. The client just so happened to be Fluttershy, who was currently out at the marketplace buying food for her animals. She was a long-time friend of Lily's, and a faithful customer of her gardening business.

As she was planting one of her namesake flowers in the soil, she heard in the distance a quiet whooshing noise. She went to investigate, leaving her work unfinished. She peeked around the side of the house to see a swirling green vortex seeming to have opened in the air, hovering next to an oak tree.

A tall brown pegasus stood with his head down next to the closing vortex, and he seemed to be sampling the grass. A moment after the vortex winked out of existence, his head reared up, and Lily gasped. A long horn protruded from his forehead, poking out of his dark red mane. But that was impossible! There were only four alicorns in Equestria. Unless there was a new prince Lily had not yet heard about.

"Well, now," came a female voice from behind her, startling her out of her thoughts, "what do we have here?" Lily turned around to see a female alicorn alighting on the grass behind her. Her coat and mane colors were an inverse of the stallion's. But most notable were her eyes, which were green with slitted, catlike pupils. Another one? she thought. She looked closer to see that the mare's cutie mark was a spear. Not a good sign. She offered her hoof in greeting.

"Hi," she said nervously. "I-I'm Lily."

"Hello, Lily," said the alicorn mare menacingly. "We're new here."

"Yes," came a male voice. Lily turned to see that the other alicorn had walked up behind her. His eyes were the same as the mare's, green with slit pupils. The two began circling the earth pony like sharks, and the stallion revealed his cutie mark to be a long, skinny axe. "We came from quite a long way away, and we're feeling rather hungry after our trip."

"And you know what hungry ponies do with lilies, don't you?" Lily shrunk down in terror, hugging the ground. She whimpered slightly, wishing the soil would swallow her up.

"Oh, don't worry," said the stallion with an evil grin. "You'll get your wish in a moment. The dirt is feeling a little hungry too, after all." Lily's eyes widened, her fear increasing further.

"That's right," the mare said. "We heard that. And we can hear your rapid heartbeat, and smell the fear on your skin." She closed her eyes and took a long sniff, then let out a sigh of satisfaction. "Smells like wood smoke."

"Your fear smells delicious," said the stallion, tensing to pounce. The earth mare did not even have the time to scream.

Chapter 2: Assassin's Greed

Fluttershy trotted happily down the street toward her cottage. Her head was weighed down slightly by the bag held in her mouth, filled with a plethora of vegetables. As she crested the small bridge leading to her forest-adjacent home, she noticed that the new flowerbed she had paid for was in a poor state. Soil had been scattered and a pile of flowers lay on the grass, as if the gardener had left in the middle of their work.

"Oh, my," said Fluttershy in a quiet voice. "I wonder why Lily didn't finish." She had paid good bits for that flowerbed, and if Lily had slacked, then so help her, that would be perfectly fine.

It was not like Lily to leave a flowerbed so messy; she had probably been called away on urgent business and forgotten about it. Fluttershy could simply do the rest herself and save Lily the trouble. She disliked asking ponies to do things for her, anyway. The only reason that Fluttershy had bothered Lily with it in the first place was because she was so good at what she did, and would make it look much better than Fluttershy could.

Trotting up to her door, she placed the bag on the ground and dug her key out of her saddle bag. After unlocking and cracking open the door, she grabbed the grocery bag and walked backward into the house, pushing open the door with her rump.

She turned around. Her eyes widened. She dropped the bag, a lone apple rolling out across the wood floor. She took in a breath and let out a bloodcurdling scream of horror.

"So," said Star Walker as she and Applejack walked toward the towering crystal castle on the edge of town, "this friend of yours, Twilight Sparkle; she is a Princess... of Friendship?" The unicorn seemed to be uncertain what to make of this new development. She shuffled forward under her ever-present black cloak, but her hood was down at the moment.

"Yep. I don't rightly know what Equestria needs a Princess o' Friendship for, anyways, but if Princess Celestia says so, then who am I t' judge?"

"A self-aware being capable of independent thought," replied Star Walker, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Applejack chuckled.

"I guess so," she said. "Anyhow, Twilight is the go-to gal in Ponyville for any and all questions. And her castle has a library like nowhere else."

"Excellent," said Star Walker. "Are there any positions open for librarian?"

"Well," said Applejack, "Twilight's been lettin' Spike take care of it since the castle appeared—"

"Appeared?" asked Star Walker in surprise.

"Long story," said Applejack. "So, Twilight's been lettin' Spike take care of it, but I don't see 'im mindin' the extra help."

"I see." They arrived at the front door of the castle, adorned with large quartz knockers. Applejack reached up to grab one and knocked three times, banging against the massive door. Several seconds passed, but nothing happened. No Princesses came out to greet them. Star Walker looked expectantly at Applejack, who shuffled back and forth on her hooves and let out a nervous chuckle.

"Heh, she normally answers pretty quick." She knocked twice more, and this time the doors quickly swung open, animated by matching swaths of magenta light. In the now open doorway stood a lavender alicorn mare with a starburst cutie mark, a beautiful gold crown nestled in her blue-, purple-, and pink-striped mane.

"Applejack!" she said, giving the orange mare a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Aw, can't a friend just drop by another friend's house to hang out?"

"Maybe," said Twilight, pulling away, "but that applies mostly to houses, not castles."

"Fair enough."

"Also, most ponies don't just drop by my castle without good reason."

"Well, the real reason I came here was t' introduce ya t' the new mare in town. Princess Twilight Sparkle, meet Star Walker."

"Nice to meet y—" Twilight's voice cut out as her eyes settled on the tall mare. There was an awkwardly long pause while the Princess stared silently at the unicorn.

"Twilight?" said Applejack. "You alright?"

"Your face," Twilight said to Star Walker. "It looks familiar."

"I am told that I appear similar to your Princess Luna. I believe that is what you are seeing."

"No," said Twilight, a perplexed look on her face, "that's not it. I..." She shook her head. "Never mind. Please, come in." She led the ponies through the double doors, which closed with a dull boom behind them. Before they turned and started up the stairs, Star Walker was able to glimpse what appeared to be a council chamber, one of the six chairs emblazoned with the same design as Applejack's flank.

"We knocked a minute ago, but ya didn't answer," said Applejack.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Twilight. "I just returned via teleport not 30 seconds ago. I was in a meeting with the mayor. We were discussing what to do about the town library."

"Ya gonna rebuild it?"

"Regrow it," Twilight corrected, "and we're still not sure. The mayor doesn't think it's worth the massive amounts of magic it would take, and that we should just let it be."

"What do you think?" Applejack asked as they emerged from the stairwell into a hallway.

"I don't know. That library was my home for such a long time. It never even crossed my mind that it could be gone so suddenly."

"Nopony ever thought it would happen, sugarcube." They stopped at a closed door, which Twilight opened and walked through. In the corner was a large, majestic bed, with a much smaller bed next to it. She turned to Applejack.

"What was it that you needed?" Suddenly, there was a flash of light and a large creature appeared with several mismatched body parts.

"A little glass of water, please—"

"Discord!" Twilight said angrily.

"Sorry!" He then flashed back out of existence.

"Star Walker here was hopin' t' get a position as yer librarian," said Applejack.

"Well, Spike already has that position filled, but I'm sure he'd welcome the help."

"What was that?" came a young male voice. Star Walker turned to see a small reptile standing in the doorway.

"Spike," said Twilight, "this is Star Walker. She wants to be a librarian, and I believe that you should take her as your assistant."

"Finally!" he said with a smile. "You actually try to help me with my job for once!" Twilight was aghast, but Spike punched her gently on the shoulder. "Relax, I'm just joking."

"I would be grateful to be your assistant, sir," said Star Walker. Just then, a loud, irregular knocking came from downstairs. Twilight trotted down the stairs to the door, followed by the others, and opened the door to reveal Fluttershy, panting, her eyes wide.

"Twilight," she shuddered between pants, "come quick! It's Lily! She's—" Fluttershy's eyes widened even further and she bent over a bush and retched repeatedly. The bushes exuded a disgusting splashing sound and a foul odor. After a moment, her head came up and she had tears in her eyes. "She's..." she said, horrified. Twilight put up her hoof.

"Where is she?"

Several members of the Ponyville Guard shuffled about Fluttershy's cottage, investigating the home for clues, maybe a hoofprint or something of that nature. Twilight and Star Walker stood in Fluttershy's living room, studying the gruesome scene in front of them. Applejack had chosen to stay outside and comfort Fluttershy.

Lily's body was hanging face-up in the middle of the room. Each limb was tied to a glowing green rope, suspending her in the air. Her abdomen was cut cleanly open and the flesh splayed, revealing the organs. Twilight's stomach rebelled, threatening to spill its contents, but she kept it in check with an impressive display of willpower. Star Walker, amazingly, wore the same cold, indifferent expression she had for most of her time in town.

"So what happened?" she asked the Guard next to them, trying not to vomit. Twilight had called the Guards, though she was loath to admit that she and her friend needed their help.

"Nothing good, Your Majesty," he replied. "I don't think I need to tell you that this was obviously the result of foul play."

"No," she said unsteadily. She moved toward the body, but stopped halfway to grab her stomach and retch at the scent of blood permeating the room. The Guard rushed to her side.

"Would you like a trash can, Your Highness?" Twilight shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she said. "And please, address me as 'Miss Sparkle.' I don't like that 'Your Majesty' stuff."

"Of course, Miss Sparkle." Twilight managed to reach Lily's body without further incident. She thoroughly examined the scene, looking closely at the ropes.

"These ropes were conjured by a very powerful mage," she said after a moment. "The spell matrix is incredibly complex. Conjuring spells have an inherent time limit, determined by the abilities of the caster. Your average unicorn can cast a conjuring spell that lasts for several minutes. My spells can last up to 48 hours. But this matrix indicates an expiration date of more than a week."

"A week?!" shouted the Guard, temporarily losing control of his face. Then he reined in his expression. "How is that possible?"

"Somepony wanted very badly for her to be found."

"Who could have done this?" It was then that Twilight noticed something in the gore. There were unusual irregularities. She thought for a moment, and came up with an idea. Her horn flashed, and three words appeared in blazing, swirling font, spread across Lily's ribcage.

We are here.

***

"'We are here?' You do indeed have a flair for the dramatic, dear brother."

"As you well know, Javelin. I relish their reactions, even if I cannot enjoy them directly." The brown alicorn stepped back to admire his work. The ropes were in place, the body was prepared, and his hornwriting shone from the dead mare's body. Everything was perfect.

"You and your theater," the mare said to her sibling, shaking her head. "Honestly. 'The dirt is feeling hungry?' And did we honestly have to attract so much attention by placing this mare on display?"

"You seemed happy enough before," he said angrily.

"I was simply going to throw her through a portal, but then you started with your theatrics. I was following your lead!"

"Forget it," he said, reluctantly backing down from the rapidly escalating argument.

"We should leave, Halberd," said the mare. "We must return to our original task and locate the fugitive." Her horn glowed a bright green, and a vortex opened in the ceiling, dropping two gray cloaks before closing. Each alicorn donned a cloak, and they both disappeared in simultaneous flashes of light, not 30 seconds before the door was unlocked by a yellow pegasus.

Chapter 3: Nursery™ Rhymes

"Why not?" questioned Apple Bloom when informed that she would not be allowed to go bowling with her friends after school the next day. She was helping her sister clean up the dinner table after the rest of the family had retired to their bedrooms.

"Because," said her older sister, "last time you were there, Scootaloo nearly tore the place down!"

"All she did was knock a ball around," Apple Bloom countered, "an' nopony got hurt, anyway." She sat down, crossed her forelegs across her chest, and pouted.

"I don't care." Applejack paused to pick up a plate with her teeth and set it in the sink. "I don't want you three anywhere near the bowlin' alley, or Carousel Boutique, or Sugarcube Corner, or Fluttershy's chicken coop, or anywhere else ya'll c'n get in a heap o' trouble."

"We can get in trouble anywhere," said Apple Bloom to be contrary, immediately regretting the words as they did not help her case.

"Exactly my point," Applejack said flatly. "Which is why I'm half tempted ta jus' leave ya here with Big Macintosh when I go to the fair next week."

"But you promised I could come!" complained Apple Bloom.

"Not if yer gonna keep nearly destroyin' Ponyville with yer friends! Ya'll three need to exercise restraint sometimes." Apple Bloom placed the last bowl in the sink and walked off.

"I'm goin' to bed," she grumbled.

"G'night," Applejack called after her as she raced up the stairs toward her bedroom. Apple Bloom crested the stairs and came to the hallway which branched into the guest bedroom, along with the rooms for herself, her sister, and her brother. Granny's room was on the first floor.

As Apple Bloom reached her door, she heard a quiet scuffling sound float out of the guest bedroom. Intrigued, the yellow filly moved toward the door, which was slightly cracked. She leaned her head forward to peek through the crack.

Star Walker was stretching on the floor, still wearing her black cape. The lights were dimmed and the curtains drawn. Her hood was down and she seemed to be doing something akin to yoga, stretching each leg in turn and twisting it to its fullest extent. When she was finished, she sat back on her haunches and lifted her front hooves to rest against the wall next to the bed, revealing some of her coat beneath the cloak.

Her body was criss-crossed by several light pink scars, a few covered by fur that had grown over. One recent-looking scar ran from just above her collarbone back over her shoulder blade all the way to the left side of her barrel.

Apple Bloom gasped, then shot back toward her room as she realized she had likely been heard. But before she could escape, she heard an authoritative voice that offered no possibility of resistance.

"Stop." The command was physically very quiet, but no shout or yell could compete with its authority. Apple Bloom slowly turned to see Star Walker standing in the doorway to the guest bedroom, her cloak once again covering her body. The mare bore down on Apple Bloom, but looking up at the unicorn's commanding gaze, she saw that there was one thing that she had permission to say.

"I'm sorry, Miss Walker," she said, somehow managing to look the mare in the eye. Star Walker relaxed and grinned in amusement.

"A young filly like you should not peek through cracked doors. Most ponies enjoy their privacy."

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I just heard somethin' an' wanted to know what was goin' on."

"I understand," said Star Walker. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Always curious and thirsty for knowledge, whether academic or practical."

"What happened to give ya all those..." Apple Bloom trailed off, not wanting to mention the unsightly marks.

"Scars?" Star Walker finished. The little filly nodded wordlessly. Star Walker frowned and stared into the distance, as if recalling a painful memory. "They are a relic of my past," she said. "A reminder to me to never look back; to never go back."

"Back where?" asked Apple Bloom. "Where'd ya get 'em? What coulda done that to somepony?" Star Walker smiled again, this time sadly.

"It is a testament to your innocence that you chose the word 'what,' rather than 'who.'" Apple Bloom's eyes widened.

"You mean a pony did that to ya?" she asked, tears gathering in her eyes. "That's horrible! What kinda pony would do somethin' like that?"

"One that does not deserve the title," said Star Walker. Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment, then jumped up and wrapped her forelegs around the tall mare's neck. In lieu of consoling sayings of "there, there" and "it's okay," Apple Bloom allowed the embrace itself to convey all the appropriate meaning. Star Walker was uncertain how to respond, but eventually settled on placing a single hoof on Apple Bloom's back. After a few moments, they parted.

"So, what exactly were ya doin' there?" the filly asked. "Just stretchin'?"

"I was practicing yoga to keep my joints supple."

"That didn't look like no yoga I ever saw." Star Walker smiled again.

"You have a keen eye. It is, in fact, a special low-level combat training regimen taught to me by an elephant yogi. But it is difficult to concentrate one's chi when hearing constant arguments about bowling alleys."

"And I'm s'posed to respect ponies' privacy?" Apple Bloom said wryly.

"Touché," said Star Walker, tilting her head slightly.

"What does that mean?"

"It's Prench for 'you make a good point and I should listen to my own advice.'"

"Really?" the little filly said, confused.

"Well, not really, but I doubt you'd like to hear a short lecture on what it actually means." Apple Bloom yawned.

"No, thanks," she said tiredly. "I get enough o' that from Princess Twilight."

"We should get you to bed," said Star Walker, leading the filly to her bedroom door.

"Aw, I don't wanna," she said around another yawn. Star Walker lit her horn and lifted the filly onto her back with her magic.

"Come, little Apple Bloom," she said. "It is time to sleep." She carried the filly to her room, where she laid her down gently on the bed. Star Walker took the covers in her mouth and brought them up to Apple Bloom's chin, then sat on the edge of the bed. She then began singing to the filly in quiet, dulcet tones, and Apple Bloom's eyes slowly began to drift closed.

"Hush, now, dear child, for the time has come

To join in sleep with everyone.

The dreambirds are calling your sweet little ears

To join them in play for the rest of your years."

By the time Star Walker finished the first verse, she realized that Apple Bloom had already fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. She gently dismounted the bed and rose to her hooves. She walked to the door and turned to take one last look at the young filly sleeping soundly. She smiled bittersweetly.

"The poor filly has no clue what evil has come," she whispered. Star Walker turned back toward the hallway and left the young Apple Bloom to her dreams.

"Sing it again, Mother?" Her mother groaned lightly.

"I must return to work, Star. I'm sorry. I'll see you next week, alright?"

"But Mom!" cried Star. "I want to see you more often!" Her mother placed a hoof on the force field separating the two of them and Star did the same.

"It'll be alright Star. The nannies will take care of you."

"But I want you to take care of me!"

"You know that's not how it works." The bell rang, signaling the end of visiting hour. The guard behind Star's mother stepped forward and shoved her toward the door, and other guards did the same with the other mares visiting their foals.

"Cuddle time's over, unicorn." The burly alicorn pushed her in the direction of the door. Star jumped up and put her forehooves on the force field. The other foals gasped at this egregious breach of Nursery etiquette.

"Mother!" she yelled. Before she could say any more, she was smacked across the face by a nanny, wrenching her away from the field. In the background, Star heard the exit door to the visiting chamber open and shut and realized her mother had left.

"You back away from there, young filly!" the crotchety old mare yelled in anger. "You don't jump up like that!" All the other foals in the chamber tried not to stare as they were escorted out by the other nannies.

"I-I'm sorry, Miss Cobbler!" the filly said through her sobs.

"You'd better be sorry! I should give you five lashes for that infraction!" Star flinched. She had received many lashes from the whip already, and if she had to endure another, she would surely drop. Another mare came up and laid a hoof on the pink nanny's shoulder before another blow could be delivered.

"Cherry, I believe I should handle this." The elder mare hesitated, then walked slowly away muttering about how much the newer generation had gotten spoon-fed to them. The other nanny bent down to smile reassuringly at Star.

"Now, what lesson have we learned today?" she asked.

"Don't... jump up... on the... force field?" replied Star uncertainly, shuddering while attempting to hold back her sobs.

"That's right. But we've also seen that some caregivers are more strict than others. And that you need to be more careful around those ponies. Okay?" Star sniffled.

"Okay, Miss Aurora," she said quietly. The unicorn mare nodded, her curly green mane bouncing around her head, the pink highlights flashing in the fluorescent lights.

"Good. Follow me, please." The mare turned and walked out the door of the visiting chamber. Star followed her request out of respect, rather than the fear that most of the nannies employed. Star was extremely fond of the blue mare. She never yelled at her, or hit her, or rescinded her meals like the other nannies would. She would even read to her, at least in private, though she tried to keep up the façade of toughness when in the company of the other nannies or the Supervisors to avoid ridicule for her so-called "soft" methods.

She led Star down the hall toward the filly's room, but did not turn the corner when the time came, instead opting to continue straight, into an area of the Nursery to which Star had never been.

"Where are we going, Miss Aurora?" Star asked nervously.

"Somewhere you'll enjoy," said the nanny in a gentle, reassuring tone.

"I haven't been here before."

"Well, you've only been in the Nursery for six months, and this area is normally for the older foals, but I believe you'd like to see it." They stopped in front of a large door inlaid with silver, a welcome change from the drab metal and concrete of the rest of the facility. Miss Aurora bent down, grabbed the handle in her teeth, and pulled it open with a flourish. Star's eyes lit up and she gasped in amazement.

The room was an enormous library, with walls fifteen feet high and stacked floor to ceiling with books. Star had never seen so many colors at once in her life. The books covered all the colors of the rainbows of legend, from rose red to navy blue to sunny yellow. The floor was a vibrant faux wood, appearing to be mahogany, and was covered by several colorful rugs depicting beautiful scenes of the Holy Empress. Tapestries of the Empress and the Holy Seal were draped from the ceiling, and there were even windows. Windows!

"It's beautiful, Miss Aurora!" Star said, not turning, reluctant to take her eyes off the colorful room.

"I think so," said the mare. "Not many ponies come here, though. And until the afternoon, it's completely free." Star looked at her pleadingly, knowing what she wanted but afraid to ask for herself. Miss Aurora seemed to think for a moment.

"I think," she said after a moment, "that I know somepony who would very much enjoy learning in this library."

"May I, please, Miss Aurora?" Star blurted, temporarily forgetting the "no asking for things" rule imposed on young foals in the Nursery. The mare smiled.

"Of course," she said. Star grinned from ear to ear and began jumping up and down.

"Yesyesyesyesyesyes!" she squealed, before clearing her throat and making a futile effort to calm herself. "I apologize for my outburst, Miss Aurora," she said unsteadily as she tried to hold in the excitement.

"That is quite alright, Star," the mare replied. Star squealed one last time before finally regaining her composure.

"What will you teach me?"

"I am going to teach you magic."

"But the Professors already teach magic during the afternoon classes." Miss Aurora sat on her haunches and wrapped a hoof around Star's frame, pulling her close.

"Not this magic," she whispered. "This is secret magic. And that means that from now on, you must never tell of the magic we practice. Do you understand?" Star nodded.

"I understand, Miss Aurora."

Twilight heard a knocking at her door once again. It was early in the evening, but she was already exhausted. With a quiet groan, she trotted downstairs to the doors and opened them with her magic to reveal a unicorn Guardspony in silver armor.

"Your Highness," he said, "Dame Applejack requests your presence in Sweet Apple Acres immediately." Recognizing the urgent tone to his voice, Twilight nodded and quickly teleported away. She popped back into existence next to Applejack's barn, feeling a little dizzy.

"Applejack?" she shouted questioningly.

"Twilight!" Applejack came running around the side of the barn. "I can't find Star Walker!"

"Seriously?" Twilight deadpanned. "You brought me all the way from the castle for that? She probably just went into town to get something."

"Twilight, there was a note!" Applejack said angrily. "She said she couldn't risk our safety. I'm afraid she's gone off an' done somethin' horrible!" Twilight's eyes closed and her horn glowed as she produced a tracking spell.

"She's out by the reservoir," she said curiously.

"What's she doin'?" asked Applejack.

"I can't tell," replied Twilight, opening her eyes. "But I'm sure it's nothing sinister."

"You can't know that!" said Applejack. Twilight rolled her eyes. Her horn glowed brighter and she once again found herself somewhere else, this time with Applejack in tow.

"See?" Twilight held out her hooves. "She's not doing anything SWEET CELESTIA!" They had appeared about ten yards from Star Walker's position, who had opened a blue portal in the air. And from their position, Twilight and Applejack had an excellent view through the portal of a thick jungle of orange trees. Star Walker was standing in front if it, and she turned to acknowledge the ponies behind her.

"I am sorry, Princess Twilight Sparkle. But I must leave. None of you are safe while I am here." She moved toward the portal.

"Wait!" yelled Twilight. "What do you mean we're not safe?"

"You would not understand." Twilight was more than a little annoyed at this sentence.

"Not... understand?" she said dangerously, her eyes twitching.

"Oh, no," said a frightened Applejack under her breath. Twilight inhaled loudly.

"I have dealt with precognitive twitchy tails, magical time paradoxes, cotton-candy clouds raining chocolate milk, changing cutie marks, and giant, magic-stealing centaurs. Try me!" Star Walker stood regarding Twilight impassively while the portal undulated quietly.

"Fine," she finally said. Her horn glowed and the portal shrank and disappeared. She walked over to stand directly in front of the two shorter ponies. "I will tell you my story. But not here. It must be somewhere away from prying eyes."

"I'll take us to our friend Zecora's. Nopony will ever think to look there." Twilight began walking away.

"I would like for you to teleport us there," said Star Walker, "to avoid being followed." Twilight groaned in exhaustion.

"Do we have to? It's extremely taxing to teleport such long distances, especially repeatedly." Star Walker nodded, and Twilight groaned again, reluctantly lighting her horn. They were surrounded by light and disappeared with a poof.

Several yards away, two alicorns of alternating colors popped out of the water to rest on the lip of the reservoir.

"Hmm," said the stallion. "I wonder who this 'Zecora' might be?"

"Well, let's find out," said the mare. She climbed out of the reservoir and dried herself and her brown cloak with a spell, and the stallion did the same. They then set off toward town to gather information.

Chapter 4: Confessions

"So," said Twilight tiredly, trying to catch her breath, "what's going on?"

They now stood outside Zecora's tree hut in the middle of the Everfree Forest. The trees of the Everfree blocked out nearly all light outside the clearing, but the grass around the large tree was softly illuminated by moonlight. There was no light from the hut, as Zecora was out gathering her evening herbs. Star Walker gave Twilight a grim look.

"I am afraid that my mere presence here has placed your world in great danger."

"I'm guessin' by 'here,' you don't mean Ponyville," said Applejack. Star Walker shook her head slightly.

"No. I am not from here. I am not even from Equestria, or at least this version of it."

"This... version?" said Twilight, confusion distorting her face.

"Yes. I, in fact, come from a parallel universe. An alternate version of Equestria, quite different from the one you know." A moment of awkward silence passed before it was broken by Applejack.

"Yer kiddin', right?" she said with a chuckle. Star Walker shook her head.

"I have seen a great many things during my travels; a world ruled over by an evil black unicorn, a world where ponies are all opposite sexes, worlds where ponies never evolved at all. One world was even inhabited by two-legged, hairless apes."

Twilight stared for a few seconds with her mouth open, and then the corners crept up ever so slowly into a smile that grew wider every second. Her pupils grew and her eyes glistened, and her face became contorted into an expression of pure glee.

"Oh. MY. GOSH!" she said. She rushed up in a purple blur to appear directly in front of Star Walker, excitedly rattling off question after inquiry after query.

"Oh my gosh! What is your world like? Do you have any odd plants or creatures? Does it have the same ponies as our world? What am I like in your world? What is-mmph!" Her rapid-fire questioning was interrupted by Applejack's hoof being shoved in her mouth.

"Why'd ya come here?" she asked. Star Walker sighed.

Two tall alicorns walked down the dark evening streets of Ponyville, bodies covered with cloaks and eyes with dark glasses, attempting to find a resident to speak to for information and directions. They finally happened across a pink earth mare who was standing with her back to them. They walked up behind her and the stallion cleared his throat.

"May you please direct us toward the residence of Zecora?" he said. The mare turned around, revealing a frighteningly wide grin filled with incredibly perfect teeth.

"Oh, sure! Hey, why are you wearing sunglasses at night? Anyway, hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and I know Zecora really well. Are you looking for her or do you wanna know what she's like?"

"We need—" the stallion started, but Pinkie did not wait for a response.

"She'd been coming into Ponyville for a while and we were all hiding from her but then Twilight found out and she said we were all crazy for being scared of Zecora because she was just a zebra and not evil like we thought and then I told Twilight that she was evil and that she's so evil I even wrote a song about her." The mare paused for a split second, but did not so much as take a breath.

She then began a complex dance which, much to the dismay of the cloaked ponies in front of her, was accompanied by a song.

"She's an evil enchantress

She does evil dances

And if you look deep in her eyes

She'll put you in trances..."

The mare leaned her head toward her brother.

"Must we put up with this?" she asked quietly.

"She's the only resident outside at this time of night, so yes. Plus, I'm enjoying the show." He smiled, his covered eyes never leaving the pink mare.

"Assassins?" said Twilight.

"Mercenaries," Star Walker corrected. "Hired horns. I recognized their hoofwork when I saw that mare strung up. Their names are Halberd and Javelin and they are called the Blade Twins. They are infamous in my world for their theatrical methods of killing. I fear that they will tear this world apart to capture me."

"Whada they look like?" asked Applejack.

"They are a brown stallion with a red mane and a red mare with a brown mane, both alicorns."

"Alicorns?" Twilight asked in wonderment. Star Walker smiled.

"I am assuming that they are not common in your world," she replied. "That seems to be a trend. Suffice it to say that it is a result of my world's advanced technology."

"You actually have the technology to turn ponies into alicorns?" Twilight said with a gasp and sparkling eyes.

"Yes. It was developed long ago by the Holy Empress for Her army." Twilight swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable, and her pupils lost their sheen.

"Holy... Empress?" She did not like the sound of that.

"So then after Trixie beat Twilight and banished her she conjured a giant magical fish bowl and set it over Ponyville so she would never ever come back and then Twilight had to go to Zecora to learn magic so that she could defeat Trixie even though Trixie had the Alicorn Amulet and she was really powerful and then later she came back with a necklace Zecora gave her and told Trixie that it was from beyond the Everfree Forest..."

Halberd and Javelin stared in fascination at the monologuing pink pony as she talked their ears off without even stopping for breath.

"So anyway when Rainbow Dash got to Sugarcube Corner I gave her a cupcake and she went to sleep and then I tied her up and cut off her cutie– Oh wait, that was a dream, never mind."

"I've had enough of this," grumbled Javelin. She lit her horn and a green haze appeared around Pinkie's neck, lifting her off the ground and causing her face to make a squeaking noise and puff out like a balloon. It also had the positive side effect of at least temporarily stopping her verbal blitzkrieg.

"Listen, you dirt-eating earther," she said dangerously, punctuating her syllables with tight squeezes to Pinkie's windpipe, "we need specific information. Now, which way is this Zecora's home?" Pinkie Pie let out a sound that seemed halfway between a gag and the squawk of a chicken, pointing down a path which led toward the forest. Javelin smiled, and then the three ponies were gone in a flash.

They reappeared next to the reservoir, where another flash of magic conjured several ropes and large stone weights which wrapped around the pink mare's frame, restraining her limbs. A green glowing lock appeared with a click on one of the knots and then faded away. At the same time, a green cloud appeared around Pinkie's mouth and transformed it into a closed zipper. She wriggled and tried to talk through the zipper, but to no avail.

"Sorry it had to be this way," said Javelin, "but we really need to get to Zecora's. And after I lost my temper, we can't have you blabbing." She lifted the mare in her magical field and levitated her in the direction of the reservoir several yards away. As Pinkie was lifted over the rim and moved out over the water, she curled into a frightened ball, crying and screaming pathetically through her zipped lips.

"Nighty-night," said Javelin with an evil grin, and Pinkie dropped out of the sky with a splash.

"What do we do about the assassins?" asked Twilight.

"Again, mercenaries," corrected Star Walker for the second time. "And I believe the best course of action is for me to leave. They will follow me, and hopefully never bother you again."

"Oh, no you don't!" said Twilight. "We're not leaving you to those goons just so we can have some peace and quiet."

"This is my issue to resolve," said Star Walker calmly. But Twilight would have none of it.

"Now, look here, it may be that in your universe, ponies are offered no assistance and left to fend for themselves. But our Equestria is a place of compassion, friendship, and harmony, and no pony is ever left behind." She offered her hoof to the dark blue mare in front of her.

Star Walker looked at the hoof for a moment, then to the face to which it belonged. The face smiled sweetly at her, showing no trace of malice or a hidden agenda. There was only pure compassion and friendship in the Princess's eyes.

It was the exact opposite of what she had seen on that face her whole life.

But she ignored the hesitation, writing it off as irrational. She did not know this pony; she only knew another with the same appearance. She reached out and took the Princess's fetlock in her own.

"Nopony left behind," she echoed.

"Nopony, not ever," said Applejack, adding her own hoof to the mix. The three mares then retracted their hooves.

"Wait a second," said Twilight after a moment. "Where's Zecora?" She produced a ticking clock with a puff of magic, which read slightly after 9:00. "She always returns before 9 o' clock, and it's currently 9:01." The clock then disappeared with a poof.

"Twilight, she's prob'ly just a little late," said Applejack dismissively. "Or maybe yer clock's runnin' fast." Twilight shook her head.

"Mm-mm. The Tick-Tock Clock spell is accurate to within a nanosecond, and Zecora is even more punctual than I am when it comes to getting out of the forest for the night. Something's wrong."

"Very good, Miss Sparkle," said a suave male voice from behind the tree line. The three ponies turned in unison to see a tall, grinning stallion in a cloak and dark glasses step into the moonlight. His horn was lit, and shortly thereafter he dragged a hog-tied Zecora into the clearing and dropped her beside him just inside the edge. She wore an expression that Twilight rarely saw her use; terror.

"It appears," the stallion continued, "that even in this universe, you are quick to notice a discrepancy." Twilight tried to swallow her fear.

"You know me?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," the stallion replied, widening his grin to expose his teeth and removing his glasses to show his frightening reptilian pupils. "I know you very well, Acrchmage."

Twilight shuddered in fear at the sight of the alicorn's eyes. But the effect quickly wore off, allowing her to contemplate his response. Archmage? she thought. There had not been an archmage since the time of Starswirl the Bearded. It was an outdated term, but it held so much power...

"Your Highness!" yelled Star Walker urgently, cutting through Twilight's thoughts like a hot knife through butter. "They are trying to magically cut us off! Teleport us to your castle, now!" Twilight instantly obeyed, summoning one last burst of magical energy. They disappeared in a flash and landed in the castle's main library.

The moment they arrived, Twilight was hit by a blinding pain in her horn. It blotted out her entire visual field with white, and she keeled over onto the crystal floor and screamed in pain.

Star Walker wasted no time and lit her horn, throwing up a magical shield around the castle. She flashed her horn several more times, reinforcing it with additional enchantments and several more layers. The result was an almost completely opaque blue sphere surrounding the Castle of Friendship and cutting it off from the outside world. She used one last flash to create an orb of light to provide illumination, acting like a miniature sun.

She rushed past Twilight, who was laying on the floor moaning. Applejack was comforting her, but became angry when Star Walker did nothing.

"What'n the hay are ya'll doin'? Dontcha see Twilight's in pain over here?!" She was quieted when Star Walker returned with an ice pack. She laid it across Twilight's forehead.

"Make certain she receives plenty of fluids," she said. She lit her horn and began telekinetically pulling random books off the shelves. The tomes and volumes paraded through the air past her as she scanned over each one.

"Zecora..." Twilight groaned. "We... left Zecora..."

"They will likely attempt to use her as a bargaining chip to more easily acquire me, utilizing your friendly relationship. But they will not be afraid to harm her in order to prove their credibility."

"You seem to know a lot about these ponies," Applejack said suspiciously.

"As I said, they are infamous. Officially, they are wanted by the government, but everypony knows She uses them for Her dirty work, though they would never be foolish enough to admit it openly." She found a book with an interesting title and opened it, flipping through the pages.

"That Empress o' yers?" Star Walker shot the mare an angry look at her casual tone when referring to the Holy Empress, but she let it go.

"Yes," she said.

It was at that very moment that Spike chose to enter the scene. He waddled into the library carrying several books, which Star Walker promptly lifted from his small arms to reveal a startled face.

"Oh, no! Twilight, what happened?" He rushed to Twilight's side and leaned over the groaning mare. He looked up at Star Walker, now with protective anger. "What did you do?"

"She is simply suffering a magical migraine," replied the cloaked unicorn, closing the book in front of her and moving to the ones she had taken from Spike, "of which I am sure she is aware. Though intensely painful, it will pass within a few hours if given proper care. Such are the consequences of high-power magic."

"What happened to her?"

"She severely strained herself teleporting us away from two mercenaries. We were extremely lucky. Two seconds longer, and she would have been magically blocked; one second, and she might have been killed in the transfer." She had moved on, and was now midway through a book of transformation spells.

"Holy guacamole!"

"Indeed. Take her to bed and make certain she does not move for six hours or use her magic for twenty-four; if she does, she may risk permanent damage." Spike moved to help, but Applejack sat still, staring off into the distance. Star Walker turned to look in her direction. "Miss Apple?"

"Those eyes," she said. "I ain't ever seen eyes like that. They weren't like Spike's; they were... cold. Like there weren't even a pony behind 'em."

"Those eyes are a superficial modification, nothing more. Now, please help your friend to bed."

"And what're you gonna do?" she asked as she gently lifted Twilight onto her back.

"Study books of magic in hopes of gaining an advantage over the Twins," said Star Walker, opening up yet another book. "They will come for us, and we must be ready."

"Ya mean they'll come fer you," Applejack grumbled under her breath as she slowly carried Twilight to her chambers. Star Walker ignored her. After all, she was perfectly justified in her dissatisfaction. Hence why she had tried to leave in the first place.

Oddly enough, the unicorn found her thoughts wandering to the little filly Apple Bloom. She had touched something in the mare's heart, a part that she had thought long gone. In the filly's eyes, she saw herself; eager to take on the world, and to Tartarus with the consequences.

Star Walker stayed awake studying the magic books, knowing that she would need to keep watch. But she kept thinking about the little Apple filly and why she had sung her her mother's lullaby. It was a precious part of her, something she cherished above all else. To share it with another after only knowing them for a day...

Star Walker had always kept to herself, even as a foal somewhat, but there was no denying it; that filly had struck a chord in her soul.

Chapter 5: Thaumus ex Machina

Less than a half hour later, there came a repetitious sound like the flexing of a sheet of metal. A light shockwave traveled around the surface of the magical shield like a ripple over a pond. Star Walker looked up fearfully from the book she was studying on battle magic, her ears perking up. She looked like a rabbit, glancing around in search of her predator.

"They're here," she said softly. Nearby, Applejack looked up from where she was tending Twilight.

"What're we gonna do?" Star Walker stood up, setting the book on a table.

"We will not be doing anything. I will go down alone."

"The hay you will! That's our friend down there! No offense, but I'd rather not trust Zecora's life to some strange pony from another universe." The metallic knocking sounded again.

"Very well," said Star Walker. There was a flash and the next thing Applejack knew, they were standing just outside the castle doors.

"Be wary," said Star Walker. They have many abilities granted them by technology, giving them an edge over many an opponent. I cannot imagine all the tricks they may have up their sleeves."

Star Walker and Applejack walked slowly up to the edge of the blue dome and the knocking sounded once more. Star Walker noticed now that it was rhythmic.

"Wait a minute," said Applejack. "That sounds like—" Star Walker's horn glowed and the shield became translucent, enabling them to see a pink mare standing before them on the other side.

"Hi guys!"

"Pinkie Pie?" they said in simultaneous confusion. Pinkie's voice was severely distorted through the thick shield, as if she were talking down a long metal pipe. The two mares could barely understand her, but she managed to get the point across.

"Boy, oh boy, do I have a story for you!" she said happily. Star Walker concentrated and willed a gap into the shield. She then quickly dragged Pinkie through with her telekinesis, closing the gap immediately behind her.

"It's not safe here," she said to Pinkie after setting her down. "There are criminals on the loose." Pinkie stared for a moment, snorted, then burst out laughing. Star Walker was dumbfounded and stared at her like she had grown a second head.

"Oh, silly," chuckled Pinkie, "I already knew that!"

"You did?"

"Sure! That was actually the story I wanted to tell you! So, I was outside Sugarcube Corner for some reason I can't remember I was just standing there and suddenly these two ponies came up behind me and asked about Zecora and my Pinkie Sense told me I had to stall them for some reason so I did and then I talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked..." She stopped and gulped down a huge mass of air, inflating her chest to hold it all, then continued at length.

"...and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked until finally I found out they both meanie-pantses and I had to tell them where to go to get to Zecora's or they would have killed me and so finally they took me to the reservoir and tied me up and weighed me down so I would sink and then dropped me in the water but I escaped and then I came here and told you 'hi guys' and you said 'Pinkie Pie?' and I said 'boy, oh boy—'"

"Pinkie!" Applejack interrupted. "We were here for all that!"

"Oh, of course, silly me!" Pinkie slapped her forehead with her hoof.

"Go in the castle," Star Walker told Pinkie. "Twilight requires your care."

"Okie dokie lokie!" The earth mare bounced away toward the castle.

"Wait," said Star Walker. Pinkie stopped and looked back. "How did you escape?"

"Oh, I just used my Pinkie ex Machina! I just so happened to have a handy-dandy... oxygen tank!" She pulled a large cylindrical tank and breathing tubes out of nowhere and showed them to Star Walker.

"Bu- wha...?" sputtered Star Walker. Pinkie just bounced back toward the castle, the tank having mysteriously disappeared once more. Star Walker hung her head in resignation. "Uunh," she groaned, and rubbed her temple with her right hoof. Star Walker looked up just in time to see the two mercenaries alight on the grass on the other side of the shield. She steeled herself for what was to come. She cleared her throat to get Applejack's attention, then led her to the edge.

The two alicorns were exceptionally fearsome-looking. Their bodies were bare, showing off their cutie marks and, most noticeably, their large wings. Both pairs of piercing reptilian eyes were proudly on display, gazing into the soul of whoever caught sight of them. Halberd grinned and showed his sharp teeth before speaking.

"Hello, Star Walker," he said, his voice muffled in a similar fashion to Pinkie. "You will be coming with us. You are under arrest for treason."

"And I think you are mistaken," she replied. "I will not be going anywhere. You know as well as I that it would take weeks to dismantle this shield enough to get through, and I am certain that you do not have that kind of time."

"Neither do you. You can only survive inside there as long as you have water, and I see no immediate source. You are cut off from the reservoir by the shield and have no access to the pipes. You also cannot summon objects through the barrier with this level of lockdown."

"I may have a supply of water or be able to find other ways of surviving the weeks, but if you do not bring me in within the time frame set for you, you will receive no remuneration from your employer, whoever they may be."

"It appears that we are at an impasse," said the alicorn. Then he smiled. "Surely this can be remedied." His horn flashed and Zecora appeared beside him. His sister leveled her own horn at the zebra, positioning it behind where the mare's heart would be.

"You come with us, or I gore this zebra bitch," she said simply. Zecora's eyes were like stone, clearly showing that she had come to terms with her fate, whatever it may be.

"That don't give much room for negotiatin'," said Applejack.

"Oh-ho, the earth pony bumpkin speaks," said Halberd in amusement. "What's the matter, are you upset because your brother got you pregnant again?" Applejack did not react.

"Ah've learned a lot about hagglin' prices, sellin' apples all day. And the number one rule in negotiations is never show all yer cards right outta the shoots, 'cause now ya got nowhere to go." Halberd grew angry.

"You think you can talk like that to an alicorn? I am superior to you! Just for that, your zebra friend here gets her leg broken!" He nodded to Javelin, who moved her hoof to rest against Zecora's hind leg. She pushed hard, and there was a sickening crunch that could be heard through the shield, making Applejack wince heavily. It was accompanied by a loud shout of pain from the zebra, but then she silenced herself, breathing heavily through her nose. The lower half of her left hind leg was now bent sideways at an unnatural angle. A single tear slid down her right cheek, catching on the corner of her mouth.

"Now," snarled the stallion, "try speaking to me again. And this time, give me the proper respect." But before anyone could speak, the red mare was suddenly knocked aside by a rainbow-colored blur.

"What was that?" she asked her brother angrily, rubbing her jaw. Halberd formed a small green shield around the two of them and a cerulean pegasus barely pulled up before impacting it on the rebound. She stopped a few yards away from them, hovering in the air.

"Nopony hurts Zecora!" she said with fiery confidence.

"Rainbow Dash!" said Applejack excitedly. "Where'd you come from?"

"I saw the shield pop up around the castle and I knew something was up. So I came over to investigate. And I see now that I might have to bump a few heads." The mercenaries both laughed.

"You think a featherbrain like you could actually take on two alicorns in close combat?" said Javelin, smiling.

"Well, I took you out, didn't I?" she said confidently. Javelin's horn glowed and Rainbow Dash was suddenly pulled to the ground by a green aura. She dropped out of the sky and landed with a loud thud on the grass. "Hey!" she said, struggling against the grip of the strong magic. "Let me go!"

Javelin walked over and placed a hoof on the side of Rainbow Dash's throat with obvious force, driving her face into the cold dirt. The pegasus gagged and started gasping for breath as her windpipe was slowly compressed under the unforgiving hoof.

"Lemme out there!" said Applejack to Star Walker. "She's chokin' her!"

"Your universe is so backward," said the red mare to the pegasus. "You have no respect for your alicorn masters! You should consider yourself lucky that I haven't vaporized you!"

Star Walker was unable to answer Applejack. She could not try to rescue them; she feared that the mercenaries would catch her, and the Empress would not let her off easy. But two mares were in immediate danger, something she could not ignore. She thought back to what Twilight had said to her earlier.

No pony left behind.

Too long had Star Walker taken care of only herself. She had never truly known anypony that she had felt driven to protect. But today, Star Walker knew; it was time to end the cycle.

Her horn flared, and the shield dropped layer by layer, shedding three layers of force until it was nonexistent. Before either of the alicorns could react, Star Walker jumped forward, grabbing Rainbow Dash and Applejack with her magic, and ran in the direction of town. As soon as Rainbow got her breath back, she was flying, and started yelling at the unicorn.

"Hey! What about Zecora?"

"And Twilight!" Applejack added.

"Too risky to move them!" shouted Star Walker. "Don't worry; they'll come after us!" Sure enough, Applejack looked back and saw that the two mercenaries had taken flight and were pursuing them.

"Where are we goin'?" asked the farm pony.

"Sweet Apple Acres!" the unicorn replied. "No time to explain!" She gathered her energy and focused her intent, performed the necessary calculations, and clenched her muscles, teleporting the three of them a total of approximately 100 yards in the direction of the farm. Not enough to escape the sight of the mercenaries, but enough to gain an advantage. Which was promptly eliminated when the alicorns performed the same spell, unhindered by passengers.

"Land sakes!" said Applejack. "What all c'n they do?" Star Walker ignored her and turned to look back, firing a bolt of magic at the mercenaries. She then focused and teleported them 200 yards to the right, trying to buy them time. They narrowly missed getting hit by a bolt from one of the alicorns and were now running west instead of south, taking them closer to the farm. Rainbow Dash gave a nauseous-sounding groan.

"I don't feel so good," she said unsteadily.

"I am sorry for the disorientation," replied Star Walker. "Teleporting is not my area of expertise." She dodged another bolt of green eldritch energy, jumping roughly to the left. She teleported once more, this time bringing them within sight of the barn. Star Walker jumped over a fence just as it was splintered by a flash of green. A green barrier then appeared before them, but it was hastily constructed and Star Walker's horn broke through it with relative ease.

She could feel herself fading now. Her concentration, and her magic, were beginning to falter. Applejack noticed and put her legs down, trying to run for herself after being dragged telekinetically for so long. Star Walker dropped her hold on the earth pony, who just barely avoided tumbling and breaking several bones. She then lowered Rainbow Dash onto her back in a graceful display of magical dexterity.

Applejack kept running with Rainbow Dash on her back while Star Walker slowed and turned to face the attackers, immediately firing off a shot at the stallion. He dodged, performing a quick barrel roll, and the two alicorns slowed to a hover and fired off simultaneous blasts, which Star Walker countered with a blast of her own.

The two streams of magical power vied for dominance, and eventually Star Walker jumped and teleported away, allowing the beam to shatter the ground where she had been standing.

It was at this point that a young filly, awoken by all the commotion, appeared in the doorway of the house, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Huh?" she said. "What's goin' on?" Star Walker noticed Apple Bloom quite suddenly.

"Get back inside!" she yelled to the filly.

"Ooh, who is this?" said Javelin, turning her attention to the earth filly.

"Leave her alone," said Star Walker as calmly as she could. "She has no part in this."

"Oh, I don't think we will," said Halberd. He then flew over to the filly's position. Apple Bloom tried to run back into the house, but was caught by his magical aura and screamed in fear. Star Walker moved to grab Apple Bloom back, but Halberd pulled her away.

"Ah-ah-ah. We wouldn't want the poor filly to get hurt, now would we?" Apple Bloom's eyes widened and began to leak tears. Her body shuddered, trying to hold them back. Star Walker was torn, but quickly made her decision.

"Fine. Let her go. You can have me instead." She heard a quiet gasp from where Applejack and Rainbow had presumably hidden. Halberd smiled, showing his sharp teeth.

"Excellent."

"Let her down first. Gently."

"As you wish." He brought Apple Bloom around and levitated her some distance away, and pulled out a set of hoofcuffs. He hooked them onto Star Walker's front hooves and dropped Apple Bloom rather roughly on the ground. She ran and took shelter behind a wagon, peeking out around the corner.

The alicorn stallion then levitated out a grayish cone with a strap; a horn guard. Horn guards were made of lead and were designed to block a unicorn's horn from interacting with the magical field. They were frequently used by law enforcement to restrain criminals or by masters to exert control over unicorn slaves.

Star Walker waited as the guard got closer, waiting for an opening. She made sure to keep her body language relaxed to throw them off. The guard got closer to her horn, closer and closer, until finally the stallion was slightly off balance, and she struck.

She twisted and kicked the guard away, firing off a shot with her horn and incapacitating the alicorn. She immediately fired another bolt at Javelin, then constructed a vertical shield between her and the mercenaries. She ran, shooting a portal spell at the nearest compatible coordinates, which were luckily right next to the barn.

A portal formed in the wooden wall, opening to a dense forest. She turned to cast a final spell at the two alicorns, tearing up the land between them and carving a ditch in the dirt. She leapt through the air, propelling herself through the portal at great speed. There came a shout tinged with a southern accent from behind her.

"Apple Bloom, no!" The little filly jumped from behind her hiding place and tried to jump through past Star Walker, the portal closing as she jumped. She was a quarter of the way through, halfway through. The blue ring of light constricted and just caught the tip of her hoof and the last quarter of her tail, leaving on the ground a sliver of hoof and a large clump of red hair.

The alicorns were immediately behind, and almost managed to catch the two. But the portal closed just before they reached them, causing them to tear loudly through the side of Applejack's barn.

Author's Note

You didn't think I would kill off Pinkie, did you? :ajsmug:

Sorry this chapter took so long to finish. I honestly wish I had started on it a month earlier than I did.