Dusk Shine's Saga

Chapters

Chapter 1: An introduction to Ponyville
Interlude 1 - Smalltalk at Pinkie's Party
Chapter 2: The Rise of Nightmare Moon
Chapter 3: The War for Princess Luna
Interlude 2 - The Princess of the Night
Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 1
Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 2
Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 3
Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 4
Chapter 4: The Ticket Master - Part 1
Bonus Clop Scene: The Morning After [Dusk x Rarity; Tame]
Chapter 4: The Ticket Master - Part 2
Interlude 4 - The Princess of Love - Part 1
Interlude 4 - The Princess of Love - Part 2
Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 1
Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 2
Chapter 6: Griffon the Brush-Off - Part 1
Chapter 6: Griffon the Brush-Off - Part 2
Interlude 5 - Dash's Birthday Blast [Dash x Pinkie Pie; Strapons and Toys; Anal Sex]
Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 1
Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 2
Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 3
Interlude 6 - Royal Captain of Celestia’s Guard, Shining Armor
Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 1
Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 2
Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 3
Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 4
Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 5
Chapter 9: Look Before You Sleep [Dusk x Applejack; Handjob, sleeping]
Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 1
Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 2
Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 3
Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 4
Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 1
Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 2
Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 4
Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 5
Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 1
Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 2 [Dusk x Rarity x Fluttershy - Mild Pet play, Soft Oral/Vaginal]
Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 3
Chapter 11: Winter Wrap Up - Part 4
Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 2
Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 3
Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 1 [Dusk x Derpy x Amethyst]
Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 3
Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 4
Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 5
Interlude 8 - Strengthening Bonds
Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 1
Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 2
Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 3
Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 4
Interlude 9 - Afterwards
Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 1
Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 2 [Bronze Feather, Masturbation]
Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 3
Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 4
Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 5
Interlude 10 - A Wonderbolt's Show in Canterlot - Part 1
Interlude 10 - A Wonderbolt's Show in Canterlot - Part 2 [DashxDusk - Anal]
Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 1
Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 2
Chapter 16: Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 3
Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 4
Chapter 16 - 5: Incomplete. includes some sex.
Prologue: The Second Last Day in Equestria
Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 3 [Dusk X Applejack - Handjob, Oral, Titfucking]
Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 3
Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 1
Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 2 [Dusk x Dash - Massage play, Masturbation]

Chapter 1: An introduction to Ponyville

Dusk was in a rush to return to his observatory after being distracted by the guards’ display. He had more to think about than when the day started, however the conversation he had with his brother had reignited his blood once more. Now a stallion on a mission once again, he hardly even noticed as three mares approached him on the main walk. His mind so occupied with his quest that it wasn't until one of them spoke up that he took the time to register who it was that had wandered in his way. But fillies had always been like that with him; always looking for any excuse to speak with Dusk when he was obsessed with his studies. And while the girls had found he was rarely interested in what they brought up, the fact he was so well-known as a good student, as well as Princess Celestia's chosen pupil... well, it appeared this only made him even more tantalizing to some fillies. At twenty-one, and recently having passed the final exams five years earlier than was normal, his stock with the unicorn mares had only shot higher. Now groups were forming, plots were being hatched and the first of a very new attempt to overwhelm Dusk's normally passive reaction to the mares’ flirtations began today.

Twinkleshine was the first to step forward, always the leader of her social circle. Now they were a group of interested mares, all working together towards a common goal. Presenting a winning smile, she held what they clearly considered a full house, stacking the odds in her favor. With Lemon Hearts and Colgate flanking her and dressed for the party ahead, they moved to crowd him into their company. These mares were a sight most stallions couldn't resist or ignore. Yet, as always, it appeared Dusk was so busy with whatever his current extra project was for the princess, it was clear she had to be the first to lay her cards upon the table. Voice silky and welcoming, she spoke out with ease, acting as if they had been best friends for years.

“Dusk Shine! You have such perfect timing. You remember your tutor Moon Dancer, right? It's her birthday and she would simply die if you didn't come to celebrate with us!” The mare, her long and silky pink hair waving in the breeze, was flirting openly with one of the rare stallions in Starswirl University; this was a clear-as-day sign to any who spent time on campus, and others quickly shifted aside, letting the trio play their cards, yet still watching the game unfold. Tall and thin Lemon Hearts stood at her left, the soft-eyed unicorn matching Dusk's height and offering him the full effect of her sweet gaze. Colgate framed and blocked any escape to Twinkleshine's right, a few inches shorter, but her deep and lovely blue eyes matched the two-toned locks of her wilder tomboy style. Dusk stopped abruptly from the sudden conversation, Barb easily enough ignored the trio and continuing to the observatory alone as the conversation was clearly going to keep Dusk busy.

The break in his stride left his mind suddenly blank, save for the eyeful of attractive mares who stood in his path, all flirty smiles and bright eyes. Swallowing hard, the stallion hunted for words, almost babbling like a fool even as in the back of his mind his libido started stabbing his brain with a pitchfork. “Moon Dancer? We... have not really talked in years. I do not think she likes me much anymore. After all, I passed the tier three classes the same day as she did, and she was always so proud of being ahead of me.” The stallion ignored the screaming in the back of his head, shrugging it off as a passing thing. He needed to get back to his work, back to his study.

Lemon wasn't about to have any of this, and with a hand on Twinkleshine's shoulder as she leaned toward him, a sultry pout formed on her plush lips. “But Dusk! That was all years ago. You're both working on your doctorates now, aren’t you? Why, we all know she isn't the type to hold some silly test you passed before you were even a full grown stallion against you.”

Twinkleshine grinned as Lemon pushed the aspiring harem’s second and third card forward. “Who cares about some silly test, when all the tests are over. Two brilliant, young minds still forging ahead with personal studies don't need to bother feeling ashamed of silly, youthful things!” These three mares before him were the talk of the school. Some of the smartest of mares who had yet to find a 'mentor'. That was how it was politely put when a stallion formed a herd while still in school.

Confronted by the three-prong attack, Dusk was stuck backpedaling a step or two to stay away from the mares and their words. In his mind, the need to figure out the mystery still stood tall, while his libido had taken up the battle with new weapons to try to crack the iron walls of duty. “But... I have so much studying to do! And I have never been good at parties!”

Dusk once again attempted try to slip past them on his left, but Colgate was fast to grab his arm and draw herself close, the soft minty smell of her shampoo drifting to his senses even as she pressed her body into his side. “But Dusk, we really do just want to get to know you better. You're a fine stallion, and we know you've yet to 'mentor' any mares. With work on your doctorate started now that you've passed the last classes, surely you must see that the three of us could be of great use to you! Lemon can cook, I love to clean and Teacher's Pet is almost as advanced as you are in magical theory.” A nod was offered in Twinkleshine’s direction. “We're the perfect trio to aid your work.” The tomboy was far from bashful and was quick to lean in to stroke her hand across his jaw.

And that was the last straw - his libido finally broke the iron wall his sense of duty had built. Lips faltering, eyes wide, the slender stallion was shocked by the touch of Colgate's flesh. A breath stifled in his lips and for just a moment, they started to shift, to form a sentence. It was the first time the mares had teamed up on him, and it seemed that they were going to win. All thoughts of his search were lost as a smile slipped onto his lips and he began to nod his head. The mares grinned. They had won, and their stallion was as good as captured with Colgate's application of the last two trump cards to make a full house... and then Shining Armor arrived with a royal flush.

“Dusk! You foolish colt, there you are!” The towering stallion was an example of unicorn masculinity that put his little brother to shame. Head of the Royal Guard and at the moment, Equestria's most powerful and eligible stallion... at least in the fields of magic, athleticism and title, he was easily a head taller than his younger brother.

A hand was swift to grab Dusk on the same side as Colgate, pulling him away from the now-pouting tomboy, and shoved a saddle bag into his arms. Shocked by the sudden weight, the younger male had to gasp for breath while Armor had hardly appeared to notice he was holding the heavy book-bag. “I'm sorry ladies, the guard was just out on the field practicing, when I noticed Dusk had left his bags behind after visiting me. I hope I haven’t interrupted anything important?” The stallion left no time for questions from the girls as his hand slipped to the back of his brothers neck and a few quick shoves got the still shell-shocked younger brother moving forward again.

“Well, to tell the truth...” Began Twinkleshine, not as stunned nor charmed from her mission as her friends by the elder male's staggering presence, but she was quickly cut off by Armor.

“Yes, yes, I'm sorry. The nagging older brother always forcing his younger into study when there are parties to attend. But don't worry. Tomorrow’s the night before the Summer Sun Celebration. And not even Dusk is foolish enough to dare miss that party. Princess Celestia is his teacher after all, and he wouldn't insult her by studying on that important of a day!” Those last few words were teamed up with a harsher than normal grip upon Dusk's neck as he was shooed off by his brother. His brain was only now beginning to work again, and for just a moment, he thought of thanking his elder for saving him from the mares’ plot.

All he managed, however, was a nod and the quick whisper of a half-stuttered “What? Oh, yes, yes!” before he took off running again. “And thanks for my books. I'd have missed them so much.” The mares were aggravated by this sudden twist in their plans, the royal flush of duty Shining represented pushing away all other thoughts from Dusk's head, but not from the mares'. Soon, they realized whose presence they were in, and were quick to turn their attempted seduction upon the elder brother. And yet, they instead found pictures of Shining's last visit with Princess Cadence shoved in their face before they could start shuffling the deck to play a new hand. It was clear that Armor knew his game, and theirs as well. Soon, they were bedazzled into complementing his royal girlfriend and all attempts to gain ground back were lost.

* * *

Dusk was still trying to work out just how or why his brother had saved him from the mares when he arrived at the observatory, quickly walking to the door and using his magic to unlock and open it so he wouldn't have to break his stride. His mind was once more locked solid upon the matter of the Elements of Harmony and the legend of Nightmare Moon.

Barb’s scream as the door smashed into her face caught him off guard and he paused for a moment to help her up onto her feet, inspecting the crushed present she now held with a light sigh whispering from her lips. “That was for Moon Dancer.” Barb quietly muttered to herself. Dusk remembered something about that. A few years ago, Barb had crushed hard on the attractive mare, and Dusk had worried what was going to happen when he, still only in his second year at Starswirl University and the youngest to pass the third year exams in history, had upstaged Moon Dancer, the student aid Celestia herself had picked for him. Thankfully, Barb was still young back then, and a youthful heart is fickle.

Dusk had already moved on and was up the stairs, calling out to Barb as he turned to begin hunting the shelves. “Any sign of 'The Elements of Harmony' yet? I've got to have a copy here somewhere!” For his sake the dragoness was swift to call back as she clambered up a ladder to one of the higher shelves.

“I saw it up here a few weeks ago when I was dusting. It's right over her-” Suddenly, the ladder she was on slipped, and as she had set it up too quickly before climbing, Barb knocked it off balance as she pulled the book free. Yet, even as she fell, Dusk came to her aid with the spell she had only this afternoon first witnessed in use. The brilliant hue of his light raspberry coloured magic formed a bubble around little Barb's body, and instead of a painful impact with the ground, the shield bounced once before shattering, a panicked Dusk running swiftly to his assistant’s side.

“Did it work? Are you alright? Ohhh, I knew I should have practised that on the way home while Shining was still around to help.” Probing hands drew the book from Barb's grip and then he checked her for bumps or bruises, only letting up when she laughed at his over-protectiveness.

“Stop! Stop it! That tickles! I'm all right Dad! No fall that short is gonna break my noggin. Now get your book! I'm sure we can finally settle this whole Mare in the Moon nonsense once and for all, and life will finally get back to normal!” The name was mostly a tease. Dusk had been so young when he hatched Barb’s egg that they were really more of an odd combination of brother and sister more than father and daughter, but all the same it was a name she was happy to pull out when Dusk got too paternal with her.

Blushing darkly, Dusk quickly nodded and took up the book once more, swiftly running to a reading stand and setting it up before skimming through the pages. His voice was shaky even as he realized within the first few pages his hopes were true. “Barb! It's a first edition! A new printing, but done under Celestia's personal supervision only forty years ago! Why is it that the Princess took such interest in making sure this book was kept so close to the first printing almost a thousand years later?” Of course, he didn't wait for Barb’s shrug. The little dragoness was busy cleaning, and it was all she could offer on the situation.

Reading aloud, Dusk recounted the story of the Nightmare Moon's rise a thousand years ago, and Celestia's use of the Elements of Harmony to strike her down. All of it was fascinating and quickly led to the evil mare’s banishment, turning Nightmare into the Mare in the Moon. Startled, Dusk quickly realized his brother's words were right, and the combination of two figures from his childhood were swiftly added up. But the childhood story had never had the next paragraph when he had heard it from his foalsitter, Cadance.

“Barb! Listen to this. 'Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal!'” A gasp escaped Dusk's lips as he stepped back from the book, one hand wiping perspiration from his brow as intense thought put one idea together with another. Quickly enough, he came to a realization, rushing to Barb with ink and quill as well as paper carried by his magic.

Pulling the dusting rag from her grip, he started to speak with sudden excitement. “Barb do you know what this means?” A little caught off balance, the dragoness was only able to lightly shake her head and pick up the quill and paper from Dusk's magical grasp, swift to realize his intent.

“N... No. What?”

“Barb, take a letter!” Dusk called out, suddenly proud and firm, standing to his full height and delighted to have a full grasp on the situation at hand. One hand moved to straighten his long bangs, smoothing that pink and purple stripe and clearing his throat as the little dragoness set quill to page. “My Dearest Teacher. My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster.”

Shocked, Barb attempted to quickly speak out, in hopes of halting Dusk's swift narration. “Hold on! Preci... Precia... Precis...”

Suddenly frantic at the delay to his well-organized train of thought, Dusk turned, eyes worried and voice soft, though tinged with a hint of panic, even as he gave an easier suggestion for his assistant's writing. “Um... Brink?” A blank stare was all Barb offered back to him. The insistent need to get the letter finished caused him diarrhea of the mouth. “That something really bad is about to happen!” Barb nodded swiftly and quickly returned to her writing while Dusk once more began to pace, continuing his well-thought and organized letter now that the interruption had passed. “For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is really Nightmare Moon and she is about to return to Equestria! And bring with her eternal night. Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true! I await your quick response. Your Faithful Student, Dusk Shine!”

Barb slowly muttered along as she finished the last few words of the letter, her quill racing across the sheet. “Dusk... Shine! There, done!” She lowered her hands and relaxed, letting out a happy sigh now that the writing was done.

“Great! Send it!” Dusk called, the stallion watching out the observatory’s towering bay window, the glass giving him a view of most of Canterlot that was rivalled only by Celestia's soaring balcony high overhead and across the university at the palace grounds.

Drawing a breath in, Barb hesitated a moment and offered a meek shrug of her shoulders. “Now?” She called out, her voice clearly unsure about the matter.

“Of course!” Dusk called over his shoulder, suddenly confronted by his assistant's reserved nature.

“Uhh... I don't know Dusk. Princess Celestia's a little busy getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration, since it’s the day after tomorrow!”

Dusk turned and stepped quickly to Barb’s side, unable to hide the worry in his voice as he waved to the landscape before them. “That's just it, Barb. The day after tomorrow is the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration! It's imperative that the Princess is told right away!”

Barb once more started to mumble over the word as she tried to add it to her letter to Celestia, a final nervous habit to avoid pestering Dusk's teacher on so busy a day. “Impar... Impara...”

Exasperated Dusk called out sharply. “Important!”

Barb was blushing fiercely but wrapped up the letter and applied Dusk's seal to it, muttering all the while. “Okay, okay!” A deep breath was drawn to summon the dragon's fire Celestia had taught her years ago. It was able to send any letter burned directly to her presence in seconds and from any measurable distance. The green flame from tiny Barb's lungs burnt the paper to ashes and a trail of magic smoke whispered from the room. A sigh escaped her lips, and she turned to Dusk, voice slightly condescending. “There! It's on its way. But I wouldn't hold your breath...”

Dusk was confident now as he gazed about his library, considering what books on Nightmare Moon he might look into to be of some aid to his teacher, should she request his input on some solution to the new threat. Already, a list was forming in his mind of just what to do next. “Oh, I’m not worried, Barb. The Princess trusts me completely. In all the years she's been my mentor, she's never once doubted me.”

A sudden, sharp burp form Barb followed almost the second Dusk finished speaking. Proud, he stood tall a grin upon his face. “I knew she would want to take immediate action!” The flames that followed were just as magic as Barb's first sending spell, and from it, formed a reply from the Princess, the parchment sealed with the a stamp of the Royal Crown.

Barb took up the paper, and cleared her throat, preparing to practice her professional speaking of a proclamation from Princess Celestia as Dusk had taught her. It was a pleasure to at least have a chance to use some of the skills Dusk had taught her. “Dearest, most faithful student Dusk. You know I value your diligence and I trust you completely, But you simply must stop reading those dusty old books!” Dusk had to gasp, shocked at the Princess’ dismissal of his warning so off hand. Why!

* * *

Early morning of the Last Day in Equestria.

Aboard a golden chariot and being flown by two of Princess Celestia's Honour Guard, Dusk was still stunned by the second half of the letter, asking Barb to read it once more to him. The dragoness had gotten used to this, and could almost recite it word-for-word without the parchment Dusk had insisted they hold onto in case he might find some hidden code in its message at a later date. Voice calm and confident, the young dragoness spoke up.

“My dear Dusk, there is more to a young pony's life than studying. So I am sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year’s location, Ponyville!” Barb paused for a moment, looking to Dusk, who hung over the wing of the flying chariot, moping at the the ground as it passed them swiftly. The guard pegasus could really fly with fantastic speed. “And I have an even more essential task for you to complete, make some friends!” This line always drew a groan from Dusk as she spoke it. It made no sense! He was sure that the Princess had specifically brought up that single odd question as a bonus during the test, just for his sake. Why else talk about some moldy, old, long-forgotten foal tale that was so related to her history and rule?

Thinking about it was giving him a migraine and yet he couldn't ignore the incessant way his mind kept picking at the puzzle before him like an addictive new mind game. Hearing his groan, Barb moved a single step closer, excitement dancing on the dragoness’ muzzle at the prospect of such a change of pace from their normal, dreary life in the depths of one book or another all summer long. She spoke up with an attempt to sooth Dusk's worries, her joyful tone giving away her delight at other parts of this adventure. “Look on the bright side, Dusk! The Princess arranged for you to stay in a library. Doesn't that make you happy?”

Realization sunk in swiftly and Dusk shifted around, adjusting his weight to sit a little taller in his seat as the chariot lowered closer to the ground, a grin and twinkle of excitement dancing in his eyes. “Yes, yes it does Barb!” He leaned towards his assistant, a sudden superior grin on his face, and a faintly manic look in his eyes. “You know why? ‘Cause I'm right! I'll check on the preparations as fast as I can, then get to the library to find some proof of Nightmare Moon’s return.”

Barb’s voice dropped, a more sad and worried tone entering it at Dusk's insistence at avoiding any real fun while in the small town. She gave a small, dejected, “Oh.” in reply. Their ride was already lowering into the streets of Ponyville, it’s quiet earth pony thatched roof architecture surrounding them on both sides. It was a drastic change from Canterlot's noble and towering glass and stone buildings. There was hardly even a road, but rather, smoothed, short grass paths lead from house to house. “Then... when will you make friends like the Princess said?”

Still confident, Dusk's answer to his assistant was in cool, righteous tones, displaying just how sure of his plan he was. No longer was he worried over the puzzle that he was determined to unravel. No matter what, he was going to figure this all out soon enough! “She said to check on preparations. I am her student and I will do my royal duty. But the fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends!”

The sudden impact with the ground at a smooth and even pace let the now-excited Dusk jump free of his ride, magic elevating the saddlebag he had brought with him. Two days’ worth of clothes, a half-dozen notebooks with lists of what to search for about Nightmare moon, and his copy of 'The Elements of Harmony' all stuffed his bag to almost-overflowing. It was only through diligent packing, done with great care that it hadn’t burst apart at the seams yet.

He had found a signature on the inside as he packed. Celestia had given him this copy on his first days at school, and he had somehow managed to forget all about it in the last seven years. A nod was offered to the stallions who had rushed to deliver him so quickly to the small and peaceful-looking town in two short hours, when even the train might have taken him most of a day to arrive. “Thank you, sirs.” He called to the guards out of respect, since after all, the guards were Shining's men, and he had drilled respect into Dusk from a young age, long before the elder brother had ever decided to join their ranks. Besides, they reported directly to Celestia. With luck, they might yet still manage to take his warnings back to the Princess and add extra weight to the argument that Nightmare Moon was soon to return and she needed to act quickly!

Thankfully, an emissary from the Mayor was waiting for Dusk as he gazed around town, the pony had been introduced in Mayor Mare's letter as Statice, a unicorn who had spent a few years at Starswirl U before finding work in Ponyville. Soft features made it clear he was no warhorse, and yet, his cutie mark was a purple flower with lightning shaped petals growing from the yellow centre. Nodding and pointing out a few directions, he spent a few moment’s effort to straighten those few loose locks of his brilliant mane, the odd combination of reds, blue-purple, yellow, and white; a bold sight that stood out. After directions were dealt with, he turned, and quickly took up Dusk's single bag before heading off to the town library to drop the items off. It was clear this was going to save him so much extra time in getting the preparations over, and Dusk was already grateful to have one more thing cleared off his checklist for the day.

From the south, up the main street, a filly calmly approached Dusk and Barb as they oriented themselves with a map of town, carefully inspecting the directions given by Statice to help speed up the process. Dusk considered each of their four stops in turn. Furthest out was the orchard owned by the Apple family. A good walk, but not so far as to eat up more than an hour of Dusk's time, give or take five minutes, to make sure the food was in good shape. It was no big deal. Barb was the first to speak up at last, as they finished the calculations and smiled towards the cheery, approaching cotton candy-pink haired earth pony. “Maybe the ponies in Ponyville have interesting things to talk about.” Her voice almost became desperate as she turned to Dusk, nearly begging him just to have a normal conversation. “Come on Dusk... Just try?”

Dusk's gaze turned to the woman and focused to see just who had captured Barb’s attention. The girl... no, she was clearly a woman about Dusk's age, approached them and flashed the pair a warm and winning smile, crafted to just eat into your heart with far too much sugar drizzled on top. Standing only a few inches shorter than Dusk, the cheerful mare was dressed in bright colours and wore her hair wild, with cotton candy locks, the soft pink hue just as playful. A loose, rose-colored V-neck T-shirt with a plunging neckline was worn open over a soft pink tank top. The result framed her breasts, yet managed to keep her from being called anything inappropriate. The mare's obvious lack of a bra was clearly noticeable from even a short distance, not the normal more modest style he had dealt with from day to day. Jean shorts, custom cut too short hugged her plump hips and revealed a lot of leg. Wagging her tail as she realized the newcomers were talking about her, the girl's grin bloomed into a rich smile full of wonder, her vivid, baby-blue eyes full of wonder.

Suddenly nervous for what felt like the first time in ages, Dusk stepped forward, his voice soft, but warm, if a little unsure. “Um... Hello!” His voice called out, a warm and friendly smile flashed in hopes of getting Barb off his back for the day. The response was far from what either had expected. A gasp escaped those plush lips covered in what Dusk later swore was cherry chapstick, its faint scent and the light gloss to her lips filed away automatically for later consideration. Then the woman took off running to the north at full tilt, a blur so swift, Dusk wasn't sure for a moment what way she went. With an annoyed glance at his assistant, Dusk started to mutter darkly. “Well that was interesting, alright.” Barb’s sad sigh, the only response he needed before then started on the long walk to the Apple's orchard.

* * *

The walk to the orchard had raised Barb's spirits, the little dragoness enjoying the view offered. She pulled the checklist Dusk had put together from the Princess’ orders from her day-bag to inspect it one more time. They reviewed the details while passing the time with idle chatter, even as they passed under a sign that announced they were entering 'Sweet Apple Acres'. Towering apple trees lined the road on both sides, and ripe apples hung from almost every tree, a showpiece of the farmers’ dedication, and how healthy the orchard really was. Barb, taking her turn to speak up again, read from the checklist once more. “Summer Sun Celebration Oficial Overseer's Checklist. Number one: banquet preparations - Sweet Apple Acres.”

From ahead, the sound of a cowgirl at work echoed out as Dusk's eyes lifted from his conversation with Barb, the sight before him reviving the fallen warrior that was his libido. And what a sight she was. The cowgirl towered over Dusk, easily a head taller than him. Dressed in homemade denim shorts cut just above her knees and a white tank-top that was too short, left hints of a six-pack visible in the gap between shirt and hip hugging shorts. Dusk's mind couldn’t help but fantasize over this cowgirl, whose breasts were larger than the pink oddity from before. That thought was quickly pushed to the back of his mind, his libido still fragile and not yet able to step up against his sense of duty so soon after such a tragic loss the day before.

A stetson's broad brim protected her eyes from the sun, while rich blond locks were kept tied back behind her with a leather thong stretching down past her shoulders. Clearly, Dusk thought, this cowgirl had worked day and night to get in such fine shape, only to be proven right as she shifted her weight around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the tree trunk. The powerful blow and accompanying vibrations were enough to cause all the apples upon the tree's branches to fall free and fill six buckets that had been placed about the base of the trunk. “Yee-haw!” The cowgirl’s self-encouraging shout echoed out about the farm. Clearly, this girl was far from the shy flower in pink he had seen earlier.

Pausing a moment to remove her hat and wipe her brow, the green-eyed earth pony was quite the sight to behold. Dusk's mind pushed those thoughts aside again however, and he made to step forward with an introduction to get his checklist over with as quickly as possible. Raising his voice, Dusk stepped towards the cowgirl, speaking with his normal calm and respectful tone he used when he was on business for the Princess, though not without muttering quickly to Barb first, a sigh escaping his lips. “Let's get this over with...” A pause as he neared the mare and an artificially cheery smile spread as he stood as tall as he could before his official tone activated. “Good afternoon. My name is Dusk Shine...”

And before he could finish his sentence a bright smile spread over the mare's lips and she stepped boldly forward to take up his hand in hers and swiftly pulled him into a strong handshake, her voice happy, her hardworking personality overwhelming Dusk's train of thought. “Well, howdy-doo, Mister Dusk, a pleasure makin' your acquaintance. I'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!”

Staggering back under her aggressive personality, the stallion could only spit and sputter as he attempted to take back the conversation, starting with the most recent point she had brought up. “Friends?” He gently muttered, not really sure how they had got onto that topic so swiftly. The offer wasn't a bad thing, as he hadn't had any real female friends in school, but that was because most of them had been a distraction from his studies. “Actually I...” He attempted to direct the talk back towards the matters at hand, but once more he was cut off.

“So, what are you here for?” The mare interrupting him once more, yet at least she had returned the conversation to Dusk's working train of thought. Barb however, could not help but find this an amusing situation, snickering a little behind his back. Dusk stiffly cleared his throat, glad to be back to in control.

“Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And you're in charge of the food?” Confident once more, the stallion presented the girl as official a look as he could summon, after how many times she had thrown him off his game.

The mare's grin was warm in response to the question Dusk presented to her, the warm and welcoming girl’s nature landing on him like an avalanche once more. “We sure as sugar are! Would you care to sample some?” And while her question was friendly enough, the mare had already started to drag Dusk towards a nearby dinner table.

Overwhelmed by the kind and winning nature of the aggressive mare and his libido, which continued to insist on being around attractive mare, he started to consider her offer more seriously. Obviously, Applejack was unaware how strong she really was. Unsure just why this was all going on, Dusk relented, his voice hesitant but the promise of food and some more company with the attractive farmer suddenly felt like a worthwhile distraction. “As long as it doesn't take too long... ”

AJ pushed the still slightly reluctant Dusk into a free chair before the great table, thrusting him into his seat before turning to a nearby triangle, her attractive ass presented to the stallion in her tight, hip hugging shorts. But before he could even get a real eyeful of the situation at hand, her violent ringing of the dinner triangle and deep bellow from the depths of her lungs called out, a harsh contrast to how calm the farm had been moments before. “SOUP'S ON, EVERYPONY!”

Like magic, an army of mares and a half-dozen stallions poured in from every direction across the orchard, many of them stopping at the house to pick up serving trays for the food whose scent already called out with the richness of apples. “Now, why don't I introduce y'all to the Apple family?” AJ began to wave around to the gathered horde of family she was clearly speaking about, even already waving for the first to come forward and join them at the table.

Now intimidated by the sudden aggressive crowd about him, Dusk swallowed sharply and sat up taller, a hand reaching to grip the table, hoping to stand up and run away if he was able. “Thanks, but I really need to hurry-”

The mare started to turn and began calling out like a professional announcer at a rodeo, drowning out Dusk's attempt to leave. Her open hand resting on his shoulder kept him from pulling away as she called out the endless list of her family members, each in turn presenting a food that far too often Dusk realized was also their name. “This here's Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp...?” A pause as she at last drew a deep breath and again, she continued her rapid introductions, now pointing to three final members who stood gathered about the rocking chair where their elder member slept. “And of course, my brother Big MacIntosh, lil' sister Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith. Up'n'attem, Granny Smith, we got guests.”

Looking at the stallion Big Mac quickly made Dusk realize that everyone who thought his brother was a titan had never heard of this earth pony. A bare chested, dirty blond wearing loose red britches. he offered a slight nod in return to Dusk's questioning gaze and a quiet, “Yep.” before turning to the far younger filly who was helping her grandma stand up. A cute thing, probably only twelve years old, the little redhead had a giant, pink bow in her hair, though it was still tiny compared to her older sister and giant of a brother. Dusk stood up and offered a quiet nod as he tried to slip free of the crowded gathering and the massive pile of food now on display before him.

The elder mare Granny Smith, on the other hand, took an achingly slow wobble forward, a plump old lady with a cane to support her weight as she approached the table, voice quiet and warbling. “Wha..? Wuh, soup's on? I'm up, here I come, ahm comin'.”

Still shocked by all that was going on around the farm, it was Applejack's next words that really captured his attention and jarred the stallion's fragile understanding just what so huge a crowd had wanted with him. “Look how well you fit in! Why, I'd say you're already part of the family!” Now, how was Dusk to know that was just AJ's way of being friendly? Memories of a trio of fillies attempting to seduce him into something but a day before flared up in his mind and he looked around himself again, realizing just how crazy this day was going.

With a nervous laugh escaping his lips, the unicorn attempted once again to stand and shift away from the pressure of the crowd. “Okay, well, I can see the food situation is handled, so we should be on our way.”

It was the innocent young filly, Apple Bloom, who captured Dusk's hand and gave him the full effect of her deep orange eyes and a heavy pout. The wounded innocence in those eyes stabbed at Dusk's heart. “Aren't you gonna stay for brunch?” A lip quivering, she gripped Dusk's hand as strongly as she could pulling him back towards his seat.

Dusk Shine could feel his heart breaking with sweet a young lady just begging for his attention, and the stallion could hardly pull himself back together to refuse such a request. But, he needed to get to the library. The weak words forming on his lips were sad and half-hearted, and he spoke out in nervous fear. “Sorry, but we have an awful lot to do...”

The collected Apple Family as one being gave a sad sigh and Dusk's willpower broke, he quickly realized that any hope he had of escaping their attention was lost while he nodded with care. “... fine.” He sighed returning to his seat. It was clear the family gathered about him were not after him like the Mares back in Starswirl U. Maybe they really did just want to wish him well. And the food did smell good. A collective cheer was released from the gathered family and he was ushered to the seat of honour at the table, surrounded by a happy and talkative family that simply spent their time making him feel welcome.

* * *

Walking back into town together with Barb, Dusk still couldn't believe how much of the Apple's fine home cooking he had managed to eat. They had been good company and took care to feed him well past the point he really wanted to stop and call himself comfortably full. In the end, they had continued to pressure him with offers of seconds or another cup of cider. It was Barb who at last was able to stop them, saving him due to the fact the small dragoness was able to handle eating like a bottomless pit and had distracted the kind family from Dusk's overwhelmed plate. Now as they entered the town once more, Barb spoke up with delight even as she checked off that item from Dusk's list of duties, still happily cleaning her teeth of leftover apple pie. “Food's all taken care of, next is weather.”

Dusk followed close behind, but still rested a hand upon his belly as he groaned out with pain at the swollen feeling in his gut. “Ugh... I ate too much pie...” Still distracted by this, he had not even realized they were back in town and could start working on the next item of his list, until Barb spoke up, looking down at the next item on hand.

“Hmm, there's supposed to be a pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds.” Her head lifted to gaze skyward, and looking around for a moment in consideration of the sky above them. The day was bright enough, but everywhere scattered dark storm clouds were beginning to wander in, hardly a grade A job for even so small a town's dedicated weather team, when dignitaries were supposed to be arriving in the morning.

Dusk shifted to join Barb in watching the sky and shook his head, an annoyed sigh escaping his lips as he turned slowly south to look for what he assumed was going to be some overwhelmed team of fliers fighting with the clouds somewhere, yet none were to be seen. “Well, she's not doing a very good job, is she?”

Suddenly, from the north, a rush of force smashed into Dusk, sending him sprawling head over heels and into a large muddy patch he had not seen as they walked back into town. Sitting up and soaked in the sticky brown mud, Dusk give an exasperated sigh at how in an instant an okay day had suddenly gone so wrong. The weight on his lap, however, immediately stole his attention and his eyes shot open, even as a low groan escaped his lips, still stunned from the impact. “Nng.”

The weight in his lap shifted slowly from side to side and offered a sheepish laugh, the shame in her face clear as day when a rather young and athletic filly came to the same realization Dusk had a minute before. She pulled herself from his lap, and with a light flap of her wings drew a few feet up and away without ever landing in the mud herself. The rainbow locks of the athletic pegasus did nothing to hide the fact that she was so much smaller than the earth mare he had ran into but an hour ago on the farm. That tomboyish hair was cut wild and short, with only the bangs left long and hanging half over her eyes.

Dressed more for a race than a day fighting the clouds, she wore boxer shorts that hugged her cute rump, and a matching sports bra that clutched her chest over a slim chest. Truthfully, she didn't have a lot to show off, meaning that while the embarrassed girl looked over Dusk, trying to recognize who she had just crashed into, he could see just how in shape the mare's fine abs and racer's figure really were. “Uh, 'scuse me?” Attempting to smooth over the situation, in hopes of calming down the uncomfortable situation, she smiled at the stallion on the ground.

Dusk just looked up at the woman, and the shy way she started to wag her tail, the rainbow strands dancing from side to side nervous energy. In spite of remembering the pleasant feel of her weight in his lap, Dusk was still disgruntled by the way his day had returned to falling apart, Dusk gave an angry groan “Nnnn.”

Flying higher as she realized just how badly she had started this encounter, and still remembering the way his body had felt against her own, the darkly blushing pegasus continued to laugh a little as she spoke up in hopes of smoothing the situation over. “Lemme help you.” She called before shooting off at rapid speed into the air, grabbing one of the scattered storm clouds and pulling it over Dusk's head. A few quick kicks later, and a torrential rainstorm from the one small cloud soaked him from head to toe, in spite of doing its job and washing away all the mud that had stuck to his clothing.

Standing up again and shivering under the drenching cloud’s output, Dusk turned a dark glare at Barb, who was rolling on the ground in laughter at the awkward way the two ponies were managing their first encounter. Dusk angrily turned back to the rainbow-haired mare and started to form his rage in his throat before he was cut off again.

Hanging in the air over him as she gave the cloud another sharp kick to dispel it, the pegasus saw just what a soaking she had given the poor unicorn. Sheepish laughter caught in her throat as she tried not to make the situation worse for him. She attempted to rush and fix the situation once more, speaking while a deep blush darkened her cheeks further. “Oops, I guess I overdid it.” As soaked as he was, it quickly became clear through the thin fabric of his light shirt just how cut Dusk was himself. No Big Mac, but still an impressive hunk of mea... the girl let her mouth run away with itself. “Um, uh, how about this? My very own patented Rain-Blow Dry! No no. Don't thank me. You're quite welcome.”

The mare took to the air and started to spin around, whirling about to form a mini tornado, wrapping up the air around her and swirling it into a torrent focused down upon the stallion to swiftly blow him from head to toe with a burst of air that thankfully helped to quickly dry him off from all the rain with which she had drenched him. It also inadvertently whipped and swirled his hair around into a chaotic mess of tangled royal blue, with those bold pink and purple streaks thick and fluffy due to the violent pressures of the makeshift blow-dryer.

Barb, of course, only burst out harder in laughter as the sight of Dusk getting manhandled by the shorter mare and her antics with the weather. The mare herself was only too happy to join the small dragoness in that rich laughter. Dusk released a little sigh, but attempted to return to business and get things back on track. “Let me guess. You're Rainbow Dash.”

Instantly the pegasus’ clowning stopped, and she proudly moved to stand tall thumping herself in the chest with a hand and grinning warmly, any blush or shame from before instantly thrown aside. “The one and only. Why, you heard of me?”

Dusk wasn't having any of these games though, and instead gave a roll of his eyes, speaking with less than subtle disappointment at the prideful mare. “I heard you were supposed to be keeping the sky clear.” He waved to the wild clouds that floated about, sighing a little. “I'm Dusk Shine, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather.”

Dash easily waved the accusation of laziness off, her excited and superior smirk never once leaving her face. “Yeah, yeah, that'll be a snap. I'll do it in a jiffy. Just as soon as I'm done practicing.”

Incredulous, Dusk started to shake his head and wave his arms at the mare, an annoyed sigh thrown in her direction. “Practicing for what?” He really wondered just how anyone could take the hyper mare seriously as the head of weather control in town.

Pride shone in her eyes as Dash jumped up into the air, her vivid blue wings flapping with ease and keeping her floating high while she spoke with more than a hint of hero worship on her voice. “The Wonderbolts! They're gonna perform at the celebration tomorrow, and I'm gonna show 'em my stuff!”

Now it was Dusk's turn to look confused. Of course he knew of the Wonderbolts, but how could this wild mare with no sense of duty or rules ever want to have something to do with Equestria's most exclusive wing of pegasus military? In awe at how silly it all sounded he had to ask again to be sure. “The Wonderbolts?”

Spiralling around in place, her eyes dreamy and distant, Dash only grinned foolishly down at Dusk, a happy call out to the unicorn with glee dancing in her voice. “Yep!”

Dusk still wanted to be sure. He was forming a plan now, a way to get her to at least do her job and get this dealt with as little fuss as possible. “The most talented flyers in all of Equestria?” He asked, an eyebrow lifting and his tone showing how clearly he questioned the prideful mare’s skill. If he played his cards right she was going to run right square into her ego.

And Dash didn't even appear to see the trap closing in about her, instead simply floating closer and grinning with wild abandon as she nodded to Dusk's question. “That's them!”

The trap was ready, so he pulled the trigger, letting the steel jaws slam down on her from both sides. Pride could be used to make her feel a sense of duty, and Dusk planned to use that to force her into doing her job at least until after the Princess had left town tomorrow night. “Pfft! Please. They'd never accept a pegasus who can't even keep the sky clear for one measly day.”

Suddenly slapped in the face with the violent impact of her pride being hurt, Dash stepped to push up and glared him in the eye, face-to-face. Dusk could tell she was annoyed that her skill had been questioned so openly. “Hey, I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat.” With a dismissive wave, her grin was gone as she turned her back on Dusk, clearly intending to wander off.

Giving her no time to sulk at her pride being wounded, Dusk leaned in poking her lightly in the ribs, his voice full of wicked condemnation to her claims of skill and speed. “Prove it.”

Her glare intensified at the sudden contact before a grin split her lips again, and she suddenly shot into the air in an impressive burst of speed. A brilliant trail of rainbow hues followed behind her figure as she rushed to the nearest grouping of wild black rainclouds, calling out to herself as she worked, flying around one mass and firing blows of fist and foot to others. “Loop the loop around, and wham!” The burst of bold and coloured hues shot back down before Dusk a happy grin offered to him even while she posed for him and flashed a deep grin. “What'd I say? Ten. Seconds. Flat. I'd never leave Ponyville hanging.”

Dusk was floored by the show of speed. He had never spent much time, even with Shinning Armor, watching what the fliers could do, but a few displays of the Wonderbolts in action had been held that the Princess had requested he be present for in her name. Even they had never managed so swift a flight that he had just witnessed. Jaw slack, he looked at the boasting mare, his eyebrows lifting higher. “You should see the look on your face. Ha! You're a laugh, Dusk Shine. I can't wait to hang out some more.”

Shooting off again into the air, Barb walked easily enough over to Dusk's side and idly poked at the tangled mess that was his tail, still watching as Dash continued her antics in the air over them. “Wow, she's amazing!” The dragoness had to laugh a little, though, as she realized the thick mass of hair really was quite a mess.

Dusk gritted his teeth and grunted in annoyance at Barb's teasing of his tangled tail. Another annoyed sigh escaped his lips as he started heading for the next location on their list of preparations to check. Turning to Barb he called out. “Weather. Check.” Hands balling into fists he gave another annoyed exclamation. “Rrgh.”

Rushing to follow after him, Barb tried to smooth things over, even while she checked off the notes on their duties for the day. “Next is… Town Hall, Decorations.” She turned and realized he had already started to walk away, forcing her to rush after him, calling out in a cheerful tone. “Wait! It's kinda pretty once you get used to it!”

* * *

Pushing open doors to City Hall, Dusk and Barb entered, and were instantly surprised to see that one part of their day was clearly going to go easily enough. The decorations were nearly done, and tasteful banners hung from several walls, while in other places streamers hung from the roof, connecting one section to another. From across the room the call of a mare “Hmm”ing to herself as she used her magic to string up other ornaments to colour the room. Barb spoke out first, her voice lost in wonder. “Decorations. Beautiful...”

Having had more than enough of mares today, Dusk had taken far more interest in the fine work on the banners and other eye-catching decorations that filled the grand hall before him. At Barb’s words he also turned to join the dragoness in complementing the fine work that had clearly been done by those in charge of this part of the preparations. Seriously awed, he answered her quiet words was filled with awe of the wonders before him. “Yes, the decor is coming along nicely. This ought to be quick. I'll be at the library in no time. Beautiful, indeed.”

Barb however, was no longer watching the room at all, but instead, had focused on the mare across the room. Wandering ahead of Dusk, she muttered with quiet excitement. “Not them... her!”

This at last drew Dusk's attention, and he looked to where Barb pointed, shock washing over him as he took in the lady before him. Older than any mare he had dealt with this afternoon, she stood with her back to him, the plush weight of her tail groomed into a spiral of rich purple that twitched and swayed behind her back, as streamer after streamer was tossed into the air, carried by the bold blue hue of her magic aura. Purple heels on her feet gave a small lift, yet the grace of her stride was not affected in any way, as if she had been born to wear such shoes. The hem of her dress hung just a few inches short of the floor, revealing her ankles and a bit of her legs before being covered by the fine white silk of the noble woman's outfit.

Cut close and backless, the woman’s trim and shapely back was on full show, up to the shoulders where two crisscrossing straps wrapped about her throat. Not that much flesh really was on show though, as her hair hung down past the small of her back and was just as dolled up and curly as her tail. As she turned, the low cut of the dress and her ample cleavage gave her already stunning appearance only more weight, while a diamond necklace clung close to her throat. A step to shift further around revealed a slit in the leg of her dress that ran nearly to the right hip, sexy leg on full display to the two newcomers who were captivated by her every motion. Makeup light but sexy, the mare threw a hand into the air to guide another bundle of purple streamers to wrap around the roof’s support beams to hang low, and add to the room’s ambiance.

Now getting picky, she started to sort through what decorations she had left, tossing one after another to the side while hunting for just the right flare to finish off the room. “No, no, no, oh, goodness no.” Crying out in disappointment, she tossed one sliver of cloth after another away and shaking her head with disappointment.

Barb was suddenly very self-aware, and began to lean in close to Dusk, whispering quickly as she straightened her scales and the deep green spines upon her head. “How are my spines? Are they straight?” The fact was that as a dragon, she was but a child, but she was a teen by pony standards, and Dusk had to arch a brow. He had never seen her fascinated by someone like this since... Moon Dancer.

But, he had to forge ahead. Stepping in front of his assistant and calling out gently to the fashionable woman, glad to have someone with some sense for the importance of the work that needed be done. “Good afternoon--”

Instantly, he was interrupted as the mare held out a hand and silenced him with a finger pointed to his lips, her eyelashes draped low while fluttering seductively to him, yet she was already moving on as she returned to her work as if never once had she halted or been distracted by his words. “Just a moment, please! I'm 'in the zone', as it were.” Another reach into the bin she had with her and at last the perfect flare to fix to top off the room her elated voice calling out in joy. “Oh, yes! Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why, Rarity, you are a talent.”

Her work done, she now shifted, looking for those who had interrupted her work a moment before. A rich smile offered genial conversation, even while she lowered her lashes to offer a sultry, “Now, um, how can I help yo--” A yelp escaped her lips and as she turned and properly saw Dusk, her voice shattered by the sight before her, a horrified, yet bemused gaze took in the poor condition of his hair and clothing. “Oh my stars, darling! Whatever happened to your coiffure?!”

As educated as Dusk was, it took a moment before he realized just what she had meant. His voice was at first hesitant to speak up, even while this realization dawned, releasing a small gasp out in joy. “Oh, you mean my mane? Well, it's a long story. I'm just here to check on the decorations, and then I'll be out of your hair!”

Something in her eyes told Dusk that the mare wasn't just going to let him go, and as she spoke out it, was clear to him she was already obsessing over him now that her work had been finished. “Out of my hair? What about your hair!” Stepping forward, she swiftly grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him forward and swiftly out of the city hall.

In his shock at her grip and demanding nature, Dusk could only call out, “Wait! Where are we going? Help!” Barb however, was far from aiding him, simply wandering along behind them eyes large and gooey with young love.

* * *

Dusk quickly found himself pushed into a changing room in the boutique across the street. It was clear to him already that something strange was really going on. The mare had overwhelmed him with fast hands, and clear commanding words. Now, he stood alone behind a drape, his clothing stolen away and only wet boxers to protect his modesty. From outside, he could hear the voice of Rarity speaking as she worked on finding him something clean and dry to wear. “No, no, uh-uh. Too green. Too yellow. Too poofy. Not poofy enough. Too frilly. Too... shiny. Now go on, my dear. You were telling me where you're from.”

Wincing as he was suddenly not alone, the mare had stepped into the changing booth, and without a moment’s warning, sat upon the bench, brush in one and hand his tail in the other, and without even asking for permission, she began to smooth and groom out the tangles and snags in his tail. Blushing darkly and trying not to look into her eyes, his voice was strained as she worked at his thick and knotted tail. “I've... been sent... from Canterlot... to--”

The woman gave a gasp and turned to gaze up at him, the angle giving him an endless chance to gaze down into her heavy breasts and the exposing cleavage her dress showed off. “Oh, my!” She cried out, standing suddenly and pressing up against him, pinning him to the wall. Her breasts pressed into his naked chest as she panted in sudden excitement and sudden interest while deep, blue eyes gazed over him in wonder. Her voice continued, even as one hand stroked across his pecs and down over his ribs towards the line of his boxers, her voice hot and low now. “Canterlot! Oh, I am so envious! The glamor, the sophistication! I have always dreamed of living there! I can't wait to hear all about it!”

There was a pause in the conversation, as her body peeled free of his own, much to his sudden regret, and turned to the clothes she had hung from the wall. Her voice was low and soft as she cooed into his ear, holding a white dress shirt to his chest, all the while, gazing deeply up into his eyes. “We are going be the best of friends, you and I... Emeralds?!” She paused, realizing that the buttons of the white shirt were all made of matching fine green gemstones. She shook her head in annoyance to herself, even as she ran from the changing booth. “What was I thinking? Let me get you some rubies!”

Startled, and more than a little confused by the arousing mare’s assault, the stallion took a moment to gasp for breath and quickly slipped out as well, finding Barb in a chair just a few feet away, with a distant look of worship in her eyes and his clothing resting in her lap. “Quick! Before she decides to dye my hair a new color!”

* * *

A short time later found the pair halfway across town. Barb and Dusk stopped and took a moment to get their wits together again. With only enough time spent to pull on his pants and drag Barb out by the hand Dusk was panting and still bare-chested. With his shirt still held over his shoulder, he heard Barb mumbling to herself, “Wasn't she wonderful?”

Wondering if Barb even realized just how close he had come to being molested by the mare, Dusk rolled his eyes and shook his head at his assistant. The tone of his voice was as sarcastic as his rolling eyes. Even as he pulled the shirt on over his undershirt, the simple white cotton felt good to his skin, reassuring himself that he was again safe from whatever all the mares were suddenly up to of late. “Focus, Casanova. What's next on the list?”

At last brought back to reality, Barb pulled out the list again, taking a moment to tick off decorations and looking at the final item on the list. Now focused again, she spoke with excitement, after all, once this was done Dusk might at last calm down. “Oh, uh, music! It's the last one!”

As they walked, the soft and sweet song of birds whispered through the air in the distance. It was shocking, but it almost sounded like someone had trained more than two dozen birds, all from different species, to sing together. As they rounded the corner, Dusk realized that it was no exaggeration. Collected together upon one small tree, every species of bird native to the area he could care to name off had flocked together and were now singing as a single group, lead by a slender pegasus mare who hovered before them lightly swaying a conductor’s baton before the collected birds.

For the first time that day, Dusk slowed and leaned against a fence beside the road, keeping his distance and watching as the mare hovered back and forth gently directing her choir. This mare had silky pink hair, well groomed and long, hanging down her back. Dressed in a heavy, pink sweater despite the sweltering summer heat, and a pair of blue jeans with a loose cut on the leg, which showed off her very modest sense of style. She was a refreshing change of pace after all the crazy events of his day.

Yet, as she shifted forward to speak with one blue jay who had left the chorus behind, and was off in the world of his own. Timidly, she called out, trying to reach the wayward bird. “Oh my. Um, stop please, everyone, umm. Excuse me, sir? I mean, no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off. Now, follow me, please. A-one, a-two, a-one two three-” Dusk swallowed sharply, the sweater might be loose but there was no mistaking the massive chest this mare was trying to hide. For all the showy nature of Rarity, or the simple cowgirl style of AJ, this shy mare could put both to shame if she had wanted to.

Swallowing hard, the stallion put that aside and stepped forward to get this out of his mind and move things forward to finish his day, his voice warm and happy, glad to at last have some sight of his freedom arriving with his duties finished. “Hello!” He called out, stepping forward and waving to the pink haired pegasus.

Shocked at the sudden interruption of her otherwise quiet day, the shy mare quickly threw her hands up to her mouth, wild pink bangs hanging over most of her face and covering one of her eyes. The interruption from Dusk sent all her birds away in a sudden flurry of feathers, the choir shocked just as badly as their conductor. Realizing only too late he had ruined the show and disturbed the mare, he blushed and moved to step forward, his voice soft. “Oh my, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten your birds. I'm just here to check up on the music, and it's sounding beautiful.” He paused, offering her his friendliest smile, even while his eyes lifted to gaze around and look hopefully into her own, somehow now annoyed with himself that she was so startled. “I'm Dusk Shine.” He said,attempting, to smooth things over and calm the startled lass. “What's your name?”

Dusk wasn't even sure if he heard her say anything, but he saw her move her lips as she answered him. The confused stallion stepped closer, even as the mare shivered and tried to shy away, but ran into the tree at her back. “Um... I'm Fluttershy.”

Stepping closer and offering her a smile, even as he realized she really wasn't taking this well at all. His voice was as calming as possible as he cooed to her, in hopes of drawing the mare from her shell. “I'm sorry, what was that?”

And the result? Only softer, quieter tones as she shivered and dipped her head to turn away from him as he tried to face her eye to eye, the mare's shivering growing stronger as he tried to flash her his winning grin. “Um... My name is Fluttershy.”

Sweat dripped from his brow as he strained to hear, and a last ditch effort was made to get some kind of reaction from the mare. For the first time today he was the one pestering someone who just wanted to get on with their day and already he felt a little guilty. “Didn't quite catch that.”

The squeaking tones she gave off when she answered again, made it clear as day that he was only wasting his time as this point. On the tree behind her, the flock of birds had once again returned and were gathering about Fluttershy, even as he offered a shrug and just pushed on with the conversation, knowing this was clearly now a lost cause. “Well, um, it looks like your birds are back, so I guess everything's in order. Keep up the good work!” A happy sigh as the tension of getting things done today to save time for more important research returned to drive Dusk forward, he turned and grinned at Barb.

From behind him, he could hear the mare squeaking some soft mumbled words but content now with his plans for the day. “Oookay. Well thank you Fluttershy.” His gaze returned to Barb and he offered a confident nod. “Well, that was easy.”

Suddenly behind him a voice of sweet tones spoke out with excited delight at the discovery of something truly unique. “A baby dragon!” The sudden explosion of energy from Fluttershy caught Dusk off guard, throwing him to the side and leaving Barb suddenly cuddled to her chest and cheek against cheek. Those bright eyes shone with joy at her discovery. “Oh, I've never seen a baby dragon before. She's sooo cute!”

Barb, now the center of attention for the first time all day, had a grin spread over her lips and the short dragon inflated her chest with pride at all the attention suddenly washing over her. “Well, well, well...!”

Gushing with joy Fluttershy did a small spin in the air, holding Barb high over her head and releasing another gasp of surprise. At this point Dusk facepalmed, groaning sharply. Not that it had any impact on the situation at hand, as the mare continued to heap attention upon the tiny dragoness. “Oh my, she talks. I didn't know dragons could talk. That's just so incredibly wonderful I- I just don't even know what to say!”

Realizing this was likely to never stop if he didn't step in and 'save' Barb from Fluttershy's affections, the stallion slipped in between them and scooped his assistant from her hands swiftly, attempting to make an excuse and escape the suddenly oppressively affectionate mare. “Well, in that case we'd better be going.”

She wasn't about to let them go alone though, following after as Dusk. As he placed Barb on his shoulders, she called out, catching up swiftly and still questioning the little dragoness. “Wait, wait! What's her name?”

Delighted with the fact that Dusk too was now paying her special attention, Barb shifted to sit tall on his shoulders and spoke with confident pride, her ego inflated by all the attention she was getting. “I'm Barb!”

The mare was delighted to float right behind Dusk as he walked, still fawning attention upon the dragoness. At this point, she was totally enraptured with the situation and utterly unaware of Dusk's brisk pace and annoyance with the situation. “Hi Barb, I'm Fluttershy. Wow, a talking dragon! And what do dragons talk about?”

Turning around in Dusk's grip to face the hovering mare, her confident voice lifted as she asked what was the only real reply that fit the question. “Well, what do you wanna know?”

Fluttershy was swift to trill with delight at Barb’s welcoming response and pulled her arms together to hug them against herself in joy, even going so far as to do a back-flip in place, then rushing to catch up again. “Absolutely everything.”

Dusk could only give another groan of annoyance as he facepalmed again, already sure this was going to be another big headache. Barb however, was simply happy to have an attentive audience and joyfully said, “Well... I started out as a cute little purple and green egg...”

* * *

“...and that's the story of my whole entire life! Well, up until today. Do you wanna hear about today?” Barb had talked the whole way home and Dusk had been forced to listen, hoping that the mare might grow tired of her long stories. Unfortunately, there was no sign of this stopping. Attempting to rush things forward, he turned about only to hear Fluttershy reply. “Oh, yes, please!” There was a gleeful look in those sweet eyes.

Even Dusk wasn't so heartless as to attempt to drive off the mare in a rude way, so hoping he could talk her down with kind words, he spun about and pulled Barb into his arms and gently began rocking her a little from one side to the other as he used her as a way to drive the mare to leave them be. “I am so sorry, how did we get here so fast? This is where I'm staying while in Ponyville and my poor baby dragon needs her sleep.”

Of course, Barb wasn't one bit happy with this sudden babying when she was already enjoying the attention from a friendly person who had spent a lot of time stroking her ego. “No I don't-- whoa!”

Dusk had let Barb try to climb from his arms, but as she moved to take her first step, he subtly tripped her, then scooped her up once more, drawing her back up into his arms again. The now-dizzy little dragoness went quiet as she tried to regain her balance. “Aww, wook at dat, she's so sweepy she can't even keep her widdle bawance!”

Of course, that immediately got an instant response from the animal lover. Her eyes went wide as she rushed swiftly forward, opening the door to the city library for Dusk and pushing the two inside. “Poor thing, you simply must get into bed...”

Glad to have finally found a way out of this situation, Dusk moved in a quick stride, thanking her and trying to drive her off. “Yes, yes, we'll get right on that. Well, g'night!” The swift use of his magic to slammed the door behind him, leaving the busty yet shy mare behind.

Inside Barb gave a low grunt, finally realizing just what trick Dusk had pulled. A glare offered up to him in the dark of the lightless treehouse had no effect, yet she she kept it up as she looked at him. “Huh. Rude much?”

Dusk had to blush at that, as he knew she was right. Casting around with his magic to find a lamp to light in the unfamiliar treehouse, he attempted to make things up to Barb, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry, Barb, but I have to convince the Princess that Nightmare Moon is coming, and we're running out of time! I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time. Now, where's the light?” As soon as he finished the sentence, a hand landed upon his shoulder and lips pressed deeply to his own.

It took a stunned second for Dusk to realize that the lights had been turned on, and the busty figure now holding him by the hips and pulling him close was the mare from the city hall. “What was her name... Rarity?” As his eyes adjusted to the bright light in the room around him, he quickly peeled back to take a step away from the full figure that had pressed so close to him. As she pouted her sultry lips when he pulled away, he quickly realized that everyone from town he had run into today was here, plus dozens of others whom he had yet to even speak to.

Shocked, Dusk turned around slowly trying to figure out just what was going on around him. His eyes went wide in surprise at what he saw. And then, the figure of an earth pony he swore he knew stepped close, blowing a kazoo in his face and grinning warmly. “Surprise!” She exclaimed with a playful grin. Her low-cut V- neck and tiny booty shorts told him he had to know who she was, and his eyes were still wide as he tried to recall where he had ran into this other strange mare. Thankfully she at least answered this part for him. “Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you! Were you surprised? Were ya? Were ya? Huh, huh, huh?”

Groaning a little, the stallion placed a hand on his head as the first pangs of a headache were already starting to set in. Trying to let her know just how exhausted he was of the whole idea already his voice lifted with a condescending tone of disappointment. “Very surprised. Libraries are supposed to be quiet.”

If she got his point, she sure didn't appear to notice. Pinkie stepped forward and put her hand upon his cheek rubbing thumb over his jaw even as her deep blue eyes and warm grin were thrown in his face, and much to his annoyance her voiced delighted as she refused his point. “Well, that's silly! What kind of welcome party would this be if it were quiet? I mean, duh, bo-ring! Y'see, I saw you when you first got here, remember? You were all, 'hello' and I was all, ‘...’” She paused, giving a sudden gasp and bolting off running across the room for a moment, giving Dusk hope she might just leave him be. Before that hope could take hold, however, she suddenly rushed back again and wrapped her arms around his own, hugging herself tight to his side and grinning warmly. “Remember? Y'see, I've never seen you before and if I've never seen you before, that means you're new, 'cause I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville!”

As she rambled on, Dusk's strong grip upon his face continued, fingers shifting to squeeze at the bridge of his nose trying to distract from a headache that was swelling quickly even as she carried on with great excitement. “And if you're new, that meant you hadn't met anyone yet, and if you hadn't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad, and then I had an idea, and that's why I went-” Suddenly pausing for yet another deep gasp, she rushed on just as quickly afterwards. “I must throw a great, big, ginormous, super-duper, spectacular welcome party and invite everyone in Ponyville! See? And now you have lots and lots of friends!”

Dusk at last gave up and wandered to a nearby refreshment table. It had been hours since his meal with the Apples, and the summer heat had made his throat dry. Grabbing a random bottle, the stallion easily popped the cap and quickly moved to chug whatever the cool bottle held. It wasn't until Pinkie finished talking and waved to the crowded room about him that his tongue started to burn, and eyes popping, he looked at the label on the glass bottle in his hand. A single giant chili pepper mascot with a bright yellow background stared unblinkingly back at him with a bright grin upon its lips.

Author's Note

Wow. This took much longer then I had thought but also ended up being almost twice as long as I figured as well! Hopefully this is a little bit of a better insight into my version of the world and just how many little things are different from the show.

A few notes to head people off before comments start!

A: Yes, Rarity did just try to molest Dusk twice. Why? Don't you want to know!

B: Chapter 2 will not be the next morning. Instead I plan a shorter chapter about the party after Dusk storms off to a bathroom to throw up for a while. This will be a much shorter chapter, and will help to establish the relationship the girls of the Mane 6 have before Dusk becomes their friend.

C: I won't schedule Chapter 2 or 3 for this week as my work week has just started today and will take up a lot of my extra time. As well I am taking some criticism into effect from peoples comments to try and improve the prologue a little before I continue.

D: Yes Rarity is the oldest. Yes Fluttershy has the largest chest. Yes Barb is still in love with Rarity just like Spike. Yes Rainbow Dash did just hotdog Dusk the first time they ran into one another, why do you think she was so shocked?

E: Hotdog. It's when a guys junk grinds between the cheeks of someones ass. Its the internet people, look it up

F: I will take and use OC's on occasion as a background pony but don't ever expect any of them to be anything more then that. And no I've no OC of my own though if someone wants to make one based off my Avatar I'd find it a laugh. *shrug*

G: I love you all and thanks for reading!

First revision posted @ 1:30 pm CST only July 30th. This update is mostly spelling and grammar errors, names without proper punctuation and a few mistakes of name/gender. Thanks for all the help already guys!

Second Revision posted @12:37pm CST on November 6th. HUGE thanks to Wrabbit with helping me work over this chapter until I'm sure his eyes bleed. We are heading into interlude 1 and I've got the weekend off so I hope to make some serous progress into chapter five.

Version 2.5 posted August 14th, Thanks to Shawkthorian for all your help reediting these chapters!

Version 3.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well aligning the major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Interlude 1 - Smalltalk at Pinkie's Party

In Ponyville, there were ways to tell when Pinkie Pie was the host of a party. Aardvark in a tuxedo? Pinkie party. Cotton candy streamers? Pinkie party. Someone being rushed to the bathroom, breathing flames? Pinkie party.

Thus, while Dusk and a few worried party goers might end up in the bathroom, those gathered in the library were hardly going anywhere. Though, one thoughtful mare had slipped out to call on the clinic’s on-duty staff, and thanks to that thoughtful action, Nurse Redheart quickly arrived. With some rather forceful vocabulary from the nurse, the five concerned mares that were collected in the overly-large bathroom, and one worried dragoness, were ordered outside, and the bathroom door was bolted closed.

* * *

With some calm returning to their group, the mares who had spent the day with Dusk now gathered about the fidgeting form of Barb instead, each offering their respective attempts to comfort the lass. With her tail clutched in one hand, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the spade, little Barb continued to glance back at the bathroom door, worriedly fixating upon every pained noise that escaped from within. Pinkie, ever her helpful self, somehow managed to appear exiting the bathroom, an empty bucket of ice in her hands, and called back inside, "And I left some drinks for when he feels better! Glad you could come after all, Redheart!" Slackjawed, the little dragon's gaze was unmoving from the party pony, still trying to figure out how she had slipped back into the bathroom with the door locked... until the soft touch of a hand on her shoulder stole her attention.

"Don't worry about Dusk. Nurse Redheart is used to taking care of Pinkie's super-happy hot sauce victims." The sweet tones that danced in that voice could only belong to Fluttershy, who was currently crouched at Barb's side, allowing them to see eye to eye while she tried to comfort the uneasy dragon. "It was only just last month when she hosted a Super-Sweet Treat Hot Sauce Chugging Challenge. I think half of Ponyville wound up in the clinic that night, and poor Nurse Redheart was working all alone."

Of course, Pinkie couldn't hear that without a joyful grin spreading over her lips. One hand shot into the air as she proudly proclaimed, "It was the hottest event in town. Even Rarity had to admit it!" The bouncy bundle of energy turned the full force of her biggest smile and those huge blue eyes on the older mare. Showing just how eager she had become, Pinkie began shifting swiftly from foot to foot as she awaited confirmation to her statement. Her tail even got into the action, the pink and puffy cloud dancing behind her with every hop.

Rarity had been standing with the rest, though unlike the others, she had a wine glass in one hand and was sipping quietly. With her weight resting back against a bookshelf, the classy woman had been relaxing, and attempting to pretend she didn't notice the harsh stink-eye AJ bad been leveling her way since the moment the lights turned on and revealed her deep kiss to the very surprised guest of honour. Shifting to face the beaming Pinkie, she gave a small smile along with a quiet nod, her silky voice heard only when it was clear nothing less was going to be enough to satisfy her friend. "Of course, darling. In fact, it's still on the tip of my tongue."

While the others gave a gentle chuckle to Rarity's jest, Applejack stomped a foot in frustration against the floor while pinning the older mare with a look of outright distaste, even open hostility, which showed in her harsh glare. She spoke up at last and made it clear to her friends how much this situation was bothering her. "You’re all jokes tonight, ain't you Rarity? But tell me the truth, what's your game with Dusk? Why’re you acting so innocent after what everypony in the room saw you doing to 'im? I've been wanting to ask just why y’all are plucking him like a harp. It’s clear we might as well settle all of this here and now."

Clearly aware of the two mares’ confrontational mood, the rest of that night's party crowd shifted to move away, while at the same time, Fluttershy and the others attempted to cluster around Barb and draw her away from a conversation with which it was clear the tiny dragoness might not be comfortable. Rarity shifted her weight to stand with more aggressive confidence. She brought her glass swiftly brought up, emptied it and then settled it upon an empty space on the bookshelf at her side. Her lush lashes danced once or twice as she blinked and stepped forward, lifting the ponytail off AJ's shoulder and dropping it down her back. She leaned in close, voice rich with scorn at the question of her virtue. "My, Applejack! You’re not one to be jealous of other peoples’ relationships." She turned, rolling her shoulders as she began moving to walk back over to the others still gathered about Barb. Before going more than a few feet, she glanced over her shoulder at AJ once again, halting in her stride and dropping the harsh tone, instead putting on a false voice of woeful concern. "Wait, don't tell me you don't know...?"

When Applejack drew back from the suddenly aggressive response, Rarity took another stride closer. Her eyes were wide, even as she gave the younger mare the full weight of a first pitying gaze, which quickly grew into a firmer, condescending glare. "He is Dusk Shine, darling. Have you never heard of him? The youngest stallion to ever graduate from Star Swirl University? He is also apparently considered to be the strongest unicorn since Star Swirl himself, with many rumors of him challenging his older brother." Her voice dropped several degrees before she continued in an icy-cold whisper. "The Guard Captain Shining Armor, head of Princess Celestia's personal honour guard. Surely you've heard of him, at least?" She offered a pause as she waited to see if AJ had anything to offer more substantial than the already-dumbfounded slow nod she had managed to pull together. When it was clear nothing more was coming, the grin spread, and Rarity took yet another step closer to her towering... friend. At the same time, her voice was returning to a softer, more sympathetic tone.

"Yes, him. It's said in a recent display of the Captain's specialty, a shield spell, the thing for which he had earned his cutie mark, very reliable sources say that Dusk nearly broke said shield. Can you picture it? He nearly overwhelmed a stallion five years his elder using magic connected to his special talent." Her last sauntering stride drew her closer still to AJ, shoulder resting lightly on the taller filly’s side. She lifted a hand to lightly tap her chin, voice far warmer now as she cooed with quiet delight, even as her weight rested against the powerful Earth pony. "Oh, what else is important about Dusk?... Well it could also have to do with the fact that by all apparent and publicly known information, he is Princess Celestia's heir apparent, after Princess Cadance of course... and maybe Prince Blueblood. Then of course, last but not least, did you see him? He may not be as large as your brother Mac, but he is just as handsome, maybe more so. With all those reasons, do you understand my motives well enough now?" Her point well-made, the mare smiled to AJ before wandering off, sauntering to the far side of the room, clearly going to get herself a new drink and letting the air clear.

"She’s wrong you know." The four mares who remained in their quiet social group all looked down at Barb, who was far calmer now than when she had gotten carried away and locked into watching the conversation between AJ and Rarity. As they all turned their attention to her, more than a little shocked at the words from the dragoness correcting the ultra-confident Rarity, the mare now far enough away she wouldn't be able to hear Barb's voice. "It's just... Dusk is only the youngest stallion to graduate, but a mare did it almost a year younger than him." Under the kind attention the others were giving to her, Barb took to standing a little taller inside the tight circle they formed formed as the others gathered ever closer around, offering her still more smiles and soft motions to encourage her to go on with further details. "And, well... umm he didn't break Shining's Shield. But he nearly passed out from trying to find a way to crack, it you see." The pressure of a hand upon her shoulder made Barb look up, quickly realizing it was AJ, who was still more than a little shamed by Rarity's rough words.

Taking the small dragon's feelings into consideration, she was soft-spoken but encouraging. "Yes? And... the other things?" AJ's face was still deep red with the dark blush, a bold reminder of how embarrassed she still was from the recent verbal assault she had just endured, but she wanted to know the rest of the truth.

Barb smiled, releasing her tail as well as a shrug. "Well, I don't know really Applejack. I know that he is the Princess’ favorite student... And it's true that other than Princess Cadance or her nephew Blueblood, she often has Dusk do things that could be considered major affairs of state, but heir? No way. He doesn’t want that kind of responsibility! If I didn’t make him take me out for dinner once a week, we’d never leave the observatory, except for groceries and visiting the library!" The tiny dragoness gave a little sigh looking around as Rarity returned, blushing a little and stepping out past the others and offering her a shy smile. "But, she was right as well. He is strong; younger than almost anyone with his level of skill in magic, and often granted duties reserved only for Celestia's closest kin." With a nod, she blushed and dropped her gaze, still trying to smile towards the fashionable diva who stood so near.

How much that Rarity might have heard was not questioned, however the gorgeous mare slipped a hand under Barb's chin and lifted it with soft ease, presenting her little friend with a deep grin, voice smokey. "And his looks?" she asked, her voice a teasingly low and warm coo to prompt the little dragon to continue. Barb gazed up into those icy azure eyes with deep embarrassment, finally simply nodding, unable to voice herself on that topic. As Rarity turned her gaze to AJ, the mare stepped forward, tone softer as she looked up at her towering friend. "I'm sorry for going off on you, darling. I shouldn't be so aggressive when you’re just protecting the young man from getting his feelings hurt. I promise I'm not just playing with a new toy." A pause as her hand lightly gripped the taller woman's free hand and squeezed it softly. "You of all people should know when I'm being serious, right?"

Whatever the others must have wondered about this personal affirmation of friendship, Applejack's response was to relax, and let her shoulders droop a little, nodding warmly. "Yes, I understand sugarcube. You've got your reasons and I shouldn't have been so worried. It's just after having him an' Barb at the orchard and the whole clan meeting 'im... I guess I just started getting protective of the fella. He seems like such a good natured stallion, I don't wanna to see such an innocent young buck hurt."

* * *

Dusk was doing exactly what he wanted at this moment, there was no question of that. It felt like it had been hours since the bottle of hot sauce had dropped from his hands, and currently all he really saw of the world around him was the bathtub full of ice water. Plunging his face deep into the chilly depths and trying to turn off his mind, Dusk's mouth began to calm down, and the growing chill spreading through his mind slowed down the chaotic thoughts that had been screaming moments before. As the cold got too much for him to stand, his weight fell back to the floor once more, his head lifting from the ice, and freezing water poured down from his soaked mane, drenching his upper body.

A towel was suddenly thrust in his face, soft yet firm tones from a new voice calling him back to the world. He looked up into the eyes of a short but firm mare. Accepting the towel and working it into the mass of his hair, his voice was still quavering, but more confident now. "Thank you, I take it you are Nurse Redheart?" The easy nod to her medical bag, not to mention the tight, white uniform she wore really made the question superfluous, but with the day he’d just had, he was taking no chances.

"I am, Dusk. It’s good to see you've already gotten some of your senses back again. Pinkie's parties can often leave the uninitiated in the clinic for a day or two." Her smile was tender, yet she hardly bothered to wait for his reply, as a hand was pushed under the towel and against his forehead, the other free hand moving to grip his wrist, counting to herself as she took his pulse.

Dusk blushed darkly as the woman suddenly assaulted him, breath drawn back in a sharp gasp. Yet, where before, any mare grabbing him like this so swiftly had followed up with a kiss and then distracting words about his body or compliments about his recent classes, this nurse drew back from his forehead, though still held his wrist tightly, and smiled warmly, head tilting a little to the side. "Well it's clear you’re stressed out over something, but I don't think you'll be burning down the library with your fire breath again." There was a flash of a grin before her stance shifted a little, her voice smooth and low, "Wanna talk about it? Just because you’re the Princess’ student doesn't mean you can't ask others for advice."

A dark blush spread over Dusk's cheeks as he realized the mare was the innocent one in this situation. He tried to clear his mind, voice lowered as he spoke with soft ease. "You are good. You got all that from my pulse and a headache?" When the soft, pink-haired mare simply smiled at his question, he sighed, and at last relented. "Well... it all started with a question on the graduate exam..."

* * *

Outside the bathroom, the party was still in full action. Pinkie was currently leading a moderately-intoxicated cluster of mares in the night’s second limbo contest. Barb had been politely banned from competition this time, as being easily a foot shorter than anyone else at the party, she had stolen the first contest without any effort. Now she sat in Fluttershy's lap, her spines being stroked with tender fingers, eyes half-slitted shut, she stared off at the far wall, not really seeing anything. Rainbow Dash wandered over, having just finished her turn in the game and lifted the little dragon's muzzle grinning warmly. "Sorry squirt, but I'm so taking this round! I hope Fluttershy is keeping you company at least."

Shocked at the suddenly fresh attention, Barb looked up at her, but a grin was all she really had to offer to the competitive mare. "Well when you're the best at limbo like me, you have to sit out to give others a chance." With a warm grin, she crossed her arms and sat up taller, flashing a smile up at the shy mare whose lap she occupied. "’Shy was telling me about her animal clinic and her vet work. It's really nice to hear about just how much goes on in a small town like Ponyville."

Fluttershy blushed, yet offered a nod to Barb as she spoke, her voice almost a murmur underneath the others’ conversation. "Dash, do you think Dusk's going to stay in town after the Summer Sun Celebration? He seems so lonely, and Barb was telling me he spends most of his time in study. Don't you think the town could use someone like him to take over the library?"

Dash was shocked to hear Fluttershy speak so boldly, and twisted her gaze up to look into the eyes of the blushing mare. Releasing Barb and shifting to cross her arms across her small chest, she grinned slightly. "Well, well, well. It's good to hear that you might just be coming out of your shell, Fluttershy. Next thing we know, you'll have a special somepony and won't need me and Pinkie to drag you out in public." She paused to watch as a blush crossed the other pegasus’ cheeks, the quiet meep and whimpering noises that she made really reinforced for Dash just how easy it still was to tease her easily-embarrassed friend. "Oh come on, Fluttershy! Of course I agree. After all, you should have seen him after I accidentally knocked him over in the mud. I'd love to find out how a bookworm like him stays in such great shape!"

Fluttershy had buried her face in Barb's shoulder, but the spines did a poor job of hiding the blush. Glad that she could hide behind her hair until Dash started letting up on her teasing, she finally began to relax again, if only a little. Voice still weak, she offered up her disagreement. "Dash, it’s clear he is Rarity's special somepony. You saw how she claimed him when the lights turned on, and you know once she sets her mind on something, she never gives up."

Barb felt a sigh ripple through the ample pillows her head rested upon. A blush crossed the tiny dragon's face, at last deciding to speak up again, clearly wanting to help the embarrassed woman out in some way. A hand stroking the soft, pink hair of the shivering mare whose lap she occupied, her voice sounded excited by the funny topic she was able to bring up to soothe the frightened mare. "Don't worry Fluttershy, while Rarity isn't the first mare to try and seduce Dusk, he rarely ever really notices. Just yesterday three mares tried to offer him themselves as a ready-made herd just for him. I think that was the first time he ever even noticed the three of them."

Suddenly realizing those around her had gone silent, Barb looked up, eyes wide as the five mares rushed to cluster around her again, their eyes all wide with excitement. Blushing darkly, Barb turned to look at Fluttershy, realizing that even she wanted to know more about this story. Voice a little shaky, Barb recounted what she had learned of the day’s events after talking to Dusk the night before. Finally, she repeated Dusk’s final words on the matter before telling her to drop it.

"In the end, while I was cleaning up after dinner, he told me he was glad his brother had saved him. He said he wasn't sure what he really felt about those three mares and he thought it might not be so horrible to find out weeks after agreeing to such a thing that he didn't get along with some of them. I think he likes the idea of having a very special somepony, maybe even a herd but he likes his study and his quiet time more. I don't even know if he could put up with a mare who couldn't give him his privacy and a chance to continue his studies."

While the quiet murmurs from the other four mares were a mixture of respect and embarrassment, Rarity smiled, her voice low and warm. "You see?! A perfect gentleman, Even when being seduced by harlots, he’d rather think of their feelings first!"

* * *

"And that is when the Princess sent me here to Ponyville, leaving me so busy I have had no time to work on my research for some solution to this mystery. Why would she tease me with the danger of Nightmare Moon, and then push my help away at so critical a day?" Dusk gave a heavy sigh, looking at the nurse, who now sat on the counter across from him. His shirt lay across his lap now, and an ice pack from her bag was held against his brow. He was leaning back against the edge of the bathtub, enjoying the cold that radiated from the ice water it held. He was visibly more relaxed now that he had learned of the pleasure that came with simply sharing one’s thoughts and the stressful things in life with another. Quietly, he added psychology to the list of skills Redheart possessed... as well as topics he clearly needed to research in greater detail.

No longer worried for his health, Nurse Redheart herself had relaxed, the bun holding her hair up undone and laughing at his story. "Well, when you think about it Dusk, doesn't it make sense? She wanted you to be warned, so you could be ready. She probably has some plans for the threat of Nightmare Moon if you're right about the danger. Maybe her plans relate to having you here, now." She offered up a shrug and smiled warmly.

"Maybe she was just jealous of all the mares hitting on you at school. You said you were done with your normal studies, and while we are a small town, we are still very close to Canterlot. She has spent so much money on improvements to our town as well, she could have been planning this for years. Keep her favorite boy-toy somewhere comfortable." A wicked grin spread over her lips at his blush. "What? You never thought of her that way? Look it up, book boy. Where do you think Prince Blueblood came from? She had a lover a few decades ago. Their daughter is Blueblood’s mother. It's rare for her to do it, maybe once every hundred years or so, but it has happened."

Dusk blushed, but as she went on, he realized that she had a point. As he relaxed, his hand lifted, stroking at his chin with quiet care while a smile spread over his lips. "I remember Princess Cadance telling me stories about her childhood. Back when she was my foalsitter, the rumors were still around that she was Celestia's secret daughter. The truth, of course, is that she isn't, but sometimes people still suggest the idea. When I asked her about it years ago she laughed and told me her grandfather was rumored to be the Princess’ nephew, but I don't think she has any such intentions for me. I've never told Barb about this, but years ago when I first started noticing the mares at school and their seasonal heat, well...” He paused, a deep blush radiating over his cheeks, but at Redheart’s gestures to continue he pressed on. “Princess Celestia jokingly suggested to one of my old classmates that I might be able to help get the mare over her distractions. She said that she would never want to take the Princess’ property, yet Celestia's only response was to tell her I was my own pony, and she wouldn't mind seeing her two favorite students happy."

Redheart shook with laughter, while she took a drink from a group of them that Pinkie had left on a plate by the door for the two. Sipping with care, she let her voice tease him, even while her fingers stroked his still wet hair. "And so you and this mare became very special someponies?" The warm but relaxed grin she gave him continued to help Dusk feel far more relaxed than he had been in ages. Reaching for a drink, only to have her push his hand from the alcoholic glasses towards the fruit juice, she spoke with quiet care but level authority. "You've had two. That's enough for someone who hasn't eaten in hours, young man."

Dusk couldn’t help but blush and laugh at her words, nodding and taking an apple juice, drinking thoughtfully for a moment before he at last gave her his answer. "No, we did not even date... well, never anything really serious. See, she and I were paired together to study for a few years, and eventually she started to visit me at my observatory. As time passed, however, and her heats came and went, nothing ever came from it. Eventually, she began to study different topics from my research, and we quickly fell out of touch. It has been almost five years since I heard from her." He paused, emptying the last of the glass. His thoughts wandered as his mind tried to keep up with his tongue. "I wonder what she is studying now. Maybe I should ask the Princess someday. We used to be such good friends years ago."

"So tell me, Nurse Redheart. Are all the ponies crazy in Ponyville or is it a sign of the season?" Dusk's question was really more a joke, but her knowing glance had him sit up a little, laughing to himself. "Surely you are not going to imply it is clearly me who is the crazy one."

* * *

As the night continued, some of the less energetic ponies had found quieter places to relax, some even catching small naps. While tradition called for all to be up for the sunrise first thing in the morning, there really wasn't any rule about staying up all night. A much calmer collection of mares sat around, recounting stories for little Barb, and laughing warmly. Pinkie now sat with her shirt off, a headband over her breasts for some measure of modesty and a large glass snuggled between her breasts, filled with ice water to help her cool off. Her bright eyes lifted to gaze around the room, a little pout spreading. "I wish Dusk was feeling better. This party was meant to help him get to know the other ponies in town better. Now, the only person he’s getting to know is Nurse Redheart, and while she is a good friend to have, she shouldn't have him all to herself."

As the others laughed, Pinkie's pout only grew deeper, arms lifting to cross over her chest and her wineglass was brought up and drained again. Rarity was quick to pour her a refill, even as she spoke with care. "Don't worry, darling. If he is well-rested from today, I'm sure we will have lots of time to introduce him around town during tomorrow's party. And with you hosting, then Dusk will assuredly have a great time making up for how much of today was wasted." Again, the others laughed at the odd conversation.

Applejack stood a few feet away looking out the window, occasionally checking her pocket watch. Turning at last, she drew her hair back up from hanging back around her shoulders to place it once more into a ponytail, grinning a little as she spoke. "Pinkie, I think we ought’a get everypony over to the city hall. It's nearly time for the Celebration to start." Of course, nobody disputed the farmer's sense of time. She had an internal clock that was unquestionable. With groans and sighs, the cluster broke up to start speaking with others about the room.

Barb went alone to the bathroom door, and knocked softly. "Dusk. It's almost time for the Celebration to start. Do you feel up to joining us for Celestia's arrival?"

Author's Note

And here you go! With interlude 1 done and reedited by myself I hope you guys all get a kick out of it. I can't make any promase's on my release date for Chapter 2 - The Rise of Nightmare Moon. Without the aid of a prereader or editor, I am going to be taking things slower to avoid making any silly mistakes. Thank you all for all the attention and support so far and I will continue to post blogs to keep you all updated on my progress and to tease with some foreshadowing!

Version 1.1 uploaded on November 8th, 2014 @ 6:30 pm. Huge thanks to Wrabbit!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Chapter 2: The Rise of Nightmare Moon

Ponyville City Hall, during the dawn battle against Nightmare Moon

The rhythm of Dusk's pulse exploded in his ears like the endless impact of a hammer upon an anvil. So much had gone wrong so quickly, and now as the world shattered before him, the stallion could only marvel at the glass shards as they slipped from his fingertips. The horror was real; Nightmare Moon had returned.

Desperation drove him to clutch once more at the shards, violently pulling things back together, and forcing his way once more into the now. The tattered remains of his shirt hardly covered his bare chest, and he stood alone in the middle of Ponyville's shattered Town Hall. All around him lay the broken forms of Princess Celestia's honour guard, while a weight on his chest reminded him of what had happened mere moments before. Almost lifeless, the form of his brother Shining Armor lay collapsed against him.

As realization dawned, the heat of rage boiled up once more, sending a fresh surge of strength to his aching limbs. With care, he shifted to crawl out from under his brother’s broken body, his voice screaming forth a challenge at the nightmare before him.

Nightmare Moon stood over the crumpled remains of a dozen guards, their helpless bodies now reduced to simple playthings for the psychotic alicorn's amusement. The blast that hit her square in the back was powerful, enough to cause this Goddess of Darkness to stumble, caught unaware as she was. She turned, levelling upon the revived student of her crushed sister a heartless glare. Her voice boomed in the empty hall, the impact of her words alone staggering the wounded boy who had dared to again stand before her. "THOU DARE STAND AGAINST THY ONE TRUE QUEEN? HOW MANY TIMES WILT I BREAK THEE LIKE SCATTER’D TOYS BENEATH MINE FEET?"

He reeled from the volume of her powerful voice as if it were a tangible attack. With effort, he only just managed to draw a breath, the sheer force of her voice enough to knock the wind out of him. The black force of her magic shot through the air, piercing the shield he had half formed and only narrowly passing over his shoulder to obliterate the wall at his back. The black haze began to form once more before his eyes, when a sudden burst of wind slammed into the dark alicorn from behind, throwing her through a nearby wall and out into the town itself.

Blinking to try and force the black haze of exhaustion away, Dusk only now realized strong hands had taken him up and were carrying him away from the battlefield that had once been a celebration of the summer’s official start. In the distance, yet somehow right beside his ear, Dusk could make out concerned voices all speaking over one another.

"You got him? She will be back any second, Mac. You gotta hurry."

"I ain't never seen nobody take a hit from Dash from behind and get up so fast."

"Eeyup."

"What of the others?"

"Ah got Shining. Dunno if anyone else made it."

"The poor guards... what ever has she done to Princess Celestia? What can we do against a goddess like her?"

They were all voices he vaguely recalled, but the glass shards of reality had slipped again from his fingers, and soon, the darkness violently forced its way in and began to take his mind away. The sweet freedom of a peaceful death suddenly no longer panicked the stallion.

The blackest depths of an unknowable darkness swept over Dusk's mind and soon, the pain that tore at his lungs with every gasp for breath was suddenly gone. Now, he floated free of it all in the unfathomable darkness. Unlike the outside, this place was peaceful, and somehow so much better than fighting anymore. In the silence, Dusk began to understand at last that he was dying, and those voices he had heard before... they must be his new-found friends. Strangely, even in this silent place, that somehow managed to tug at him a little despite the nothingness in which this tiny fraction of his mind still floated. Even in the void, where he had accepted death, there was something that called out to him...

"Help!"

“What was that sudden flash, that voice that called me? Somehow it is new and yet familiar, and its sorrow tears at my peaceful quiet and the calm of this realm of death. It is like something I have always heard in the back of my mind, but until today I have never been able to understand it, not when it was drowned in the din of everyday life.”

"Help!" The voice called out again, throwing apart his peaceful void and tossing him into the violent chaos... and all from the sound of that hopelessly sorrowful voice. Its agonized tones pulled at his emotions, when even his heart had stopped beating.

“Even here, in the endless darkness, it tugs at my mind as if it might pull me back to life, to force me awake again with mournful tones alone. But why, I know it not... yet it tears open my soul to ignore the desperation in that voice. I wonder, could it be Princess Celestia? Is she somehow calling to me from wherever Nightmare Moon has her trapped?“

"HELP!"

“No... it is not the Princess... but who? Why? And how have they found me here, ruining the formerly-peaceful embrace of death’s endless sleep?”

"HELP ME, DUSK!"

At last Dusk realized who that voice was. That realization was all it took, driving him to fight once more; he knew he must not die this day. Somehow, somewhere, that voice was calling to him, and he was awake.

* * *

The horror had started hours ago and a world away in Dusk's mind. He had been in the bathroom, still quietly enjoying his day for the first time with Nurse Redheart. The easygoing mare had done his nerves a world of good, when suddenly, a light knock echoed upon the bathroom’s locked door.

Barb had come alone to the bathroom door, and knocked with a soft touch, her tender voice still worried as she spoke just loudly enough for him to make out. "Dusk, it's almost time for the celebration to start. Do you feel up to joining us for Princess Celestia's arrival?"

Just for a moment, he glanced sidelong at Redheart and the words almost didn't rise in his throat. But even as he thought it, she was once more tying that bun together again in her hair. A sigh died upon his lips before it could form itself and he spoke at last. "Of course, Barb. It is on her checklist of duties for the celebration, and besides, it will be nice to see her again on a happier note rather than like last time after the exam."

Outside the bathroom once more, Dusk at last realized how early it already was. Only one or two of the guests remained behind to help Pinkie Pie clean up, as all the others had moved on to the city hall already. Smiling warmly at Barb, he started to tenderly rub her head spikes’ green curve, his voice soft. "Sorry for worrying you Barb, I am alright now... just had to blow off some steam." A snort, clearly from Pinkie, got him laughing too, helping to lighten the mood.

Redheart's hand took his own, slipping a card into his palm. "My address, should you have need to talk again. I get most night shifts at the clinic as well." Her voice was light, warm and tender. Dusk fondly cherished that, and the too-long time she held his hand before leaving him behind. Turning to Pinkie, he realized quite quickly that she was blushing as well.

Redheart spoke up again, addressing Pinkie. "Let's get to the ceremony Pinkie, I'm sure the others have saved you a seat. This can wait for another hour or two."

As Dusk stepped towards the pink-haired party planner, however, she shied away just for a moment before her bright nature reasserted itself. "And you Dusk, you've got the best seat in the house. We made sure it was saved by Big Mac, himself." Pinkie suddenly wrapped her arms around his forearm and resting a cheek on his shoulder, and Dusk took it as her method of communicating an apology. With Barb’s hand gripping his free hand, the three turned and left, they be the last to arrive at the hall... save for Her.

* * *

The world around him was suddenly a blinding glare of painful white light, and his heart's strong beat once more flooded into his ears, no longer the overwhelming roar it had been before, instead now a steady, level pulse. Rendered blind by the oppressive brightness, Dusk heard a gasp of breath nearby, too close. And then, the rush of voices returned again to wash over him, and the pressure of the sound prevented him from moving at first; it was a harsh struggle to even draw each breath. The world about him now was a horror, filled with only pain.

"You did it Princess! He.. he is breathing again!"

"But..."

"How is he? Was your magic able to..." That was... Pinkie? But she was cut off by a voice from his youth.

"I didn't have the chance... he just... started breathing again all by himself." A pause then, and that voice whispered from very close to his ear, tone tender. "Dusk? Dusk can you hear me?"

Still trapped in a world of only blinding light and pain, Dusk's insides felt as if they had been ripped up, like he had been run over in the night. Parting cracked lips, he managed to make the agonizing effort to greet his foalsitter in their traditional manner. With a helpless voice hardly above a whisper he spoke out. "Sun... su... sunshine... sunshine... la... la... lady... lady..." A coughing fit came over him and his voice failed him once more, only to feel the sudden assault of cool water on his lips. Someone was giving him a drink.

But here, Princess Cadance, her heart shredded with sorrow and joy at the same time, finished for him, quietly laughing at the silly song for kids she had taught him so long ages ago. "Labybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake.” Cadance's voice was haunted, the sound of half-sobs stuck within her throat as her fingers stroked through his hair. The sound of the door closing behind someone who had just left made it clear he must be alone with Cadance. Her voice weak, she spoke with tender care even as the water returned to his lips again. “Oh Dusk, you had us so worried. I only just arrived a few minutes ago. It took everything I could manage just to drive Nightmare Moon off... And then... then Shining Armor told me you were gone... what's happening, Dusk? Why is Nightmare Moon back, and where is Princess Celestia?"

Dusk swallowed roughly at the water, his voice at last returning to him. He felt her sorrow for a moment, but they had more important matters at hand. His right arm felt useless at his side, so he tried to lift the left and gripped her by the back of the head, pulling her close so she might hear his whispered words. "Princess Luna... is alive."

* * *

City Hall in Ponyville was as illustrious as Dusk remembered. Rarity's hard work had clearly paid off as the gathered crowds were all engaged in admiration of the decorations. Clusters of ponies stood at the back of the room, speaking in groups while the front two-thirds of the room had packed rows of chairs in tight to the front balcony to allow as many as possible to watch the Princess raise the sun when the celebration began.

As his gaze began to shift over the crowd, Pinkie was directing him through it, and they were quickly joined by Applejack and two younger fillies. Realizing that he knew one girl, Dusk attempted to call out to her, offering both girls a friendly smile. "Apple Bloom, good morning. Who is your little friend?"

Instantly, the two girls turned to stare at one another, the soft-spoken new girl whispering to Apple Bloom, even while shifting to half-hide behind AJ. Strangely, the grey mulberry and rose hair reminded Dusk of someone else who was absent, prompting him to ask gently, "And where is Rarity? I had figured she would want to be front and center for this big event."

This got a response from the girls. First, Bloom stepped up to Dusk, her low but country-bred voice clear and confident. "Hiya Dusk! This here’s Sweetie Belle, she's Rarity's lil' sister." She turned to her shy friend and tried to pull the hiding unicorn filly out from behind her older sister. "Come on, Sweetie! Dusk's super nice and a really powerful unicorn!”

Sweetie had been reluctant to step forward and take the full attention that awaited her, at least until the towering stallion asked about Rarity. Now, she very slowly took a few small strides to stand before him, eyes wide while she pointed up towards the balcony that overlooked the main hall facing the east. Her voice was a quiet whisper, squeaking with excitement. “She is front and center, Mister Dusk. Up on the balcony, she gets to pull the cord to reveal Princess Celestia herself, when the sun rises!” Bringing her hands up before her face, the little filly gave a soft giggle, though still a little sheepish before Dusk. “My big sister's so lucky!”

At last, Dusk understood the situation and turned to grin at Applejack, crouching low and offering to her his hand, his voice low and easy. “Well then, it is a pleasure to meet you, little Sweetie Belle. Shall we find our seats?” he asked, standing up once more. He grinned at the cowgirl as she stepped in close to his side, her hands crossing over her chest as the two followed the girls when they bolted across the room to find chairs in the front row that had been reserved for Dusk and a few guests in his company.

AJ's head turned to gesture towards a curtain where soft birdsong whispered free loud enough for one to hear. The cowgirl softly spoke up, “‘Shy's back there. She required it or she wouldn’t be able to get the birds calm enough to perform publicly.” A knowing glance at him made it clear he should know it was for Fluttershy, and not for the birds’ sake. Then a second casual point of her hand directed him to Pinkie, who was helping Big Mac direct others to the chairs. “Unless I'm mistaken, it’s only five minutes until the Princess arrives. Do you think we should save the Royal Guards a few extra seats?”

Now Dusk shifted his weight and lifted his head to look around, but then shook his head. Things were going so well, he felt a little comfortable being casual with the farmpony. “No. Shining Armor is leading them here today, and he will not sit. And if he will not, neither will they. But it is kind of you to be so thoughtful.”

A blush began to spread across AJ's cheeks and she shifted a little to draw away from him slightly, rubbing her open palms across her arms in a few steady strokes of embarrassment as they arrived at the chairs just below the balcony. Dusk was happy to take up a chair offered to him by Apple Bloom, fluffing the girl’s hair and grinning warmly. With the weight off his feet, he grinned up at AJ and over to Sweetie before the sound of the room falling silent rushed over them all.

Pinkie and Mac had finished their work and stood now at the front of the room, both making motions to silence those who were waiting for the show to start. Behind her drape, the rap of a baton against wood called Fluttershy's birds to full attention, their song sounding out and echoing forth across the crowded hall.

In a single motion, the twin doors on the opposite side of the hall were cast open. Marching in flawless formation, the Royal Guard crossed the hall with quiet but firm purpose. Clearly, Dusk’s brother had been drilling this formation a great deal. Each guard, be it mare or stallion, moved in a surging wave that flooded into the hall. Their order was a grand display, organized in a repeating pattern of each tribe, earth, pegasus, and unicorn, and at the same time, matching that motif were mare, stallion, mare, stallion. Front and center, Shining Armor strode with great dignity and pride, the noble officer stepping forward to stand below the balcony.

One hand lifted, and the music stopped, allowing Armor's voice to echo forth across the room. “People of Ponyville. It is with great pride and honor to introduce to you, Her Highness, Princess Celestia!” With a sweeping shift he cast his gaze up to the balcony, where Rarity reached out and pulled at the cord that held the drapes closed.

And standing in behind them was not the expected sun goddess, who had for a thousand years ruled over her people and protected them from the dangers that filled the world. Instead, a towering black alicorn greeted them, wearing thin black plate mail, crafted with arcane designs carved into every inch of the surface. Her glare was as cold as ice, and she had an ethereal flood of rich purple hair, the depths of the stars visible in that mane. Her voice lifted to echo forth throughout the room with command. “HELLO AGAIN, MINE FOALS. AT LONG LAST THY ONE TRUE QUEEN HAS RETURNED. BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, FOR I AM-”

Another voice called out from below, before she could finish her demand of her newly found subjects. Dusk realized he was standing, already pushing Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle behind AJ, his eyes wide with horror. “Nightmare Moon!”

* * *

It had taken what felt like hours, yet at last, Dusk managed to sit up. How long had it been since Princess Cadance had left the room? It must have been only a few minutes, but in the dark world of pain that was Dusk's mind, it felt like days just drawing up the strength to continue on.

The clinic was so crowded Dusk had been put in the bedroom inside Ponyville's library, and the effort it took to make his way back down the staircase nearly sent him back again into that waiting void of the darkness. It was only through raw willpower alone that Dusk found his way into the library’s main hall.

Gasping for breath and resting his face against the cold wood of a table, he tried to organize his thoughts. Only now was he quiet enough to realize he wasn't alone. Seven mares from his last two days slept clustered around the room. Big Mac had joined them, sleeping upon the floor, his massive body a roadblock propped against the door.

Dusk took a moment to assess himself, getting a feel for some feeble measure of his returned magic. His legs no longer struggled to support his weight under each weak step, and he felt confident enough to continue walking, even without something to lean against. The soft glow of his horn lit as a faint light spell was summoned forth, let him pick his way across the room. The effort of sustaining even this weak spell made his breath feel ragged, preventing him from drawing another proper breath.

A book suddenly slammed closed before him, and from the darkness of a deep armchair the figure of an eighth mare pushed forward. Veiled in the darkness as she was, Dusk strained to see who it was. A flash of ethereal purple-blue hair drifted before his eyes, and one hand lifted to press a finger to her lips. A whispered hush drifted across the room, causing him to gasp and stand up again. He was still in the middle of the room where he had stopped to rest his head upon the cool surface of the table’s wood. He had passed out again, his weakness overwhelming him where he sat.

A hand gently slipped under his arms and a candle was lit. Suddenly, Dusk was no longer alone. The faces of five mares surrounded him, guiding him in silence to the same armchair he had just dreamt about. Setting him down, AJ and Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and nodded to one another.

At last, someone spoke. It startled Dusk that it was himself. "I must find a book... the only one that might have some kind of aid for this night. ‘The Elements of Harmony’... it might be our only hope."

Shockingly, it was Fluttershy who spoke up against this plan first and loudest, drowning out even Rainbow Dash's flippant decry, "A book? Seriously? How is a book going to have any effect on Nightmare Moon!"

The normally-quiet pegasus was now directly in Dusk's face, her small hands cupping his jaw, a determined glare levelled at his half-focused eyes. "Do you know what you're saying Dusk? How do you think you can defeat an alicorn goddess like her when you can't keep your eyes focused? It's hardly been five hours since you came back from the dead, and you are already off trying to get killed again!" A harsh groan escaped her lips and she turned, pointing out the sleeping figure of Barb upon a pillow at Big Mac's side. "It took hours for us to comfort her after you... you died Dusk..." There was a brief pause as her hands rested on his cheeks and her forehead rested against his own, as she drew a shuddering breath, trying to gather herself once more.

From across the room, Pinkie called out with bold delight, hopping up and dancing back across the room to place it upon the desk at his side. "Found it!” When all turned to stare at the overly enthusiastic mare she simply grinned warmly and offered a shrug. “It was under ‘E’!"

Dispirited by Fluttershy's words, their truth stung Dusk deeply. Here he was so weak, yet all around him stood five mares strong and confident, some offering to help him, others trying to save him from his devotion to duty. A smile crossed his lips as he pointed to the book, his voice soft. "If I remember the parts I skipped over before, we shouldn't have to fight her. We just need to find the weapon Princess Celestia used to win before; the Elements of Harmony. With them, maybe we have a chance. Please someone, read to me? Fluttershy's right, I have no strength for it."

A quiet murmur rippled through the group, yet Rarity stepped forward, a lamp in one hand, placing it beside the book. Her eyes were hollow, haunted by the day of horror. But she reached out and with a dainty hand flipped open the book, her voice strong for the small crowd. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria..."

* * *

Nightmare Moon’s lithe figure swiftly shifted upon her high balcony, an evil grin splitting her lips while a monstrous gaze locked upon the unicorn stallion beneath her. Dusk's words had her full attention, and her voice rippled forth with bold delight. "SOMEPONY REMEMBERS? THEN BOW BEFORE THY PRINCESS AND SHOW THY LOYALTY TO THE ONE TRUE QUEEN OF EQUESTRIA!" The powerful and intimidating aura of the haughty alicorn might have made others bend the knee, the terror of her presence and spiteful aura a crushing weight to almost any who attempted to meet her gaze. With Princess Celestia's disappearance, the disaster of the day was a crushing weight to any soul who witnessed the devastation.

The gathered crowd was frozen, torn by the horror, the despair. Shining Armor spoke then, shattering the eerie silence. “Nightmare Moon, as head of Princess Celestia's Honour Guard, I give you this chance, this one and only chance. Return the Princess and be gone from our realm in peace. Fail this, and you will feel the full weight of the people of Equestria crash down against you.” The gathered soldiers, men and women, stepped into tight formation. Unicorns gathered their will, their horns piling up with power concentrated at a point. The pegasi flexed their wings, shifting their weight, preparing to cast into the fray. The earth ponies drew weapons, many bringing up shields and already using them to push the gathered crowds back out of the room.

Nightmare Moon's eyes slit, tightening down across the tall diamond-shaped pupil with great rage at this defiance. Her weight shifted forward and she stomped one foot on the ground before her. The burst of force caused the balconies railing to shatter, exploding out across the room. The already-worried crowd was showered with violently hurled spears of wood splinters, and while none died, first blood had been drawn from the innocent masses. “YE FOALS! THOU CANNOT HOPE TO STAND BEFORE MINE MIGHT!”

A scream rang out across the panicked room as Rarity fell from the balcony from the force of the blast, her body thrown into the air and falling toward the crowd. In that same instant, two spheres of powerful magic wrapped around the falling mare, quickly merging together as the brothers Armor and Dusk realized they had both cast at the same time to save her. It was Armor who spoke however, his voice a call to war. “Loyal Guards of Princess Celestia! This Nightmare must never have her night again!” His protective aura around the mare dropped, leaving Dusk to catch her in his arms as she left the buffering grip of his magic.

Blasts from spells shot forth from over a dozen horns. Archers launched arrows from six points around the room in a single, even volley were matched by six other earth guards’ thrown javelins... yet the response to this violent offensive threat was the harsh laughter of a dark goddess, who cast one hand before her as if lazily swatting at flies. A burst of power rippled forth from that easy motion, and shattered the combined offence of more than a dozen loyal guardians without any effort.

Even as warriors reloaded and guards shifted the mob to escape the room's violence, Nightmare Moon moved to quickly strike back. Her horn glowed with the same odd ethereal black-purple aura that swelled forth, powering the blast of her magic across the gathered crowds. It was matched in turn with targeted bolts of dark power that burst forth and cracked upon the ground before those nearest, throwing them into the air. Over a dozen guards hit the walls about the room, sending them sprawling and spiralling in the violence of this sudden war.

Dusk managed to at last step forward to join the fight, now that Rarity had left with AJ and the young fillies. Drawing forth his strength, he waited for Nightmare to direct her blast before he shot his blow in return. Just like two days ago, he channelled it all into a single tight arrow-point of force, attempting to pierce her guard fast, before she might cast it aside like the others, his reasoning being that this might allow him to find a weak point before she could react.

As the ribbon of light shot forth and blasted up into Nightmare Moon’s chest, the breath was sucked from his lungs, even as she cried out when the impact smashed into her. For just a moment, hope flickered in Dusk's mind. It died just as fast, for as the blast of force dissipated, Nightmare Moon stepped forth once more, her armor blemished, yet far from hurt, and she dropped her gaze to Dusk and fell upon him with the full force of her magic.

In that instant, Dusk dragged together his power, attempting to throw up a shield as he had learned from Shining. As the bubble wrapped about him to absorb the blow, it was insufficient by orders of magnitude. The assault forced him to fall back step after step, even as the few remaining guards let loose their second assault, joined by Armor himself. Her blast waned, dropping off for just a second. It was in that second that his shield fell. Dropping to his knees and falling slowly back, Dusk knew he was out of this fight, likely permanently after today. As Nightmare Moon once again threw the guards about the room like rag dolls, he knew he was going to join them soon.

In a flash, a lost memory came to the fore. It had only been a few months ago when the Princess herself taught him something secret, something forbidden. It involved drawing from somewhere deep inside, where the Princess had shown him that his life-force burned. Here, Dusk forced himself to gather the strength... to be able to pull forth the magic that kept any pony alive, that made his heart beat and his brain work. Dusk drew every ounce of this power he could focus and shaped together into a bolt to shoot forth once again. An incredibly focused blast, this one wasn’t just a single blow to strike down the alicorn in a single strike like before. Instead, it struck harder, faster, and sharper, and was going to be sustained until his life-force might flicker out.

This boundless blow slipped through her guard, and the powerful magic managed to strike home. Of the guards, only two still stood, both powerful earth pony titans in the heaviest of armor. Their training allowed them to spot an opening, and each drew back, twisting to level their spears. With a swift charging stride, the long weapons were hurled violently up to join in with Dusk's relentless assault. A roar of grinding metal echoed forth across the room as under this combined blow to Nightmare Moon's armor ended with a sudden snap, her mail shattering, and the black breastplate cracked from collar to belly.

Dusk at last let go of the well he had drawn upon; let it go free and let his body fall forward, barely catching himself on one hand to rest upon the ground. Coughing hard, blood welled up in his throat, and small droplets burst forth, hitting the floor with his spittle, a stark reminder of the reality of where his power had come from. Hands were on his shoulders, lifting him, and Dusk realized Armor had regained his feet, the proud stallion's breastplate no longer matching his name. He offered a grin down to his younger brother and for a moment his lips formed to speak, only to be cut off by a burst of noise-absorbing thunder that rippled through all in the room.

Reforming on the ground before them, Nightmare Moon returned from the nothingness of a shadow in which she had been hiding after that powerful assault. Evil laughter burst forth as she once more became a physical force upon the world, and drew forth her strength to once again blast at the mortal brothers. In the instant before the blow landed, Dusk could feel Shining's Shield form in a ripple of power, one that was instantaneous, and yet at the same time, it was far too slow, too late to save anyone.

And then, darkness as the evil goddess’ blast hit.

* * *

Dusk's weight shifted, a gasp of pain escaping his lips as the cotton bandages were wrapped around bruised ribs, Fluttershy still fretting one might even be cracked. Nurse Redheart was still too busy to come, thus it was left up to Fluttershy to handle Dusk's broken body while Rarity read out loud for the rest of them. Quiet as the room might be, all could hear every pained sound that escaped his lips, thus, the stallion did everything he could to keep quiet.

The full assessment of the damage had taken over two hours. Of course, the bandaging of his ribs had been the major effort so far, but his right lung had collapsed, his left arm was broken, one cheek-bone was shattered, last of all, he taken a concussion, and the resulting trauma was why his memories had been flowing in random fragments all out of order and broken shards. Fluttershy's regenerative tonic helped with that, but it took time, and Dusk had made her add anything she had on hand that might help dull the roaring pain in his left arm.

As he shifted to stand up, AJ rushed to support his weight on one side while Dash took the other. The strain was unbearable and yet at the same time, was worlds easier than it had been a few short hours before. He expelled a harsh breath and he swallowed sharply to pull away from the supporting mares to take a slow step forward. His legs were weak, shivering with each transfer of pressure, but he could handle the slow and steady pace now. “So we have it. The book says the Elements were last kept in the Castle of Two Sisters, deep inside the Everfree Forest, a place none visit any longer due to the unpredictable magic and magical species that now run wild.” He drew another breath slowly as his weight shifted to rest on his arms upon the table before him, hissing against the pain while resting his forehead on the cool wood of the table once more.

Rarity cleared her throat and shifted her weight before speaking before the others. “It's what the book claims darling, but it’s been a thousand years since anypony has seen the five Elements. Is it even possible they remain? So much could be lost in the ages that have passed.” A slight pout was offered at the sight of the stallion's weak body and struggling efforts to move. In an instant, she was at his side, and tenderly drew a finger over the back of his head while her other hand moved to begin massaging across his temple. “Dusk. We can go without you. It's too much for your body. Your dedication is staggering but you'd never make it, even with our aid.”

Standing up tall and looking over the other mares collecting around him, Dusk quickly realized that despite any argument he might have been ready to make, it was never going to be enough to fend off the girls’ rational debate, so he skipped over rational argument on the matter. His voice level and warm, he locked his gaze upon AJ. “Tell me, Applejack. Do you think that anything you can say will stop me from going, knowing my dedication to Princess Celestia?” A shift of weight to turn his gaze to Dash next, his voice was sure and firm. “You were fighting her with the guards, Rainbow Dash. You saw me tap the forbidden magic. You understand I will sacrifice everything to stop Nightmare Moon, do you not?”

The first two girls were already stammering at his words even as he turned with an easy stride to place a hand upon Fluttershy's cheek. “It is not just for the Princess I go; it is for everyone here, from Apple Bloom to Shining Armor. Who might die in the next attack from Nightmare Moon? The greatest of Princess Celestia's Honour Guard were shattered by the first attack, and few lived through that horror. I am not in this for honour, for pride. I am doing this because I am the only one who can, and that is just the truth.”

His shift turned to look at Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “I can offer you no rational argument, but if my sacrifice saves Ponyville... saves Equestria... it is the least I can do. This argument is over.” He locked a solid glare on one mare after another casting his gaze across them, his breath hissing free in slow effort to keep calm, to stay stable. At last tapping his foot on the floor, he accepted their silence as an answer. “If that is settled... we leave, now.”

And now at last, the girls found a reason to speak up against him. “But Dusk... shouldn't you at least put on a shirt and maybe some kind of pants that are in one... er... piece?”

* * *

The wild forest known as the Everfree had proven to be just as daunting as the others had warned. Dusk could hardly walk without the assistance of Applejack's strong arm under his, the effort of the first mile had torn at his lungs and left him on the edge of collapse, but the girls had long come to understand there was no way he was going to be made to turn back, no matter how many times they insisted. Twice, AJ had attempted to simply carry him back, but he had showed his strength, forcing her strong grasp away and beginning the laborious effort of walking all on his own. Now she had given in, knowing there was no point in fighting him anymore.

As the age-old maps directed, they followed a basic path, one that might once have been some grand highway, but now was simply a near-invisible series of landmarks that had to be picked out. Eventually, their directions broke down to simply going with the forest’s flow, but a fog rose, soaking into every surface and blotting out any source of light save Rarity's magic torch. Limited to but a few feet around them, it forced Rainbow Dash to give up on her attempts to scout the path. The hours crawled by in the world of deep fog, making their progress ever slower in the thick woods.

Clustered close, Dusk's head rested upon AJ's shoulder, offering a slight blush and a smile as she glanced down at him once more, even as the careful group wandered further into the depths of the woods. Pinkie shifted back a little and turned to speak over her shoulder, voice warmly calling back over her shoulder with her usual excited delight. “I think the fog is thinning out ahead! I can see a river too!” walking backwards, the energetic woman grinned wide...

And then suddenly, the world threw them off their feet. The ground collapsed before them, trees washing away in the sudden landslide. Nothing but blackness was visible before them. Ground rolling under his feet, he and AJ uncontrollably began to slide down the incline towards the suddenly too-close cliff edge.

* * *

Thrown around by the quake and the land's shift under her, AJ's strength was suddenly put to the test as she caught herself on a deep-rooted tree stump, her muscles straining and her breath cast from her lungs. Suddenly, she was aware of just what it was Dusk had been put through in the last day’s battle. Gasping for air as the landslide died off, the powerful cowgirl drew herself up to stand once more, about to start dusting off her right side of the deep gravel scratches when at last she realized she was alone. A gasp and sudden twist around to face towards the cliff edge, she saw Dusk flat upon his belly, hanging half over the edge and grasping at the crumbling cliff edge, his one good arm clawing at the dirt for a grip.

Swift, strong legs kicked out, and with three long, powerful steps, she found herself at a cliff-edge that led to infinity below. Bracing her weight and lunging, she threw her weight over that cliff to capture one of Dusk's wrists as he fell from the ledge, the impact of hitting the ledge forcing all her breath from her lungs for a second time as many minutes. Luckily, she had him, and strained with effort as she threw a second hand over to wrap under his arms, doing everything in her strength to pull him back from the brink. “I got you sugarcube. Hold on and leave this all up to me. I swear I won't let you fall.”

Dusk's gaze lifted, his one good arm shifting to wrap around the more powerful woman's shoulders as he cried out in a pained panic, even while the pressure of her grip across his shoulder blade made the limp arm ache. “You... have me?” He almost laughed at the insanity of it all.

Her belly scraped forward inch by painful inch as she tried to catch her legs on something, anything to prevent this continued slide over the cliff’s edge. In the distance below them she spotted Dash and Fluttershy shifting about and leaving Pinkie Pie by the river bank below, turning about and shooting back up into the air once more, towards them, but they were going to be too late. If they both fell, Fluttershy was never going to be able to handle catching one of them, and as fast as Dash was, she might never manage that much weight so fast. A plan formed at last, and she looked down deep into Dusk's eyes. “Dusk... let go.”

Dusk's eyes, bloodshot red with stress and pain suddenly bolted wide open even as she spoke, his voice still panicked, still lost to the depths beneath him. “Are you crazy?”

AJ shifted onto her rump and braced herself, digging the heels of her cowboy boots into the soft earth to save them both from tumbling over the edge. Her gaze returned to Dusk's and she put everything she had into her next words. “You asked us to bring you here Dusk, so we did because your words rang true, now you have to trust me. Trust me Dusk, and let go.”

Dusk's eyes were wide, and they gazed deep into hers before at last he shut his eyes tight and released her grip. With his weight instantly lost to the void of darkness blow, Applejack swiftly crab-crawled backwards from the edge, catching her breath as she found a comfortable place to curl up against safe ground. From below, Dusk's scream rang out as he fell... and was suddenly cut off.

* * *

That look in AJ's eyes... that was what the real trick of it all. She said the words ‘trust me’, and in the depths of her eyes, he simply couldn't argue, no matter how the insanity of her plan shocked him. Releasing her and falling into the open space while his legs kicked in desperation. A spell for falling... he had used Shining's shield spell to help save Rarity from the balcony fall, but that was only twenty, thirty feet. Not like this, and he was so weak right now, how could he hold the bubble even for...

Then hands had him, and his weight was lifted once more into the air. Rainbow Dash was on his right side, Fluttershy quickly joining her on his left. Both working to pump their wings and sustain their flight with the newly added weight. Applejack certainly had a plan. Now, she was jumping from one cliff edge to another as she rapidly made her way down the side of the drop to catch up with the others.

As the ground arrived under his feet, Dash's voice at last began to make sense in his ears over the worried chaos that had been distracting him until now. “Fluttershy, can't you hold a little more of his weight, you are putting way too much strain on his ribs!”

The weaker flier was darkly blushing, doing her best to support Dusk's weight as she attempted to soften their landing, her voice soft and tired. “Sorry... I'm not use to carrying anything more than a few baby bunnies...” she replied, turning away, a little ashamed by her weakness, her shoulders drooping in shame at being nearly no help.

Dusk leaned heavily against the supportive arms of Rainbow Dash, his breath coming in swift gasps, even as the darkness began to form before his eyes. In a moment of blind panic, he thought that he might be falling back towards the darkness from before. But when he felt Dash's hand upon his forehead, the strong touch brought him focus and let his eyes refocus on the things before him again. Nodding in thanks to the strong grip that held him, even while her fingers raked through his hair, his voice’s softness surprised him a little. “Thanks Dash... is vertigo common after such a sudden drop?” When she laughed and nodded he at last began to relax, resting for a moment as AJ stopped to brush off her knees and smooth down her clothing, panting with exhaustion at such a fast scaling to join them. “And relax Fluttershy. You did fantastic... you saved Pinkie while AJ took care of me, and you were able to catch up with Dash to help save me too.”

The shy girl began to turn and look up to him as he grinned warmly down at her. His strength to keep standing, even if he did need another to help, made her heart swell in a way she couldn't really identify. Shifting to stand up again, she began gently nodding even as she said in a soft and tiny voice, “I promise I'll try harder.”

If the others heard her, they didn't answer as Fluttershy shifted to stand a little taller and walked back over to join the others, her hands pulled behind her back to squeeze one with the other. AJ and Rainbow debated back and forth over who should carry Dusk, and in the end, Dash won. “You let me handle it for five minutes, AJ! You act like he’s an egg I'm gonna drop. I wont drop him and he isn't that fragile.” She wrapped an arm under Dusk's while her wing spread to help balance, wrapping protectively across his ribs, to offer some extra support. “And until he says otherwise or can walk on his own, I've got it!”

Glaring back at Dash, AJ joined Fluttershy and Rarity following behind Pinkie, who was singing in the lead of the group, calling back to the others with an excited voice, “I've found a nice big clearing, and even a road! I'm sure this way leads towards the castle! Come on guys!”

Following Pinkie's path through the woods, they finally came across the wide clearing that turned out to have a brick path. Inspecting it for a few minutes while everyone caught their breath, Dusk started going on about the type of stone and how old they were. His delight at the discovery helped to brighten the mood of the group. “You really made a great find Pinkie... are you some kind of a rock-hound in your free time?”

Pinkie's happy laugh echoed forth and she lightly poked Dusk in the nose, a mile-wide grin dancing on her lips. “My family owns a rock farm, silly. You're the part-time rock-hound! When all of this is done, you should come visit them sometime. We have all sorts of rocks that's bound to make your head go ‘wowie zowie’!” Turning away and stepping into the bush at the far edge of the path, Pinkie smacked face-first into the towering figure of a sleeping manticore.

Suddenly, all was panic and chaos around Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Applejack all drew together while pushing Dusk off to Rarity as they formed a barrier of bodies and tried to drive off the giant beast. Fluttershy’s eyes were wide, darting back and forth as she followed the fight before her. Her legs felt like jelly, and she couldn't look away from the fight. Her heart filled with panic as friends were suddenly thrown back by the beast’s mighty swipe of a paw... and then she saw it. She called out low and weak, “Wait!”

Dusk and Rarity had fallen back a ways, before nodding to one another and whispering something quickly back and forth to one another. Together, their magic swelled in their horns and shot forth to blast into the beast’s side, throwing it back into the bushes. A sudden roar and a single mighty leap brought the giant monster back to the clearing, rushing swiftly towards them again. “Everyone, wait!” Fluttershy tried to call out as best she could, over the panic and the action before her.

Suddenly, her legs moved on their their own, causing her to charge forward between her friends and the enraged beast, screaming out as loud as she could manage as she physically put herself between the battle. Shock from the noise and the sudden strength displayed by the normally-reserved mare caused all the others to draw up suddenly short, even while the beast still charged in upon stunned ladies.

Fluttershy shifted to turn, and facing down the approaching beast, she grappled with his paw and pulled the thorn she had noticed stuck in it only a moment before, offering her deep and soulful gaze up to the towering beast with a warm and light voice. “Now then kitty, can't you please forgive us for the confusion? I know your paw hurts real bad, but if you give me a second, I'll make it feel all better.”

The giant Manticore wrapped its powerful form around her, the huge bundle of fur and muscle shifting to assault her with long, deep, and soft strokes of its tongue, she herself began to blush deeply, shivering at the bold kitty’s attentions.

Dusk was floored. Little, timid Fluttershy had pushed them all back and stared down the towering beast, then with the simple use of kind words and a thorn removed from its paw, she had done the impossible; calming the great beast. Staggered by the effort of the fight, Dusk attempted to shift, leaning his weight over upon the nearest of the mares, only to find Rarity’s arms about his hips, and her smile gazing warmly up to his eyes. “But...”

A finger went to his lips and she lightly hushed his words. “Darling, look at them. Fluttershy is busy with the manticore, and Dash and AJ are almost as badly beaten up as you are. Even Pinkie is drooping from this recent fight. Let me carry your weight. I can handle it for a while.” A lie, Dusk knew, yet somehow she was managing it, despite the fact he towered a full six inches over her.

He softly nodded, making the extra effort to support his weight to avoid crushing the sweet-natured mare’s lavender mane. Taking a slow breath, he turned to lift his gaze and looked over the others. “I know everyone is exhausted... but once you have caught your breath we need to continue on. There is no telling what other wild animals are here that are not so forgiving as this manticore that haunt these woods.” He was expecting an argument or angry words, instead all that he got were soft nods and agreeable mutters. Everyone that had came with him was still just as dedicated to the mission as he was, and their support reminded him of Rarity's strong grip. “Then, let us continue... Thank you Rarity... Applejack... Pinkie... Fluttershy... Rainbow Dash. You five friends have already made this impossible trip a reality.”

Nods were offered in return. Sweet, kind words of reassurance were offered, and the tiny mare that held his hand squeezed his wrist. Once they were ready to move on, Dusk came to a realization. Rarity was putting up with his crushing weight upon her shoulders, and instead of trying to wiggle out from under his weight she was pulling him to put more of it upon her, as she softly brushed her nails against the back of his head. Every time he tried to stop her or pull his weight back a little she simply offered a smile up at him, squeezed the back of his neck, reminding him of the depths of her altruism, and refusing to let him suffer any more than she herself could take on.

Dusk's realization whispered in the back of his mind. She was willing to suffer as much as she had to, just to make up for being a weak link in the group. Dusk's blush was deep as he at last relented and placed a single soft kiss to her forehead. “Thank you, you silly filly.”

* * *

The fog had returned, deepening around them once more as they entered the thick forest, but this time at least, they had the road under their feet to help guide them. Rarity continued her staggering effort to carry Dusk, even though AJ and Dash felt refreshed, and stood strong, offering to take him from her. She had shot them down, her voice sure and calm, “You each had your turns, now it’s mine to get in close with Dusk. Besides, this way if something else attacks you can fend it off instead of being worried about dropping him on his face.”

As the dark shadows grew thicker, and the fog grew heavier about them, the close group stepped into a thicker canopy that formed overhead, preventing any bright light from piercing the woods. Rarity drew on her magic to light up a torch, and gave it to AJ who carried it high overhead. But as they started on again, a face formed in the woods before them, giant and bestial with gaping jaw and demonic eyes.

Unmoving and unblinking, the dark monster started them down... right up until Dash spoke up. “There... is another, to the right.” Pointing and gasping softly, the group started to move to the left in hopes of shifting away from the gathered hunting demons, only for a third to appear to their right... and then a fourth, a fifth... Soon, they were surrounded, more than a dozen bestial unmoving and unblinking faces each panting for breath and lit by a baleful fire that glowed inside their open mouths, it's blue-grey flames dancing wildly.

Dusk was starting to draw on his magic again, knowing they wouldn't be able to fight so many bestial demons without his assistance. Rarity was doing the same, though she continued to attempt to help Dusk, her hand slipping around his hips to help keep him upright. Then came the sound of... laughter? Pinkie was bowled over before the closest of the beasts, bawling with delight.

All those gathered turned their gaze back and forth from one another in shock at the situation before them. They gasped, even as the face before them suddenly faded as realization sunk in that it was simply a gnarled tree trunk, once the fog’s dim light had faded. “Wh... What?”

Pinkie Pie darted from one demonic face to another, still laughing, while offering an assortment of odd reactions to the monstrous faces that lay before them. She made funny faces in return, sticking out her tongue and acting like a monster herself even as she said, “Bleh. Ooo!”

Dusk gasped quietly in shock as even more of the demon faces winked out, clearing from the woods and revealing still more gnarled trees. He turned to call out harshly to the jester attempting to drive away the demons and their shadows. “Pinkie, what are you doing? Run!”

But again the silly filly’s response was so very different from what the gathered friends could have expected, as in a singsong voice she called out. “Oh Dusk, girls, don't you see?” She paused for a breath, then true singing suddenly broke out:

“When I was a little filly and the sun was going down...”

Dusk's shoulders fell and he nearly collapsed against Rarity's surprisingly secure grip. “Tell me she's not...”

“The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown,” continued the boldly singing filly. She continued dancing and darting about from one beastial face to another, laughing out before the faces even as a kick here and a wave of a hand there drove away still more of the ghost lights. Quickly, it became clear something more was happening here. Not one of demonic faces had been real, and still none of them had moved.

Still supporting Dusk, Rarity's exasperated tone confirmed his fears. “She is.”

“I'd hide under my pillow,”

“From what I thought I saw,”

“But Granny Pie said that wasn't the way,”

“To deal with fears at all!”

Dash had to turn to look around, her eyes wide, suddenly realizing what Pinkie had already started, her voice questioning the joyful mare. “Then what is?”

“She said, Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall,”

“Learn to face your fears,”

“You'll see that they can't hurt you,”

“Just laugh to make them disappear!”

“Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Who could question the results of this, as suddenly with this silly song and swift laughter, Pinkie had removed over half the demons’ presence. The dramatic effectiveness of this display of joy before the dark spirits around them drew an audible gasp from the gathered friends.

“So, giggle at the ghostly,”

“Guffaw at the grossly,”

“Crack up at the creepy,”

“Whoop it up with the weepy,”

“Chortle at the kooky,”

“Snortle at the spooky!”

“And tell that big, dumb, scary face to take a hike and leave you alone, and if he thinks he can scare you, then he's got another thing coming, and the very idea of such a thing just makes you wanna... hahahaha... heh...”

“Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuugh!”

As Pinkie carried on, the others couldn't resist the joyful display of the delighted fuzzball of pink energy. All were laughing warmly and feeling somehow as though bit of this day’s stress had dropped from their hearts. Again, that flash of realization whispered at the back of Dusk’s mind and tickled something he had read so recently. What it was though? It agitated him that he was missing something so simple, something his mind clearly had already figured out and simply not yet made him aware of it.

* * *

As the path continued and the fog cleared up, Dash had taken over leading the group, able to now see the others from the air after taking flight. The mare scouted high overhead, whipping back and forth in the air above them, hunting. And then, she spotted their objective: a castle ruin on the other side of a short gully. There was even a bridge across the gap, though it couldn't be too sturdy, considering its age. Shooting back to the ground before the group, she couldn't help but offer a proud grin. “I found it! It's only a few hundred feet ahead across a old wood bridge.”

The murmur of joy from the others was clear, and Pinkie Pie cried out with delight. “Way to go Dashie! You've done it.” Grinning with delight, she posed proudly and accepted the congratulations from all those around, before turning to guide them on. Only as they arrived at the bridge did they realize the real problem before them. The bridge looked to be a hundred years old and had been allowed drop, as it hung over on the far side, as if someone had untied it.

“Nutbunnies... well it looked like the bridge isn't an option now, is it?” Pinkie was crestfallen as she spoke, but was nearly be bowled over by Dash's slight nudge to the ribs.

“What? Come on, this is no challenge, I'll just fly the bridge back over again. There was no way such a short flight could be a problem in the thinning fog."

“Oh duh!” The bubblegum mare snorted in a joyful declaration, gently landing a bonk on her head.

Going by the look on his face, Dusk was less than reassured, his voice matching it, weak and tired. “Just be careful, and know we are here, just a short flight away if anything happens.”

Flying into the darkness alone, Dash landed on the far side of the gully and started inspecting the remains of the plank bridge, finding it in good shape and with lots of strong rope still on hand. A voice spoke out from behind, surprising her. Like liquid silk, the low cooing voice tickled at her consciousness, while hands slipped around her ribs and drew her into a hug. “My most interesting of subjects... you don't want to do that. For someone of your talents, I have a thousand better things you could be doing than helping them.” It was a voice Dash had heard only once before: at the battle of Ponyville Town Hall. As she turned her gaze up over her shoulder to look into those snake-like eyes, the diamond shaped slits gazed longingly back into her own.

Breath caught in her throat, Dash realized that the goddess was pressing against her back and trying to seduce her. The attention and kindness of a hand drawing across her belly... those whispered words... She tried to swallow deeply while her gaze lifted and her voice weakly asked, “But... what would you need me for? I'm just another pegasus.”

Towering and powerful, those hands slipped in opposite directions over Dash's bare belly, the lower one slipping across her hip and drawing a line across her inner thigh, causing the athletic filly to gasp sharply. The other cupped her chest, squeezing a breast while the demon goddess’ tongue whispered across the trapped mare's earlobe. “But you are special. A talent unmatched by any other. You were the only one at the battle who could have fought me in Ponyville without others’ support. You even cut me when you struck my back. I enjoy skill and talent, moreover, I want to reward it. Become the star of my Royal Guard. Captain Rainbow Dash, first leader of the Shadowbolts; the greatest of flyers in all of Equestria! You are the best of everything in this world and you deserve the rewards that come to the very most talented.”

Dash was overwhelmed by this, blushing dark and panting rapidly at the sexual attentions with which she was being lavished. Her gaze weakly returned to look across the gully, to the glow of the weak light that floated across the depths even as the voices of her friends called out for her, their words indistinct yet their tugging at her heartstrings compelling. “I want to...”

The Nightmare's teasing touch grew stronger as the filly's heart thundered in her chest, releasing when she turned about to gaze into the goddess’ eyes. Nightmare Moon's powerful voice, demanding and lustful, was nearly impossible to resist. “Then join me, and you will become my shining banner. Above all others and at the head of my personal guard.... Join me, Rainbow Dash...”

Dusk's voice made it across the gap, calling out, worried. “Rainbow Dash, just come back! We can find a safer way around! It's not worth the risk!”

Dash's attention broke and she forcefully pushed away the goddess, her voice strong and sure now. “Thank you for your offer, but they are my friends. And if you can't make them just as good an offer, I can’t accept.” A burst of speed joined her kick off, grabbing the wooden planks and pouring all her speed into the escape before the alicorn’s struck her down... a blow that did not come.

Dusk's eyes went wide as he realized that Dash was fleeing back to them as swiftly as possible. Instantly, he knew something was wrong and he cast out his magic, burning up the fog in the air between them, revealing Nightmare Moon's presence on the far side of the gully. Strangely however, the towering goddess simply spit upon the ground and vanished. “Rainbow Dash, are... how did you ever escape her?”

The prideful mare, with the bridge in tow, landed and securely lashed the heavy rope to the posts before her friends, her voice fast, leaving Dusk to wonder if the odd sound was panic in her words. “She tried to ... to bribe me. Called me the captain of her guard and the head of her army, but only if I refused to aid you all. I might talk a big game about wanting to be part of the Wonderbolts... but I couldn't betray my friends.” She was blushing darkly as she spoke, and AJ joined her at the ropes and helped to pull the cords tight and tie them down.

Pinkie was the one to speak out next, her voice joyful. “And now thanks to Rainbow Dash, we are here at last!”

Dusk was worried though, still casting his gaze around, wary of what might come out of the shadows next. “But... she bowled over more than twenty guards... why wouldn't she have followed after you?”

Dash could only shrug, standing up when AJ was sure the ropes were strong enough to handle their crossing. “Maybe she’s weaker under the bright light you cast? Who knows, right? But does it matter? She’s gone and we’re here. Let's hurry before she gets back.”

The others offered serious nods of agreement, moving cautiously across the bridge, spreading themselves wide apart to not strain the wood and ropes. Dusk was on guard now, even as Rarity's soft grip supported him over the bridge. But nothing else happened as they continued on to the castle, now visible to all in the woods ahead.

* * *

The towering ruins of what had once been Princess Celestia and Luna's home over a thousand years ago echoed with the passage of footsteps for the first time in nearly a millennium. Some parts had collapsed due to age, while others had been overgrown by the forest. Despite all this, the noble marble structure was a still a sight to behold. Tight in formation, the six stayed wary even as they made their way up the staircase and into the main hall. Dusk's breathing was calmer than it had been since the start of their trip. Maybe the raw magic that filled the halls was what made him feel better, made it easier to stand tall and free without the need of Rarity's aid.

Towering picture windows on all sides and marble pillars still decorated the castle despite the weathering and the ages that had passed without any upkeep. In the centre of the hall, a five-armed stone sculpture had been placed on a pedestal. On each arm, a stone ball rested, each with a different emblem carved into the stone. Dusk let out a hopeless sigh as AJ and Rainbow Dash rushed forward to collect the orbs, bringing them to him and placing them in a circle at his feet. “But... where is the sixth?” he asked, his voice worried.

The others could only offer shrugs, as a search of the room had not produced another of the orbs. In the distance a dark laugh echoed, sending a chill up his spine. Dusk summoned up his willpower and turned, his voice strong, sure and low. “It does not matter. We know the sixth Element is magic. Let me try to focus. Maybe... maybe I can manage something. Everyone go back outside, keep an eye out for any signs of Nightmare Moon. And if she does show, do not try to fight her. Run. Please. I do not want this to become a killing field.”

The girls were uncomfortable with his orders, and each in turn tried to find something to use an an excuse to stay. It was Applejack who at last relented first. She strode to his side, and put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s magic talk. And you are right, we can do better as lookouts than distracting you. But won't you at least let Rarity try and help you?”

Dusk swallowed sharply while attempting to shake his head, but lifted his hand to squeeze her wrist, shaking his head lightly. “My magic's weak enough at this point, I don’t think I could keep it safe for her help. Go on AJ, you can trust me.”

This time, the mares’ dissent was weaker, more willing now to accept his words. Dash was next, pulling up to Dusk she took a quiet step in close and oddly enough, swiftly wrapping him in a tight hug, her face on his shoulder for a moment as she drew a deep breath before speaking out softly, “You're a good guy, Dusk. Get out as soon as you activate the elements or call for me. I'll be here in a split second, and I'll drag you out by the ankles if I have to.” With that she swiftly turned, rushing from the room and blushing madly.

Still confused by this, Pinkie came next to slide in from behind him, hugging him tight as well, though hers was far briefer and she stepped away to grin warmly up at him. “Remember to giggle at the ghostly, Dusk!” She said and winked once before scampering off.

Now Dusk was really blushing quite hard. Had they grown to be such close friends after a day of horror? It certainly made sense. He could think back on all the many things that had happened over the last few hours, and for each girl, he could easily see how they had been tested, and grown closer. He was ready now when Fluttershy stopped before him, her head down and bangs blocking her face. One hand was offered out to him with a small pouch that smelled of herbs. With a voice soft and gentle, she said, “These will remove your fatigue for a while, but you won't be able to tell when you've used up all your endurance. I didn't want to let you have them but... it's just safer...” She paused, swallowing hard. “Right Dusk?”

He grinned warmly and offered small nod, gently squeezing the tips of her fingers as he took the bag. “I understand Fluttershy. I'll try not to use them unless the situation is dire.” He flashed her his warm smile before tapping her on the tip of the nose. “Go on. They’re waiting.” The mare blushed and turned to rush from the room. Quietly, Dusk opened the bag and stuffed a few of the mulched leaves between his gums and cheek, letting his saliva soak them and swallowing the juices. He turned slowly, spitting the mushy remainder out a nearby window. With Fluttershy gone, that left Dusk alone with...

Rarity was suddenly in his arms, her lips on his and the feel of her hands upon his back, brushing him with tender care. One slowly began to slide up and into his hair even as her deep kiss persisted, and a wetness began to form upon his chest. When she let go, he realized that she was crying and her breath was hot and ragged. A gentle hand was placed on her cheek while its brother cupped her chin, lifting it up to gaze deeply into her eyes. “I feel it too, Rarity. Don't worry, we will talk again. Life has been far too crazy these last two days, but when things are calm once more we clearly need to talk.”

The mare swallowed once, then slowly nodded against his hands and leaned up high, placing a soft kiss to his lower lip before drawing away, turning to walk down the stairs. At the last second, she paused to gaze back, and softly said, “I can't wait to introduce you to Sweetie Belle... my little-” and then her voice went silent as deep horror spread over her eyes. Dusk could see in the reflection a spreading black aura.

“Run! Get the others, fast!” He shouted as he turned. The dark mare glared with manic glee at the single helpless stallion who stood before her. Dusk attempted to reach out, and began to pour his magic into the stones at his feet, the magenta aura of his magic enveloping the five orbs. Under his power, they started to shiver and float up, encircling his body. The sounds of Rarity's voice and the swift stride of the woman rushing down the stairs reassured him that she was heading to safety, and now he had to figure out a way to use the stone's power.

The powerful goddess formed from the shadows and stepped forward, her intense gaze upon the brilliant aura of orbs and magic that circled around Dusk's shoulders. For just a moment, she shied away from him, and Dusk poured the rest of his strength into the orbs in hopes of getting the power to move on to the next step... and then it failed. The stones crashed to the ground at his feet with a whump. He was out of breath and his eyes blurred with the strain to keep from falling back into that unending sleep.

The powerful goddess only gave a heartless laugh as his strength gave out, and stepping forward she wrapped the five orbs in the black shadow of her power, pulling them back to her so she might linger for a moment inspecting each stone sphere. Her voice was harsh and evil, the promise of violence dripping from each word. “THOU FOAL! THOU COULDST NOT E’EN FIND ALL SIX OF THE ELEMENTS. THOU SHALT NOT HATH A SECOND CHANCE” With a snicker, she turned to walk away, a shadow spilling over her body as she moved off.

But Dusk was not going to give up after so much had happened today. He forced his way to his feet and ran after the dark alicorn goddess. In a single violent leap, he hurled his body into the air, arms reaching for her shoulders as he hoped to grab her before she escaped with the stones. What he grabbed was nothing. She had already gone back into her world of shadows.

The five came rushing swiftly back up the staircase, panting for breath as they rounded the corner. Dusk was just visible against a deep pool of black shadows, the mares all watching helplessly as he slowly disappeared into them. After a moment, the shadows faded like smoke, revealing that nothing had been left behind. Dusk, Nightmare Moon, and the Elements were gone, and panic swept the group. It was Dash who spoke up first. “She must have run to a safe place, somewhere she could deal with the Elements and Dusk without interference. We have to find them. Fast!”

* * *

In the shadows of a world in which Dusk could no longer sense time nor even hear his heart beat, his eyes opened. The... ground? Floor? A shadowy shapeless mass lay under his fingers and against his face, yet it didn't feel like anything he had ever touched before. Moreover, he didn't feel tired anymore. This was not the silent nothing of death, but an unnatural, unnamable something else. His gaze shifted over the shadowy realm around him as he called out, “Girls?” His gaze roamed over the empty expanse and a slow stride directed him towards... the north? The east? He couldn't tell. “AJ? Rarity? Dash? Pinkie?” He paused, laughing a little to himself. “I know Fluttershy wouldn't be here.”

Nothing answered back, but something came to him; a voice, a whisper he remembered once more from what felt like ages ago. “Duuusssk...” It was so distant, yet he could feel it. And then, he knew. This realm of shadow, this world of darkness was a cage.

Newly-found strength flooded his body, and his eyes scanned the distance of the endless fog, until he realized that there was some shape to the world, and miles away he could sense it. It wasn't a light, and it wasn't a building, but still he knew what - or more specifically, who - it was. He turned to the void, his voice calling out with everything his lungs could manage to handle. “I'm here, Princess Luna! I'm here... and it's time for Nightmare Moon to be afraid!”

Author's Note

And another chapter comes to its end. It's a little darker then the others, and has the first more serious step towards some clop. I hope the cliff hanger doesn't anger anyone too much. For those who are interested, yes I was inspired by the PMV - The Stars Will Aid Her Escape Please feel free to leave any feedback and thanks for keeping up with my rambling writing!

November 28th, 2014 - Wrabbit edition uploaded! Hope you all enjoy!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Chapter 3: The War for Princess Luna

Panic gripped Rarity's heart. She had come so close to... no. No time for those thoughts now. The others were searching, and she must as well. Walking tall and glancing around the dark halls, the mare quietly realized the torch sconces emanated with an old magic. Magic, and she was the only one left who could do anything about it.

Dusk's voice whispered in her mind from the manticore fight an hour ago. “Draw at your magic. Feel the flames well up and focus upon them. Pull from the fire a single tongue of flame and let it shape into the form you need. Then will it to go where it must.” Combat magic was something she had never even thought to look into. It simply wasn't her style, but this was easy enough. Light the torch and leave a trail for the others..

The burst of flame in the torch sconce before her released a bloom of soft light, illuminating the ivory-white stone carvings around her. With a grin of self-confidence spreading, Rarity nodded smugly. “Well that worked well enou-” A sudden surge of magic echoed through her, cutting off her words, while her eyes went wide. In a rapid burst of old magic, the other torch wells around the hall burst into flame in one after another, brightening the hall in which she walked, and spiralling out of sight with the sound of still more torches flaring up with a sudden pop and gout of flame.

The sound of voices from the far reaches of the castle crying out at sudden arrival of light as if from nowhere were surprising, but amused her to no end. Grinning to herself she turned, and continued on through the halls of the long-abandoned castle. Maybe she was of some use after all; at least, with Dusk missing.

* * *

“Dear Princess Celestia, I am alone in a dark place. I chased Nightmare Moon as she attempted to run away with the Elements of Harmony and currently am wandering her dark shadow world. I have decided to temper my mind and ease the panic in my heart. So while I stop for a rest before searching on, I decided that this time should be spent sorting out my thoughts and filling out a report on Nightmare Moon as any normal student would. I thought this might help me find a weakness in the monster that others had missed in the past, even if my research of their works on her turned up nothing. I close this letter knowing it may never be found if I do not find a way to escape this shadow realm, so I must continue on I can not hear Princess Luna's voice any longer, but I can sense her in this darkness. And so I will sojourn on. Do not worry Princess, your sister will be freed from this black world of shadows, I promise on my life.

As always, I am your Faithful Student,
Dusk Shine.”

It was odd. Dusk almost wondered as he finished his writing just what might happen with the letter. If Barb was here he could have her use her spell to send the paper to Princess Celestia's private study. At least then, someone might find it someday. Alas, he was alone in this world, without his faithful assistant, off of whom to bounce ideas, and without his new-found friends, whose absence was only just starting to sink in.

Speaking to himself, he began to walk once more, his small journal thrown into a hidden pocket inside his jacket. “Of course, there's Rarity. She has an eye for details most others could never have been able to pick up. Here all I see are empty fields of shadows like some lost valley caked in a morning fog, just hiding the little details from me. I bet she would pick out things like... like...” He muttered darkly for a moment, looking for clues he couldn't see. He could, however, sense something invisible in the air around him, quietly beckoning to him. Magic was in the air. Tiny whispering bubbles of it scattered about the empty landscape around him.

Cupping one up and inspecting the mote he found it old, and stronger than anything he had dealt with, except... A grin split his lips his voice whisper soft. “Hello there Princess Celestia. I can see your signature in this. But when were you ever here? It's so odd. Tiny welts of magic. Why leave them in the darkness of this other world.” Dusk forced himself to stop. He had no time to consider, and swiftly turned away from the line of dots, lifting his gaze and reaching out to sense Princess Luna once more. A grin split his lips. “Oh, of course. A path, how good of you to spot so small a detail Rarity.” he snickered, the motes of magic were not a direct pathway, yet for all that, they winded like a hallway to guide him ever onwards.

* * *

Pinkie Pie had reached a dead end. Her casual, yet boundless energy had allowed her to scout out so much of her part of the castle without any real thought, and after Rarity turned the lights on it was easier still. But now, she sat in a room with her head resting against a wall and glaring at the outline of... well, what else could it be? “It's a door! But its just so set back into an archway in the wall.” She sighed, running a hand down across her face and taking a deep breath. “Why is there no way to open it then? I mean, if I was AJ, I'd just kick a hole in the wall. Dusk could probably melt a hole in it.

It had been twenty minutes and the brick door shape set into the wall was still nagging at the back of her mind. Slumped on the floor on the far side of the room, she shifted to place her hands behind her head and put her full, if rather questionable attention to the problem. “Well, no handle. No bookshelves, paintings or even a switch hidden in a candle or torch.” With a pout spreading, she gave a small kick to the shape of the door before her, muttering darkly. “I bet you even Fluttershy's crying might at least manage to guilt you into opening, door.”

The impact of her foot to the stones produced a resounding echo, further proving something existed behind it. “Oh poo. I might as well go admit to Rarity that I need her help.” Her shoulders slumped and head hung low, she stood with one hand on the stone door frame for support before she turned to walk away. “I can't believe a stupid door beat me.”

Yet, as Pinkie started to wander away a voice spoke up muttering derisively “Good riddance!” The voice was a dry and gritty whisper, low and even a little spiteful.

Pinkie swiftly whirled around, eyes huge and a grin suddenly returned to her face. “Who said that? Someone’s here? Can you help me with this stubborn door?” a low and gleeful giggle escaped her lips even as she rushed back the five or six feet she had walked away, swiftly glancing around from side to side and letting her baby blue eyes hunt for the source.

From seemingly nowhere, yet at the same time from directly before her eyes, the voice spoke out again. “Nobody's here you know, Just four walls and a door. No use in trying to pester someone for attention.”

Anyone else might have ran away screaming, or started to question their sanity. Pinkie instead, gently lifted a hand and stroked the doors um.. well, hopefully its cheek. This might make things really awkward if she got it wrong. “I'm sorry door. Do people often ignore you just ‘cause you’re a door? That’s mean! Don't worry though, I'm Pinkie Pie and I'm here to be your friend.”

Even the door was taken back. It's voice lifting a bit higher almost confused or even nervous. “You’re... my friend? I'm a door. Why would you be a door’s friend?”

Pinkie's deep grin flashed over her lips and she could only offer a shrug, her happy voice tender and low. “Why wouldn't I wanna be a door’s friend, friend?”

* * *

“And then there is Pinkie Pie.” Dusk snickered warmly at the idea of just thinking about Pinkie in this other realm. “In this place, I still think she could turn it on its head.” Relaxing in his thoughts, he followed the motes of magic, trusting that they had been left to provide a safe pathway. “I mean, she just thinks about things in such a different way.”

It felt like it had been hours since he had started to wander this shadow realm, and yet, he knew he was closer. That presence that his senses told him had to be Princess Luna was only getting stronger, but still he couldn't make anything out in the shapeless void before him, yet he was so happy to quietly chuckle a little to himself. “But you know. If I was to draw shapes into this shadow world...”

And suddenly, the world around him felt more 'real' around him, the motes of magic felt like torches implanted upon the walls of halls he wandered, and while he could still see into the shadow realm, outside, those walls somehow this made him feel more comfortable. Turning right and letting his gaze lift to the massive 'throne room' before him, a gasp slipped free of his lips at the sight.

Stopping before the window in the world, he could tell something was changing in the shadows, not just in his imagination. In the distance, that place he had picked out where he knew Princess Luna must be, the shadowy fog was twisting around itself, as if whipped in the wind and spiralling into shapes before his eyes.

A sudden burst of light blasted through the world around him, the impact being the first real thing he had ever really felt since entering this place other than the magic motes. His arms lowered and his gaze lifted to look once more up to see... a grey, stone temple in the shadow realm with a domed roof and grand pillars,along with a soaring onyx door, silver filigree decorating its surface. “It's like a pocket of the real world locked in the fog of this realm of whispers.” Shaking his head, he chuckled lightly to himself. “Don't worry Pinkie, I'm still gonna giggle at the ghosties.” Wearing a bright grin dancing on his lips, a now delighted Dusk picked up the pace.

* * *

Applejack shifted to force open yet another door, settling an intense gaze on the room inside. Her scrutinizing inspection of the ruins picked over every detail before giving a sigh and coughing at the dust thrown into the air. “Nothing. Always nothing. Just what is the point of so massive a castle without anything but broken furniture, collapsed roofs, and dust!” Grunting with disgust as the door was again slammed closed, she kicked lightly at the wall nearby.

AJ was stressed, and fighting it. The last two times the girls had met up, Rarity had told them all about lighting the torches. Then, Pinkie somehow found a hidden door that talked funny, and whose birthday they just HAD to go to next week. Even Dash and Fluttershy had cleared their respective sections of the castle quickly enough, Only she hadn't managed to satisfy her personal standard to say that the inspection was over.

Of course, they had all gone to see Pinkie's talking door, who as it turned out, wasn't a bad guy, if a little blunt. But, behind him was something worse. A door of that same strange light blue metal like Nightmare Moon's armor. Her leg still ached right up to the hip from trying to kick it down for a good hour. So, it was back to their respective sections of the castle to search.

For a moment, her thoughts turned to Dusk and his words to them before they each wandered off. She was so use to taking charge of things on the farm, but now she was the one who wasn't able to do anything to help the others make progress except to suggest 'keep looking around'. The words still felt bitter on her tongue.

Rounding the next corner, she continued, forcing herself to walk at an easy stride, working off the aching joints in her legs and trying to think past the problem of this locked door. For just a moment, she stopped before yet another identical side room, her footsteps in the dust a reminder she had already been here and checked this room. She was about to move on, but just as she started to turn away to walk on, a frustrated sigh slipped free of her lips. “No AJ, be sensible. Just ‘cause I looked here doesn't mean I couldn't have missed something.”

With a click, the door’s handle turned, swinging in on rusty hinges. Another room. A broken table. A layer of dust upon everything. Some rotten books. A silver key. Half a dozen rats running for holes in the wall. Broken chandler in the middle of the floor. Another sigh escaped as she finished a mental inventory of the room, comparing it to the list she had made last time and noting the number of rats had decreased.

Turning away she pulled at the door to let it click closed, yet even as the metal mechanism began to slide home, something whispered in the back of her mind. “A silver key? Where!”

* * *

“Dear Princess Celestia,
This shadow realm has vexed me at every turn! At last, I arrived at the base of the temple structure I had seen before, only to find no staircase or climbable surface to make my ascent to reach the temple doors. The shadowy fog that makes up the mesa is intangible to my touch or magic, so I compose this letter to clear my thoughts and hunt for some solution to my frustration. I am so close to your lost sister. If I had only been born a pegasus... If I'd ever studied teleportation, I could reach her. Instead, I am trapped here, but twenty odd feet below and without a solution.

Seeking peace of mind in this world of dark,
Dusk.”

It felt oddly guilty in a way, writing this second letter to The Princess after a futile search of the base of the damnable rise to the shrine, but, he was so frustrated. For all his strength in magic, his experiments with teleportation hadn't gotten him more than five or ten feet into the air. Still far from being able to grasp the firm ground he could see the temple resting upon and the landing had reminded him. While he felt no pain here, there was no guarantee that in the real world his body wasn't about to break from the strain he was putting it under.

Plus, he had taken Fluttershy's herbs, and had no way of knowing if it related to this world in any way or not. He certainly didn't feel any fatigue, and not one of his aches from the battle just hours...? days? ago against Nightmare Moon had returned to haunt him yet. A sigh, and he lifted to stand again, voice glum yet serious. “What might AJ say it? She was always so straightforward, so rational and... she just had an air of sound judgment about things. I have a problem; a hill I can't climb. I've already searched for a hidden path, or a ladder. I can’t jump high enough, or fly up; can't even magic my way over.”

He grunted, then gave a light chuckle. “Then I guess I just got to search again. Somewhere, I have to have missed something, right?” a light whistle escaped his lips as he walked off, eyes up to make sure he was following the outline of the temple's structure even as he carried on around its base.

Instantly, he knew something had changed while he wrote. And it wasn't even the motes of magic winking into existence before him that first altered him to that fact. The sight of a simple stone staircase that had somehow inconspicuously phased into the world as he made his lap, and he could see it already from some distance off. “Keep calm. It could be another Illusion, or a trick by Nightmare Moon to distract you from some trap.”

An easy stride carried him the remaining distance to the base of the simple, yet grand staircase. One foot lifted, gently tapping the surface of the stone. Testing it for traps, he eventually put his full weight up onto the level platform. “Well, I'll be a horse's uncle. It's really real. But how; why?” he pondered with a grunt, fingers dragging nails across his jaw. “Or maybe its her way of inviting me in.”

Dusk gave a shrug, smile on his lips as he continued up the stairs, testing each for stability before moving on to the next step, his weight always finding solid surface beneath his feet. “Doesn't matter one way or another. I'm here now, Princess Luna. I can't wait to meet Princess Celestia's long lost sister.”

* * *

Fluttershy was still awed by Pinkie's talking door when they returned again, this time with AJ standing tall and walking proud, even if she had finally let Fluttershy apply some ointment to her aching legs. The door's voice was foreboding as it warned them of the danger past the blue steel door, but the determined five pressed on, unlocking it with the tiny silver-white key and stepped inside. Of course, she had cowered at the back. She wanted to help her friends but... this was possibly Nightmare Moon's private study. No wonder Princess Celestia had abandoned this castle.

Bookshelves lined the walls of the room, but left space for towering picture windows that gave a grand display of the endless night sky, as well as the sweeping Everfree forest. As the five girls began inspecting things, Fluttershy hung back, keeping close to the door, and ready to be the first to bolt at any sign of danger.

Of course, when that danger came from behind her, she stood no chance of running. A sudden, strong hand wrapped about her throat, while the other gripped a coil of magic, holding her wrists tight behind her back. A sepulcher voice echoed throughout the room, even as pressure from that hand tore her neck back and razor sharp nails sliced into the curve of her jugular. “Welcome to my study you foolish girls. I see I've chased away the stallion at least. But couldn’t you five have had some similar common sense?”

The room froze for a moment as it dawned on her four friends to turn about, and look to Fluttershy. Trapped in the grip of Nightmare Moon's powerful hands, her head cocked violently back and arms pinned together. Their weakest friend now in the demon’s clutches. The threats and warnings came fast and aggressive.

Fluttershy couldn't hear any of them, her sobbing breath and gasps for air took up what little of her mind wasn't tormented by the pain of that grip. She was so lost in it, she couldn't even feel the wall when she was thrown against it. Her body fell to the ground, even as her friends charged into battle with the goddess.

It was not like she could do anything now. Dusk might have forced himself to stand up again, she realized. He had been broken so badly, yet he kept standing up and facing the next nightmare that this day had brought to challenge them. Even Rarity had started using her magic in ways she'd never heard of the mare attempting. And here she was, a crying mess on the floor.

An impact over her head brought Applejack's fight to an end, the powerful earth pony gasping for each ragged breath as she had been hurled into the wall far harder than Fluttershy herself. Crawling slowly over the frightened Pegasus stroked her friend’s face, words soft. “Oh Applejack... what do I do?”

Impressively, the cowgirl forced herself to roll over, coughing up blood before forcing herself to stand again, ignoring her dislocated shoulder and limp right arm. Her eyes were soft for a moment as she looked to her friend, pity clearly shining through. “Just run, Fluttershy. We can't win this fight. No reason you at least can't escape to warn others. Go on git!” Pinkie was tossed overhead, yet in her oddball way, managed to land on her feet, and AJ was off once more, teaming up with the other Earth mare to rejoin the fight.

Her heart was breaking. Fluttershy turned to one of the massive open windows, and crawled upon the ledge, preparing to leap into the endless night sky. A voice called to her, malevolent tones low, and teasing. “Oh Fluttershy. Don't go. If you go, I'll stop playing so nice with your friends... Why.. I might even kill one of them just for fun if you leave.”

A chill ran down the tormented pegasus’ spine, yet this time it wasn't a tremble of fear. Turning slowly she braced herself to face the giant goddess, her scattered friends a pile of bodies across the room. Taking a grasp on Applejack's neck, the once proud earth pony was limp in the goddess’ arms. Nightmare Moon's free hand gripped the mare's shoulders, ready to snap that neck, an evil glint dancing in those spiteful cat's eyes. One word left Fluttershy's lips, harsh, and low. “No.”

The goddess laughter in response was deafening. The full weight of her level glare upon the silly little filly, chiding voice sharp. “No? And what will you do about it, you frightened little foal?”

No words were needed to give her answer, Fluttershy's sudden blow was all the words needed today. In a single motion she had leapt from the windowsill and let her wings spread to their fullest, beating the air with a strength even Rainbow Dash rarely mustered. The blow to Nightmare Moon's cheek make her flinch backwards, AJ's body dropped in shock of the moment. But that moment wasn't over. Fluttershy was at war.

* * *

The temple was a simple affair on the inside. Dusk marveled at the temple, with its hallways unlit and made of real stone, not the shadow-fog the rest of this world had been. He had to pick his way along carefully, never risking use of his magic to light the path. Who knew when Nightmare Moon might come looking for him. He had made a half circle of the path when at last, the towering inner door stood before him, its undecorated steel a foreboding sight, almost indifferent to the world around it.

A deep breath was taken and his grip slipped around the door handle, twisting slowly and leaning forward only at the last moment to let it swing in silence. Inside was a single room that took up the rest of the temple’s depths, yet none of that was what got Dusk's full attention. In the centre of the room, chained at ankle and wrist hung the naked figure of Princess Luna.

There was no question in Dusk's mind it was her, from the ethereal blue mane filled with stars to the massive crescent moon cutie mark on both of her hips. She was exactly as the legends said, a towering goddess like her sister, like Princess Celestia. With no sign of Nightmare Moon anywhere, he slipped inside, closing the door once more. Walking with care, his eyes were wide as he searched any sign of traps. With nothing around that caught his attention, he dashed the short distance to the middle of the room. A heavy white sheet from a table beside Princess Luna was thrown over her bare chest, and a hand cupped the towering alicorn's cheek. Leaning in close, Dusk whispered quietly. “Princess? Are you alright? Please, speak softly, I've no clue if Nightmare Moon is around.”

Her cheek soft against Dusk's hand, the slumbering Princess Luna was slow to rouse, those deep cyan eyes gazing from a million miles away before looking back into his own. At last her lips moved to shape the words with slow fear radiant in her voice. “Young unicorn... you must flee. The Nightmare walks this realm unchecked. I've not the power to restrain her, this dark revenant who walks in my flesh.”

Dusk's ears rang with hopelessness at her words. His voice lifted with quiet despair. “You... and Nightmare?” A sharp swallow of breath as he looked back deep into her eyes once more, unable to keep from shivering at the implication.

The Princess’ gaze fell away, shame ringing in her low voice. “In my jealousy over Princesses Celestia's adoration by our people... I created inside me the nightmare who now terrorizes the world. Fly young stallion or the monster will come for you next.”

Behind them, a low laugh echoed, a powerful black figure strutting towards her trapped twin-self and Dusk with arms lightly crossed over her chest. “Oh come now. You know you want this just as much as I. Besides, poor Dusk here is far from unwelcome in this land.” The black shadow-mare snapped her fingers and her armor faded from existence and revealing her naked body with ample chest and shaved sex on full display for the stallion over whom she now towered. “Do you like what you see? Nightmare Moon I may be, but I am not an unloving goddess...”

For a moment Dusk suddenly knew how Fluttershy saw the world. Shocked by the situation around him, with Princesses Luna at his back and this dark goddess a towering temptation before him. Drawing a deep breath he locked his eyes upon the foul nightmare’s catlike pupils, his voice soft and unwaveringly calm. “I will not run Princess Luna. Be it this world or another, you need not fear Nightmare Moon tonight. I promised Princess Celestia I would free you and I'll not be made a liar by this shadow of your mind.” A low grin spread his lips, realizing that just like Fluttershy, he was thinking of another before his well being.

* * *

It was impossible, yet Fluttershy's sudden change of personality resulted in a continuous harsh beating that managed to drive the demonic alicorn goddess back into a nearby wall. Rainbow Dash's body shifted to force weak limbs to once more take up the effort of movement. Wings flapped and swayed with violent strokes to aid in her attempts to stand once more. “But, how? Not even with AJ's help could I even slow her down a little... That's just not fair!” And then as quickly as it all started Fluttershy's victory was thrown violently off, the fragile mare hurled violently back again.

Nightmare Moon was through playing games with with her toys. The rage at this sudden, shocking assault had overwhelmed the spiteful goddess' playfulness and pushed her far past the point of return. A single black-purple bolt of power formed, dark and vile purple and green hues wrapped around the outer edges of this display of a god’s strength. Fluttershy lay unaware of the danger upon the ground just feet away.

Dash realized she was already running as fast as her weak body could handle, but it was like she was moving in slow motion. Six long strides, and a swift leap into the air cast her forward in a single motion. Arms wrapped around the older pegasus and twisted their bodies around, protectively putting Dash's body between Fluttershy and the dark bolt of power. It snapped though the air, the bolt impacting square between the her wings.

* * *

The Dark Goddess’ sharp laughter echoed in the silence of the room. Her reaction to his rejection was callous, a violent display of a very different nature. “Then watch your friends die, foal. Watch, and know you could do nothing to help them without the sixth Element of Harmony.” A picture of the real world formed behind her, framed in the shadow-light of this dark world. It all happened in such insane slow motion, Fluttershy being thrown across the room, and Dash so suddenly running across the short distance, Dash’s drawing up the other mare and pulling her in close while turning to put herself in harm's way. Loyal to the end, even to her death... Loyal... to friends.

And then suddenly realization dawned on Dusk, a flash of inspiration that echoed forth and rippled through the dark world. Grinning, Dusk snapped his fingers, freezing the view of the real world and shaking his head. “But don’t you see, Nightmare Moon? I've had the sixth Element all along.” he paused, turning and stroking Princess Luna's cheek. “Do not worry Your Highness. I see it all now. Fear not, for today will be the last time you must fear another nightmare.”

What stopped the goddess from attacking him may never be known, yet dusk leapt forward jumping through that 'window' of reality and...

* * *

Suddenly, he was bursting through the walls of reality. Dusk Shine was back again, returned through a tear to land in reality once more. Falling in the space between Nightmare Moon and Dash, a single sharp wave of his hand deflected that black bolt of magic just as the alicorn goddess had done to him but a day before. His powerful glare levelled upon Nightmare Moon, even as he heard his friends gasp at his sudden reappearance from nothingness itself. The suddenly horrified Nightmare took a step back, gasping. “But how? I took the Elements from you! And you never found the sixth.”

Dusk raised a hand to wipe sweat from his brow. Back in reality, his wounds still existed. Standing tall and alone, he was shockingly exhausted, but he pressed on, grin warm and voice filled with pity. “You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the elements are right here.”

Nightmare Moon drew back violently, edging towards the door while her cat's eyes grew wide. “What? You little foolish colt; thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!”

Dusk reached down, hands drawing AJ once more to her feet at his side, a wide smile given to the towering earth mare as he cupped her cheek then turned to glare to the alicorn. “Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of... Honesty!” And with those simple words, a burst of light enveloped the strong farm mare in a vivid orange-yellow aura emanated from her body, while a solid metal choker formed out of thin air about the woman's neck, the gold polished to a mirror-like shine. In the front, a tourmaline that resembled her cutie mark.

Dusk turned, taking Fluttershy's still panting form from Dash's arms. His hands held her wrists gently before a light kiss landed on the mare's forehead, at last drawing her to look up and gasp sharply from something, Joy? Fear? “Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of... Kindness!” That same burst of power exploded forth to surround Fluttershy in its rich soft pink aura, edged with a deeper rose-pink edging. She was next to gain a tight metal band of gold about her throat, this one of a kunzite butterfly.

Next came Pinkie, who somehow knew it was her turn. Bouncing up beside Dusk and wrapping him around the neck in a tight hug before glaring at the now clearly aghast Nightmare Moon. “Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of... Laughter!” Or as Dusk thought privately, Courage. But for Pinkie... laughter just sounded more appropriate, even as Dusk got lost in his thoughts, a balloon of aquamarine gemstone formed in her necklace.

Unable to do anything more but watch Dusk as he moved to step over to the far side of the room, Nightmare Moon was frozen from shock. As he turned to pull a table out of his way, Dusk found Rarity, still laying wide eyed where she had landed when the fight had overwhelmed her. He took her by both hands and let her lean on him for a moment while she caught her breath before letting his gaze of pity return to the nightmare. “Rarity, who shared my burden when I couldn't walk another step with a meaningful self sacrifice represents the spirit of... Generosity!” Soon enough she too was blooming with a bright purple aura, her choker a single proud diamond of amethyst.

Releasing her and striding forward, he at last put a hand to Dash's shoulder, the mare had yet to move since he intercepted that bolt of dark magic. Yet, the instant he touched her, she melted into his arms in a very unabashed manner, holding him tight for a moment before she took a step back and punched him, playfully but hard in the shoulder. “What took you so long!”

Rubbing at his bruised shoulder, Dusk grinned back at the mare, his need to be playful shoot back. “And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her heart's desire, even at the risk of her life, represents the spirit of... Loyalty!” Suddenly the mare was airborne again, her self confidence restored and a dauntless gleam of determination suddenly flaring in her eyes. The red aura backing her hovering presence matched only by the ruby lighting bolt of the same hue on the gold band about her throat.

Dusk continued forward, towards the now cowering Nightmare, her eyes wide with open fear at the sight of the first five Elements of Harmony as they stood before her. Dusk's voice proud and calm as he pointed back over to his friends. “The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us.”

Nightmare Moon cried out in frustration, hunting for her only solution to her dreaded nightmare. “You still don't have the sixth Element! No spark of magic made it materialize!”

Cut back instantly, his voice cool calm and filled with a mixture of both world bounding joy and deep, crushing sadness. “But it did! Just a different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear them, to see them, how much I cared about them. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that they all... are my friends!” Dusk had stopped, gazing over each girl in turn as he spoke again. Smile warm upon his lips. Resounding with the strength of his words to follow, a aura shaped as he spoke on, spreading to envelope not just Dusk, but all the gathered mares as well. “You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the Element of... Magic!”

With a burst of power, a crown of gold formed upon his head, resting heavily upon that simple mane of dark, royal blue hair. Formed in its band, was a pink sapphire in the shape of a six-pointed star, just like his cutie mark. Dusk closed his eyes, drawing strength from a new well he had never before felt and shaping it in a way that suddenly came natural to him. A rainbow of energy burst forth from the aura of pink that flooded over him and his friends, and blasted into Nightmare Moon with sudden and terrifying force. Nightmare Moon did not go quietly, her screaming voice ringing forth in raw fear “Nooo! Nooo!”

* * *

It was Applejack who awoke first from the backlash of power that swept over them as Dusk banished Nightmare Moon from the world. Rolling over and standing up, she realized all of her wounds from this endless night were gone. A finger found its way to her newfound jewelry only for the briefest of moments before she rushed to Fluttershy's side, as she was the closest, she called out to the room “Is everypony alright?”

Rainbow Dash was next to recover, a hand rubbing stiffly though her hair and a slight groan at the wash of power that had rippled over her just moments before. “Ugh, my head. Did anyone get the number of whatever it was that Dusk did to us?”

Rarity was to be the next on her feet, but was swiftly at Dusk's side, hand drawing his groaning form half into her lap, released all tension as she took in the fact he too had been healed by some aspect of the magic that had washed over them. “Oh, thank goodness... Fluttershy, I think you should look at this.”

Fluttershy pushed free to from AJ's arms and moved quick to join Rarity and the others as they gathered about Dusk. Her eyes were bright as she drew a hand across the once bruised ribs of their stallion... friend. “Why Rarity, it's so amazing... who knew the magic could heal so much.” A glance at Dusk's crown and then Rarity's choker, and a low gasp her voice warm. “And that gold band... it's emblem looks just like your cutie mark.”

Now all them took a moment to inspect the newly created gifts that represented their Element of Harmony. Rarity's voice a low gasp “What? Ooh. So does yours. So do they all... Amazing.”

Pinkie Pie was all laughter as she bounded around the others, grinning like a madman and pointing to her new present. “Look at mine! Look at mine!”

Even Rainbow Dash, hardly one to get overly attached to something as girly as a necklace spoke up, grinning wild as she stroked two fingers across the emblem. “Aw yeah.”

Applejack took her chance, shifting to turn to the still groaning Dusk, offering him a hand to help stand up even as Rarity pushed him from behind. Her voice was gleeful, if slightly ashamed. “Gee, Dusk! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the Elements of Friendship.”

A booming voice similar to the one they had been battling the last few days suddenly cast across the room, while outside the sun at last began to rise for the first time in far too long. Materializing from the first ray of sunlight to cast upon the ground before them, Princess Celestia strode forward, her smile warm, simple white dress without any flashy embellishments flowing in the wind of the world while that prismatic mane danced in the air over her shoulders in a totally different breeze. A few polished gold bands, free from any decoration, save some simple engraving lay upon her wrists, ankles, and throat, plus another as a band about her waist. “Indeed you do, dear mares.”

Standing at last, Dusk Shine gasped harshly and dropped into a deep bow before his teacher, his voice reverential and low. “Princess Celestia. You've returned!”

The Princess simply chuckled, watching as each of his friends joined in the deep and respectful bows, save Rarity, who gave a low curtsy instead. Her voice was light as a tender hand landed upon his shoulder. “Dusk Shine, my faithful student. I knew you could do it.”

Dusk was aghast, her words a confusing counter to the last time they had talked in his letter at the observatory in Canterlot. “But... you told me it was all an old mare’s tale; that I should forget it...”

Princess Celestia cupped his chin, lifting it so he might look up to her, voice buttery soft and kind even as she drew an arm around him and started to walk onward, leading the gathered six to the far side of the room. “I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. Now, if only another will as well. Princess Luna!” all turned to focus to the spot their rainbow of magic had blasted into Nightmare Moon, revealing the battered form of Princess Luna, dressed only in a white cloth clutched to her bare breast that reminded Dusk too much of a tablecloth he had thrown over her in another world.

The other Princess of Equestria gasped, shying away and drawing her hands to hide her face from the approaching people. Already fat tears welled up in her eyes and ran across her cheeks while she tried to turn away from those approaching her. It was Princess Celestia who spoke first, her hands softly cradling the weeping form of her younger sister tight while fingers stroked lovingly though that ethereal blue hair. “It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister.”

All but Dusk gave shocked gasps at this, though only because Princess Luna had all but admitted that very fact to him in the cage for herself she had built inside her mind. The others all muttered their soft confusion at the matter, Pinkie putting it simply but best. “Sister? With Nightmare Moon?”

Princess Celestia offered them a sad nod as she looked to the gathered six even while she huddled over her sister’s bawling figure. Both hands slipped in to draw up Princess Luna's face and she gazed deeply into the younger alicorn's eyes. “Will you accept my apology? I could find no other way back then to stop Nightmare Moon's rampage but to banish you both together.”

Forgiveness from Princess Luna was something she deeply had longed for, so when the younger sister's arms were cast about her older sibling’s shoulders and a tight hug was joined, all knew things were at last going to be better. Voice ravaged with the chest wrenching sobs of sorrow deep in her heart, she spoke directly, almost unseeing those gathered around. “I'm so sorry! My jealousy became my jailer. I couldn't control... I missed you so much, big sister!” Almost. Dusk could feel her gaze on him, something in her eye. As if she wanted to say something to him too.

Princess Celestia's soft tears began to fall as she cradled her dear, long lost sister close, laughing a little in joy at the fact a thousand years of shame for what she had done to her blood was at last beginning to leave. “I've missed you, too. All of Equestria has missed their Princess of the Night.” The soft words drew back Princess Luna's attention, letting Dusk at last relax again.

It was Pinky who turned to break this silence, blowing her nose then gesturing around the room. “Hey, you know what this calls for?”

* * *

Pinkie Pie cried out with delight over the gathered crowds of Ponyville, it had taken all her best work, but in only a few short hours all were gathered to celebrate “It's a welcome back Princess Luna / Goodbye forever Nightmare Moon party!”

All around, damage still remained from the battle. It had been nearly two days that they wandered the Everfree forest, including their time inside Nightmare Moon's Castle. In that time, Princess Cadence had taken care of those who could be saved, and helped by Shining Armor, had given mercy to those who could not. While many still felt sorrow for the lives lost, it was time to move on. The horror of Nightmare Moon's rule needed to be put behind them.

Dusk sat in a chair at the table of honour, with Princess Celestia to his left, and his new found friends to his right. His brother had convinced Princess Cadence to join the celebrations and sat with her on the other side of Princess Celestia, though currently Princess Luna and Cadence were in deep private conversation save the occasional interruption of someone presenting food, drink or even presents to the long lost diarch.

But even here, Dusk's heart was heavy. The day was won, but suddenly, he realized things going back to normal was not what he wanted anymore. A voice spoke out softly to him, yet with great power behind the words, it was Princess Celestia, and her golden tan hand rested on his own. “Why so glum, my faithful student? Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?”

Dusk had been considering just this issue, and drawing up his strength, he at last took his turn to speak up, his eyes filled with internal debate going on in his head... and heart. “That's just it. Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them.”

The fact that this made Princess Celestia laugh, shocked him a little, his eyes going wider as she turned to the shorter chair between them and lifting her voice to be heard by the gathered crowd. “Barb, take a note, please.” A pause as the little dragoness pulled her quill and some parchment from a rather tear-soaked day-bag, though she had refused to talk about that with Dusk just yet. Quill in hand she placed it to the paper, nodding to The Princess. “I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Dusk Shine shall take on a new mission for Equestria. He must continue to study the magic of friendship. He must report to me his findings from his new home in Ponyville.”

That resulted in a sudden, loud cheer erupted forth from the gathered crowds, delighted at the prospect the hero of today might be living among them for some time to come. Dusk's blush was a dark red as he felt Rarity's hand on his from the other side, smiling warmly as he looked down across the line of his new friends. “Oh thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before. And... I finally know what my graduate thesis will be on... The magic of friendship.”

Laughter rang forth at this, and Pinkie was suddenly hugging him and Rarity around the neck from behind, a silly grin upon her face as she looked around at the gathered crowd and spoke in the same rapid-fire manner she always adopted when she got too caught up in the moment. “Isn't this exciting? Are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited, well, except for the time that I went” A pause, the mare drawing a sharp gasp of breath to dramatically re-enact her first encounter with Dusk before she started into her rant again.”but I mean really-”

Author's Note

And thus ends my attempt to take the first two episodes of MLP FIM and break them down then expand upon the story presented. I hope you all have enjoyed the work so far, as its been a thrilling experience for my personally.

Adding the Prologue before Chapter 1 gave me a chance to start smaller and work out some first ideas of foreshadowing as well as expanding on characters that the show really show have had present from the start if they wanted to make later event's feel less shoehorned-in.

Then came the behemoth of Chapter 1. At first I was going to include what became Interlude 1 in the first chapter, but as I went on, I quickly realized that 17 pages of text was already more then enough for the average reader, yet alone the extra seven that would in itself balloon into. It also let me think about bigger things, ways to change scenes from the show and hopefully improve on small issues that have nagged me at the very least. And that first Interlude? Expect more of them! They will range in length depending on the importance of the material contained inside. This first interlude was a great test and will help me with the next two that are coming up. And thanks to everyone who liked Dash and Nurse Redheart. I hadn't planed to do more with her, but now I'll keep that in mind.

Chapter 2 was all about flow of events and handling two things at the same time. I really enjoyed the challenge but it also drove me crazy trying to expand on things while also keeping Dusk's concision and the way his memory was out of order due to it make sense to the average reader. Hopefully everyone got that.

With this chapter, I was stuck for a long time on how to handle Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash's mirror events, I knew what I wanted them to show him inside the shadow world of Princess Luna's mind, but I couldn't figure out a great way to handle them. Then a friend suggested simply applying the mare's natural talents to the situation. Thus Pinkie decided to become friends with a door in a lost castle and Rainbow Dash put her life literately in the line of fire to save Fluttershy even though she knew it was a killing attack. Much love to my muse Azure Serial for that save!

Next up are two Interludes, both likely to be shorter then Chapters 1-3 but each with lots of room for expanding so I don't yet have a time table for ether one. First will come Interlude 2 - The Princess of the Night. All about the Moon Princess attempting to find herself a place in the world again after all this time and taking a hold of her duties after such a long time away.

Then there is Interlude 3- Dusk Shine gets to shagging... err I mean Private Conversations. For those wondering about the blogs I wrote profiling each of the main 5 mares plus Nightmare Moon, this interlude reveals the event's that lead up to those notes being written at Princess Celestia's request. It will also be the first major clop event in my storyline. And no, Rarity wont yet reveal to Dusk her secret, so keep waiting!

That's about all for now, thanks for all the views, likes, favorites and comments. Please feel free to ask or even message me about anything. I live for any kind of feed back, be it speculation to comments about how i spelt their and there wrong! Seriously guys and gals. Thanks again!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Interlude 2 - The Princess of the Night

Princess Luna was still in a haze when her sister guided her to sit upon a bed in a strange house. Celestia had told her the town’s doctor was overworked and a contingent from her new capital, Canterlot was scheduled to start arriving in the next few hours to aid the beleaguered town... this Ponyville. The guilt returned, memories of her time as Nightmare Moon were far from distant. The house she was in had probably belonged to some citizen whose family she had killed, yet she was welcomed by all and given a private room to await the doctor.

"Why didn't you slay me, Dusk? You know the truth of what I did. What I am. But you chose to banish the darkness and leave me naked with only guilt to clothe me." Yet, as memories of the young unicorn entered her mind, its wasn't tears of remorse she cried. Joy had again overwhelmingly replaced the pain in her heart.

A sudden knock upon her door caused Luna to shy away from the emotion again, her blanket turned robe drawn up tightly to her bare figure. Through the door, a voice called for what she realized was the second time. "Princess? I said I'm Nurse Redheart. May I enter?"

Princess Luna... she needed to get use to that title again. Pulling herself together again, she answered before the mare tried a third knock... or stormed away. "Thou mayest enter, Physician, though we are ill-dressed and wish the doorway sealed once more as soon as thou do."

The light laughter she saw dancing in the citizen’s eyes when she slipped inside and locked the door took weight from her heart. If this mare who spent day and night with victims of her dark past self could be so forgiving, maybe she was being a little too hard on herself. Trailing over the Nurse with eyes that had seen many years, she picked out the light and soft hum the mare murmured in soft singsong below her breath. "Is thy song for comfort to the patient, lady mare?" she asked, genuinely curious about what might have the working mare in so good a mood after such foul days.

If Redheart was embarrassed at being called by such an old fashioned title, she showed no signs Luna could pick up. A happy sigh escaped her lips along with a knowing chuckle. "A certain stallion is in need of some nursing, and rather than let the lottery of daily life choose for him, he asked Princess Celestia to send for me. I've never been in Her Highness’ presence before, and now I am blessed not just to care for you, dear Princess Luna, but for him as well." A faintly wolfish grin appeared on the younger mare's lips, causing a moment of concern for this unknown stallion. For just a moment, she considered voicing it, then relented. Maybe this was how things were simply done these days.

As the nurse approached her bed, Luna could at last see what had been hiding on the tray she had carried in. A bucket of warm water with a yellow green rectangular mass floating inside. Now, an eyebrow arched and she asked in a level, if confused voice, "And what kind of medical procedure requires us to eat that... yellow blob... thing." Her incredulous gaze fixed on the smaller mare... only for her to launch into soft laughter.

Her tender gaze locked with Luna's own proud cyan glare the nurse quickly calmed herself and drew the sponge from the water, squeezing from it most of the moisture. "Its not for eating, Princess, but for cleaning. Your sister thought you might enjoy a bath... but with Ponyville's spa acting as a second clinic, this is the best we can offer. The mare paused holding the warm sponge close to Luna's throat.

The Princess whipped her eyes around, looking for why the mare had stopped; abath , even just of the sponge variety suddenly sounded like the greatest of luxuries. "Then proceed. You have our permission to touch us."

The earth mare again softly giggled and reached out with her free hand to stroke Luna's own jaw before moving lower to the edge of her tightly clutched blanket. "It'd be my dearest pleasure dear Princess, but this is in the way." An eyebrows raised awaiting Luna's response.

Suddenly she had no more questions, simply a shocked gasp and slow sigh. The sensuous pleasure of the odd, soft sponge the nurse held as she at last began to relent and to reveal her bare figure, allowing the cloth to descend from her shoulders. As Luna revealed her large and flawless breasts’ pink flesh, thick nipples and broad areola's pink hue an offset to her pale flesh, her eyes inspected Redheart's own reaction. As her hand moved to clutch the sheet to her hips, it sunk lower, revealing the smooth skin of her belly, light definition of abdominal muscles and the hourglass figure of a trim princess. But no lower she declared silently. That was only proper.

And then the soft sponge began its journey across her throat and soon all thoughts were lost to the silky bliss of pleasure that now began stroking across her flesh. A dark blush formed in her cheeks as down in her belly a hot feeling she had long forgotten suddenly returned, sparking lewd thoughts she had not felt in far too many years. Redheart's touch to her jaw with a free hand directed her, guiding her to shift back upon the bed, laying down while the smaller mare sat upon the bed’s edge. Her body laid back and gave in to another’s touch, she couldn't prevent a low moan whispering from her lips. When Redheart's hand went for the sheet to peel it free of her loins, she hadn't the strength to resist, the now wet cloth peeling free of her thighs and letting a rich scent fill the room once its guard was removed.

With this revealed to the Nurse, Luna was shocked at how kind the mare's reaction was. Her hand with the sponge lifted free and returned to the warm water while her voice dropped lower to offer the her a choice. "I can stop my Princess... or I can get a stallion who knows how to keep his lips shut..." the offer stood for but a second in Luna's mind before she drew up her own right hand, cupping the mare's cheek voice whisper quiet. "The Stallion is a kind offer, but you are the one who brought these feelings out... unless you do not find your Princess attractive, please... continue." and before she knew it the sudden rush of a deep kiss enveloped her lips. The strong pressure of ardent passion resounding in the moment while the Nurse drew one hand into her thick mane, the other returning with that damp sponge and drawing wet, silky pressure across her throat and down now, over her right breast, rolling across the tender hard flesh of her nipple all in one smooth motion. It was clear to her now that her question was clearly answered; Redheart was happy to share this moment.

Breaking the kiss and gasping for breath, Luna let her own body lay back to give the nurse full access to her needy body. One hand drew up behind her head to prop it up atop a pillow even while her eyes half slitted until nearly closed in pleasure from that warm, damp, and silky tease across her nipple's pert flesh. Yet all of this was nothing, for just as Luna had begun to relax under her touch, the sponge moved to soak her other breast and Redheart's mouth replaced it, wrapping around the erect nipple, biting down at the tender nub and rolling it between teeth and tongue. Once more, a roar of heat quickly spread through her body, and Luna's free hand slid into the pale pink locks of the nurse's own hair, wrapping around them. She gripped stiffly at the silky hair, tied up as it was into a thick bun that give her a great handle. At last, her husky voice echoed in the nurses ear with great lust. "Thou torment thy Princess, and now she soaks this stranger’s bed."

As she had hoped, the smaller mare drew back from her heaving chest with a grin that matched her own lust. The mare wasn't shy to speak up on this, licking the taste of Luna's flesh from her lips. "Then I will have to clean up after my princess. Even if I must do it with my tongue." Luna thrilled at the aggressive tone the mare gave her, then realized the sponge had been thrust between her thighs’ wet flesh, ripples of pleasure making her gasp in delight, arching her back and lifting her shoulders high up off the bed's surface. Both hands were now deeply entwined in the nurses bun, pulling her face back up and forcing a deep kiss upon the younger mare's own lips. She suckled on the lower one and raked across the trapped flesh, teasing with her tongue over the pink lip.

Redheart was far from shy in response; for even as the deep kiss sucked on her lips and pressed home Luna's lust, the nurse got a rhythm to her stroke of sponge across the princess’ slick thighs. Moving her fingers in steady strokes back and forth between the valley of Luna’s thighs and across the length of her slit, Roseheart indulged in every noise her lover made. Silky teasing tormented over the very pert pearl of Luna's own clit. She would win out in the end, as Luna had to release the mare's lips and fall backwards, moaning harshly into the sweet nurse's ear, at last releasing the strong grip she held upon that pink bun. The alicorn laid back, gasping for her own lustful breath.

With her body free, the nurse didn't delay a moment longer. With her sponge tossed suddenly back to the bowl the earth mare slid a hand across silky flesh to lift Luna's legs, allowing the princess’ ankles to rest upon her shoulders and drawing her lips to the older mare's sex. Luna quickly got carried away with the sudden assault of aggressive lips to her silky, soaked thighs, even as her ankles lifted and turned to wrap around to clutch her across the shoulders with the pressure of firm toned calves digging into the smaller mare's back. Redheart's attentions were given directly to her cunt and its silky depths, with an aggressive assault of lapping tongue and two fingers dragging across the inside walls of that fold hidden inside sensitive flesh.

With pressure building, Luna found herself at the limits of what her body could manage. Her restraint was overwhelmed by the endless aggressive attention of that tongue and those fingers. Gasping harder than ever before under the continued deep thrust of those digits, Luna couldn’t get her mind off how devilishly skilled Roseheart was at raking over the most sensitive inner walls of her sex. She moaned suddenly in pleasure, "By the Night! Do you ever relent?" If she had expected any mercy from Redheart's continued assault, she was given none.

Panting with still lustful need for release, Luna at last drew forth her own magic, pulling with it, and drawing the sponge back from the bowl. Squeezing it out and then floating it up to tease up under Redheart's skirt, she pushed the magically propelled, silky sponge to tickle across the mare's own folds. A gleeful grin spread over her lips as her voice whispered in low and greedy tones. "Why Nurse... you wear no undergarments beneath your uniform? Who is this lucky stallion against whom you are plotting?" But if Redheart took the time to answer, Luna had no time to hear it, as the sudden assault of two more fingers upon her soaked slits’ depths, while a mouth drew away from the wet walls and pressed lower, into the ample flesh of Luna's ass teased a gasp from the mare. This sudden assault proved to overwhelm the last of Luna's reserves, and a harsh shudder rippled through her towering body, pushing over the limit of her orgasm.

All the while, that silky sponge continued to thrust and tease in heavy strokes and dragging pressure across the slit of her smaller lover's sex. Even as her own screaming lust echoed forth, she could feel the shuddering figure of between her thighs give in to her own release. Whimpering with pleasure, the sound of Redheart's release allowed Luna to relax, her head falling back to the bed again while the last echoes of pleasure rippled in the teasing final wave of her own orgasm. Muffled words drifted up from between her thighs, revealing with a coo, the name. "Dusk Shine Princess.. He is a powerful unicorn with no mare of his own yet. I plan to tender some loving care for him soon."

For a moment something whispered in Luna's mind, a slight twinge of... jealousy? She waved it off, unlocking her ankles from the mare's back and drawing her up until she lay chest to chest with the little earth mare, lingering kisses teased across the nurse's jawline, while a quiet coo whispered free of her throat’s base. "He is? And without a mare to care for him..." her fingers twirled in silence though the locks of Redheart's hair, a slow smile spreading. "Then when thou hast thy composure back, thou shouldst take care of the poor lad... but don't be surprised if he is never alone. Five mares hath taken a great liking to him, and thou might not find them willing to share." Even as her low chuckle whispered free, idle nails traced a soft stroke across the curve of the slender mare's jaw when her kisses had ended.

Redheart's reply surprised her. "I don't want to claim him as mine, Princess Luna... just the pleasure of knowing he asked for me for his own medical care... It's as grand a pleasure to being in your arms today." A shared blush was offered to Luna who gently offered her own nod and kiss on the healer’s forehead. "Then clean thyself with the sponge and go care for him, I need rest for we have some party later today." As she closed her eyes and lay back, she could feel the smaller mare stand up and go about quietly cleaning herself. Eyes slitted open just enough to watch this show, Luna was swift to drift off to sleep with a grand smile on her lips, and rested peacefully.

* * *

Early afternoon had come quickly. Princess Luna was at last awake to soft knocking once more at her bedroom door. This time though, it was a voice she recognized; the unicorn Rarity whose voice was like silver bells. "Excuse me, Princess Luna, but Princess Celestia told me that none in town have anything in your size. It's an unsightly, rushed job, but I thought I could at least offer you something better then that old table cloth to wear."

Luna was more than willing to welcome any chance to wear anything other than that thousand year old rag a second time. Swiftly crossing the room and unlocking the door, she peeked out to check for any others who might be in the hallway. The sight of a single unicorn carrying one deep blue dress slung over her arm while a heavy wicker box floated behind. Inspecting the hallway and realizing it was safe to allow the mare inside, Luna stepped back, allowing her full access to the room.

With casual grace, Rarity paused for a moment to allow Princess Luna to look around the hallway before entering the room when she stepped out of the way, stepping inside with her box of 'extras'. Under Luna's watchful eye, the shorter mare glided to a free table, and if she could smell the scent of sex that still hung in the air, she said nothing of it, instead opening a window, while leaving the drapes closed. Her light voice filled the air, "It's far too bright out today, Princess. Would you care for some tea before trying things on?"

Swallowing a tight breath, the princess clutched the thin white cloth tight over her bare body, speaking low and with restrained care. "We would like the clothing first, please. Its been a thousand years since I've felt properly dressed, seamstress Rarity." For only a moment her eyes inspected the box of private things before she was captivated by the dress Rarity hung from the curtain rod above the now open window, allowing it to air out while they spoke.

No sooner had her words been spoken, than did Rarity nod warmly and collected up an odd, long and thin ribbon, swiftly moving to stand before her and lifting the band up high before pausing, gently clearing her throat. "For a proper fitting, you'll need to lower your... robe, Your Majesty." Her words were polite, and those deep azure eyes won her way into her heart.

Again with the nudity! Yet the words had merit, and so with a soft sigh whispering free of her lips, she allowed the robe to lower. "In our day, seamstresses might measure by eye and over our clothing, but we will defer to the craftsmare's keen eye." If the unicorn mare had a poor reaction to the words, she didn't show it; slipping in close to her own towering body, wrapping measuring ribbon across her shoulders, around her breasts, her hips and thighs.

The whole time, she spoke with gentle care, impressing Luna with the detail and effort she was willing to put in so quickly. "I only brought five or six kinds of fabric for bras or breast wraps with me Princess Luna. I hope something will catch your eye. Unless you are of a mind to go with undergarments sewn into your dress? Of course, it might delay any other adjustments I might make to your dress but a comfortable bra can be wonderfully comforting don't you think?"

Luna was left in the dust of Rarity’s rapid conversation, at last speaking up when she saw the mare picking at different cloths from the box. "The... dark purple or black silks should be a nice match to our tastes, seamstress Rarity. And we would like a breast wrap, unless these... bras? you speak of are more comfortable." Shocked at the sudden laughter produced by the tiny unicorn she arched a brow and started to pull the blanket back up over her nudity. "What jest did we make? We are unaware what we had said that was so funny..."

Suddenly, the mare Rarity shifted to stand, hands slipping behind her back and unzipping her own dress a little so she could draw the shoulder straps free and reveal the silky blue bra that cupped and lifted her breasts to put a proud level of cleavage on display. With fingers drawing over the silky material, the little mare spoke in tender explanatory terms. "You see Princess, Bras cup the breasts, and support them. If you wish to be fancy, you can get bras that lift or shape your breasts like mine, to put more va-va-voom in your appearance... err so to speak." A dark blush was offered for a moment before the little mare drew her dress up once more to cover her shoulders and bra again.

Now truly fascinated by the story and display before her, Luna let her eyes linger on the way the bra shifted the smaller mare’s breasts, her eyes then lowered to look to her own. At last, she spoke with carefully chosen words and a neutral tone. "We have no stallion we are currently courting, and with our history with the ponies of Equestria, we doubt any stallion will be wanting to get too close to us unless ordered to.. or by force. And if what we have heard about stallion population is true, they have every right to be picky." A silence was shared between the mares before Luna at last spoke up with quiet words again. "But we like the idea of comfort and support, we have missed our old corset so."

Apparently, that was all that it took for Rarity to decide. The darkest of purple silks she had brought were selected, and using the measurements she already had put to memory, a needle and scissors were brought together with both hands and magic. Thanks to this, she was able to work at quite a quick pace, working swiftly to cut and stitch the princess a bra. It might have been crude and far from one she publicly thought to brag about, but for today it will serve its purpose. "If you return to Canterlot with the princess, I can give you the name of a dozen sewing houses that might do private work for a lady as noble as yourself without question Princess... That way you wouldn't have to deal with public shops and stranger’s eyes." A brief pause as the half finished bra was inspected, and rubber straps were selected of the same hued material was picked so the bra could be resized as needed to fit properly around the shoulders and across the back. "Of course, if you wish to keep things more private and are willing to put up with occasional visits to or from me, I also would consider it to be an honor to try and make things that could delight you... at least something wearable until you pick your own private seamstress."

Shocked at all the mare could say and do about things that she had not yet even began to think about herself, Luna was lost in a stammer for a minute until the now complete silk bra was passed over. Inspecting it with detailed care, before she saw Rarity making motions of how to slip it on and pull it across her back. As soon as the silky material cupped her heavy breasts, it became clear she had made the right choice, as the feel of rich cloth really did make her feel more relaxed and confident. With Rarity to guide her, she learned how to adjust the bra's straps and how to lock and unlock the clasp that lay hidden between her shoulder blades. "And you say with extra work a bra can feel... better then this seamstress? You mustn't brag so much, this already is a new world to us... but one we like.. greatly." And here she offered the talented Unicorn a playful grin.

The mare's response was a broad and knowing grin. "Stallion or not to impress my dear Princess Luna, you look darling already. I can't wait to see how fantastic you will make my dresses look... unless you've changed your mind on that? I dare say I would love to make you something more... fetching." the wink she gave made Luna pause a moment, but her head shook lightly.

"As kind as your offer is seamstress, today is not a day for tempting stallions. I wish to look humble and proper. Respectful if possible. Until I am more comfortable with my guilt, I don't think I'll be wooing anyone." Even at her own depressed words a finger stroked the fabric of soft silk that supported her ample breasts’ weight.

Rarity appeared sympathetic, as she didn't push that issue, instead quickly working with both hands and a deft magical aid to run sewing needle through silk. While the panties resembled a thong, they were at last a matching pair and comfortable. "I hope this will work for a day or two, it really isn't nearly the quality you deserve, Your Highness. Normally, I'd demand a few hours to improve the work, maybe sew in your initials and perhaps a copy of your cutie mark or even just some beading."

That wistful look in Rarity's eyes made Luna quickly shake her hands, her voice rapidly attempting to reassure the younger mare. "No, no, no. It's very kind of you to offer such effort for our sake, but we do not need it this day." A deep blush held on her cheeks as she pulled on the new panties feeling at last clothed again in some sense of the word. "Now the dress dear seamstress?" Thus the day carried on until...

* * *

When Princess Luna at last stepped outside the house that had been her haven while two doctors visited and Rarity worked to make adjustments to the royal blue dress originally designed to fit a mare a foot shorter than the eventual customer. And yet, it was a raw testament to the boundless skill of the young unicorn that the dress had been altered to fit, and look proper to match.

Deep royal blues, nearly black in shade, hung close over her shoulders, the backless dress held up around her throat with a thin silken band, while two wide straps ran down the front, leaving only a thin slit to reveal her ample cleavage but almost no flesh. Just below her breasts’ curve, the cloth joined together on the front, drawing down across slender yet toned abs and flaring wider across her hips. From behind however, thanks to the weight and size of her massive dark blue wings, only a hint of flesh could be seen despite the wide and low back. rapping around and coming together just above her tail with a hole in the cloth so close to that upper edge that it was hardly more than a string hanging above her tail, the dress looked stunning on her curvy figure.

Thankfully, the dress had been a ball gown before the adjustments, so while it was made to reach a normal mare's ankles on her towering Alicorn frame, the dress only made it to just above her own knees, and the slit on the right leg had to be sewn up before she would accept it despite Rarity's protest that it could teasingly show her cutie mark on her hip. In revenge, or so Luna felt, Rarity had found fine, thigh-hugging purple-blue high heels with a matching Tiara to rest in the weight of her hair. Here, even Rarity had relented, the Alicorn's locks were allowed to stay wild and dancing in the ethereal wind that lifted and teased at the loose locks.

Now with a soft stride, she walked past the two pegasus guards who stood watch at the house’s door, moving to look around the town before gaze turned swiftly back at the guards. "We... we wish to see the clinic. To visit those who w... who Nightmare Moon hurt so badly." The stone-faced men gave no sign of hearing her swift change of wording, instead glancing once at each other before giving the smallest of nods.

Red and black mane trapped under his golden helmet, the older guard stepped to her side, a hand lifting to point towards the west. "Then please follow us Your Highness. It is but a short walk a few blocks this way." A pause as she looked in the direction he spoke of and turned to begin walking, only realizing as she went that they had followed her, ignoring it until the same stallion spoke again. "It's sadly inadequate for their needs, princess. Her Highness, Princess Celestia has already called for the building of a proper hospital here in Ponyville, and all towns of this size when she heard from so many of the locals about how overwhelmed their clinic was from day to day."

Her head turned to gaze at the elder guard, arms gently crossed over her belly while she quietly said as she walked, "A shame that it took such a horror as Nightmare Moon's return to make all realize the basic medical needs of a kind town was already overwhelmed."

The pegasus offered her a small shrug, and only soft words. "It's one of the sad facts of life. Bureaucrats tell other Bureaucrats that something’s right or wrong at the moment and the other tries to argue the opposite point. Sadly, only when something goes wrong, does it become truly obvious what the real situation is. Your sister has seen such, and plans to devote more of her time to picking out these matters personally."

And then, the sound hit Luna like a wall. They had not even rounded the corner and she knew were the clinic was. Shockingly, the noise was not of wailing pain and overwhelmed workers, but of serious business being done by many at the same time. Steeling herself against what was to come she stepped around the corner, even while fear grew in her heart. Yet just as the sound suggested, this was no chaotic mess anymore. Over twenty beds had been piled in the street between the clinic and its neighbor a day spa now converted to more serious work. Here, backup from Canterlot had made great progress in relieving the overwhelmed clinic workers, and between nearly twenty effectively working doctors, plus their thirty nurse aids were at work.

As she started to walk between beds, it was not the revulsion, nor fear she expected to feel, but instead, soft whispers of marveled joy, and even hands lifting to touch her fingers, to speak quiet words of reverence and joy. As she made her second pass through the middle of those gathered, she halted in the middle of the gathered crowd, closing her eyes tight and swallowing a hard breath. At last, she spoke, though her words were weak, and torn with joy at how even those she had hurt welcomed her. "Forgive us people of Ponyville... Warriors of Celestia's private guard. It's with the greatest shame We came to you, yet you welcome us with such kindness. We promise you the honor of your kind welcome is not lost on us. We can only try our best to return the kindness you've show to us this day.. Sleep well this night, and know your dreams are once again safe." a promise made, she intended to keep it. It meant returning to duties long abandoned, yet somehow it warmed her heart thinking of such important duty.

It was with that joy in her heart that she took another hour to wander the gathered crowd, stroking hand or cheek of mare and jaw of stallion, offering each soft kind words in turn. The love they poured in return warming her once more in a way no clothing could manage.

* * *

Hours later, and with the grand party over, Luna turned to nod softly to the gathered watching townsponies. Together with her sister Princess Celestia, Luna stepped up on the gold painted chariot that was tied to six, powerful pegasus guards. As she looked once more back to the townsponies, seven now very beloved faces were gathered together in the crowd, plus two she had spent the afternoon speaking with in great detail, her sister's own Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor, and a young alicorn only in her late twenties, the recently proclaimed Princess Cadence. Somehow having family made things feel better, and in Cadence she had found someone reminded her of Polaris in a way. And that thought did bring sudden weight ot her mind. How long had it been since Polaris had died... She pushed the thought away, those were good times long past, no need to worry about such things when they were also some of her happiest memories.

Before the guards lifted off, she turned her gaze again to the six mares who had gathered around one stallion. Swallowing her pride, she spoke out again at last, her voice level and warm, though so soft, it was likely no one else could ever hear her over the powerful noise of a happy crowd. "We wish to thank you once more, dear Dusk Shine. You remind us of the good times long gone, and a daughter lost to time so long ago."

Yet if she expected the crowd to cover her words, the soft nod Dusk offered her in return was a shock. Had he heard, or was it simply a polite motion to whatever he thought she might be speaking of because of the powerful noise of those who filled the city center? And then suddenly they were airborne, the guards taking flight at Celestia's order. Her gaze turned to the elder sister and kindly Princess, only to find her reading a letter with a odd smirk on her lips. "And what is that dearest sister?"

Princess Celestia carefully turned the paper over, her smirk spreading wider. "Before Dusk knew you were Nightmare Moon, he wrote me a letter while trying to sort out his own thoughts. And after seeing my reaction to it today he was quick to rewrite it as a student profile of you according to both personal experience and historical records." Her hand turned to offer the page, Luna gently accepted the thin parchment and quickly began to scan the writing.

Suddenly seeing herself from the outside in those simple words, two ideas came to mind. Her voice tender and low, she returned the folded page to her sister, eyes serious and tone matching. "He sees so much... and yet he misses small things that bother me suddenly. Princess Cadence, she is your granddaughter is she not?"

The words caught Celestia off guard, and yet a smile spread slowly. "Great, great a few times... but yes." There was a pause, but the question Luna was pushing for was far from subtle, and at last Celestia nodded. "Yes. Yes he is."

That topic finished, and Luna's heart now suddenly calmed once more. She managed only to point to the letter from Celestia once more. "Are profiles of people like that common? I should have great use for such knowledge."

Celestia shared a smile and tapped her chin with the page before she replied in a soft tone. "Then we shall make them common for you sister. Dusk will be able to do much of that work for you. He is a good at picking up details and writing with limited bias. Besides, it gives me excuse to tease the poor boy." Quickly, she drew parchment from the pile of papers in her lap, her magic's golden hue floating the page and quill with ease, and her swift writing moved over the page. Yet a pause lingered as she considered for a moment. "Maybe... Maybe I will give him a week on this task. He has had so hard a week."

Considering on her own side, Luna returned her own smile warmly and let her shoulders lift in a shrug. "Why not start easy. Have him write one for himself to test his own bias. Then in a few days one of his assistant Barb. The little dragoness is fascinating in her own right. After that, ramp it up to milk his mind and keep him on his toes."

That drew a laugh from her sister, and a warm nod. Quickly Celestia began to write again. "You're right dear sister... It's a pleasure to have you here once more to bounce ideas around."

Her heart aching again for a moment at those words, Luna leaned in against her sister, resting her head upon her taller sister's own shoulder, her voice a low whisper, "It's just a pleasure to be myself once more."

* * *

It was so many hours later and once more, reality was sinking in to a horrific degree. The white marble balcony of Princess Celestia's lookout offered a view that towered so high over the capital of Equestria, the grand city of Canterlot, that in one lazy gaze, Luna could inspect the wide city that stretched from one horizon to the other. A ripple of power she had not sensed in so many years whispered out across the evening sky, her sister taking a grip upon the sun itself and with quiet calling, ordered it to set at last. This was a ritual they had done together so many times, so long ago. Memories of it tugged at Luna's heartstrings... back when she was a filly, back when she got her cutie mark.

And then suddenly, it was her turn, the sun had set and Princess Celestia stood at her side, waiting for her to take up her duty once more. Her mind now instantly focused, razor sharp need poured into her thoughts, while memories of a thousand nights of doing this very duty poured forth. At last, her wings unfurled, and she braced before launching into the air, to once more take to the sky, her magic pouring forth and willing the moon to accompany her in flight once more. As powerful as her magic might be, this was such a long forgotten act, it strained her in ways she hadn’t felt in so many ages.

When at last she opened her eyes, she was in a sweating heap upon the balcony once more, but the moon had been lifted and stood full and bright declaring itself before the night sky. Footsteps arrived at her side and a soft voice spoke up softly. "No stars tonight?"

Too tired to even stand up once more, Luna cast her gaze to the sky, willing the stars to be there yet not having the strength to pull together and force forth the stars once more. At last after several minutes of useless gazing in silence her voice spoke up in a weak whisper, almost heartbroken at having to acknowledge failure. "I... suppose I am still a little out of practice."

A hand cupped her shoulder, and soft voice lifted with tender care as her sister knelt at her side eyes looking deeply into her own while tender words were spoken with gentle care. "Tell you what..." a pause waiting for her to look back into her older sister’s eyes. When she did, a warm smile was waiting for her, and a warmer voice spoke once more. "I'll do the stars tonight... If you help me with the sunrise in the morning."

Overwhelmed by her sister's kind words, Luna couldn't help but wrap her arms around her older sisters neck holding her tightly close. A single word offered in grateful thanks. "Aye..."

* * *

Alone. This was what had driven Luna to madness in the old days; what had brought up her jealous rage and started the horror of Nightmare Moon. Tonight she found herself alone again. Celestia had gone to sleep hours ago, and yet, Luna did not find that jealous feeling of loneliness returning. This night would be her first chance to take up the pledge she had made today. In seconds, she was settled on her throne, yet her mind was now miles away in another realm and walking among the dreaming minds of Ponyville's clinic patients. Luna poured her will over the poor souls gathered in those two rooms. Stretching out with her power, she entered every dream at once, pacifying a nightmare here, stroking a scared child's head there. It took only minutes for her to care for all those gathered here.

Satisfied with this, she let her strength thin out, and spread across all of Equestria. This had to be done slower, and ate up hours of the night, yet in time, she found the last of those troubled souls and made sure none ever need to pass the night in horror. Only then, did she return to herself, discovering a guard standing at her side silently waiting. "If you had said something... We wished we could have returned sooner... forgive us for making you wait, sir guard."

Shining Armor simply took his turn to shake his head, kneeling as best his battered ribs allowed him before standing up once more. "Princess Luna, it is my pleasure to wait while you care for the sleeping souls in a way only you can... Dusk told me about it when he visited me in the hospital you know. He thought it was just an exaggeration of your duties of guarding the night." Head shaking, he waved off her question. "I have news that's more important than my brother’s ability to research such obscure facts so swiftly."

Stepping aside, he waved a hand to the four guards who stood behind him. But when they stepped forward, Luna felt at home for the first time in centuries. The four bat pegasi bowed in time together, their voices united as one, "We are few, Princess Luna, but the Night Guard is glad to once more have our princess back."

Tears streaking her cheeks she ran swiftly forward, to hug the shocked four guards while her own voice struggled to speak up. "You four... you are the last of your kind?"

Shining knew he had to speak up for them, the men now all too deeply ashamed to speak themselves. "When Nightmare Moon turned on the people of Equestria, much of the night guard joined her. And when your sister banished her, most refused to stand down. The war lasted nearly ten years. Sadly, bad blood is still felt by some pegasi and their bat-winged brothers. But my men know better. We search now daily to find any more of the lost tribe, and hope that with your return they will no longer fear the violence that we do not wish on them."

That sad truth was heavy on her heart, yet it was just another sin with which she would have to learn to deal. Nodding to Armor, she spoke with soft care. "Then if you will excuse us, my four guards are more than enough, and you must get to rest before my grand niece comes to turn her screws on you." The shocked look she was given made it clear she had picked right from Princess Cadences words this afternoon. They were clearly close, and that was sweet. Turning slowly once more, she moved to return once more to her throne, a hand stroking across A Letter her sister Celestia had received just after sunset. Dusk's description of himself was well written, and had been a interesting read.

Her voice soft she spoke only to herself, while the four guards took up position in a circle around her throne. "Dusk... how do you dream?"

Author's Note

OK! First smut scene over! Who saw that coming??

This really ballooned out of control like most chapters so i'm just going to accept that my expected length and what really happens will rarely match up! ope you all like what Luna does in her first day home, interlude 3 will be a pleasure to write next.

Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 1

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 2

Dusk turned slowly as his gaze swept around the quiet streets of Canterlot. A thick fog hung in the air and turned everything to shadows at even a short distance, leaving almost all landmarks scattered and confusing. However, he could swear something was out of place today. Setting an easy pace, he started the walk uphill, using the one good rule of thumb on a misty night in Canterlot. The University and the palace were up the mountain, everything else spread out below.

Even as his easy stride ate up the blocks, his gaze passed with lazy inspection over the figures of others who milled in the streets despite the deep fog and dark night that lay overhead. A few streets further and he should reach the mid-court plaza, and from there, he could easily catch a cab. “Why am I down here? I never go south of mid-court!”

A voice spoke out from the sparse crowd who stood to the side of the road, around doors, and in clustered groups of friends. "Except that one time."

Dusk halted in his stride and twisted to look around. The voice was oddly familiar, yet he couldn't quite place it. As his eyes swept over the crowd, a few who had been behind him, matching his swift pace brushed past, muttering darkly at him for suddenly forming a roadblock in the middle of the street. Yet, no one stepped forth or even looked out of place. Swallowing, he brushed off the distraction and began marching once more on his path, his destination so close.

And yet as the blocks fell away behind him, it was always the same five streets he passed, looping over and over again, with those same crowds standing before the same doors. Realization setting in slowly, Dusk shifted to hunch his shoulders and started to walk faster, in hopes this was still just self-deception on his part. Barging past those before him and earning shouts of annoyance and anger he attempted to stalk off, bursting into an outright sprint in hopes of outpacing what he now knew was coming.

Again that voice whispered from a street corner, soft and calm yet eternally distant. "But she is waiting just behind you Dusk. You need only turn around." He stumbled and collapsed face first into the bricks. Breath came in a rapid panting gasp while his eyes squeezed shut. His lower lip had been cut... not by a fall, but by the backlash of the blast which had thrown him into a wall.

Vividly, the memories flared up once more and he slowly wiped at his cheeks. Turning and standing slowly, he spoke low, not to the two mares behind him, but to the voice he knew was following his dream. "Why would you want me to remember this night? It is not a good memory; it is a painful one. I was sixteen. Sunset Shimmer and Beatrix Lula had been fighting to show off who was stronger. They asked me to judge."

From the shadows a cloaked woman's towering figure stepped forward, a hand on his shoulder as he took in the sight of the fight before him. It was strong, and comforting, yet never gave him a second chance to turn away, or to see who she was as she forced him to face this memory. "And you tried to stop the fight with your brother’s shield spell. Both turned on you at that moment. It's an important day Dusk, because it is when Sunset Shimmer admitted she had only been using you as a study aid. She had no interest in you personally. And your report to Princess Celestia helped her learn the truth of Beatrix Lula's actions around the school."

Swallowing, Dusk let the memories return from the dark corner into which he had shoved them. He had been asked by Sunset to be the girls’ judge; the contest of power between the two strongest mares in the school had to be kept secret, so they had gone all the way to the low-court plaza on a foggy night. Nopony should be around with the weather so foul, so no one else was around to report their illegal magic duel. With a quiet voice, he watched the fight start over again from its beginning. "Sunset was so proud of her place as Princess Celestia's only other personal student. To see anyone, even me get that level of attention made her jealous. When Beatrix was promoted so swiftly into the same classes as us after finding her cutie mark, it made Sunset angry. For days, she had ranted and raved about how only she should have that level of attention from the teachers. All this, while I helped her with her studies, and she treated me like I was not even present." He shook his head softly

"And then when you interrupted their fight, she got angry. Instead of striking at her opponent, she blasted you instead. Then suddenly, their fight was over and all you got for your trouble was a boot to the gut. But not all mares are like Sunset. Many really do wish only the best for you. Your newfound friends, for example."

Suddenly, things shifted, and he saw himself and the other Elements of Harmony from a viewpoint outside his body. He stood beside the proud figure of Nightmare Moon as she started to flinch at the burst of rainbow magic that poured forth from his activation of the Elements. His voice was hollow as he shook his head slowly. "I understand that. But Princess Luna, why do you show me this in my dreams? Would not a letter have been easier?" He still couldn't turn, yet felt the hand on his shoulder squeeze and a low voice whispered with care a question that went unanswered.

The sight before him was one he could never forget. Those five mares all supporting him from behind while he drew on the Elements’ power, and thrust it into Nightmare Moon. He had never known if it really was going to work, but hope to save Princess Luna inside that darkness had pushed him to continue against the fear that the mounting power was going to be too much for him to mold into anything useful. It was their support that gave him the courage to wield that power. The endurance to withstand its wrath as the magic tried to melt his will. The wisdom to find a way that did not hurt Luna herself despite her being inside its target. The restraint to hold back letting all of that massive power free immediately to free his mind of the wracking pain. And the spark of hope that everything might be alright even if he faltered in the task. The shadowy woman's voice lifted gently but clear, repeating herself when he didn't answer, transfixed on the scene before him. "A letter is but words on paper. It can never convey the power of a moment like this, Dusk. Remember this well, for whatever may come they are your true friends, and will be at your side even when you can not see nor feel them." And then he was alone, and peaceful sleep returned.

* * *

Dusk could feel pressure around his hips as his mind began to wake. Not for the first time this week, he figured that Nurse Redheart had let herself in and was cuddling him in his sleep. The slow growth of his awareness hastened as he prepared to once again tell her off for treating him like a colt... until the shift of a cheek and the brush of scales across his spine made him realize it was not the nurse for once, but Barb who had snuck into his bed. A calm settled over him, a memories of life at school before Barb had insisted she was old enough to need her bed returned. It had only been seven years ago when she declared herself a big enough girl to sleep alone, yet on nights with bad weather, more often than not, he awakened to her curled up against him hiding from the bad weather.

The sweet memory helping to wash away the taste of bittersweet dreams, Dusk shifted slowly so as to not startle the dragon awake. Hands cupping her head gently to his chest for a moment, before he took to idly stroking her scales lightly. When she simply murmured and curled in closer, he let a warm sigh whisper free of his lips and lifted his gaze to the bedroom’s massive picture window, looking for the sun. Just cresting the horizon, it showed he had but an hour left before company started to arrive, and this slow thought set his mind into lazy motion. Lightly, he began to scratch his Number One Assistant around the curve of her jaw, a ticklish spot that was sure to get her attention.

As low mutters turned to giggles and struggling, Dusk whispered, "Come on now, my dear dragoness. I need my Number One Assistant's help this morning. So wake up before Applejack arrives and finds us still in bed!"

The teasing worked, as soon, the little dragon was yawning broadly while bleary eyes focused on him. Her voice was tired as she realized she was caught. "I guess I fell asleep. Sorry Dusk... I just wanted to sleep like we used to."

With a laugh, Dusk tapped her gently on the nose. "No problem at all Barb. You gave me a nice memory to wake up to, rather than the silly dream I was having. Now seriously, let us get going, I need a shower and you had better find me something nice to wear, I have too many guests coming over today."

* * *

It was hardly twenty minutes later when Dusk heard the bathroom door open. His head resting on the shower wall, letting the heat soak into his skin and wash down his back in a steady stream, the proud, young stallion was glad he had managed to get this far without Barb's aid. And yet, already he was exhausted, too tired to lift a scrub brush. As a soft whistled tune echoed through the bathroom he called out, shame dancing on the words. "I... I guess I spoke too soon. Think you can scrub my back after all?"

And without a moment's hesitation the figure outside the shower walked over, the shadow forming behind his back far taller than Barb's own. It might have been a good warning if he had been watching, but with his eyes shut and face to the wall while an arm supported his weight he had no hint at all until suddenly, the shower curtain was pulled aside, and warmly smiling AJ offered him a nod. "It'd be my pleasure, Sugarcube!"

Shocked at the candid nature of the cowgirl as she approached his naked body in the shower, he scrambled for a towel to cover himself in some way. Yet before he could get even that far, her hand lightly touched his. "You ain't got nothing I've never seen before, Dusk. Now turn around and let me have the brush."

Darkly blushing he turned as she requested, glad he could at least use the weight of his tail's hair to give him some semblance of modesty. "You're early, Applejack, but um... thanks." As he spoke, she began take up the short handled back brush, starting with steady effort at his shoulders. Soon enough however he was quickly regretting those words, as the towering mare's method with the brush was far from tender. Leaning into her strokes, Applejack was like a mare possessed wielding an instrument of torture.

With a happy chuckle, she leaned in and said with embarrassing candor, "Oh, it's no problem. When Big Mac heard you were well enough for visitors, he an Apple Bloom got up early to get my portion of the day’s chores done for me." The cheery mare shifted to move back and hang the brush off the wall hook again, and a smaller tail brush was picked out, her weight moving to sit on the edge of the bath while her gaze lifted to watch him. "Barb wasn’t very specific about why the princess wanted you to start these little dates. Nothing's gone wrong, has it? You look like you're in much better shape." There was a pause before she suddenly slapped his ass, adding, "Though you could use a few good meals and some proper work to get you back in shape!"

Shocked by just how forward the earth mare was with him, Dusk had started to relax, the pain of her brushing technique pushed aside by how easily she treated the tangles in his tail. It wasn't until the slap landed and she started laughing, that he realized she was having fun with him in her way. A swift hand shut off the shower while his magic grabbed a towel and quickly wrapped it about his hips, he leveled a glare at her, though quickly enough her quiet happy mood infected his attempt to scowl. "You are a real piece of work, AJ. Next thing you know, you will have me down at the Orchard chopping wood just to keep active." He stepped from the shower, eyes attempting to remain level with her own, even as the titanic mare stood up once again, and stepped back.

Despite himself his eyes roamed a little, noting that she had gotten wet from the shower’s powerful spray, leaving her fine blond hair damp and sticking to her cheeks. Bead of water formed into a slow and steady drip that ran down over her strong jaw, and across her bare neck. Even her simple red and white dress shirt had gotten soaked, leaving it clinging to an ample chest that hung low and free without a bra to hold her flesh back. Blushing darker again, he lifted his eyes once more to her own, but she took the initiative, stepping in and wrapping a towel into his thick dark blue hair and ruffling it to help dry faster. This left his eyes inches from her throat, his breath a strangled panting. "Nah. Big Mac can handle the wood cutting. Little lad like you? You'd be better off helping me in the barn. It always needs patch work of some kind or another."

As she pulled away the towel on his hair, and stepped back to inspect him, the moment had passed. Suddenly she was just AJ again, in need of a dry towel or a new shirt herself, but no longer presenting him with a powerful attractive lure. Grinning, he nodded and took a step towards the pile of clothing she had brought in with her. "How about you step outside and let me maintain at least some of my dignity while I dress? I know you are not one to spread rumors and all that, but a gentleman does not need the Element of Honesty going around town telling other mares how he looks naked."

At last it seemed he had finally gotten her off-balance, her cheeks suddenly blushing as she offered a nod and moved to walk away, but her words came back to him as she hovered near the door, leveling serious gaze at him with something... exciting dancing in her eyes. "Now just because I'm honest doesn't mean I wouldn't happily be out there, bragging about just what you've got to show off, darlin’." She gave a playful wink before slipping outside and closing the door.

Alone at last, Dusk opened his towel, letting his gaze drop and inspect his manhood. A laugh escaped his lips and he shook his head. "I have no yardstick to compare it to, AJ... But I will stick with a 'Thanks' all the same." The warm laughter outside the bathroom door was the only answer he needed.

* * *

Standing before the bathroom mirror and combing out his hair, Dusk took a moment to inspect himself. He still felt weak, but his body was looking just fine. That toned layer of muscle which ran over his figure just as he remembered it seemed a little more defined than before thanks to the sudden weight drop. From the clothing Barb had given AJ to bring to him in the shower was a pair of simple, dark blue boxers. His cutie mark had been sewn into the bottom right corner on the backside. With one hand holding the bunched weight of his tail, he threaded it through the circle cut in fabric to let his hair hang free without getting caught on the clothing. Next, was his loose, black dress pants. The fabric was soft against his skin, and his tail again threaded through the backside to let it hang free, then hunted down his straight razor and shaving cream to apply to his jaw and chin.

Outside the bathroom, he could hear the soft sounds of cooking, and soon the smell of rich apple tarts started to fill the air with its fantastic aroma. When he had a moment, he took the effort to support the razor with his magic, opening the bathroom door and letting in the smell... along with Apple Bloom, who wore a bright grin. Still busy with his razor suspended by his magic, Dusk was miles into the mirror inspecting each stroke of the blade with care, humming softly to himself. It wasn't until he heard light giggles that his eyes dropping and he realized the thirteen year old filly was standing beside him, copying his odd facial expressions as he shaved, trying to make each cut as clean and deep as was safely possible.

Realizing she had gotten quite deep into her little act, the stallion made two more fast strokes of his cheeks, cleaning the rest of the cream off and giving a satisfied sigh. Blade rinsed with care in the sink and dried, he turned his eye to the filly. "If you don't hold your jaw just right, lots of extra hairs get stuck in corners you can't see until you wash it all off."

Jumping at getting caught copying him, she simply began to grin warmly and pointed to his razor. "Maybe next time you need a shave let me try? I'm sure I could get my cutie mark in shaving!" The short filly grinned up at him, arms crossing over her chest while she offered a broad grin. Dressed in simple blue jeans and a once-white t-shirt, she rocked from one heel to the other in beaming glee. "Or a haircut... and try for a cutie mark in being a barber!"

Pulling his shirt on, Dusk laughed as well and reached out to fluff the little filly's hair, stopped mostly by the presence of the ribbon in her hair. "It's a deal Apple Bloom! Now let's go see what Barb and AJ made up for breakfast!"

As the little filly took up his hand in her and started to march proudly out into the rest of Dusk's library, she looked up over her shoulder, her for warm and light. "So Mister Dusk Shine, now that you run the library, does that mean that our teacher, Miss Cheerilee won't have to take extra time away from classes to look after this place anymore?"

Offering a light shrug, Dusk gave her hand a squeeze while following her into his kitchen. "I suppose so. I should go visit her sometime though, to thank her for taking such good care of the library and its books when nopony could work here full time. Is she a good teacher?"

A grin spread across her face as she released his hand and ran the last few feet into the kitchen to grab a chair and pull it back for him. "She’s the best teacher you could hope for. Come on down and sit! Applejack’s made just about every one of the family's best breakfast treats!"

And boy, was the young filly right. Spread before him and covering the table was an assortment of fresh baked dishes. Baked apple streusel pancakes formed into bars; apple yogurt cake with a cinnamon-sugar frosting streaked across the top; rosemary apple turnovers glazed with honey; apple & cinnamon whole grain oatmeal; crispy turnovers stuffed with apple, bacon, and caramelized onions; quince with apple chunks; dried apple chips lightly sprinkled with cinnamon; apple cardamom upside-down cake and cinnamon buns with apple chunks. His stomach's demand for food turned into a sudden, loud roar. Dusk accepted the chair Apple Bloom offered to him, shocked when the little filly pushed the chair back in with him sitting on it without any real effort. "You are quite strong Apple Bloom, do you help out a lot at the farm?"

Applejack stepped back into the kitchen from around a corner, her tightly braided hair held with a simple leather thong while her stetson hat stood tall on her head. With a grin spreading over her lips, she cleared her throat and straightened the fabric of an apron she now wore over her normal clothing. Spattered with bits of batter and hints of apple cinnamon, it was clear why she had taken the time to toss it on. "She does a great job for so young a pony. Me and Big Mac are as proud as peacocks of how far she’s come in just the last year or two. Soon, she’ll be able to buck a tree like nopony's business."

Her praise wasn't lost on her little sister, who blushed and tried to fan off the embarrassment that was pouring forth from a very proud older sister. Besides, she had a valid reason to feel ashamed. "But I've done everything around the farm and I ain’t got my cutie mark yet!"

Dusk took this opportunity to comfort the little filly. "Do not worry, Bloom. Everypony gets their cutie mark when the time is right. Nothing can make a cutie mark appear before its time, but when it does... it can feel like the greatest moment of your life." As he spoke, Barb walked in and he wrapped an arm around her hips to hug her close. "I was lucky, I got mine very young, and ended up with a great friend and a Number One Assistant in Barb here!"

Things calmed down as everyone tucked in to the meal, with all agreeing that the dishes AJ had made with Barb's assistance were a true treat for the tongue and nose. Conversation over breakfast was light and easy, and soon enough, Barb left to escort Apple Bloom back to the farm with the leftovers for Big Mac and Granny Smith. Alone at last, Dusk and AJ moved into the library, each picking one of the deep cushioned chairs with soft red fabric and a lacquered wood frame.

His voice calmer now, Dusk began to flip through the folder on his lap, inspecting the pages and finding the one he had jotted down for AJ with the facts he had already known. His eyes met hers as he asked, "So, to make it all simple, Princess Celestia has asked me to collect more information about all of you, since as the Elements of Harmony, she and Princess Luna need to know everything they can about you. I already filled out a few basic things I knew already. You are twenty now, yes?"

Leaning forward, an eyebrow lifted and she nodded slowly. "Sounds simple enough, and important too. Yeah, I had my birthday back in late March. So I'm twenty now. What else?"

Soon, a swift and simple back and forth of basic info was swapped. "Pureblood Earth Pony?"

"Yes."

"Height?"

"6'4.""

There was a pause as he collected his willpower. "Weight?"

AJ let a brow twitch, while her other arched higher. "Pardon, Sugarcube? I don't think I heard you there." A darker hint of the threat in her glare got through to Dusk quickly enough and he moved to scribble at the page to fill in a few details he wasn't comfortable asking just yet.

"Right, thanks. So the more detailed things. I put you down as the lead hand at Granny Smith's orchard. Do you have any other jobs you do?” A bead of nervous sweat ran down his neck, in hopes she might let that previous question drop.

Letting the issue pass, AJ sat back again in her chair and offered a nod. "Yeah, I took over as lead hand about five years ago, after my parents passed away. It's been hard but with Big Mac's help and Granny Smith’s advice and know-how, we’ve kept things together and brought the orchard back to its full glory."

Dusk stopped and lifted his gaze to look to AJ his voice soft. "I'm sorry AJ. I did not mean to bring up any bad memories." When she waved him off, he took to nodding quietly. "Alright, lets continue. Your cutie mark?"

Here AJ spread her warm smile, and shifted to stand. "I think it’s easier to show you, than tell about that one, Dusk." With a few steps she closed the short distance between them and turned so her right side faced him, fingers slipping down to her belt and unclasping it with quiet care. The cutoff denim shorts were tiny and clung tight across her hips and over her ass. Fingers unclasping the buckle and drawing it down across those round hips allowed them to drop to the ground at her feet. A tiny, white thong clung across her ass and over her sex yet the proud mare didn't hesitate for a moment to draw her fingers across the curve of her ass revealing her cutie mark. Tattooed into her bare flesh were three bold red apples. She gently said. "After my parents death, Granny Smith sent me to live with some relatives in Manehattan, But when I got powerful homesick, I came back a few weeks later to see them once more, and when I realized how much family meant to me, and how much they needed my help, my cutie mark appeared." Her breathing was faster now, deeper too. A sudden soft look of pleasure spread over her cheeks even as she gave Dusk a show.

Writing quickly, Dusk could only nod as she spoke, though his eyes soon returned to gaze at those strong and shapely legs, which inevitably led to the curve of her ass. Letting his tongue draw slowly across his lips as he finished swift scribbling, he slowly placed his quill down at last. His eyes wandered up as he he leaned forward, and with one hand softly traced his fingers across the curve of AJ's cutie mark, whispering softly, "It is dedication to your family and duty to your home. I admire your strength of will, AJ." Lightly tracing the design, he realized the mare was whimpering at his touch. Something in the air was tickling at his nose, and made his blood begin to boil, roaring in his ears. Why was he being so forward? His fingers drifted across her hip...

As his fingers continued their dance over her curvy flank, she turned slowly and sat in his lap with her hands wrapping around his neck, while her eyes looked deeply to his. Breathing swiftly though half parted lips, she gazed deeply into his eyes. "You know Dusk... I gotta go back to the farm soon. Got lots of work I need to do." Hissing a moan between her barely parted lips as his finger traced across her ass, his hand shifted to stroke the blond hair of her tail. "But... I don’t mind if you've got a question or two left."

With her weight settled in his lap but mostly balanced on her knees on either side of his hips, she bit her lower lip as her hips ground against his groin. Attempting to take his mind off the suddenly flirty mare, Dusk let his fingers drop from her hip and tail and turn over the page on the book, his voice shaky as the aroused mare's unbound chest rested against his cheek. "Just... some confirmation on a few things... You have shown great strength; honestly I remember seeing you kick down a tree while we were in the Everfree Forest. Besides that, I can tell from today you are a great cook. Do you have any other skills or hobbies?"

And somehow that question was apparently just what she needed, as the mare swallowed once and reopened her eyes, realizing she had nearly mounted Dusk forcefully, and in a public place, no less. Drawing back and quickly pulling her denim shorts on once more, she blushed and turned away to avoid looking to him, her voice unsure and with shame coloring her words. "Well... me an’ Rainbow Dash love to compete every so often. And I’m always getting blue ribbons whenever we host a rodeo..." Turning to face him again, she suddenly shrank back a little after taking a deep breath which once more brought Dusk’s attention to her impressive bust. She turned and swiftly locked her gaze upon the door. "I... think I should go Dusk. I'm sorry, but somethin’s come up." And before Dusk had time to answer, the mare rushed out of the house, pulling her stetson low over her face to avoid meeting eyes with anyone who had passed her on her way out of town.

Struck by the sudden change in the mare, Dusk looked down and realized his pants had discolored where she had sat. He drew two of his fingers down across his lap and over the dress pants he was wearing. An even breath hissed free of his throat, moisture meeting his fingers and his eyes spread wide in realization. The cowgirl was leaking heavily, a sign she had slipped into her heat sometime recently. That explained why she had suddenly gone so soft and cuddly. A sigh escaped his lips. He’d have to go upstairs and change, the smell was already working its libidinous magic and tormenting his senses. He shivered as the pleasant warmth spread through his loins. "No wonder... poor mare... I hope she can find some relief."

Dusk quickly realized that his letter to Princess Celestia was incomplete. His gaze turned swiftly to look out the window to estimate the time of day. "It is still early... maybe nine. Lots of time before Pinkie should show. I had better finish this before I change." Working quickly over the page, he scribbled swiftly, filling out the rest of the details he had gotten too distracted to finalize. He paused for a moment to briefly scribble the last few lines before tidying up the letter and left it on his desk in the library in an outbox so Barb could send it off to The Princess.

As Dusk turned to start walking up the staircase, a rapid and cheerful knocking echoed upon the door, forcing him to pause. Dusk realized he had better answer the door first and make an excuse to go change before the smell got to him and started its secondary effects. Rapid steps carried him to the front door and upon opening it, he was hit in the face with a barrage of affection from the most energetic of his new-found friends. Pinkie was early and squeezed him tight in her warm hug. "I... err.. Good morning, Pinkie."

Rubbing her cheek affectionately across his chest, the cheery party pony flashed him her warmest of grins while her arms slipped up and around his shoulders to rest her head on his chest, her voice a swift waterfall of words that poured forth. "HI DUSK! How was your visit with Applejack? Was her breakfast as super-fantast-alicous as always? Are you feeling much better? And why are you blushing so much?"

Absorbed in the warm and plush weight that pressed into his body, Dusk swallowed sharply and turned his head up to offer her a grin. "Not so fast Pinkie, you're going so quickly and I can hardly keep up!" Gently lifting his arms up to peel her arms free of his neck and push them together between his body and her own. "I... err, yes, breakfast was great, Pinkie. And AJ and I had a great talk." He swallowed sharply, his eyes on hers as he tried to catch up with her swift chatter of words.

Before he could manage, the effort of sorting out the stream of thoughts with which she had inundated him was suddenly interrupted as she peeled from his grip and dropped to her knees, bright eyes having already picked out the discoloration in his pants. Instantly leaning in close so she could properly inspect the wet patch on his pants, a long slow lick of her tongue dragging across it and indirectly his groin beneath the cloth. Eyes wide, she stood up swiftly and grappled Dusk once more by the shoulders, her voice rapid and excited as well. "Dusk! Did you know that AJ was in heat? You didn't tease her too badly did you? You better not have been too mean to her; she isn't good dealing with guys and you shouldn't be so mean to her!"

Shocked by the sudden attention that Pinkie had given to his loins with that strange sudden lick, Dusk was frozen in place as she stood up and gripped him by the shoulders and locked his gaze with her own. "I ... err.. Pinkie... No I didn't torment her, she was polite until she ... um... until she realized what was happening and ran away."

A sigh escaped Pinkie as she released him, and turned to look out the door, searching for a minute before turning back and closing the door at her back. "Alrighteo, Dusk. Then until AJ says otherwise I will take your word for it and trust you didn't pick on her." A single finger jabbed him in the chest before she pointed across to the library’s main hall as he let her hands push him back to the Library hall. "Now time is short. I have our lunch order all setup for delivery in about two hours, and you know as well as I do that Fluttershy will use any excuse or delay to avoid having to come. She got SOOO nervous when Barb said this was a date!"

* * *

As Pinkie forced Dusk back to the main hall of the Library with a forceful grip, she pushed him to sit once more in the heavy, red cushioned chair. "Okay Dusky, we need to get started. I'll get a wet cloth and help you clean those pants, you start asking questions!"

Deciding to just accept her help at this point, Dusk moved swiftly to sort through the piled papers in the folder sitting on the table at his side. Sorting through them rapidly, he found the paper he had started for Pinkie Pie. His voice was still a little shaken at the odd situation that had so swiftly complicated his otherwise rather simple life. "Okay Pinkie. If you think this is the best answer, I will go with it. First, just how tall are you? And what is your weight?"

From the kitchen he could hear her pull out a rag and soak it in the sink. She bounced back into the room, the grin on her face as she kneeled at his feet and began drawing the rough fabric over the wet spot in his pants left behind by Applejack. The steady stroke of the rag across his groin was the oddest mix of enjoyable and distracting-as-all-hell, leaving him to struggle to get his mind back in order. "Oh I'm five foot ten and one thirty eighth, and one hundred and sixty eight pounds of FUN!!!" There was a pause as she continued to stroke the cloth around pulling it away and sniffing the air deeply several times. "Hmm... I think it's better. Did you need help filling out those kind of details for the other girls? I know that AJ is embarrassed about her weight. And I bet you didn't have the courage to ask her how big she was!"

Dusk blushed at her candidness, swallowing sharply even as his lips formed the words he hadn't realized were so suddenly on his lips. "Well, how big are you? How big is she?" He suddenly realized he had asked that, while her fingers drifted free of the thick bulge in his pants.

Her answer however, was just as suddenly serious and warm, while her weight shifted up and she rested her elbows on his knees, her low cut top allowing her breasts pop free and fully reveal their curves. Drawing a breath, she let him have a full view of her ample breasts. "You can guess if you want, but I wear a 38 F cup, and AJ is a 44 E and she weighs one hundred ninety six pounds." Dusk's eyes grew wide as he closely watched the display put forward by his friend, never for a moment shy about the fact she had so casually put her breasts on display.

Dusk's gaze grew more intense as he realized he was being allowed to study the heavy, exposed breasts now revealed in his lap. Tanned flesh on bold display, the smooth skin was lightly freckled in such a way as to make him want to connect the dots. Small areola circles surrounded the pert tips of brown nipples, the hard flesh semi erect. He noticed that one had been pierced with a cute three balloon cluster. "You are... very open with information... If I... cannot manage to ask the others a question do you think... I can ask you for confirmation?"

Laughing and rolling back to free up her hands and pop the shirt back over her breasts once more Pinkie offered a shrug. "It's no problem at all for me to try and offer you that kind of help Dusk! Now come on, we don't have much time left. What's next? Cutie mark?"

To his credit, Dusk only felt a little sense of loss as the exciting sight she had put on display for him disappeared once more behind the veil of cloth. At last relaxing a little himself, he leaned back, breathing a slow hissing sigh. "Yeah, some stuff about your work, if you have any scars, that kind of thing."

The door slamming, dusk Realized that Barb was home before her voice called out, making him suddenly thankful now that Pinkie had put her breasts away and sat tall once more. "Dusk! I'm back. has Pinkie shown up yet?"

Pinkie was the faster of them to answer, standing up swiftly and turning her back to him to shift her shorts a little lower and put her cutie mark on full display, even while speaking out with joy. "I'm here, Barbypoo!" The full display of her cutie mark was presented just above the curve of her ass, three balloons, one yellow while the other two were blue.

As Barb entered the room, Dusk lightly started to stroke his fingers across Pinkie's ass, just above her cutie mark. "Hello, Barb. I've finished AJ's report and wanted to send it to The Princess right away, in case she had any questions before I finished with Pinkie and we had to go get Fluttershy for lunch. Think you can send it?"

Wide-eyed, Barb glanced at Dusk's inspection of Pinkie's backside, before shifting her gaze back once more to give him a very dark and serious glare. "You're silly. When does Princess Celestia ever question your attention to detail you lecherous fool!"

Pinkie snorted at the words and rushed over to hug Barb tightly. "Don't worry, Barbypoo. If anyone's the lecher here, it's me!" She took a second to deeply kiss the smaller girl, holding her close and stroking her jaw softly.

Suddenly reminded about his sense of shock earlier in the day, Dusk laughed and shook his head. "Pinkie don't tease her, she doesn't know you're just joking."

The kiss ended, and Pinkie moved to step back from the now truly-befuddled little dragoness, softly stroking her cheek before letting go and stepping away. "I'm sorry Barb, you're just too cute when you're lecturing Dusk for being bad." Laughing gently, she hugged the dragon and pushed her to the desk where his letter sat. "Now send Dusk's note so he can finish mine!"

Still shocked and a little overwhelmed, the dragon began to wander wide-eyed over to the desk and with a burst of green flame, sent the note off in a trail of green smoke that sailed from the window, swiftly delivering the letter to the Princess. As the two ponies talked, she tried to process all the mixed and conflicting emotions that ran through her mind. Suddenly, a heavy sensation of weight built up inside her throat, and a harsh burp ripped the magic from the depths of her throat as a burst of fire was released suddenly. "Err... Dusk... I guess you were right."

Their discussion interrupted, Dusk step swiftly over to take the letter up, reading it swiftly with wide eyes inspecting the page, but that only took a second, as the letter was short. His shoulders slumped and he released a sigh from his throat as he shook his head slowly. "She wants me to go see Redheart again. She wants a reference to some specialist to get my head examined again. And she wants me to keep asking extremely personal questions of the other girls. I'll try, but Pinkie... I might need your help again after all."

Laughing and nodding as she jotted notes on the paper Dusk had been writing about her, Pinkie looked up and grinned. "Okie dokie lokie! It'll be my pleasure! But I think you should send this letter. It's done now and I'm sure the princess appreciates getting the letter so quickly. Plus, I gotta go get our lunch and Fluttershy."

Folding up Celestia's letter, he wandered over and started to scan the letter about Pinkie, at last nodding once and scribbling a few last notes at the bottom of the page. "I think you are right. This should go over well, Pinkie. Thanks for your hard work." He paused as he rolled the letter up, handing it to Barb. "I think we are as ready as we can be for Fluttershy."

The trio nodded, for once the same line of thought came to all three at the same time. Barb was the one who spoke up first after the new letter was sent off. "So it’s a casual lunch, not a date, and not a strip club visit." She leveled a glare at Pinkie, who appeared to not notice the dragon's evil eye.

Author's Note

Watch The World According to Garp. God damn its one of Robin Williams best works. Distracting the shit out of me as I was writing this chapter but damn it it still fantastic, a real pleasure to watch.

Alright. I know I said I'd do part 2 as AJ though to Fluttershy and 3 as dash and rarity but this was getting really long as it was. So I'd rather upload this section now, and do part 3 as Fluttershy and Dash. I might make Rarity part 4 all by herself. It's still so damn long-winded. Hopefully you all enjoy this tease and please leave me a comment!

March 21st, 2015 - Wrabbit Edition update!

August 10th, 2015 - Shawkthroian Edition update!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 3

Twenty minutes passed as Dusk sat writing quietly in details for Fluttershy on the page he had set aside for her. Alone now, as Barb was setting up the kitchen for a simple lunch, his eyes remained locked on the page. "So much of this was so easy to fill out, yet... it is just... Why does she have to know such personal details? It is just gonna drive Fluttershy into hiding." He hissed out a low breath and shook his head, squeezing his nose in hopes of driving away a headache that was pouring forth.

A sudden, rapid knock on the door stole his attention from the page. Turning his head to glance out the picture window, he saw a young filly he had not seen before standing by the door. She was a pegasus with bright orange wings, and her cerise hair was cut short, leaving long bangs half over her eyes. She wore a small black t-shirt and long jean shorts. He guessed she must be thirteen or so, likely also in Apple Bloom’s class if he was one to judge. Standing and crossing over to the front door, he moved to pull it open, only to have Pinkie Pie ambush him and wrap him in a hug. "Dusk! Sorry but I had to show the new girl where you're located. This is Scootaloo, she will bring in the food while I go get Fluttershy!" She paused, turning to the filly. "See Scootaloo? He is just as super amazing awesome as Rainbow Dash!"

Dusk was shocked at the sudden weight around his neck as Pinkie planted two or three light kisses on his cheek before suddenly peeling away. Nodding to the young Scootaloo, Pinkie was off and running across town, yet somehow appeared to be simply skipping. Still shocked by all this, it wasn't until the young voice spoke out before him that Dusk shifted his gaze again. "So you're the new unicorn stallion in town? Why did the girls at school make such a big deal about you?"

Shocked at the first person in a long time besides Barb to give him real attitude, a broad grin spread from ear to ear. "The kitchen is the door straight ahead; Barb is my assistant. She can help you carry in the packages."

With her ear-to-ear grin, the lass turned and picked up the first package and ran down the hall, her voice thrown over her shoulder "Well at least you got some balls! Most ponies around here besides Rainbow Dash are such spineless cowards."

Dusk himself turned to follow along, opening the door for her and looking for Barb. "Barb! Food’s here!" He paused as he turned to grin at the young filly. "You know Rainbow Dash? Impressive for such a young smartass. I'd figure a prime athlete like her wouldn't spend too much time around the younger generation except when tryouts for the young flyers started up. You some proud sport star in the making, yourself?"

Dusk's words apparently hit a sore spot, and the little filly turned to level her glare away at a wall. "I'm a great runner, thank you very much."

Swiftly realizing he had hit a sensitive issue, Dusk was relieved when Barb stepped through the kitchen door and thrust a paper into his hands. "Here, Dusk. Princess Luna sent you a letter." At Dusk's slack-jawed gaze, she pushed it into his hands. "I'll help with the food. You go deal with the letter."

Grabbing the letter and nodding heavily to Barb, he shifted to turn eyes on the glaring filly. "I can't wait to see just how good a runner you are, Scootaloo. It's always great to see someone with some balls." Tipping his head to the little filly, he slipped from the room and back into the library swiftly to read the letter. Realization dawned as he started to softly mumble, "Princess Luna... what is with your fascination with Nurse Redheart?" Serious realization spreading at the request, he had to take a moment to sit and quickly jot notes down on a fresh page. Working quickly to fill out this extra letter for Princess Luna, he grinned at how easy most of it was to finish.

While he was sorting through a copy of the Ponyville’s city records for details to finalize a few details on which he was fuzzy, a throat was cleared behind him. Turning and putting the book down, he realized that Scootaloo had joined him in the library, glaring up at him from only a few feet away. As soon as he turned, she said, "So. You know Rainbow Dash too? She is a real star for us pegasi here in town."

Grinning a little, Dusk turned to shut the register and faced her, one leg crossing over the other. "I'm sure she is. She was the only one who held up for even a minute or two in the fight against Nightmare Moon, and she did that without the armor most of the guards wear for protection."

Growing excited by his words, the little mare leaned forward grinning as she clenched hands into fists, obviously delighted at the prospect of talking about Dash. "I know, right! I was hiding behind one of the collapsed pillars the whole time. It was so cool to see Dash hit her when even your magic failed to make a dent in her armor! I'm the head of her fan club you know!"

Dusk laughed, an eyebrow raised as the gruff lass suddenly turned into your normal little girl with the simple shift of conversation to a topic she enjoyed. "That's true. But remember, as cool as Dash is, she was only able to keep that up because she practices so hard for her application to the Wonderbolt Candidate School when she turns eighteen. You should try asking her to help you train, too. I'm sure she just might be happy to help you excel with your running."

As happy as the filly had been, she dropped her head and bit down on her lower lip. One foot lifted and began wiggling against the ground in a clearly embarrassed nervous tick that tipped Dusk off to just how much the girl must really admire Dash... or maybe it was something more. "Nah. She’s way too busy to help me. Besides, she is way more into flying." Her shoulders drooped and those orange wings pulled in tighter to her back. Then a bright smile spread over her lips and she rushed forward grabbing him by the shirt with both hands, eyes wide with delight. "Dusk! You're really good with magic. Do you think you could find a spell to make me a better flier?"

Shocked at the girl’s sudden candor, Dusk quickly moved in close and placed his hands on her shoulders, and took a real moment to look at her wings. They were small for a teen, fragile and thin too. For a moment his heart ached, realizing she must have more than a few reasons to admire Dash. Squeezing her shoulders gently he offered her a nod. "I tell you what. I'll look for one, but only if you let me get a friend from Canterlot come visit you. She is a great flyer too and might be able to help in ways even I can't."

Overjoyed by this, the little filly quickly leaned up and kissed Dusk warmly on the cheek, peeling free of his arms and dancing a little jig around the library. Reaching into his pocket, Dusk fiddled with the strings of his coin purse, a golden twenty-five bit piece displayed prominently in his hand. Clearing his throat, he called to the girl again, "Here Scoots. A tip for your hard work today. Better get back to Sugarcube Corner though, before they think you've run off or we kidnapped you." The mare was only too fast to take the money, shoving it into her pocket and dashing off out the door. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Dusk turned, and violently snapped his quill up in the quill, the feather straining and nearly snapping from the nearly unsuppressed pain he felt in his heart as he shifted, once more trying to take up his quill to write to yet another princess. Softly mumbling to himself as he wrote, a single tear dragged down his cheek. "Dear Princess Cadance..."

* * *

Dusk asked Barb to send that letter as soon as Scootaloo left, his heart still heavy with worry for the young filly. Now he sat in the kitchen, watching as Barb crushed a small box of jewels that Pinkie had brought along with the food, humming delightedly to herself. Hoping to lift his spirits, he poked her with a little comment. "So based on your sense of taste... you would call the addition of gems to food... like we consider putting sprinkles on top? Because I think you have far too much junk food in that bowl."

Barb simply laughed and leveled a grin at him, sticking her tongue out and licking the spoon clean. "No. It's like pepper. It adds the the flavor, it’s not junk food, Dusk! We’ve gone over this a dozen times." A knock at the door broke up the old argument. Just because Princess Celestia presented him with a staggering stipend, didn't mean he wished the little dragon to gorge herself on sweet treats, but for today, he just let it go. Walking to the front door, he opened it, this time taking a swift step back, expecting exactly what was about to happen.

Pinkie launched herself forward, a warm hug spoiled by Dusk's forethought and causing her to stagger a few steps until his hand on her shoulder stopped her from falling face first to the ground. "Aww! Dusk! I wanted to give you a kiss hello." With a pout, she stood up again and crossed arms over her chest in false annoyance.

Grinning and patting her on the shoulder, Dusk was simply happy to laugh in return, shaking his head. "No, you don't need to give a kiss hello every time you come by, Pinkie. Keep that up and people will think you want me to form a herd." He paused as he looked at her, wondering.

The soft titter of laughter from the door caught Dusk's attention, and the presence of Fluttershy soon had his full gaze. She had been laughing at Pinkie's antics and thus was already calmed down from her normal nervous state. Dressed in what Dusk guessed Pinkie had insisted on her wearing, she modeled a yellow sundress that made a fine contrast to her soft pink hair, yet matched her wing feathers fantastically. Clearly Rarity's craftsmanship, it was tight against her enormous chest, yet had nearly no cleavage on display, thanks to the presence of a blue shirt she wore underneath with a far more modest collar than the dress itself. With matching blue heels on her feet, she stepped easily into the library, her voice bright, but soft. "Poor Pinkie. He saw you coming a mile away."

With a grin crossing his lips, Dusk shifted to offer a hand out to the shy mare. His eyes took in the silky white gloves she wore that completed the ensemble. "It is a pleasure to have you visit for lunch, Fluttershy. Please, let's go to the kitchen, Sugarcube Corner made up a fine lunch and it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

Accepting his hand the older mare squeezed his fingers in her for a moment, a low whimper escaping as she began to gently nod. "Okay, Dusk... but just for a while. I really should get back to the animals. I left Angel in charge, and he is a very ... um.." blushing darkly the mare clearly didn't wish to say anything bad about her young assistant.

Pinkie came to the rescue, wrapping her arms around Fluttershy and hugging her tight. "He’s just spoiled ‘cause you're so nice to him. Don't worry; an hour or two for lunch and conversation, then you can rush home and make sure everything is alright. Aunty Pinkie will even come along and help!"

Overwhelmed by the kind attention, but annoyed at Pinkie's words, she swallowed hard to clear her throat, giving the younger mare a glare. "But I'm older than you..." This statement was ignored as she was escorted to the kitchen, and lunch started.

* * *

Lunch went well enough for Dusk. The first few questions passed back and forth casually, while Dusk filled out the easier things. Sitting back as Barb cleared the plates, Dusk let his gaze return to the attractive figure of the shy mare. "So Fluttershy, running the clinic was your idea of a part-time job while you were in school? A surprisingly kind effort for one so young."

Blushing a little, Fluttershy sat forward and smiled as she gave her nod. Her voice was high and clear, while softly gushing with joy as she got carried away with her words. "Oh yes! It was such a joy to find out the vet in town back then was looking for help! And she had so many poor little animals that needed to be cared for. It was my pleasure to take up the slack. When Autumn Darling retired just before I graduated from school, it was really scary, but I was able to convert the little cottage my parents had built for me here in town. Just six months ago, I was able to buy it off them, and now it’s my little home!" A low giggle escaped her throat, fingers clutching together as she lightly bit her thumbs. "It's so nice that Princess Celestia wanted to know so much about all this."

Dusk responded with a chuckle and nodded at her words. His eyes roamed the page of notes, quickly realizing there was really only one thing still missing. With a sharp swallow and slow shake of his head, he released his breath in a low hiss from his throat. It was time. An eye on Pinkie as she helped Barb clean up the dishes, he said softly, "Princess Celestia wanted just a few more small details answered, Fluttershy. Mostly about your health and well-being." When she nodded, his eyes remained locked on hers this time, instead of the paper. "I got most of these stats from Nurse Redheart from your last physical, but just to check, she said you were five-foot nine... two hundred and ten pounds, and were currently wearing a 48GG?"

Instantly, the low meep escaped Fluttershy, her head dipping forward and mane falling heavily across her eyes to shield her face from view, though her dark blush had been very visible to interested eyes before the shift. Pinkie passed her plate to Barb and swiftly moved to Fluttershy's back, her fingers rubbing across the pegasus' shoulders. Leaning in close, she whispered something to the older mare, her voice too low for Dusk to hear. Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy attempted to speak up, but her low mumble was nearly impossible to discern. "Too large". Soft weeping could barely be discerned before her head dipped once more.

Knowing things were not going to go anywhere but downhill from here, Dusk tried to swallow back his concerns for her, and spoke softly, his eyes lifting to look deep into her gaze. His voice low, he replied, "Very well. Just one more question Fluttershy. Your cutie mark, it is three butterflies on your neck right? Can I see it to confirm it exactly?"

Again the low whispered meep whisper free, but this time she swallowed, and shifted to wipe at her eyes. Her head began lifting at Pinkie's continued soft whispers, while her fingers’ soft touch began drawing up the weight of her hair, voice lifting a little to speak again. "S... Sure Dusk.. Here you go."

With a smile spreading across her lips, Pinkie offered her a grin and kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. "You're so brave Fluttershy! Keep up the great work!"

Dusk moved to swiftly continue scribbling at the soft conversation between the two mares before setting down his pen and nodding. "All done. I will get Barb to send this letter off to Princess Celestia, right away. Thanks, Fluttershy. This was a great lunch."

Pinkie managed to suddenly ruin all their progress with the poor mare. "Yeah! Dusk's right. This was your best date with a stallion ever, Fluttershy!" Of course the reaction from Fluttershy was exactly what Dusk had feared after Barb's story of her first reaction to the idea. The mare twisted to look up, wide-eyed at Pinkie's dumb grin, lightly whimpering as she moved away from the group, heading for the door.

To Dusk's shock that it was him that beat her to the door. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder. His soft touch gripped her trailing hand, while he spoke swiftly to prevent the mare from getting away before he said anything. Yet no words came to mind as he gazed into her eyes and his grip on her soft hand felt wrong. As the pegasus looked back and into his eyes, a smile slowly crossed her lips, and she quickly moved to step back into the kitchen. Swallowing sharply and taking up both of Dusk's hands, she looked him in the eye, speaking in a kind tone. "Thank you, Dusk. You were a good date."

Shocked into silence, Pinkie's jaw hit the floor while Dusk could only nod a little. His fingers squeezed her in return, suddenly relaxing at the feeling of their softly linked grip. In the whispered moment as he locked eyes with the mare, a smile slowly spread across his lips. Nodding gently, he attempted to speak with calm care. "You were too, Fluttershy. Maybe in a few weeks, if you feel up to it, we can have another." She blushed, but nodded gently in return.

* * *

It was late. Dash was late. Nearly three in the afternoon by Dusk's guess. He had released Barb; letting her go do some general shopping while he waited for some sign of the wayward pegasus. Notes were piled up on the desk before him. Dusk spent his time quietly sorting through them, lost in his musings. Muttering darkly, he once again shifted to look up, glaring out the window. Still no sign of the town's head weather pony.

With a grunt, Dusk stood and wandered out of the library, to the front door. Shifting the catch open and stepping though, he turned slowly, all the while looking high into the air. A half dozen of the town’s other fliers were in the sky, doing their usual work to keep the air clear of unscheduled weather. Releasing a grunt, Dusk shook his head. "Really Dash? You're over an hour late. Still, at least you got your ponies on duty." A sigh escaped his lips, and as he turned to walk back inside a sudden burst of swift air shot past him. Dash landed at his door and crossed her arms over her chest. "What th- Damn it, Dash. You're late, you know."

While Dusk lifted a hand to smooth down his face under the stress of another mounting migraine, his gaze beheld once more the smooth, svelte curves on the athletic woman. Again, that nervous tick forced itself in and took over, forcing fingers to lift once more to squeeze down at the bridge of his nose, while his lower lip was drawn back between his teeth, raking it between them.

Taking six swift steps forward and putting hands on Dusk's cheeks, she leaned in to look into his eyes, Dash slowly began to tilt her head a little to the right, her voice slightly worried. "Dusk? You OK man? Should I go grab Redheart?" The soft touch of her hand distracted Dusk for a moment, causing his head to lift and his eyes to reopen.

With a voice low and slightly sharp, he responded with a quiet grunt from his slight annoyance. "No Dash. I don't need a medic. But we had a schedule, and you're late." He paused and swallowed sharply, while a hand lifted to smooth his face again, even as he tried to keep calm despite his OCD going into overdrive. He at last took in Dash's appearance, which only deepened his annoyance. She was dressed in ultra short spandex exercise shorts and a matching, tiny sports bra; it was clear as day to him she had been sleeping in it. This was made even more abundantly clear by the way her hair's heavy bangs were flat across her face and over her eyes. "You just woke up, didn't you?"

Now it was Dash's turn to go on the defensive. Stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest she gave a little snort, and lifted her gaze to glare back at him. Her voice sounded annoyed as she replied, "Look, I was busy practicing for the Wonderbolts all day, and wanted to get an hour nap while I was waiting for Pinkie and Fluttershy to leave. I must have fallen asleep for longer than I thought." Turning her back and giving a huff she strutted to the door and jabbed a finger towards it, while looking over her shoulder back at him. "Now, are we doing this paperwork egghead, or not?"

Dusk gave a grunt, but turned and followed her inside his Library, his head aching and a deep need to get this over with before one of them said something to piss the other off.

Inside the library once more, Dusk walked with annoyance to his desk where he sat, sorting Dash's pages before turning to face the mare’s... bare ass. While he had been getting settled, she had stripped off her shorts and panties, leaving her bare ass on full display for him, while her long, muscled legs flexed. She stretched out her back, reaching her arms high over her head and hissed out a low sigh. Stuttering, Dusk asked, "Dash... Why'd you..."

The answer came quickly enough as she looked over her shoulder and offered him a smirk. "I was gonna use some excuse about showing you my cutie mark properly since it’s over my hip and normally half-covered by my shorts, but the truth? I was talking to AJ this morning, and she smells great today." She arched an eyebrow, waiting to see if Dusk got her meaning.

Eyes still wide, he had to sharply swallow. "So you came to tease me since you know AJ's... smell." He left the words about her heat cycle unsaid for the moment. "Your cutie mark is fantastic, as bold as your personality... and your sense of propriety."

Snorting, Dash shifted into an easy strut across the short distance between them and hopped into his lap, facing away and pressing her bare flank down into his groin, her hands gripping his knees and grinding her firm ass back against his groin. Now her gaze leveled at him and she spoke with a quiet pleasure that was barely suppressed. "I want to help you get past the smell I'm sure is still stuck in your nose, you bookworm. Or are you too busy with your writing to realize the effects a mare's heat has on your body? You're already rock hard... or is that my fault?"

Dusk knew she wasn't lying, and the pressure of her firm ass against his groin and the slow and steady grinding of flesh made his breath catch sharply. One hand raked over Dash's ribs while the other slipped across and began to draw up, across the mare's chest, cupping one of her breasts, until his hand was slapped sharply, and put firmly back on the hand-rest at his side. "Wha? Why?"

Dash found her grin again and shook her head, one finger lifting to twitch before his eyes. "Because I'm not some mare for your herd, Dusk. And besides, I'm a minor, you'd get in so much trouble if I told on you." The wolfish grin in her eyes made Dusk question her intent on that fact, but she was right, as she was only seventeen he was pushing the law, if only a little. That said, as far as the law was concerned, it wasn’t that abnormal for a stallion and a mare only three or four years apart to be lovers. Grunting sharply he took a moment to shake his head to clear those thoughts, his attention drawn back to the mare in his lap.

Cautious about the new rules from the younger mare, Dusk managed only to swallow sharply and level his gaze on the paper. "Alright. Then, let me go down the lis..." a hiss and low groan of pleasure escaped as he attempted to restrain himself and keep his mind off his cock and the thrusting pleasure that was now grinding several inches into Dash's ass-cheeks. "List. I got your cutie mark done. And your height is simple enough, about an inch shorter than me. How big are your breasts?" The glare she leveled him at that question was deep and fierce, but he attempted to wave it off by pointing to the page he was writing on. "Seriously. Princess Celestia demanded I ask. You should ha.... have seen Fluttershy's reaction."

Grunting at her pleasure, Dash simply had to pause and swallow sharply herself, her lower lip pulled into her mouth and she bit down sharply at the trapped flesh while it shifted into a low smile. "She is way too shy about her fantastic breasts. It's a real damn shame to tell the truth." There was a grunt and shudder as she hissed her next moan out of her clenched jaw. "Mummmphhhh. I'm a 32 B."

Shuddering a little, Dusk let his hands lift and drew his fingers to rake his nails across the fabric of the chair's arm, the pleasure of her weight and tight ass grinding into his hard shaft driving him to his limits. "Dea... Dear Celestia... Dash. I am going to cum. Please... stop it..."

Laughing at his reaction, the mare took a moment to pause while biting her lower lip, before hissing sharply. "Dammit... fine!" With a grunt, she drew her hips forward and let a hand slip behind her, drawing the zipper down on his pants and slipping her palm into his boxers. Her fingers working with unpracticed fumbling, she drew a breath and tried to swallow quietly. "I... err... Celestia damn it." Blushing, she stood up and knelt between his knees, using both hands to lift the hem of his pants, his cock popping from them and suddenly slapping her in the face with its hot flesh and broad tip. Swallowing sharply and slitting her eyes, she glared up at him. "You... I've... that is..."

Realization dawned on Dusk, and he struggled to swallow deeply. "You do not have to Dash. I have never been with a mare. You do not..."

The sound of the library’s front door being kicked open got both of their attention. Barb’s coming home stole the moment from them. Suddenly, they were in a whirl of swift action, as Dusk shoved himself once more into his pants, while he nervously glanced at the door. Dash had bolted behind the desk, and was busy trying to pull on her panties and shorts. From the door, Barb‘s voice called out as she stumbled through the house. "Dusk! Dash! I'm back! You done with the letter for Princess Celestia?"

Author's Note

Poor Dusk and Dash. Awkward young fools a real shame right? Hope you guys like.

April 5th 2015 - Wrabbit edition complete!

August 10th 2015 - Shawkthorian edition complete!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Interlude 3 - Private Conversations - Part 4

After Dash had slipped out, Dusk tried in vain to get away from Barb's pressing questions on why he had ran off to change so quickly. Now nearing seven in the evening and so very tired of this day, Dusk had settled into his chair behind his desk in the library. Dusk took a moment to consider the outfit he had put together, stroking his fingers across the silk of the deep blue suit jacket. Princess Celestia had given him it a gift for some function she ordered him to attend last year. For a moment, Dusk let his fingers linger on the emblem of his cutie mark on the left breast, pausing to admire the twin stripes that matched the streak in his hair running vertically on the right side. "Rarity, will this be good enough for you?" The matching pants were clean and made a great replacement after the stressful day he had already gone through with the other pair, with matching dual streaks continuing the line from waist to ankle in line with the jacket's dual lines. Black dress shoes polished to a mirror shine finished it off, while a light purple silk dress shirt lay under the jacket's double breasted fold.

Tired as he was of the way this day had gone, Dusk allowed his chair to tilt back three tiny clicks, leaving his feet just slightly off the ground as his eyes began to droop low and his breathing fell off. In seconds, the young stallion was asleep once more, his mind slipping away from the waking world while his right hand lay on the armrest, a glass of water lightly held in his fingers.

* * *

“It is .. early summer?” Dusk realized he stood in the middle of Canterlot University's magicball court, the outdoor field set up so unicorns could compete while a shield spell, a recent addition thanks to Shining Armor's recent student thesis on the use of such spells to prevent accidents happening to those who watched such games. Dusk was running so hard, his lungs burned with the effort of keeping up so aggressive a pace. High overhead, many of the competing unicorn’s four balls floated, the one suspended the highest, a tiny brilliant pink ball had been crafted specifically for this game, ensorcelled to resist magic gripping it, instead forcing the unicorns to cup it and dance around opponents’ spells to avoid them stealing it with a simple slap.

Dusk supported that tiny ball now, and was already more than halfway across the field. The eight point ball was so hard to grip most didn't even bother to try to hold onto it; instead simply slapping at it to drive whoever had it back to their end. Breaking past another point guard who had managed to erect a wall spell in his way through raw force, Dusk bolted into the open field. He was so close now, there was only the goalie left before him now, and as harshly as his breath panted in this moment of stress, Dusk knew he had enough strength to get past any trick he might pull.

Then, everything froze. Luna placed a hand on his shoulder. This time, he couldn't even move as she softly traced a line across his tense back and pointed across the field to... Sunset Shimmer. Every inch the public image of a devoted marefriend, she was screaming at the top of her lungs while she cheered him on. "Today is important Dusk. You remember it quite well. You were the hero for one day. The champion of Star Swirl U, and the center of attention. And she was there."

Unable to move, his eyes shifted a little to roll around and look to the figure she had picked out to him. Sunset Shimmer, exactly as he remembered. A tall mare, around six feet in height and pressed hard up against the shield spell and pounding on it with both hands. Balled fists were bashing on the surface of the spell while she screamed at the top of her lungs to cheer him on. Her wild and vividly crimson hair was long, falling heavily on her shoulders, with yellow streaks offsetting the darker hue. Her horn glowed with an amber light. She was one of the unicorns picked out to help sustain the shield spell to protect those in the bleachers that watched.

And as he took her in, everything slammed back into motion again. His swift stride returned as he bolted across the field, and smashed the eight point ball past the goalie, throwing it hard into the net, the resounding echo of an announcer screaming out his victory. Before he could take three more steps the bell alarm rang out, ending the game with Star Swirl U up 38 to 34 over Canterlot U. The shield spell dropping, an excited crowd rushed onto the field and soon he was swept up and carried off by adoring fans, with Sunset planting a kiss on his lips.

* * *

Dusk's weight leaned slightly to the right, fingers still clutching at the glass, while a long, low breath was drawn... the weight of glass and angle of his chair began to drag at his hand, to pull it... then with a sudden twitch of a muscle in his sleep and his wrist rolled, breaking the final straw. His arm fell from the armrest, the glass of water he had been holding was lost from his grip and allowed to fall free of his fingers.

* * *

Two hours later found Dusk arm in arm with Sunset Shimmer. He waved to the Princess and all those who followed after her as they left the stadium. With his free hand lifted up to unlock the observatory’s door, and the hand upon the small of Sunset's back gripping gently on her far hip, he stepped inside, letting the door slip shut in silence behind him.

The observatory was silent. Barb was out for the night, on some duty the Princess had requested of her, if he remembered right. Releasing Sunset and turning to face her, Dusk let his gaze met hers. "It has been a great day, Shimmer." His pulse still throbbed so strongly, even while he swallowed a breath.

Shimmer's reaction was to give a grunt and step away, her voice sultry. "And you did very well for once, Dusk. See, just like I told you, once you stop pussyfooting around the norms, someone of your skill can really excel and be the proper star you were always meant to be." She said, her arms crossing over her chest as she leveled her glare on the wall just over his shoulder as if looking through him. She snorted lightly. "If you'd just done as I told you at the start of the season, you'd have been the star of the year, not just one last game."

Dusk's breath grew sharp and his eyes wide as he looked up into her own. A hand lifted to squeeze down on the bridge of his nose while a pained groan turned into an unrestrained rant of frustration, a powerful migraine forming at her words. "I just... Damn it Sunset. We were having a good day, why do you have to keep bringing this kind of stuff up? I do not want to be some silly sports star. Leave that for the egomaniacs like Blueblood! You saw him today. Seven damn goals with the two point ball. That's not strategy, that is just showboating to say he got the most goals, like he did to his aunt the second he got her attention. The fact he was the second star of the game drove him nuts." Throwing his arms into the air, Dusk turned away from her, his disgust coming forth, thick with bile.

Shimmer's attitude changed almost immediately, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as one hand slipped under his shirt. Her flat palm stroked his still sweaty chest and across the toned muscle of his abs. Her lips were on his right ear, biting down and giving a small tug, a purr whispering forth with quiet desire. "Oh, don't be like that, Dusk." She gave a sharp tug to the lobe’s flesh, before her tongue danced slowly up and across the curve of his ear. "We both know Blueblood couldn't hold a five point ball to save his life, let alone the eight. It's only ‘cause the two point sticks to his magic that he gets any goals at all. Besides, you were the real star. Now, all the others at SSU will really understand why they should respect you properly. Why, you're the proper leader for next year’s team. My big Mister MVP."

Dusk shivered at her continued attention, releasing a murmur as his ear’s flesh was tormented by those attentive nibbles and tugs, the drag of her tongue only furthering the distraction. Her fingers teased and soothed his tense muscles, and for a moment, he let his shoulders slump. "So tell me your only reason for caring is not simply so you can lord my new found stardom over Lula and the other mares? That I am more to you than another trophy to hold above them?"

Her fingers stopped, and a grunt escaped those warm and pouting lips. "Oh come on Dusk. You know you're not a trophy. You're my colt. Soon, I'll make you a stallion." She hissed a groan into his ear, but her words afterward were far from as sweet. "If I brag to those other mares, it’s only because I'm better than them. I'm smarter, I've the highest grades in the school, not you, not even Lula can beat me in any class. I'm stronger too, Dusk. I bet I could break Shining’s shield spell if I wanted to. I've been studying it at the magicball games. It's not that strong you know, I've been helping with the games already and nobody ever noticed. A foot gripped here, a little extra weight behind Silver Spade's tosses of the five point ball because he always goes after the extra points that heavy ball is worth." She gave a snort as her nails raked up his abs, her free hand gripping his head and pulling it sharply to the side, so she could nip at the tender flesh of his now-exposed jugular.

Dusk's reaction was instantaneous. Revulsion poured forth from the depths of his throat with that same strong bile. Disgusted by her touch, he threw her off of him, pulling away and taking a few steps away, a heated glare leveled at her. "You... you have been cheating? You have been sneaking a second spell though the damn shields? How long, Sunset? How many games? And why? It is just a damn game!" She leveled a glare at him in return as he grasped the bridge of his nose in two pinching fingers trying to fight back the bile in his throat.

Sunset only snorted, her glare making her opal-colored eyes hard. "Oh come on Dusk, we shouldn't have to put up with those scrubs at Canterlot U. Unicorns so weak and lazy they couldn't get into SSU. Who cares if I cheated to help the team out a little? It's not like anyone will ever know. Now remind yourself that I choose you to be my colt from all the silly boys who wander this school and you should be happy I even give you the fucking time of day, understand?"

His voice was suddenly calm. "That night in low-court. When you and Lula had your little fight. It was not an accident when that spell back-lashed on me, was it? You were just angry you could not best her and took it out on me, did you not?" When all he got was a sneer, he knew it was time; knew it was over. "I am going to Princess Celestia now, Sunset. You can lock the door when you are done here, but leave the key. I am not a trophy, and you have never treated me... treated anyone as anything but another tool to make you look better, look more important, look stronger than anyone else. Enjoy working on your thesis, I am sure you will do great. What was your topic again? The Elements of Harmony, like Princess Celestia asked? That is a laugh. You do not want harmony, you just want control." Storming out, Dusk slammed the door, and never saw Sunset again.

* * *

It was odd. This time, he floated above the memories that followed that angry fight. His only relationship with a mare, and he had ended it by turning her into the Princess. Floating in the sky above this reenactment of himself running to catch up to the Princess and the rest of the team, Dusk lifted his gaze to Princess Luna, and he asked, "And why should I want to remember this part of that day? The one mare I trusted treated me as nothing more than a trophy; not exactly my shining moment, there. She was more interested in getting the other mares to dance to her step than our relationship. Time and time again, I tried to make her proud of me instead of just being proud of myself. Why make me relive today, of all days?"

Luna's response was to tap the air between them, shifting the scene that played out in the void of dreams they floated in together, this time flashing though the events of his present day. Breakfast with AJ. Shaving with Apple Bloom. Plotting out lunch with Pinkie Pie. That soft way Fluttershy looked into his eyes when she stopped trying to run from him. And Dash's teasing moment in his lap. He blushed hard, waving a hand at the image to try to dispel it, realizing only now that he had no power in this place. At last, Luna spoke. "’Tis true, that day was not a happy one, but this? It has already been a busy one. Yet doth it show thou something, Dusk? These five mares do care for thee. Each in a unique way, and all far more than Sunset Shimmer ever did. Even Dash, who claims her attraction is only physical, admires your strength and caring. Thou cannot let thine past experiences with Sunset prevent you from seeing the love that stands right before thee."

Princess Luna stepped through the images, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him into a strong and powerful hug. Dusk could only stare up at her, his eyes glazed over while a whimper whispered free of his lips. "Princess Luna... Thank you. You... you are right. I will consider these words, this has certainly been eye opening..." a sigh escaped his lips while he lifted his arms to gently hug her in return. "Thank you Princess, and..."

* * *

The glass smashed to the floor of the library, shattering into a dozen pieces and ripping him back to the real world once again. His breath hissing through clenched teeth, Dusk forced his eyes open and snorted to clear his throat, sitting up and rubbing an open palm across his face. "By The Light! Why is she visiting me every time I close my eyes these days?"

Barb came running at the sound of the shattering glass, her eyes wide with worry. She hesitantly asked in quiet concern, "D- Dusk? Are you Ok? I heard the glass breaking and..." then her eyes spotted the drool on his cheek and the fact his other hand still hung off the end of the chair, dangling just above the broken glass. "You fell asleep while taking a sip!" The little dragoness admonished, slapping her face, and turning to walk from the room. "If you're that tired, I'll tell Rarity tonight is off, I'm sure Nurse Redheart would never sanction it."

Shifting to struggle and sit up taller, Dusk gave a grunt and attempted to shake off the sleep, his voice still heavy with its pressure. "It is not like that Barb... I think Princess Luna is trying to ambush me or something. She keeps giving me these dreams that are always flashbacks to bad memories. I do not know if she is trying to learn more about me, or trying to teach me something." With a groan of annoyance, he moved to stand up, glad for the strong leather of his dress shoes, so he needn’t worry that the glass might cut his feet.

Stopping as she started to bend down and sweep up the shards, her eyes went wide as she looked up to him. "Princess Luna? Really? Maybe she just finds you interesting after that whole incident with the Elements of Harmony."

Now Dusk's eyes went wide and he looked up again, a secondary memory springing forth. "The Elements of Harmony? Sunset Shimmer's thesis was on the Elements. Princess Celestia requested she study them personally. How could I have missed that before?" Sweating, he began to pace the room, his eyes cast about the room while he plucked at his lower lip. "Was she grooming Sunset for the duty of saving Princess Luna? No wonder she wants into my memories so bad."

Barb laughed at this and shook her head. "Really? Sunset Shimmer as the Element of Magic? As the symbol of friendship? Don't make me laugh, Dusk! I'm just glad you finally listened to me and stood up to her!" The glass cleaned up, Barb wandered to the kitchen laughing to herself while ranting gently about the bad days when he was Sunset Shimmer's colt. "A foul day when Princess Celestia introduced you two."

Dusk stormed back to his desk as she wandered off and snatched out another note, scribbling sharply across the page, the note blunt and to the point. This time he wouldn't wait for Barb to send it. He had seen the dragon fire spell more than enough times before and lit a match, focusing his magic until the flame grew into a towering inferno, shifting from the normal yellow to a raspberry hue from his magic aura's powerful influence. He thrusted the letter into the flame, a whisper of magic sending it off... and suddenly he felt as if he had been punched in the gut. It was shocking how much magic so small a spell took. His eyes crossed and his breath dropped to a wheezing gasp. Fingers clutched the desk, even as his body fell across the desktop, and his strength flagged further, cheek resting on the wood as he tried to find something to stop the room from spinning.

A burst of flame flared up from the match's ashes, forming a new letter before his eyes. It was not fast like Barb's spell, the slow materialization took what felt like painful hours though it was actually just a few short seconds. This note was small, a scribbled corner of the page that had been ripped off from another letter. When the spell at last ended, Dusk felt the pressure sucking at his magic, ending at last and his breath finally drew in again without that crushing pain on his chest.

With fingers half-numb from the way his magic had drained from him all energy, Dusk forced the seal open and pinned the page down with the tip of thumb and pinkie. The words made him hiss with pain. The strength to burn the note up was not responding to his summons, and in the end, he shoved the note into his mouth, chewing it slowly to destroy the evidence. Two sentences were all she sent him and he’d remember them.

"Never cast this spell again Dusk, ever! Sunset Shimmer has been gone for four years."

* * *

It took ten more minutes before Dusk could stand and walk again. The fact that Rarity was now late no longer came to mind, he was simply glad Barb had stayed in the kitchen and let him be. At last drawing a deep breath, he shifted to stand up and shake off the fatigue that still tried to send him crashing to the floor. As he straightened the jacket and turned to stroll stiffly towards the door, a quiet sigh escaped his lips. "Barb is right. This night is over." A knock upon the door pulled his attention up and his gaze turned to it. "And now I have to break Rarity's heart. Fantastic."

Cold sweat beaded down across his temple while he took the last few staggering steps to the door, clutching the cold metal while a sigh hissed free. His fingers turned the knob and...

Rarity stood in the doorway, her back turned towards the door while one hand was lifted, her voice bright as she addressed her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, in hushed tones. "And please darling, smile. He is such a nice man and you needn't worry about me. I'll care for you, I promise... I love you, Sweetie Belle."

The sight of Rarity before him flooded his heart to help him stand taller, lift his shoulders and square them as he faced her. A vision in sheer white silks that hugged her fine figure in such a suggestive way, hanging off her shoulders and only just hiding the top of her ass. Her tail hung down over the fragile silken dress, forming a vibrant purple spiral that hung close to her left hip. On the right, three diamonds had been stitched into the fabric, a fantastic sapphire blue to contrast the flawless white. The massive gap in the back put the whole of her back on display for his wandering eyes, from those shapely shoulders to the curve where the small of her back met her pert derriere.

A little shocked, Dusk realized she wore no jewelry at all tonight, and only the lightest amount of makeup, eyeshadow of sapphire to match the stitched cutie mark in the dress’ fabric. Her hair was as dolled up as ever, massive heavy locks of rich dark purple falling in streams across her shoulders and down over her back, the heavy curl at the bottom leaving a bare spot at the small of her back between her hair and tail.

Somehow this simple sight of an elegant woman, dressed up so fine just for him... it plucked at his libido and demanded he stand tall once more. Taking one or two more steps forward, he gently cleared his throat and let a hand slip out to touch the wrist she kept behind her back. "Good evening Lady Sweetie Belle, Lady Rarity. It is a pleasure to have you here."

While Sweetie Belle might have been shocked as she gasped at the words, Rarity was a world of grace and calm. Turning slowly, Rarity lifted both hands to draw up Dusk's in response to his touching her wrist. Holding it in the soft blue gloves that canvassed her fingers, she leveled her eyes on his own. Her voice was softly purring as she said, "Why Lord Dusk Shine, you flatter us. Now may we come inside? Or do you plan to keep two ladies waiting on your doorstep on a cold night?" Sweetie Belle simply stepped in behind Rarity but from the giggles that issued forth, it was clear she enjoyed the banter going on between Dusk and her sister.

Never one to leave a lady stranded and in need, Dusk bowed with care and took three steps back and to the side. "Then enter, dear ladies, and escape the night’s cold air." Offering them his warm grin, he waved his hand towards the library, shoulders shrugging. "Just head into there, ladies, and find a seat. I will get Barb and have Sweetie on her way." He paused, eyes on the short filly, grinning a little despite himself.

Before they had a chance to get any further into the house, he touched Sweetie's shoulder and dropped to one knee, his hands slipping to cup the little mare's while a steady gaze looked deep into her eyes. Tapping her gently on the nose, he said, "Sweetie Belle, I need to ask you a favor. While Rarity is with me tonight, I need you to take good care of Barb. She is like a daughter to me and I could not stand it if any harm came to her."

The serious tone of his voice was heavy with responsibility and confidence, a reassurance for the little mare that he had faith she could manage what was asked of her. Soft eyes looking up into his as the soft grey-mulberry and pink haired mare gave a giggle but locked eyes with him. Her hands shifted to clasp up his holding firmly and nodding with deep and serious meaning. "No problem, Sir Dusk Shine! It is an honor to be given such a major duty as protecting a baby dragon!"

Laughing a little at the game they played together it wasn't until Barb herself spoke up from the kitchen door that anyone realized she had come to watch the show they were putting on. With a thumb pointing over her shoulder to the kitchen, she said, "Your dinner is delivered and set up properly on the table, Rarity. Me and Sweetie had better be off before it gets too cold. I don't wanna get a cold and force Sweetie Belle to have to nurse me back to health."

Her sarcasm clear as day, it left all three deep in laughter until Rarity stepped up and cupped Barb's jaw, affection upon her wondrous eyes. Her lips whispered softly across Barb's cheek. "I know you will take good care of my dear Sweetie Belle, Barb. She means the world to me, and any harm to her would simply... shatter my heart." Her gaze lowered and she drew the dragoness into a strong hug, nuzzling deeply across her cheek.

The stunned silence this left Barb trapped in lingered until just as her and Sweetie Belle headed out the door, and Barb's voice called back over her shoulder. "Don't get too crazy, lovebirds. Remember who cleans up around here!"

* * *

Barb had really pulled out all the stops in taking advantage of Rarity's fine dishes and decorations. The kitchen now looked more like a proper dining room, and Dusk made a silent mental note to get her some of those candied sapphires she was always requesting, as the price he remembered the sweet shop owner in Canterlot quoting felt suddenly very reasonable.

With a soft grip, he guided Rarity to her chair, the blue silk of her glove resting daintily in his hand. As she moved to sit, he pulled her chair out for her, earning him flash of a warm smile. He said with an air of cordiality, "I would like to thank you for loaning us these fine dishes. Princess Celestia said she was going to have some proper hosting dinnerware sent soon in case she had need of me to entertain some dignitary or another for her, thanks to Canterlot being so close and all." The silverware set on the table gleamed with a fine polish recently done with care taken to make each piece stand out.

Rarity smiled warmly in return and lightly patted his hand before answering. "My pleasure, Darling. And really, it’s no rush at all! I've got two or three sets of different table settings for guests. It's all just in a silly collection cabinet though, and rarely gets used except for silly h'orderves from time to time." Flashing him her grin, she leaned back, gently lifting a wineglass from beside his plate and setting it down beside her own. With ease, her magic picked up the corkscrew and lifted it to draw across the tip of the bottle working with silent and carefully measured grace, at last popping the bottle open and slowly pouring the two glasses, softly humming.

Enchanted by her actions, Dusk hardly noticed when she pushed the glass before him as he sat down. Fingers curling around the glass, he drew it to his lips and sipped with quiet delight, the rich bouquet of the crisp wine made him turn his gaze to the bottle, inspecting it with one eye and a brow raised. "Viognier? I'm far from a drinker but it is nice... subtle fruity hints really make it a pleasure."

This had Rarity laughing gently and shaking her head. "Now, Dusk. You're not into wine? Hm... I take it you're not a big drinker at all. Far more interested in your books than a strong drink. Don't worry, I picked this because of its softer flavor and low alcohol levels. It shouldn't go to your head too quickly, Darling."

Laughing gently and drawing the bottle over he inspected it, he held it close while fingers stroked the bottle’s surface, a slow sigh issuing forth. Sipping deeply at the rich drink, Dusk found he was growing more aware... more awake with every sip he took. Sitting up, he lowered his glass, serving out cuts of bottom roast beef, roasted diced potatoes and mushrooms, not to mention the carrots, onion and a whole bulb of garlic.

Indulging in the richly seasoned meat, Rarity whispered with pleasure, drawing fingers to gracefully to pull her wine glass back, she sipped quietly and cooed. "It's a pleasure, Dusk. I was looking at the sheet Barb said Princess Celestia wants you to fill out. I even answered most of them while the two of us were sorting all this out." When he sat taller and started to try and speak out, she cut him off just as fast. "Don't worry, we didn't send it and I'll let you double check all the details later, if you really care to see it."

Nervously grunting, Dusk shook his head and resorted to laughter, shaking his head lightly with his amusement. "So I could sleep more? You are too kind, I really am not that worn out, Rarity. It's just been a crazy day, is all." At her deep pout, he lifted a hand waving it softly as he relented a little ground. "Besides. I have a visit with Nurse Redheart tomorrow. And I have written to Princess Cadance, asking her to come visit in a few weeks. I will get her to give me a checkup while she is here."

Now it was Rarity's turn to be the one who was rather confused. "Pri... Why bother a visiting Princess like Cadance for a checkup? Is she a doctor? I mean, I know she was going to try something crazy with you back when Nightmare Moon had killed you..." Cutting herself off, she swallowed, and set down her cutlery while correcting herself and calming the underlying fears Dusk only now realized she must have. Clearing her throat, she sat up taller. "She is a specialist of some kind, I take it? It's so lucky you're so close with her that you can request she come visit."

Dusk laughed at this, but kept it soft to avoid appearing to dismiss what was really worrying her. His hand slipped forward, softly squeezing her while he spoke, "It's nothing Rarity. I promise you that. She got a double major from Canterlot University even while studying at Star Swirl University and foalsitting me in her free time." He grinned, trying to set her at ease. "And I asked her to come visit to see... Do you know the little mare Scootaloo? A filly a year or so older than Sweetie Belle?" When she nodded, he smiled and then fell silent, sipping at his wine for a while before at last continuing, "She has what appears to be wingrot, but the weakest form of it I've ever seen. Cad..." stopped and swallowed again sharply his eyes lifted again to look to her. "Princess Cadence did a second thesis after she had already graduated. Specifically on the Canterlot outbreak of wingrot that struck ten years ago."

Eyes wide, Rarity began to take in the enormity of just what was going on in Dusk's world. The hidden depths he went to in life made her heart go out to him in that sudden understanding of just how much more he was thinking about than she. Now, it was her turn to cover his hand with her own, and gently squeeze his fingers. Her eyes lifted to watch him closely even while her breath hissed through half parted lips. "S... Scootaloo. Yes, Sweetie Belle told me she joined their class just a week or so ago. Apparently, she has a bit of an attitude. But wingrot? Isn't that something that appears with molting and muscle pain? I've seen her running around town on that scooter, her wings work fantastic... It’s a shock to hear."

Drawing his hand free and shaking it warmly before her, Dusk made quiet, soothing noises. The whole time he spoke in calm tones to reassure her as best he could, "It is ok, Rarity. I do not even know if it is really wingrot. It is just something I think she can look into; something with which I think she might be able to help the girl. Do not worry about it, we are here to have a good time, not to worry about things neither of us can help with." He drew back the wine glass and emptied it, quickly realizing it was his second glass, and his head started to feel a little fuzzy and he put the glass back on the counter, before he broke a second glass in a single day.

Rarity smiled, finishing her chunk of roast as he spoke to calm his fears, yet she was more than happy to support him by relaxing and offering him a warm smile. "I understand, Dusk. Let's talk about other things, instead. You've attended Star Swirl University since you were... what, seven? Eight? Isn't that a little young for even a talented unicorn like yourself?"

The topic changed, Dusk laughed and sat back, rolling his head back to look at the kitchen roof. "It's not that simple. I passed an entrance exam for SSU's youth prep school. I excelled so much, they promoted me into SSU at the age of fourteen. Only two or three others who really specialized were able to graduate as young as I did." He swallowed, the action helping his mind focus and concentrate on memories that kept swimming away on him. "Shining Armor graduated from SSU's military program at twenty one, but they are less about general study and more about a unicorn’s specific powers. Cadance, Lula, and Shimmer all graduated around 21 or 22. They only make a big deal about me because I'm the youngest stallion to ever graduate from SSU."

Holding back her laughter, she gently stroked a hand across his before she replied in a suggestive tone. "You're so modest, Dusk. You really shouldn't feel like you need to explain things in such detail just so it doesn't look like you're bragging." As she turned her eyes to the empty glass, she picked up the bottle with her free hand, drawing it before him. "Another glass, Dusk? You look like you could use another."

Dusk's next breath was drawn slowly as he tried to level his mind out and settle the swimming thoughts that were messing with his world. Still, it was a gentle wine, and he had enjoyed the taste. Lips curling in a grin, he replied, "I would like... to lay down, Rarity. I think... I think the wine has gone to my head a little too fast." Dusk gripped the table to stand, stiff legs resisting his attempt, even while he watched her eyes. "I... Yes... Could you help?"

Now she was worried again, as Dusk's breath was fast even though he had only had two small drinks. Pushing his chair back as he pushed off the table, his steps were weak and slow as he tried to walk across the room. Rarity moved surprisingly fast, wrapping him up in her arms and holding him close. "I... I'm sorry Dusk. I shouldn't have pushed the wine. It's just been such a good night." Swallowing and biting back the tears, she looked up at him, guiding him slowly around the house. It wasn't until they arrived at the stairs she realized he had passed out in her arms. Now getting him up the steps was a real challenge, but this was her fault, and she knew it. All she could think of at this moment, was the stallion that hurt her all those years ago. She was angry, sad, or maybe simply depressed by the situation at hand.

* * *

Dusk realized he was lying in bed as he felt a hand stroking a wet cloth across his cheek. Swallowing a breath, he tried to open his eyes while his voice failed him the first time. Another attempt saw better results, as he leaned into the touch, questioning the shape before him. "I take it... Rarity called for you, Redheart?"

A laugh whispered from her lips as Rarity drew the cloth from her face, her eyes lingering on his as she wiped at her cheeks. Dusk realized she had been crying... and wasn't Redheart. His cheeks darkened with a blush as she spoke, "No, Dusk. It's just me. Wh... when I realized you were just sleeping, I didn't call her. She doesn't need to stress about something like this. But... I had to stay, Dusk. I had to apologize."

He drew in a slow breath and let his fingers lift to stroke her jaw, wiping a tear from her eyes as he flashed his warm smile. "Do not apologize Rarity. I was the one who kept refusing to relax, I could have asked you to go home at any time. But you looked so good in that dress, I just could not resist asking you in just to spend some time..." and as another of her tears hit his cheek he paused. At last looking into her eyes again, voice soft. "What is it Rarity? What has hurt you?"

She had to say it, her head resting on his shoulder and her breath drawn in slowly she put a finger to his lips. "Until I'm done. No more words. I need to say this so you understand everything." The glare behind her words held with him, and slowly he gave a nod. Drawing a deep breath, she took the wet cloth from his face and wiped it over her own, swallowing. "Many years ago... here in Ponyville, a rather talented unicorn spent extra time teaching the fillies and colts about magic. He was a dashing and handsome fellow, only in his late twenties. A rogue of sorts, he seemingly refused every mare and the one or two stallions who made an advance upon him. It was only..." she swallowed returning the damp cloth to his cheek and stroking softly. "I was only thirteen or so when he came over for a class, and to check up on me, with my parents out of town for business. It was late and I had done so well with the magic he was teaching me. He offered me some wine to go with the dinner I'd made for him even said: 'You earned it. You're improving so well.'"

As he raised a hand she swatted it, harsh glare digging into his eyes until he relaxed and relented, dropping the hand and nodding softly. Swallowing, she continued. "I wasn't a silly filly. I knew what he wanted. So I let him get me drunk because the older girls had told me how much it hurt. But he was handsome, and I figured I could have what the mares claimed was impossible if I just batted my eyelashes at him enough times. Af..." Again she drew a harsh breath and shook her head to clear her eyes before at last starting once more, voice low, ragged. "Afterward, I thought I was the star of the town; the one to be with a stallion no mare could claim as her own. But a week later he was caught by another girl's parents. I was crushed. Then... When I..."

Now Dusk interrupted her, sitting up and drawing his arms around her own, pulling her softly into his lap and stroking a thumb across the curve of her jaw. "You do not have to say anymore. I understand. It is not like you were trying to do that to me, Rarity. I am no child with stars in their eyes. And anyway, it’s not like you were the only foal to have an older pony take advantage of you."

Still softly crying, she swallowed and her gaze lifted, her hand trying to touch his lips to stop him. "Dusk I... " The look in his eyes stopped her, and she nodded slowly. "I thought I was over that mistake. Go on. I want to know."

Glad she had relented, and well aware his story was far from as painful as hers, he swallowed and offered a soft smile. "In SSU it is common for a younger student to be mentored by their seniors. Princess Celestia assigned me one nice mare, Moon Dancer, in my first year. She figured that being so far ahead of me, it would not be a problem even though I had entered at such a young age. When I passed the same tests as Moon Dancer in less than two years to her four... there was a fight, and Princess Celestia chose her brightest star to be my mentor instead; Sunset Shimmer." The name drew a soft gasp from the mare and he looked down at her. "They wrote of her in the gossip rags back then?" When she simply nodded he laughed a little, but smiled. "She was ... gosh. Three? Three and a half years older than me? When her heats started, Princess Celestia suggested she should ask me for help with them. But she never did, and I could see her straining with them some days, painful tears running down her cheeks, yet she never let anyone help her."

Rarity blushed, shaking her head. "A mare who refused any relief, even just being alone while in heat? That's... it's shocking how driven she was, but if she didn't force herself on you Dusk... then why? What did she do to you instead? Take her pain out on you?"

Dusk laughed, and shook his head. "No. Like your teacher, she told me she cared about me and for three more years I was pampered and polished by her to be shown off in public. See... to Shimmer I was a measure to show how good she was. If I passed a test? It was because she had grilled me on it. If I scored a point? It was because she made me jog five miles that morning. Yet for those three years she constantly claimed she loved me. She wanted me to do better, to try harder. It took her admitting to cheating during a game for me to really see what she was doing to me. I was not a person. I was a trophy."

Rarity stared at him for a few minutes, slowly shaking her head, but at last realizing the depth of his words, her fingers cupping his cheeks while her voice dropped softly. "I... am as bad as her, Dusk. The night before the Summer Sun Celebration, I might as well have called you one." She swallowed and looked down and away from him. "I even told AJ a shallow list of reasons you were a great trophy to claim... I... I'm sorry, Dusk. I never even thought of it that way."

His response was tender, fingers stroking the curve of her jaw and pulling her gaze softly to look up once again into his eyes. "You thought of me that way Rarity. Past tense. But what do you think about me now? I think you have better reasons than showing me off. I think you and I connected last week in a way I have not felt before." He gazed deeply into her eyes as his slow breath sighed out.

Her lower lip trembling, Rarity looked into Dusk's eyes, really looked, and slowly, in the depths of his gaze she saw it: a spark that tugged at her heart, made her cheeks darken in a warm blush and in a pleasant way she hadn't felt in years, making her long to say more. Nodding slowly, she leaned up, her lips parting to seal his in the softest of lingering kisses. At last, her voice returned to her. "You were so strong for those who can't do anything for themselves. You cared more about their lives than your own, and you'd hardly even gotten more than an hour in to talk with anyone of us before Nightmare Moon arrived."

Dusk dragged his nails across her jawline with great care, his warm smile spreading even while he laughed out with delight. "I... was obsessed. I knew with Princess Celestia gone, it was only a matter of time before Shining and Princess Cadance tried to take her on again. When they fell, nopony would be left with a chance against her. I could not let that happen to my brother or Cadance." He sighed, then swallowed and shook his head. "I saw it in you, too. When you picked me up before I could collapse, even though you could hardly walk under my weight. You pushed yourself to protect others who only you could protect."

She shook her head and attempted to speak up, but his finger touched her lips. "Rarity. I know we both have had bad relationships, but let us start this one with some honesty on both sides. I find you attractive, and think we both agree that we work well together." At her blush and shy nod, he grinned. "Then, let us start from here and build up from that basic fact." He leaned in, softly kissing her again, deep and gentle. His lips pushed into hers while his free hand stroked across her neck.

Deeply enthralled by how simple he made the situation, her eyes fell closed. Her hands settled on his shoulders and her body turned into his while a knee shifted across his hips so she could slide into his lap. When at last they had to come up for air, she shifted on her knees, rolling them back and adjusting her weight to her hips instead. With her open palms resting on his shoulders to help balance herself, his hand shifted to rest on her hips, caressing her sides. "Dusk... You’re right, you know. A basic fact we can both agree on is a fantastic starting point. Like, when I say you're the kindest of stallions. Your company can make me smile, whatever my mood."

Dusk still remembered Dash's teasing earlier in the day. His hands firmly grasping her hips, and his tone was serious as he prevented her from starting what was likely on her mind, at least until he set some facts straight. "Rarity, today I had AJ's heat start while she was showing me her cutie mark. Pinkie pushed her tits in my face just to see if I liked the look of them. Then, Rainbow Dash spent her interview in my lap grinding me like a whetstone. I care for you, but I cannot take another round of blue balls today."

His eyes closed as he waited for the slap he was sure he had just earned, so he never saw the soft kiss coming. Breathing in a gasp of surprise, he returned it, eyes opening to stare into hers. As their lips started to part, he tried to form words, but she simply put a finger on them and interrupted him. "Dusk, I'm not mad the others are after you, too. Most stallions have at least two mares. Some even three. I'm glad you were honest though. I'd hate it if my friends were pursuing a stallion who hides his other relationships." She fell silent for a moment, then tilted her head a little to the right. "W... What about Fluttershy? Did sh- Oh, who am I kidding? Of course she wouldn't."

Now it was Dusk's chance to brag, his grin warm while he lifted a finger to softly poke her on the nose. "She held my hands and smiled at me... she even thanked me for lunch." When she gasped in shock he laughed warmly. "I swear. If you do not believe me, ask Pinkie or Barb, they were both there." Smirking warmly with pleasure he lifted arms from her hips again, crossing them behind his head.

"Ohhh. Well I think that earns you some relief Dusk. No mare or stallion has ever gotten Fluttershy to look them in the eye and admit she had a good time, most of all while holding hands." Her touch was soft she slipped her weight up a little, fingers moving under the weight of her thick locks and to the two thin straps that held up her dress. Slipping both of them from her flesh the dress dropped from her body and piled up around her hips, revealing her slender frame, an hourglass figure with only her ample breasts covered by her arms. She lowered them, letting him watch as she lifted her breasts and squeezed the flesh together, winking and blowing him a soft kiss even as she sat tall in his lap.

He was enraptured. The flawless unicorn mare was a sight that made his heart ache so much. Hands lifting he cupped them when she drew her arms away, his soft grip drawing up from below, cupping their weight up and together with one another while he remained lying back, thumbs drawing together to tickle over the perky nipples erect tips. The pale brown flesh being teased quickly made the mare on top of him call out her pleasure, yet before he could settle in to torment her a any more, she drew back, and with gentle but direct force, pushed his hands back, until they were under the pillow beneath his head. Only when he had both trapped behind his head did she let go and slide her weight from his lap, her voice soft. "You are exhausted, so we will get you some proper relief, and then let you get some real sleep. Alright, my darling stallion?"

Able to only nod with his hands trapped behind his head, he was forced to watch as the elegant mare slipped down the bed, until she lay between his knees. A hand upon his groin, she stroked it delicately with the tips of her fingers, lightly tracing back and forth across his trapped cock with tender loving attention. Her voice was light warm and loving, "Such a fantastic stallion we have found to keep our company this night, not to mention his cock! Why, already it's so hard at a little teasing touch." Fingers lifted, and his belt buckle was peeled open, the button and zipper of his pants very quickly following under her deft fingers’ assault, each relenting quickly to her demands. That left only the loose boxers that lay across his thighs protecting his manhood.

Unashamed, she leaned in, dragging her tongue over the surface of his boxers, until she found the tip of his trapped cock, erect beneath her attentions, she suckled it in though the silk of his boxers and circled the head with the tip of her tongue, wetting the fabric for the pure joy of teasing his meat. Gasping for breath as she tormented him, he at last spoke up. "Please Rarity, you are very good at that but it is also driving me crazy. I really do not know how much longer I can hold back."

She pouted for a moment, but finally gave a nod. Fingers dove under his waistband and pulled the boxers down, past his knees and at last free of his body. She took a few extra seconds to let her dress fall to the floor and join his boxers, revealing that all she had worn under it was a white silk thong that matched her dress. Climbing up and into his bed again, she curled up between his knees, her cheek stroking across his naked flesh and nuzzling him in loving care as both his sweat and scent rubbed into her perfect skin. Lips parting a little, she shifted lower, releasing her tongue and letting it drag over the weight of his balls, a single long slow drag that started at the bottom of his sack, dragging it up and over their sensitive flesh. Soon enough her lips dragged over the deep blue vein that ran from the base of his cock, following it until her lips arrived at his moist cock's head.

Shifting her weight to place one shoulder on his hip, her mouth wrapped around the tip of his hard shaft, sucking it in between two plush lips that suckled upon the heated tip. A harsh groan whispered free from Dusk’s lips at the rich pleasure of Rarity’s continued attention to his hot member, the mare drawing more of its length into her mouth and applying light pressure to rake over the surface. At the same time, her tongue moved in to push across the trapped head, swirling across its tip and attempting to lap up any hints of moisture he might gift her.

Far too soon, Dusk again found himself pushed to his limit, her lips’ attentive pressure to his cock and balls making him shiver, and moan out in hot lust. His willpower was overwhelmed as he felt her suckle up his rich pre. Breaking her rule and pulling his arms free of the pillow, one moved to stroke the woman's jaw line as the other went to stroke her cheek. At last he spoke up. "I... cannot last any longer Rarity..." All he received in return was a deeper pressure and a warmer suck at the hot flesh of his hard shaft, her fingers joining the act. They drew down to cup his balls and stroke them in small circles, teasing and tormenting the twin orbs inside with masterful precision.

Unable to hold back any longer, Dusk came inside her mouth, a hot release of four or five heavy bursts of seed plastering the inside of her mouth with the hot cream. For her part, Rarity continued to milk his balls with the steady twirling and pressure of her fingers over the sensitive orbs. At the same time she continued to swallow, sharply sucking back any cum that attempted to escape from her lips while Dusk shuddered in pleasure and broke the perfect seal she had formed over his cock.

When at last he stilled, she released the tight suction her lips had upon his now-flaccid member, letting it fall against his belly. But she was not done yet, leaning down she dragged a soft lick over his balls, her voice low and loving. "Such a tasty cock, and rich cum to top it off. You’re a keeper, Dusk. I can't wait for round two." When he gasped for breath and started to draw back she shook a finger, voice easy. "Don't worry, not tonight. Maybe... in the morning?" She offered a teasing wink and nuzzled his balls one last time before drawing the blankets back and curling up against his belly and nuzzling heavily into the firm flesh of his toned abs.

A tired groan whispered from his lips but he let her curl up on his belly, his fingers stroking at her jaw's curve as he let his eyes close one last time. A slow sigh whispered free of his lips, limbs going limp as he let sleep overtake him at last. “Such a long day, it is finally done”. His voice whispering free one last time. "Thank you Rarity. You are the nightcap on a fun day. I love you, my dear mare."

Her giggle was gentle and she kissed his belly once in return for the kind words, eyes gazing longingly up at him. "Thank you my noble stallion. I hope you will find me just as worthy tomorrow and after."

* * *

In the other realm Princess Luna was alone, yet enchanted by simple, young love. Unable to help herself, she simply had to smile, floating free of the world and all its cares. Her voice was soft as she whispered to herself. "Tonight, I don't think I need to watch. You will dream well, Dusk. Keep your mares close. You will need them in the days to come."

Author's Note

Dear god its finally over. Clocking in at over 26201 words this is my largest single story so far and has been a huge project. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I can't wait to see what you think of all that their is to come! Please let me know what you think, what you predict and what I got wrong in the comments below! Thanks so much again for reading my shlock, I love you all!

Version 2 uploaded August 10th, 2015 - Massive thanks to Wrabbit and our newest editor, Shawkthorian!

Version 3.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Chapter 4: The Ticket Master - Part 1

The soft glow of the late morning sun pierced a gap in the blinds of Dusk's bedroom, slicing through the room and leaving a small warm ray to tease the eyes of two weary bodies still at rest in bed. Dusk Shine lay prone upon his bed, a blanket half pulled across his hip, yet as a knock at the door echoed free throughout The Great Oak Library, he was forced to open his eyes and split his lips in a long lingering yawn. One hand slipped low, to scratch over his groin something silky was tickling at his balls.

Even while his jaw slipped open to release a heavy yawn while his jaw cracked open his eyes squeezed tightly closed. A giggle as his fingers scratched at his thigh drew his attention and as jaw slammed closed, while eyes focused down between his legs... And Rarity's rich grin as she gazed lovingly up at him while his fingers stroked at her jawlines curve. "Err..."

Turning her head, Rarity tenderly kissed his wrist, while nuzzling gently across his bare thighs her voice light and teasingly musical. "You're such a gentleman, wakening me with tender strokes to my jaw... I like that I lot." Offering a warm coo she leaned in, kissing a line of soft passes across his balls and up around to his belly, letting her breasts drag across his leg and up over his hip. Groaning he finally let his eyes slip closed, hissing in low pleasure...

Until another round of hard knock's to the door drew his mind back from the pleasure of her company to the distracting noise. A hard grunt escaped his lips and he cupped the mare's cheek his voice low and tender. "I'd... I'd better go check on that Rarity. Sorry, but it could be important." When she lifted her lips from his belly she simply nodded with quiet ease, twirling up the blanket of his bed and wrapping it around her slender figure. A few seconds later she stood with grace before him, wearing a thin white toga that hung low over her chest thanks to the sexy way the silk hung low to expose a deep line of her cleavage.

Grunting and slipping to stand up while he forced himself to look away from the attractive mare, Dusk grabbed a robe and threw it over his shoulders, pulling it tight in the front and tying together a quick and lazy knot. With a nod to the mare as she sat at his bedroom desk brushing with lazy ease a comb through those heavy noble purple locks he wished again to linger a moment, but the third set of hard knocks to the door sent him running down the stairs his voice lifted high. "Sorry! I'm on my way!"

As the door unlocked and he pulled it open, the cheery grin of a Pegasus in the standard Uniform of the Royal Mail stood outside awaiting him. Long locks of blond... no not blond, a very bright apple green hue in fact, hung loose about her shoulders, trimmed an inch or two short of them. Her bubbly warm grin and happy voice instantly relaxing Dusk from worry something might have been wrong for someone to wait and knock for so long. "Hello there! Are you Dusk Shine?" At his nod, she grinned and continued, her voice soft but delighted. "I'm your local mail mare! You've got a bunch of packages coming in today from Canterlot so I figured I'd come say hi! Oh and letters too." A pause, as she reached down towards the letter pouch she carried at her right hip... Only then realizing she wasn't carrying it. Stomping a foot she cried out. "Oh fiddlesticks! I must have left it behind while I was getting breakfast at the Cake's Bakery. Sorry Dusk Shine. I'll be right back, OK?"

Still half asleep as he stood at the door, Dusk could only nod slightly at her words, watching as she turned and took off running, yet three steps out the door her foot caught on a random rock in the path and she tumbled head over heels, crashing to the dirt. Now it was his turn to dash outside, kneeling down and putting a hand on the mare's soft grey feathers as she started to push to sit up her blush dark red. "You alright?" he spoke struggling to remember a name for her, at last simply sticking in a generic "Miss?" at his realization he hadn't even got her name while staring blankly at the door dawned on him. "Err... I can get you something? Did you hurt your ankle when you tripped?" When she laughed and turned over, offering him a hand to help her stand up. He relaxed after seeing that winning smile still warm upon her face.

With his aid she was quickly on her feet again, brushing the dirt from her knees and laughing at grass stains she was going to simply have to put up with for the day. Her voice a joyful chatter, Dusk Shine was awed by her simple good mood and how infectious it really was. The mail uniform was a simple brown button up top, badges for local service area and rank on each shoulder, with matching light brown shorts for the warm summer. His eyes now hunting, he swiftly found her name tag and shot a glance to her face, voice unsure at what he had read. "It's great to see you're Okay Miss...Derpy?" he said, a little befuddled by so odd a name for a mare.

She offered him her hand again, her voice now proud, as she stood up tall and straightened her wings to lay flat at her back again. "Mail mare Ditzy Doo, Mister Dusk Shine. But most call me Derpy, cause of my winning grin." And here she winked at him, and he finally released her eyes were staring off in two random directions. A moment of unsettling confusion before he realized she didn't appear to have any problems seeing him, so he ignored it, and thrust his hand back into her own, shaking it warmly.

Voice calm and confident despite her eyes odd behaviour Dusk offered a wave towards the house with one hand. "Well, do you want to come inside for a drink of water or something after that fall? It's the least I can offer."

Derpy however laughed and shake her head, releasing his hand and taking a light hop into the air, her wings beating to keep her afloat in place. "I'd love to take you up on your offer Mister Dusk Shine, but I better go get my mail bag before the Cake's turn it into our office. I'll be right back with all your redirected mail!" One word in that statement really stuck with Dusk as he turned to walk back inside. All. He rarely got more then a letter a month from his parents, busy as they were with work even with relations with the gryphon's at an all time high. And it wasn't like he spent a lot of time in correspondence with the other students. Who might be writing him that much mail? And then thoughts of dread loomed in his mind. The magazine had taken his address for their silly rag after his exam. Suddenly a pile of fan-mail from mares who knew him only from that silly tabloid flooded his mind.

Rarity stood in his doorway as he approached, a slight grin upon her lips and one coil of hair teased between her fingers. "I see you finally got to meet Derpy. She is a real charmer our local mail mare, a good heart if a tad... unlucky." At his glance she laughed warmly. "You see, if you don't move that rock she tripped over? I'd give you twenty to one odds she trips over it again when she comes back."

Dusk's wide eyes inspected her own, but when he saw no jest hidden in her words he simply shook his head and stepped forward, a hand on her thigh, slipping through the toga she had made of his blanket, his lips pressing into her own. "I think if we want any more fun before she returns we had better hurry then dear. And I'll not risk taking that bet. You sound too confident you'd win." At her low moan he knew it was time to move back inside, before others started to wonder what they were doing in the doorway.

* * *

Rarity had lasted another hour before at last declaring she had to go home and see to her little sister. Now dressed and sitting alone at his desk in the library proper, Dusk eyed the pile of mail Derpy had left behind when she returned the second time, and made a mental note to check his lawn from more rocks. Rarity might have won that bet if he had of taken it, yet never once did the mail mare's good natured grin ever waver. In his outbox he had quickly written up the last few notes for Rarity's Profile for princess Celestia, and for fun had taken a few minutes to throw together one for Derpy as well just as a chuckle.

He drew one letter from the massed pile that had poured out from Derpy's bag, filling his inbox and spilling off to pile upon the floor. Inspecting the senders address for a moment in silence Dusk at last gave a low sigh and ripped open the envelope pulling a letter out that held dried rose petals and the rich scent of perfume. A groan left his lips as he scanned over the words inside about eternal love and faithful devotion. Once again it became quite clear he really needed to think twice about ever doing an interview like the one he had done post graduation.

Head in his hands, Dusk had no clue how long he sat there before he at last found a solution, a soft grin crossing his lips. The letter was neatly picked up and any loose petals that had fallen free were gently pushed back into the envelope and he set it in a new pile. With quiet dedication he continued, letter by letter, one after another inspecting each note and reading over them in time before adding to the quickly growing new pile. Eventually he was forced to stop, and a heavy box had to be found to properly hold and file the collection of love letters from strangers he that had never meet him.

It was hours later when Dusk realized that at some point Barb had come home, and at some point she had shoved a sandwich before him. When he got obsessive, Dusk often lost track of time like this. At last, he sat back and looked up to see Barb glaring at him from the other side of the desk. When he did so, she finally spoke up. "I spent all night getting scale polish and spike rubs. She wanted me to help her get her cutiemark in a dozen different things." When Dusk only laughed, Barb sighed and stroked a hand through her spikes. "Though I admit... it does look good doesn't it?"

Nodding warmly Dusk sat back and took a bite of the Daisy sandwich, chewing quietly and thoroughly before at last speaking up himself, watching as Barb started to idly sort through the inbox, having sent the letters in the outbox while he was obsessing. His voice smooth and low he spoke with soft care. "I'm sorry Barb. It does look good on you though, all polished up. And I've already placed an order for a few pounds of sapphire shaving's from Canterlot as thanks for your hard work of late." When she grinned he shook his head. "But you gotta make them last, they are a treat, not a meal by themselves."

Pouting for a moment Barb gave him nod at last, and hook a random letter from the pile. "Anything of worth at all in this crazy mess Dusk? Or just a ton of silly mare's hitting on you?" At his groan she shook her head and lightly laughed with quiet ease. "Then why the box? To contain the fire?"

Shaking his head Dusk passed the single letter of value over to the young dragoness, a note from his parent's. "Mother sends her words of encouragement from their work in the Gryphon Kingdom. Apparently relations are improving and a new trade treaty should go though anytime now." A pause and a glare down to the box of letters. Grin spreading over his lips. "I have a better plan and without any need to waste some magic." His meal finished, Dusk returned to working at the letters and hardly noticed when Barb wandered off to start cleaning and likely put something on for dinner.

In the end thanks to his neat filing and organizational skills the box was nearly full to bursting, yet managed to hold the piled mess. A new letter, this one penned by himself was placed on top, for once in his life Dusk was taking advantage of his rank in Canterlot though he wondered if the Princess might care that he abused a fraction of the power he got. Written in his gentle cursive hand the note was polite and warm but the threat bold as day. 'It was a pleasure to receive these fan letters due to our recent exciting conversation. However, I've now been assigned new duties for Princess Celestia and will be unable to deal with these and all future letters. I thank you in advance for your utmost discretion on this matter and hope I need not be forced to inform the Princess about this matter.' Grinning lightly to himself as he sealed the box closed with a layer of packing tape, he scribbled a few notes and the papers address. At least he had a reason to see the charming Mail Mare again soon.

* * *

With a grunt Dusk lifted the heavy apple basket from the base of the tree, tossing it into the cart with twenty others. Sweating hard in the afternoon sun, a rag was pulled from his back pocket, and used to wipe his brow dry before stuffing it back into jeans pocket. It was shocking how worked up you got even just helping out a few hours a day at the apple farm. Tossing the last of the baskets into the cart, little Apple Bloom called out to the towering figure of Big Mac as he tied on the heavy shoulder harness. "Ok Big brother! That's this cartload! Me an' Dusk gonna join AJ for lunch in the south Orchard. See ya soon!" The titan of a Stallion simply nodded to his littlest sister's words before giving Dusk a serious nod and stepping off, dragging the heavy cart despite how its wheels strained under such a heavy load as if it were nothing.

Laughing warmly Dusk dropped his gaze to the tall young mare his voice happy, yet tired. "Ok, I know you gotta be tired Apple Bloom. It's Saturday, you were already helping them apple buck before I got here and that was what?" He glanced to the sun and made a rough guess. "Three? Maybe four hours ago? I'm beat. You gotta be tired too right?"

The mare shook her head and proudly crossed her arms over her chest, the light red cotton shirt she wore showed nearly no signs of the hours of hard labor she had put in, lifting piled baskets of the early ripening apple's from the family orchard with him. A defiant grin curved her lips before she spoke up. "We Apple's can buck for hours like this! It's easy! You'll pick it up Dusk! You only been at it for a week or so anyway!"

Over excited, the mare started leading the way through the twisting maze of evenly spaced trees as if she were walking on some invisible path he couldn't see. Twice this week Dusk had gotten lost when he lost sight of Apple Bloom or AJ and he wasn't about to have it happen a third time, picking up his stride to make up for the fact the young mare was jogging in the sweltering early summer heat. "If you say so Apple Bloom. I don't mind helping you guys out, but I'm only here to get back into shape. Like Nurse Redheart and Doctor Horse said, two hours of jogging with Rainbow Dash a day and three hours on the apple farm."

When she looked up at him, it wasn't an argument about how he might make a good farm hand, nor a suggestion he could stay on longer as he got stronger she had in mind, it was another of her idea's. He knew that look in her eyes and even as the suggestion formed on her lips he started to bite down on a groan. "So Dusk... how's about you let me try sorting your mail? Or maybe 'elping Barb with da bookkeeping at tha library? I could earn my cutie mark as a Mail mare in no time but Derpy won't let me help cause she says it's too dangerous for a little filly around heavy boxes."

The pout on her face made Dusk consider for a few moment's relenting and letting her win her way, but the sound of barking and AJ's warm laughter distracted him from the conversation, up until she grabbed his hand and stared up at him with those big eyes. Relenting a little, he lightly give her a pat upon the head before answering. "We can talk to AJ about it during lunch, if she says so I will let you hang around for a day or two. No harm in that, right?" Releasing a whoop of joy she bolted off again into the Orchard, though this time Dusk wasn't so worried about getting lost, not with the dog Winona around.

Of all his new found friends helpers, Winona was easily the friendliest and the most talkative. At just short of six feet herself, the canine girl was still young, but worked for the apple family as a guard at night, and helped sometimes during the day in the field. AJ had hired her just five years ago and they were clearly good friends. A picnic was already set up, and Apple Bloom rushed to join her sister and the canine girl on the blanket, already misrepresenting Dusk's words with her excitement while shoving an apple tart into her mouth, her words were muffled between chunks of food. "Ah Dusk said I'd get ta help Barb and everything! Pleaze?"

Her sister laughing at the excited young girls eating habits, it was Winona's rich hello that warned the mare Dusk had joined them. Today for the first time all week however, he realized she didn't tense up, she simply grinned and looked over her shoulder to him. "Come on over partner, join us for some grub. You earned it and no question at that." The casual way she acted for the first time in two weeks made Dusk wonder if her heat was at last over, yet as her fingers lifted to linger a soft touch that swept a few stray hairs off her cheek, the look in her eyes remained hungry.

"A pleasure AJ. I don't mind the chance to snack. And Apple Bloom says this is your early harvest? Just how much isn't ready yet?" The conversation was light and soon with the two younger girls absorbed in rapid and silly duologue Dusk focused on the mare, and his half finished apple tart, taking another light bite and chewing fully before speaking up again. "It's a pleasure to see the farm doing so well. But shouldn't you guys have more help with Harvest coming so soon?"

The proud mare laughed sitting up taller and pushing her empty plate away her voice soft but level. "You think we can't handle it? We're Apple's Dusk! We can handle any harvest this Orchard has managed. Just cause this year's the biggest we've ever seen don't mean we can't handle it!" At her leveled glare Dusk this go and returned to more casual conversation while they finished their meals.

The meal was good and quite calm until the sound of Barb's voice and rapid pace running through the orchard was heard, calling out with bold excitement. "Dusk! Dusk! You gotta see this Dusk!" The little dragoness at last arrived to join their picnic by crashing through the bushes at random until she got lucky and stumbled upon their meal. Winona jumped up, with her hackles raised while a low growl lifted in the base of her throat. Only when the dragon collapsed to her knees and panted for breath did the canine girl really realize just who was running around and making so much noise, relaxing herself to the blanket again to let her hackles lower.

Rushing to her side with AJ at his side, Dusk picked the little dragon up, and placed a hand on her throat to check what had happened to send the girl rushing to their company. "What’s wrong Barb? What's happened? Why did you rush out here so quickly?" Her response was to shove a letter up at him, panting for breath.

Able to only just pull together enough to call out to him, voice staggering but low. "Letter..." A gasp and hiss as she tried to clear her lungs and get her head once more level on her shoulders. "The Princess!" And then AJ started to rub over Barb's back shushing her as Dusk took up the note and let his eyes roam over the page in a moments silence, his jaw unhinging, and beginning to creep open wider and wider against his will as what he read swarmed over him.

At last Dusk was forced to drop his gaze once more at the little dragoness, his voice whispering free after he managed to swallow once. "Is... Is she serious Barb?" The note was lifted to offer to the Cowgirl when she tried to take it from his grip, Dusk lowering to his knees and drawing Barb's hands into his own. "You're not just making a bad joke, right?"

Reading aloud AJ recited the letter to herself, worried herself just what could possibly bother him so much, so fast. "Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announce The Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on or around the 21st day of, eh, yadda yadda yadda, cordially extends an invitation to Dusk Shine plus one mare as his date."

Together AJ, Dusk Shine and Apple Bloom spoke in shock. "The Grand Galloping Gala!" The difference though, was that Dusk's mind was on the terror of Princess Celestia and how she might treat Rarity in such a situation. His letter from the week before now haunted him. Unaware of Dusk's silence, the two farm girls quickly got carried away on a very different line of thought.

Apple Bloom started first, grabbing Barb by the wrist, and gazing with glee in her eyes into the dragon's own. "Wow, that's just great! I ain't never been to no gala. Have you, Barb?"

Suddenly pulled from her kneeling posture and forced to link arms with the excitable filly, Barb rolled her eyes and shook her head at the mare's words. "No, and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want any of that silly frilly frou-frou nonsense."

Dancing around the two shorter girls, Winona was the one to teasingly punch Barb in the shoulder her voice warm as she drifted off into some little day dream, her voice bright in quiet delight as she fluffed Barb's head spikes. "Aw, come on Barb. A dance would be nice!"

It was Applejack who took over now, her excited tones drawn Dusk to watch her as she reminisced with chipper delight. "Nice? It's a heap good more than just nice. I'd love to go. Land sakes, if I had an apple stand set up, ponies would be chowin' our tasty vittles till the cows came home. Do you have any idea how much business I could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres? Why, with all that money, we could do a heap of fixin' up 'round here. We could replace that saggy old roof, and Big Mac could replace that saggy old plow, and Granny Smith could replace that saggy old hip."

As she droned on it was Apple Bloom who spoke up first, a questioning look crossing her face. "But... Granny Smith Doesn't have a saggy old hip." Sharing a shrug with Winona the little filly looked at Dusk, both beaming with excited glee.

For his part, Dusk had gotten carried away by Applejack's story however... Yet however as she turned to face him, her thick eyelashes were suddenly sweeping low and over the bright Sap green hue of her eyes. A step was taken to his side, and her hands slipped forward, to rest on his hips, drawing him to stand against her suddenly warm and welcoming body. Her voice low, drawl thick with warm intentions. "Why, I'd give my left hind leg to go to that gala." Here an eyebrow arched high, while she leaned in cooing the last few words low into his ear.

Realization of the real meaning of the offer was lost on Applejack, forcing Dusk to backpedal and attempt to find some polite way of letting down the suddenly engaging mare, a deep blush on his cheeks. "Oh... well it's just that---" And yet before he could continue any further, the sudden crashing sound of a body dropping from the treetops and landing between the two of them with a slight grunt and low cry for help.

As the dust cleared, Dusk found himself knocked to the ground again, with Rainbow Dash clutching his collar, and staring wide eyed deep into his shocked eyes. Behind her, AJ crossed arms over her chest and stamp a foot to the ground at the sudden interruption. For her part, Dash was far from subtle, shaking the larger stallion with both hands as she gazed into his eyes. "Are we talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?"

A grunt escaped Applejack's lips as Dash shook the stunned stallion, her voice harsher with disappointment at the betrayal and sudden interrogation going on before her between Dusk and Dash. Her tone rich with disapproving overtones to help her with layering on the guilt as thick as possible. "Rainbow Dash, you told me you were too busy to help me harvest apples. What were you busy doing, spyin'?"

For her part though, Dash appeared to be totally ignorant of the situation at hand. Turning her gaze back to AJ for only a moment to dismissively declare her innocence "No, I was busy napping, and I just happened to hear that you have an extra ticket?" The last question was asked with her face now pressing nose to nose with the stallion's own. Her wings standing tall behind her back, and dancing with unrestrained glee.

Attempting to get a grip of the situation at hand, Dusk put both hands on Dash's shoulders, attempting to push her back from his lap so he could get his feet back under himself in hopes of finding his way to stand up once more. The level and strong tones of his voice sure and rock hard. "Yeah, but--"

And before he managed a third word, it was an instant interruption that blew him back to the ground resting upon his ass once more. Rainbow Dash had used him as a launch pad to lead into the air, thrusting a fist high overhead while she exclaimed with bold pleasure. "YES! This is so awesome." Her wings dancing with bold delight behind her body, flicking instead strokes behind her back to slow her descent to the ground again. Now raving like any fan girl with her mind trapped in a world filled in her fantasies. "The Wonderbolts perform at The Grand Galloping Gala every year. I can see it now. Everypony would be watching the sky. Their eyes riveted on The Wonderbolts, but then I would fly past, Rainbow Dash!"

Together, Dusk; AJ; Apple Bloom and Winona got lost in Dash's bold storytelling. The whole time she danced and darted around the sky above them, reenacting her daydream as a showpiece for the small gathered crowd as if they were a massive stadium audience. A joint declaration of 'Huh' was the best answer she got out of them.

If Rainbow Dash was aware the rest of them were far from as into her daydream as she had gotten, it wasn't something she was going to give up on very quickly. "I would draw their attention with my Super Speed Strut... and Then? Then, I would mesmerize 'em with my Fantastic Filly Flash. And for my grand finale, The Buccaneer Blaze! The ponies would go wild!" Darting around in a small loop in the air over them, she whipped up great speed, before dropping low and brushing to a stop before Dusk again, grabbing him by the hands and drawing up into the air a little as she spun him around, waltzing together though the air. Grinning wildly she threw one arm around his hips, holding him tight while the other swung through the air gleeful voice loud and warm in his ear. "The Wonderbolts would insist that my signature moves be incorporated into their routine, and then welcome me as their newest member." Setting him to the ground again, she turned to look up into his eyes again, her hands once more slipped to grip his in turn and her wings still stood tall, pumping with unrestrained excitement behind her slender figure. "Don't you see, Dusk? This could be my one chance to show 'em my stuff. You gotta take me!"

At last Applejack had enough of Dash and grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her back from Dusk and shaking an angry finger in the smaller mare's face. Glare leveled on the shorter pegasus. "Hold on just one pony pickin' minute here. I asked for that ticket first."

Dash only offered a shrug at AJ's words. Her body turning away from her friend, declaring with level annoyance clear in her tone. "So? That doesn't mean you own it."

Applejack's snort in return was as derisive as ever. A cold glare leveled in return to the greedy behavior of her friend. "Oh, yeah? Well I challenge you to a hoof-wrestle. Winner gets the ticket." Dash was far from one to resist the dare, and soon the two were locked hand in hand, and fighting one another with all their strength to force the other mare's wrist down. A spare tree trunk from a recent pruning of the extra dead or half rotten trunks yet to have been removed served as a table for their competition.

At last Dusk Shine got his feet back under him as the two mares got carried away in their sudden competition. Annoyed at how he was ignored and mistreated so suddenly by such good friends, he took a step forward, pushing them apart and attempt to clear up the confusion the two had built up so swiftly in their excitement. "Girls, these are my tickets, I'll decide who gets it, thank you very much." When they both dropped their shoulders, realizing the point of his words and their respect for his opinion of them... for three seconds.

Then AJ grinned warm and shifted to stand up, grabbing him by the hands, her voice swift with her now suddenly peacemaking attempt to fix the problem as she saw it. "Then whoever has the best reason to go should get the ticket, don't ya think? And for me that means drummin' up business for the farm!"

However Rainbow Dash wasn't about to let AJ get a hand up on her in the sudden new battle for the extra ticket. Thrusting a step in front of her taller friend and grabbing both of Dusk's hands she gazed up into his eyes with glee blazing in her lively cerise eyes. "A chance to audition for The Wonderbolts?"

Of course this only lead to the two mare's pushing one another aside to grab up Dusk's attention one after another as they each attempted to make their reason stronger, more important than the other. Applejack's next declaration was with a low pout on her lips her hand casting a wave towards the farmhouse in the distance. "Money t' fix granny's hip."

Dash shot back, just as fast and hard. "Living the dream." Her eyes were in the stars, the joy at the concept of having her best chance to see and spend time with the hero's of her childhood. To be one with them making her lips whisper a wistful sigh.

Dusk was floored by the sudden new dilemma. It was now a battle between his loyalty to helping out his friends with their dreams and what was clearly the hidden intent in Princess Celestia's letter. Swallowing sharply and shaking his head he backed away from the girls attempting to buy himself time to think of some kind of a solution. "Oh my, those were all pretty good reasons, aren't they?" The sound of Barb's stomach rumbling shot a solution for the moment straight to his lips without a stop at his mind. "Listen to that, poor Barb is starving! I don't know about you, but I can't make important decisions on an empty stomach, so I'll, uh, think about it over lunch and get back to you two, okay?"

Thankfully Winona and Apple Bloom had finished off the rest of AJ's picnic lunch, leaving nothing as an excuse keep them stuck at the moment, A sigh escaping both mare's lips as they gave Dusk a little nod. "Okay" Dash muttered, her eyes rolling skyward as she started to whistle to herself.

Applejack dropped to the basket and when she found it empty leveled a glare at her sister and the canine guard who were busy whispering back and forth to one another and laughing at Dash and AJ's battle. At last standing up and nodding again she let her shoulders droop. "Okay Dusk. you take care of Barb and get back to us. Taking care of your family is whats most important after all." It took Dash a few seconds to pick up on that comment, her eyes narrowing and a low grunt escaped her lips.

Even as Dusk ran off with Barb slung over his shoulders, the pegasus mare realized just what was going on, and cried out. "Hey!" Then the two were quickly once more back at their arm wrestling, fighting hard over who could win the best of five.

* * *

Walking back in town together Dusk had taken to talking over the problem with Barb. After all, she at least understood his dilemma over the order subtly hidden in Princess Celestia's letter and his need to help out his friends. At last Barb simply was forced to shrug, her voice low and worried. "So, who you gonna give the ticket to, Dusk? They both have good reasons, yet it's clear Princess Celestia wants you to bring Rarity since she is the one you're clearly dating..." Strangely enough Dusk didn't notice any resentment in her voice about that situation, maybe she had already accepted Dusk was in the way of her crush?

Walking with his body turned to focus more upon his dear little sister then the road they walked down Dusk remained obsessed over the conversation on hand. One hand lifting and scratching across the back of his neck even while a low sigh whispered free of his throats base. "I... I just don't know Barb, but I really can't think straight about this right now. How about we worry about your hunger first?" At her nod he laughed gently. "So then. Where should we eat?"

Of course, walking with his gaze turned away from the path he walked on to focus instead on Barb had its side effects. Today that result was Dusk crashing head first into Pinkie Pie who herself had been hopping along the street without a worry in the world, her eyes closed as she gleefully walked. Crashing together they fell to the ground, the two tickets shooting free of his pocket and dancing through the air, drifting wildly and at last landing upon Pinkie's nose.

Her gasp of glee at the sight before her was sudden and powerful, jaw crashing wide open even while she started to shake in place where she rested upon her knees. Her voice a shaking with glee at the concept presented by the twin tickets to the gala she cried out with her delight, her voice a rapid rant of pleasure. "These aren't... they... they are! Tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala?! It's the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderful terrifically humongous party in all of Equestria! I've always always always wanted to go!"

Of course Dusk rolled his head back, to watch the mare as she suddenly jumped up and started to dance around him in a gleeful circle, twisting and spinning about herself while her joy resulted in a dance that carried on with daydream she had thrown together in her creative imagination's endless depths. And of course, as it was Pinkie Pie... she started to sing again.

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

Hip hip

Hooray!

It's the best place for me

For Pinkie...

Pausing and wrapping her grip to Dusk's collar, she pulled him to his feet in a break of her song. Planting a deep kiss to his lips as he staggered under the raw power of her words and strong emotion, Dusk could only stare back up at her as she once more released him twirling around in a circle and tickling his nose with the fluffy tip of her heavy tail as her wild dance started once more. Her voice was a rapid rant of delightful ideas even as she took time to describe every concept with the same rapid glee. "With decorations like streamers and fairy-lights and pinwheels and piñatas and pin-cushions. With goodies like sugar cubes and sugar canes and sundaes and sun-beams and saraparilla. And I get to play my favorite-est of favorite fantabulous games like Pin the Tail on the Pony!" And pausing a moment to clutch her hands together again, she once more burst out in gleeful song.

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

'Cause it's the most galarrific superly-terrific gala ever

In the whole galaxy

Wheee!!

Finished at last, Pinkie Pie returned to Dusk's side and wrapped her arms around Dusk's neck again, clinging tightly to his chest and lifting a foot from the ground, pressing her full weight into his chest while she released a low and gleeful giggle, while nuzzling heavily up against his cheek while a light coo whisper into his ear. "Oh thank you, Dusk, it's the most wonderful-est gift ever."

With the tickets in her hand against his cheek, Dusk attempted to reach finger's up to snag them from her grasp. As he tugged she finally let them go. His voice low and whimpering a little as he realized he was going to be forced to let down a third friend. At last though Dusk bit the bullet and attempted to speak out, to let Pinkie down gently. "Um, actually--"

But then Rarity gasped as she stood behind him, her eyes wide with glee at the sight of those golden embossed tickets that could only be for one event. Her words filled with awe as she spoke with whispered pleasure hardly contained. "Are these what I think they are?"

Blushing darkly now as he was suddenly confronted by Rarity even as Pinkie clung to his chest and she nuzzled heavily across his chest and burbled sweet nothings into his ear. Dusk struggled to come up with something to say to excuse his way out of Pinkie's grasp and stammered in an attempt to answer her question. "Uh--"

Yet for her part, Pinkie had no shame. Her deep and gleeful coo escaped her lips as she nodded with a giant and wild grin on her lips. "Yes, yes, yes! Dusk's taking me to The Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot."

Still in her own little world, Rarity stepped forward, her eyes growing wider as she took up Pinkie's hands voice low and whispering in her soft glee. "The gala? I design ensembles for the gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamour! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him."

More then happy to have another person's fantasy to get carried away with, Pinkie Pie leaned in to Rarity's words, her grin spreading wider as she nodded with joy at the story Rarity weaved in soft tones. Smiling with joy she nodded, her voice lifted with delight "Him!" A moment passing before she suddenly looked around shrugging at Dusk and looking back to Rarity. "...Who?"

With her voice dripping with mystery and joy Rarity continued on with her fantasy world. Ignoring the fact the story she told might not really make sense with her recent relationship with Dusk. "Him." She declared, dancing around in a small circle with herself, before taking up Pinkie's hands again grinning with vapid glee. "Why him my darling, the greatest prince in the land and the most interesting unicorn to roam our kingdom..." Releasing the still befuddled but supportive mare's hands she turned and stepped up to Dusk, a hand slipping over his jawline stroking in teasing dance down his cheek and across his jaw.

Their bodies close and her eyes locked upon his, and she started to tell her fantasy, the whole time, locking tight with Dusk's body, and plastering her body physically to his own, the wanton lewd actions getting even Pinkie's mind to focus on the fact she did all of this to the stallion as if he was clay for her hands to mold... and that Dusk appeared to accept her attentions, even leaning in to her fingers tease across his lips at one point. "Why, can't you see it? I would stroll through the gala, and everyone would wonder, 'Who is that mysterious mare?' " With a giggle she turned, to rest her back against Dusk's chest her hands pulling his arms around her body and using his arms to squeeze her in a hug.

"They might never have guessed that I was but a simple mare from little old Ponyville. My sense of class and stylish dress would cause such a sensation. I'd be invited for an audience with Princess Celestia herself!" She cooed these words, leaning back in Dusk's arms and kissing his cheek once before her gaze turned to Pinkie who was getting lost in the story she wove, the pink bundle of energy nodding excitedly in hopes it might prompt Rarity to continue. "At that point, the Princess would simply have to introduce me to her favorite student. The most handsome, eligible unicorn stallion in Canterlot. Our eyes would meet, our hearts would melt. Our courtship would be magnificent."

Swooning over, Dusk was forced to catch her weight in his arms, shocked at how little she really did weigh. Never once did she miss a beat however, as gazing longingly up at him she spoke in soft delight. "At last, he would ask me to marry him. To be his bride and to spend our lives together. Married to him, the stallion of my dreams." At last she split apart from him, a forlorn wrist cast to her brow while she released a low and sorrowful moan, her head dropped low as she stood with her back to him. "Not... that I'd ever get to go to the gala. No Prince Charming is here to sweep me up today."

Confused by her tale, Dusk started to step forward his hand lifted and voice speaking with soft tones. "Rarity... you know..." he paused, swallowing as he looked to Pinkie Pie, then stepped forward again, his hand on her shoulder. "It's just. Isn't that dream a little far fetched? Right Pinkie?" If he had expected any support from the earth mare, he got none, she was balling in tears at the sad end to Rarity's tale. One for melodramatics she looked seconds away from rushing to Rarity's arms, to soothe her about the lack of a 'Prince Charming' in her life.

Now pouting deeply, Rarity's pout only grew deeper and she twisted around, to look over Dusk again, her eyes wide with deep sorrow while her fingers lifted to return the Tickets she had at some point unbeknownst to him stolen from his grip. "Dusk darling, I simply cannot believe you would invite Pinkie Pie so she can... party, and prevent me from meeting my true love!" Teasing him, she flicked her tail in his face while she turned away, her voice lifted in false disappointment. "How could you? Hmph." Though her actions remained melodramatic, it was clear Rarity harbored hints of hurt feelings in her words.

Here at last Dusk might finally get a grasp upon the situation at hand. Thrusting the tickets to Barb he stepped to Rarity's side, his hands slipping around her hips to hold her a moment his voice soft, whispering low into her ear for no other to hear. But while he was distracted by the attempt to make things up to his new found mare love, Barb was knocked over by one of the only people in Ponyville as short as she was. Knocked on her rump, the tickets were snatched up and in a streak of white fur Angel Bunny bolted away despite Barb's protests. "Hey!"

Hopping along and scooting around Pinkie pie, Angel made a swift bolt across the street to Fluttershy's side, the two golden tickets now thrust up into her hand while the little bunny flashed a bold grin back over his shoulder at Barb, now fuming, was stomping after the short and fluffy male. For her part, Fluttershy was shocked at the sudden gift from her little assistant, her voice a gasp of shock, yet joy, as she inspected them. "Oh my Angel, these are perfect!"

Releasing Rarity as she calmed and had started to blush darkly at whatever it was he was whispering into her ear. Now free after calming down one situation Dusk was forced to turn around and find yet another had sprouted up in its place behind his back. Groaning out and slumping his shoulders, he slapped a hand to his forehead his voice now strained at the sudden realization his fifth friend had just wandered into this situation as easily as everypony before her. "Uh, listen guys, I haven't decided who to give the extra ticket to. And besides... I really think Princess Celestia had a hidden--"

But of course, the excitable mares were far from about to give him time to really explain himself in a moment as important as this. At once both Rarity and Pinkie Pie were at his sides, each taking up one of his arms and leaning in close, eyes wide with glee and unmasked ill intent if that was what was required to get their hands upon the second ticket. Together their voices raised in shocked awe. "You haven't?"

Shocking them all however, it was Fluttershy who spoke up next, her hand on Dusk's shoulder, causing him to spin around and lift his gaze to look to the normally so shy creature who stood before him. Behind her Angel stood stomping a foot to the ground with a rapid impact to the ground. Barb stood beside him glaring at the bunny and shaking her head. Voice as fragile as broken glass Fluttershy stepped between the two mares in Dusk's arms to speak up. "Um, excuse me, Dusk. I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else--"

Of course as soft spoken as she might be, Rarity's shock at the fact that Fluttershy spoke out about so social an event as the gala "You? You want to go to the gala?"

Blushing darkly Fluttershy shook her head and drew back a little, half hiding her face between the two tickets she still grasped, blushing darkly and though her meek voice was still loud enough to be heard over the tickets. "Oh, no." She started, but a light push against her lower back by Angel as she started to back away from the others forced her to glance down to him, then whimpering she cleared her throat and stepped forward again, lowering the tickets and nodding with a more honest attempt to start again. "I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see, it's not so much The Grand Galloping Gala as it is the wondrous private gated garden that surrounds the dance. The flowers are said to be the most beautiful and fragrant in all of Equestria. For the night of the gala, and that night alone, would they all be in bloom... and that's just the flora! Don't get me started on the fauna. There's loons and toucans and bitterns, oh my! Hummingbirds that can really hum, and buzzards that can really buzz. White-blue jays, and red jays, and green jays, pink jays and pink flamingos!"

Realizing that she had gotten carried away in a fantasy daydream just like all the others had been as they obsessed over their version of the night at the gala, Dusk gave a groan and squeezed at the bridge of his nose, hissing out his breath in frustration at how complicated things had gotten with so simple a thing as bringing a date to meet the Princess under the cover of a simple social situation."Gee, Fluttershy, it sounds... beautiful?" He attempted, to smooth things over.

Until Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground behind Fluttershy, her voice angry as she stepped up and pushed her way between Dusk and the more sheltered pegasus mare. Voice aggressive and demanding she asserted her place into the middle of the conversation. "Wait just a minute."

Dusk wasn't about to put up with this however, and stepped forcefully forward, pointing a finger to Dash's nose and glaring deep into her eyes, his voice hurt and angry with no attempts to hide his tone. "Rainbow Dash, were you following me?"

Suddenly forced to backpedal Rainbow Dash blushed and looked up and away attempting to find something to distract from her sudden goof. One hand lifted, scratching across the back of her neck as she strained for a believable excuse. "No. I mean, yes. I mean, maybe." Deflated she sighed, then flew up and crossed her arms defensively over her slender chest, glaring back down at Dusk and the others while hovering in the air over them by a few feet. "Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-two-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anybody."

The sudden sound of a lasso whipping through the air and wrapping around Dash's feet signaled Applejack's arrival. Hauling in the struggling pegasus mare and glaring deep into her friend's eyes, AJ grunted, her voice annoyed as she started to pull Dash to ground level. "Wait just another minute."

His headache now in full blown migraine Dusk groaned openly and turn to face the last of his friends as she walked to the growing circle, still fighting with Dash and the rope she held clutched in rippling arms, a bead of sweat traveling down her cheek while she reeled in Dash. "Applejack, were you following me too?"

And at last, someone managed to give Dusk what was at least close to an acceptable answer. Applejack hulled Dash to eye level and thrust one free thumb over her shoulder to point to the pouting pegasus mare who still attempted to float with her arms crossed turning away from them as she gave a snort of derision. AJ's voice still strained by the effort, though leveling out now that she no longer fought Dash with the rope. "No. I was followin' this one to make sure she didn't try any funny business. Still trying to take mah ticket."

Rainbow Dash turned on AJ at this point, and stormed over, face level with her far taller friends, as she pushed the taller mare on the shoulders. Glare open she leveled her voice in plain annoyance at the situation at hand. "Your ticket?"

But Pinkie Pie was the one to step between the two fuming mares, her gleeful voice now joined by the others in annoyance at the others stepping into the matter she had considered settled already, her normally warm voice whining. "But Dusk's taking me!"

As the five mares got quickly carried away in the burst of bitter argument, Dusk was now locked up in the situation at hand, with all pushing and shouting as they surrounded him with a tirade of different arguments, at last forcing the issue he stood up tall and lifted his voice to bellow out in hopes of pushing them to give him a moment of peace. "QUIET!"

And it worked for the most part. As all the mares save dear Pinkie Pie fell silent under his sudden harsh outburst. Carrying on in her own little world, the bubblegum mare ranted on with open frustration. "And then I said, "Oatmeal, are you craz--" A moment of realization dawned on her as she noticed the others had gone silent. Her head lifted she blushed, voice soft. "Oh..."

Turning in a slow circle around as he glares at the gathered mares, all now acting out in different ways to deal with the shame of having started a fight over something that mattered so much to them all and yet at the same time was so small a thing as a simple ticket. Gathering himself, Dusk at last give them the full truth of why he was being so reluctant. "Girls, there's no use in arguing. This is my decision, and I'm gonna make it on my own, and I certainly can't think straight with all this noise..." As Barb's stomach rumbles he groaned and shook his head. "Not to mention Barbs hunger. Look, Princess Celestia's letter had a double meaning, a private one and I don't want to hurt any of your feelings when I answer this. So give me some time. I need to make a choice here and it's really important. Now go on, shoo."

As the others started to melt away Dusk let his eyes linger on each in turn, last of all Rarity and the swelling pain of disappointing them all made his pulse race, and his heart ache. Muttering softly to himself as he wrapped an arm about Barb's shoulders and started to walk over to a nearby cafe his voice was tired, hints of half concealed remorse still present. "And don't worry, I'll figure this out... somehow."

Author's Note

Hey guys, here is part 1 of The Ticket Master. Due to length and time it was taking to do editing I decided to split the story in half at the only point that felt comfortable. Can't wait to hear back from you all on how this half goes over!

Massive thanks to Frankie2 for the major help in editing and prereading! Same goes to EmperorJewel for assistance in some major rewrites to the Rarity scenes in both this and the second half!

Thanks to ShadowThunder for your continued help with idea's and prereading, and to the rest of you who continue to aid me every day with work on the story!

Version 2.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Bonus Clop Scene: The Morning After [Dusk x Rarity; Tame]

Author's Note

Note: This is not a new chapter, its only a bonus clop scene I had cut from Chapter 4 - The Ticket Master due to length and pacing. No story developments happen here that can't be inferred from the chapter itself. Please don't continue unless you enjoy pointless sex. Contains Oral; vaginal and post sex cuddly time, very tame.

For a matter of pacing I've included the lead in paragraphs from Chapter 4: Ticket Master - Part 1 to help place those who want a sense of pacing and plot to understand were this happens in the main story.

Thanks again for the 100+ favorites guys and I hope you enjoy this scrapped scene!.

Bonus Clop Scene: The Morning After [Dusk x Rarity; Tame]

Rarity stood in his doorway as he approached, a light grin upon her lips and one coil of hair teased between her fingers. "I see you finally got to meet Derpy. She is a real charmer our local mail mare, a good heart if a tad... unlucky." At his glance she laughed warmly. "You see, if you don't move that rock she tripped over? I'd give you twenty to one odds she trips over it again when she comes back."

Dusk's wide eyes inspected her own, but when he saw no jest hidden in her words he simply shook his head and stepped forward, a hand on her thigh, slipping though the toga she had made of his blanket, his lips pressing into her own. "I think if we want any more fun before she returns we had better hurry then dear. And I'll not risk taking that bet. You sound too confident you'd win." At her low moan he knew it was time to move back inside, before others started to wonder what they were doing in the doorway.

* * *

The walk upstairs was rushed with close company between the two lovers, with Dusk's hands upon the mare's hips even while strong fingers slipped under her 'toga' and dragged over the toned cheeks of her pale flesh. Deep into a kiss Dusk would push her though the bedroom door and groaned as her finger's dug into his own hair in return tugging sharply as he pushed her back against the bed. Panting sharply for breath, Dusk paused, gazing lovingly down at the figure his new lover, eyes lingering on her heaving chest blushing cheeks. "Your turn now my love..." His words spoken in a soft coo, he dropped to his knees, head thrusting under the thin sheet she wore, a series of soft kisses pressing into her legs even as she lifted them from the floor as his kisses moved up across her inner thigh.

Moaning out in her lust at the trailing pressure of kisses up across her tender flesh, Rarity slipped finger's down over the blanket that clung to her body as she gasped to drawn in each breath. As her fingers searched lower, the tips would dance across her own belly and at last found his head, were it lay nestled in between her thighs, hidden by the thin white sheet she was forced to stroke him though the silk cloth, groaning out low pleasure while his head pushed in harder against her slick thighs. Returning her affectionate attention from the night before, Dusk had buried his face into her slick sex, his tongue pressing deep into her folds while two fingers of his right hand had slipped across her hip and back down, to draw and roll at her clit even as he drove his tongue deeper into her inner walls.

Hissing with growing pleasure, Rarity began clawing at his head though the robe in her attempts to get something to hold onto him with. At a brief break in his pressing attention she at last got her wish, as while he sat back, he gave a sharp tug on her toga, pulling the lose knotted loop open leaving her panting breasts and his wet cheeks at last exposed. Giving a light chuckle as one hand lifted to wipe her juices form his cheeks Dusk leaned forward, kissing over her belly in three places, giving a little nibble at her own tender flesh.

Shifting his weight, Dusk would move to his knees, sitting up taller, while his fingers slipped back down her body, across her hips and to her knees. With strong grip he lifted her legs to straddle his shoulders even while he pushed his face back down into her sloppy slit once more, this time keeping his lips against the surface of her pussy, even as two of his fingers now lifted to thrust deep into her wet walls, raking across her inner walls in deep thrusts, driving in and dragging back.

Shuddering under his continued attentions, Rarity would gasp harshly, and twisted her knees to rub heels into his spine with twitching shudders in her legs as the first hints of her orgasm burst forth. Wild shifts of her hips and shaking of her thighs ripped her twisting legs while dragging heavy pressure across his back. Fingers would at last clamp down on his head, nails scraping though his hair while she curled herself tightly forward, wrapping herself around his head. At last she locked up around him, going still as the waves of her climax poured forth in a wailing scream of pleasure.

Dusk was relentless, the sweet scent of her sloppy wet thighs drenched his brain, driving the stallion to hiss out his own harsh pleasure. Even as she at last began to relax from her tight balled grip around his head he continued the deep lipping tease across her clit while wet fingers slipped from her walls, lifting them free and drawing the sloppy digits to her own gasping lips. Thrusting deep into her mouth so she was forced to lap her own fluids off his digits, the stallion at last relented on his torment, instead taking the time to sit back and enjoy the sight of the rich violet haired mare suckling on his twined digits.

Entranced by her own smell on his fingers, the post orgasmic mare clutched his wrist with both hands to pin his arm to her body, even while nails dug into his wrist to keep his hand from moving away from were she wished to keep it captured. Raking teeth across the two digits, while she suckled and swallowed up the wet juice. Shuddering in her pleasure even while her mouth at last pulled off the fingers, dragging her teeth to nip and tug at his knuckles and across the fleshy muscle of different parts of his fingers.

At last Dusk would shift his weight up, his free hand drawing up and around her shoulders to support her weight while he shifted her weight back a foot on the bed. Pulling free his other hand, Dusk moved to rest his knees on the bed, while he drew her knee's off his shoulders, to straddle his hips.At last he spoke for the first time since they arrived in the room, his words low with light lust while lips raked over her earlobe. "Are you... ready my love?" at her nod, he slipped his weight forward, slipping arms under her shoulders and pinning his chest to her own, pressing lips into her throat and dragging a slow series of bites across the curve of her exposed jaw. At the same time, he thrust his hips forward, the hard tip of his erect shaft driving into the folds of her sloppy wet lips with a satisfyingly slunk of moist flesh sliding into the ready mare's depths.

As he mounted her, Rarity would moan out in pleasure, her knees lifting and legs crossing over his bare back. A quiet hiss of joy such a bold contrast to her previous rich screams of pleasure, sweaty bodies slapping together with a natural rhythm dictated by lust, the shift of his hips grinding against her own, the mare's fingers drove into his hair with her right hand, pulling sharply even as she pushed into the biting pressure of his teeth to her throat. Joining in, her free hand slipped across his body, and found the fall ball of his shoulder, digging in and dragging down across his spine, the whole time his own pace quickening in mounting lust. A lewd scene of spent body fluids pouring forth, the mare's panting breath poured across his cheek, the whole time digging needy fingers deeper into his muscles twisting up in his hair's long royal blue locks.

As his bare share drove faster inside her wet walls, Dusk would angle his hips lower, and pushed to align with her own thighs, to find a better approach, to drive his thick member ever deeper inside her depths even as her screams of pleasure were a begging cry in his ears for ever more. And he would give her all he could manage, his eyes slitting as he rocked into her a tight pit forming in his gut while his balls slapped against her thighs. His own bliss bursting past the breaking point, thick ropey bursts of his seed flooded her womb and clung in sticky strands of hot seed. twisting his face from her flesh he lifted his head, until he could find her lips, pushing his needing mouth atop of her own, locking them together in a deep kiss. This time however his own lips parted, tongue thrusting in against her own lips and teasing at them in a request to enter her mouth.

The feeling of his rich sticky seed on her inner walls was the final extra pressure to awaken her own lustful spirit, pushing her past her own climax, just as his lips pressed into her own and his tongue demanded access to her mouth. Hot and wet, the mare unhinged her jaw to give him entrance as requested tongue awkwardly playing together as both panted in desperate climax and at last shared release. Trapped in his mouth, her hard moans of pleasure would be quieter now as his mouth hid the worst of the noise.

At last they drew still, body's locked together while her finger's continued to tease and stroke at the stallions soaked hair, using her easily dancing nails to play with him locks in her idle post climax bliss. In the end as they lay coiled together in a wild pile of limbs, Rarity would at last speak up in her own low pleasure. "Dusk Shine... MY stallion." The low cooing tone of her words drew his attention, making him laugh a little as he nuzzled at her throat in return, simply enjoying the soft flesh of the mare and the warm wet place his manhood still rested.

At last his voice lifted in quiet ease cooing in return. "Rarity, a name well earned. Your companionship is pure bliss."

Chapter 4: The Ticket Master - Part 2

Pouring over the menu yet not really seeing what was on the page before him, Dusk sighed low, his voice a steady stream of mild annoyance at the situation that was clearly now well out of hand. His Duty to the Princess and his love of Rarity was in direct conflict with his friendship to the other mares each with very valid reasons to wish to go that he couldn't crassly throw aside. Voice strained he would again ask for her assistance. "Barb, what am I gonna do? All five of my best friends have really good reasons to go to the gala. Applejack, or Rainbow Dash? Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy, Rarity... Oh, who should go with me?"

The waiter, Savoir Fare stepped up to Dusk's table, a pad in one hand as he leveled his gaze to Dusk over the menu, his voice serious and cool he queried them for the second time since Dusk had not answered his first time. "Have you made your decision?"

Not even realizing that it wasn't Barb who asked the question, Dusk cried out in his own frustration, the menu slammed down to the table before him as he cried out his annoyance. "I JUST CAN'T DECIDE!"

Snickering at his overreaction, Barb pointed a thumb to direct Dusk's gaze from herself to the now rather haughty waiter who glared down at them even while his own hotheaded mistake began to sink in. "Dusk, he just wants to take your order." Blushing with his own now very public turn at shame, Dusk moved to quickly speak up to get the matter over with. His voice full of that same embarrassed overtone Dusk ordered without a second thought. "Oh. I would love a daffodil and daisy sandwich."

Writing swiftly but taking no time to bother getting involved with what was clearly Dusk's problem. Barb lifted her gaze from the menu, her voice hopeful "Do you have any rubies?" When his brows lowered and leveled at her she gave a sigh and shook her head. "No? Okay. I'll have the hay fries, extra crispy." Snorting lightly the waiter turned and wandered to off, leaving the two to enjoy the outdoor table.

Relaxing again as they were left alone, Dusk returned his gaze to his assistant, his voice hopeful and sad as he called for her advice on the day's headaches. "What do you think, Barb?"

But it appeared even she could get lost in her own world, as Barb was still glaring over her shoulder at the waiter who had wandered from their table pouting a little and resting her face on her open palm, grunting her own soft annoyance. "I think we have to try another restaurant. I mean, I like grass just fine, but would it hurt anybody to offer some gemstones?"

Groaning heavily, Dusk lifted a hand to grasp her hand in his own soft grip. His eyes large as he gazed into her own eyes in hopes of getting some kind of help "I mean about the gala and the ticket and who I should take?"

Groaning a little she shook her head voice bored by the whole situation, Barb gave her far from helpful answer. "Oh. You're still on that?"

Dusk pulled on that hand drawing her closer as he got more frantic while his OCD took over the situation, his voice rapid and rambling in his own fantasy as he got carried away. "Barb, listen! How do I choose? And when I do choose, will the other four be mad at me? I mean, if I do as Princess Celestia wants, it means leaving the four of them behind and taking Rarity to what might be a very unhappy 'conversation'. but if I leave her behind and take one of the others... I mean, I could give up my ticket and give away two, but that would still leave three disappointed ponies. What if I--"

Here Savoir Fare interrupted his tirade with the delivery of their food, plates placed before them both and speaking up to pull his attention away from his endless rants. "Ah, your food." Glad at last to have a distraction from his headache thanks to the arrival of his food, Dusk drew up the sandwich and drew it to his lips, dragging a sniff of the fresh meal and giving one little sigh of his own delight. Voice now far calmer now he spoke with joy to the waiter. "Oh thank you. This looks so good. I'm sure everything will be much clearer once I eat."

A sudden torrent of other people pushed past Dusk's table, even as he took the first bite from his own sandwich, chewing at it with quiet pleasure as his eyes slipped closed. A quiet sigh whispering from his lips, Dusk got lost in his meal until he heard the voice of Savoir Fare calling from some distance away now, when his gaze opened to look he finally now realize it was because he stood in the doorway to the main restaurant, his voice worried. "Em, sir? Are you going to eat your food in ze rain?"

Looking up, and chewing slowly, Dusk was confused, his head lifting to look around in a brief inspection of what it was that was going on around him. With no others about he looked up voice confused. "But... It's not raining." Yet as he took in his surroundings the fact he sat in the only dry spot in a circle of rain dawned upon him. "What... What's going on?"

From high above, and resting upon the storm clouds, Rainbow Dash beamed down from a rather sunny gap directly above him alone. Her eyes dreamy, she gazed down at him, voice playing innocent yet warm. "Hi there, best friend forever I've ever ever had. Enjoying the sunny weather?"

Groaning at the mare's antics, Dusk dropped his sandwich to the plate before him, glaring openly up at her even as he cast an accusatory glare to the mare. "Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?"

Playing the innocent, Rainbow Dash rolled over on her could pillow, looking down at him while laying upon her back flashing him her own warmest and most innocent of grins. "Whaddya you mean? I just saw the smartest, most generous pony about to get rained on, so I thought I'd kick a hole in the clouds to keep him dry so he could dine in peace, that's all. And besides, you've been working so hard of late, I wouldn't want you to get sick, that would be heartless of me!"

His brows lowered, Dusk's voice was without a moment of humor while he leveled his gaze at the still playfully innocent acting mare. "Rainbow, you're not trying to get extra consideration for the extra ticket by doing me extra special favors, are you?"

Still feigning innocence Dash put a hand to her chest, her voice filled with the best innocent and indigent tones she could summon. "Me? No no no, of course not. I'm just looking out for your health"

Unamused by her game, Dusk continued to level his glare, his voice as dry as he was. "Uh-huh."

Still attempting to get though this with some points in her favor Rainbow Dash nodded excitedly, waving her hand around though the air in hopes that she might get them past this situation "Seriously, I'd do it for any pony. Heh heh, eh." And yet, even as she spoke a random pony charged though the air, drenched to the bone, she pushed her way into one of the nearest stores, even as she dripped from the heavy downpour.

Done with Dash's games Dusk leveled his glare up at her his arms crossing on his chest as he stated his objection openly to the mare. "Rainbow, I am not comfortable accepting unwanted favors, so I'd appreciate it if you close up that rain cloud right now."

Grunting as her game was thrown out at Dusk's refusal to play along, Rainbow Dash sat up and gave her own derisive grumbles. "Ugh, fine." The missing cloud was shoved into place to join the rest of the storm, blasting at the ground below.

Glad that things were being done properly again, Dusk returned his focus to the meal before him, his sandwich lifted once more and drawn to lips, muttering warmly to himself. "That's better." Then a sudden crack of thunder split the air and impacted the ground just a few feet from him. The thick sudden torrent of released rain soaked him in its downfall, its blast ruining the meal and his momentary happy mood.

Dressed in a golden hued raincoat, Rarity walked up and held out her umbrella to help cover Dusk from the still powerful downpour. Her voice disapproving she spoke with bland tones. "Dusk, it's raining."

As annoyed as he was Dusk got sarcastic, and rolled his eyes, turning to lock his gaze up to the mare who was keeping him dry at least at the moment. "No, really?" He waited, head his cocked to the right as he glared at her waiting to see just what next smart remark she had prepared.

Rarity took his words with ease however, gracefully turning and waving her free hand towards her Carrousel Boutique. Voice gentle and kind she cooed with soft ease. "Come with me before you catch a cold darling."

* * *

Back inside the Boutique Dusk stood by the door while the little mare rushed around, taking his jacket from him and hanging it up by the door to help it dry out, the dribbling water falling upon her floor mat. Standing as he did on her entrance mat he raked two fingers though his hair, releasing his own annoyed sigh, yet in the process a soft spray of water drops splattered her in the face. Blushing dark he looked down voice soft. "Heh heh, oops, sorry."

Rarity however appeared to have no issue with the light water drops as they impacted on her face, but her own soft smile and kind voice lifted in ease, even while she stepped in close again, a hand raking through his hair while her voice lowered in soft glee. "Oh no, it's quite all right." Turning she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling close to press her silky body against his wet chest. Lips pressing heavily up and into the kiss. Her right hand slipped out and stroked tenderly across his naked chest to trace the outline of muscles with the deft tips of her own fingers.

Dusk's world was filled with no one but Rarity, until Barb suddenly cleared her throat and started lightly tapping her foot in impatience. "You two are cute and all but why am I here?", she asked, her arms crossed over her trim figure, her scales beaded with water, leaving her standing in a small puddle, the moisture pinning her light cotton dress to wet scales.

Peeling free of Dusk's body, Rarity was grinning warmly as she turned to Barb, who still stood by the door, the soft teasing tone she had been using instantly dropped when she realized just how enamored Rarity was with the way her damp clothing clung to her frail frame. She cupped up the dragoness by the jaw with both her hands, as she spoke in a rich voice. "And you are so cute too. Oh Barb, I have a dandy little outfit for the noble lady!"

While the little dragon rarely wore much in the way of fancy clothing, she didn't mind the occasional times Princess Cadence had helped her dress up for a celebration. But now with Rarity suddenly pushing a silky dress upon the girl, its soft yellow green hues a nice compliment to her natural purple scales, she started squirming at the sudden attention, yet still stunned by the soft touch of her current crush. "D-ah, ow, oh, hey, wow, watch it, whoa!" Fighting as the dress was forced on her she wiggled and mutter in annoyance at the weight of the dress, even as it was shifted and pinned by Rarity's keen fingers to make it fit as flawlessly as possible.

Watching as Barb blushed darkly under the fawning attention from Rarity, Dusk lightly chuckled, endeared to the way the mare took so much time to primp and groom at Barb's scales and the like. "Oh, Barb you look so cute!"

Nodding her own rich joy, Rarity murmured her own soft agreement. "Now you just need a Tiara that goes with your spikes..." She cast her gaze towards the pile of crowns and other jewellery that might go well with the dress on Barb's slender body. Clinging close to her thin frame and showing off a lot of leg, it really did make the little dragoness look noble.

Even while Rarity softly muttered her own low words in consideration of one Tiara over another, Barb, at last, got fed up and pushed past Dusk and Rarity, her voice disgusted as she stormed out the door still in the dress. "Ugh, I told you, I don't want any part of this frilly gala gunk, see you back at the library." Realization that the sky outside was clear now Dusk relaxed and shifted to gaze up at Rarity as he relaxed in the chair watching fine figure sweeping back across the room to his side.

Laughing softly she drew his hands up into her own, drawing him to stand with her in a dancing pose, turning so they gazed together into the towering mirror. Her voice dismissively casting away Barb's swift escape, she focused instead on him. "Oh, who needs her anyway. This is all about you, and how fabulous we'll look at The Grand Galloping Gala."

Realizing what was going on at last, Dusk released a soft sigh, his head shaking quietly "Wait, I have to tell you something Rarity. It's about the Gala." At last he got her attention, his words catching her as she had moved to pull a sample of outfits to show off for him. Alone with the mare and her attention locked on him alone Dusk stepped forward and cupped her chin his voice soft and low. "It's just that Princess Celestia was asking me so many questions. I don't think this Gala invitation is for fun." Blushing darkly at his words, Rarity let the tux slide back onto its hook while he turned and drew into his arms her voice soft, low and tender. "I don't mind Dusk, If the Princess wants to know about our relationship? I can tell her the truth. I've fallen in love with the greatest stallion in Equestria and it's a joy to know he cares for me in return."

Relaxing at last a little, his hands slipping around her hips and a soft kiss planted on her cheek, rubbing his muzzle against her jaw in tender strokes. For a moment silence passed between them while quiet silence passed, the mare gazing longingly up into his own eyes. At last Dusk laughed and relaxed, nodding once gently. "Alright. So its that simple then. We stand up to Celestia, after maybe she just wants to make sure I'm treating you right." When she cocked an eyebrow up at him he laughed gently. "Sunset treated me so poorly, since then the Princess has been very supportive... But I've always wondered if she felt guilty for introducing us in the first place."

Suddenly from the open door the sound of a very familiar voice called out, while the rich smell of a dozen spiced apple treats tormented at the nose. With a massive grin upon her lips Applejack stepped up to the open door and called out with a booming voice, friendly in nature, yet with the hints of jealousy were not far from her words. "Dusk! I've got to get you to try some of this food. Some new Apple family treats Granny had me whip up. You done enjoyed the others so much, I had to find you first before anyone else!"

A groan escaped Dusk's lips as he and Rarity turned to look to the earth mare, yet as Applejack stepped into the open door that Barb had stormed out though, her rich grin warm as the summer sun, even as she waved to the food cart she had brought with her from the Apple farm. Dressed up in fresh brown shorts that clung to her tight rump and a short white tee-shirt that hugged just barely passing over her breasts, while a matching brown half jacket that was only just a little longer hung to her ribs. Grinning warmly she called with strong and sultry overtones. "Did somepony say lunch?"

Gazing over his shoulder at the mare Dusk slumped his head forward, groaning at how everything just kept going wrong today. "You've got to be kidding me! Applejack... I... Rarity and I were having a moment just now."

Shaking her head with unbreakable courage, Applejack pushed herself onward, waving a hand to the cart she had shoved half into the doorway while fresh steaming food oozed rich scents into Rarity's Boutique. "I got apple pie, apple fritters, apple tarts, apple dumplings, apple crisps, apple crumblers, and apple Brown Betty. Uh, the dessert, not my auntie." Fingers slipped out and wrapped around Dusk's wrist, to pull him away form Rarity, and cling for just a moment possessively to his arm while for a moment a glare was shared between the two mares who were normally such good friends.

Dusk's gaze darted from one mare to the other, realizing it wasn't really him she was talking to with all that statement. Rarity had gone quiet and gazed to AJ dressed up as she was in her best show duds, even while the farm mare started pushing food into Dusk's hands. Her large eyes wide with joy as she pushed forward further. "Is that a yes? I'd..." And here she swallowed, and turned her gaze down to him, her voice suddenly hinting at more then just friendly tones. "I'd sure love to be your date to the gala."

Rarity gasped, her eyes wide as she rushed to Dusk's side and placed herself between him and the taller mare. Eyes massive with pain she put a finger to AJ's chest, pushing her back a little while inserting herself back into the situation. "A... AJ! You know how close me and Dusk have gotten. Why would you do this.... I... We.. were friends." The hurt stood out massive in her eyes.

Suddenly a second string actor in his own life, Dusk was left to watch as AJ stepped back up to Rarity's push, her arms crossing her chest as she glared down at the other mare. "Maybe it's cause I want something too Rarity? Or that you ain"t the only one with an eye for a handsome stallion? It's not like you two have declared yourself or not'ing." Here she turned to look up from Rarity to Dusk her voice tender and easy. "I know I've been difficult of late due..." A cough and then she swallowed starting again. "Cause of my season and what not. But I want to know if my feelings were about you are real or not."

Swallowing she stepped back from Rarity, and leaned against the door-frame her arms crossing over her belly and her voice spoke with a softer, shy nature. "I don"t know what I feel yet, but I'd sure like the chance to get ta know ya better Dusk. But on da' farm? No that's no good! Ma.. Maybe at the Gala? Where else could you see I'm as good a mare as Rarity." And then as they both simply stared at her in shock she blushed darkly and looked down.

Dusk at last understood, and turned to Rarity, a soft smile offered to the older mare as he stepped forward, stroking his hand across the woman's spine in a single easy pass. The touch drew her gaze up to him and when she realized what he had asked without words, she nodded softly. Holding hands they stepped forward, together placing a soft touch with their free hand on the farm pony's jaw. His voice rich and soft, Dusk spoke up first with tender care. "Applejack, it would be my pleasure to get to know you better. You don't need fancy duds or some silly party to get my attention." As she lifted her head to gaze into his eyes, he smiled again just for her, his voice whispering softly for her. “I don't know if it's just your heat or not, but I've had a great time helping you at the farm these last few weeks. I think I owe you at least a date.”

With his words sinking in, the towering mare looked up a little then turned to look to Rarity, her voice breaking when she attempted to speak up. But she didn't need to, as Rarity stepped into her arms and hugged her tightly. Her voice warm and soft as she giggled softly. "You big goof. You should have told me. I'd never have the strength to deny you a handsome stallion. I've shared secrets with you, why should I have a problem sharing someone with a big heart like Dusk." Sniffling a little herself, she poked the taller mare in the belly. "Just don't go stealing him from me completely. Maybe... if you really fall in love with him... well we could always form a herd?"

At last this smoothed things over, and with one strong arm wrapped around Dusk's back, AJ pulled him into the three way hug, laughing warmly. When she had a chance to clear her eyes of tears she blushed darkly before answering her shorter friends suggestion. "I'm sorry Rarity. I just.. I felt so jealous of you laying claim to the best stallion around... not able to do anything cause my heart was too confused by my season." She looked up from Rarity to gaze to Dusk's eyes, her voice tender and low. "I ain't saying I've fallen for you like some silly filly who has read one too many romance novel to think straight. I'm just saying if you like me too, A date or something?" When he simply nodded she relaxed and shook her head warmly. "Look at us, getting all worked up. Now let's get down to what's really important, what's up with this ticket to the gala? Why did the Princess so clearly ask for Rarity?"

It was Dusk's turn to blush darkly now, and with quiet care he explained the night he and Rarity had, along with their fun the morning after. Every time he attempted to gloss over some details she instantly supplied them all, leaving him no chance to be shy around the other mare. In the end he shrugged his voice soft. "I'm guessing she saw that letter and worried I was falling into another abusive relationship like with Sunset Shimmer. I wonder how she will take it when I say two mare's have presented a convincing case that I should form a herd."

They shared a warm round of laughter at the remark, Rarity serving them tea while they sat around munching on some of AJ's treats. Talking about that night with her had released some tension Dusk hadn't really realized was between the two mares and now that it was over, suddenly things were far more comfortable. Speaking up first AJ smacked Dusk on the knee her voice harder but mostly playful. "First thing you gotta understand Dusk. We ain't no herd. I'm just keeping my options open. You might be the best Unicorn stallion around, but you are as weak as water. Maybe learn to apple buck and I'll give you proper chance."

Shared laughter continued as the conversation at last turned back to the tickets to the gala itself. Speaking up first, AJ put a foot down. "I don't need to go. I want to, don't get me wrong on that for a moment. But fancy parties are not my thing. I'd rather try and make the farm a whole heap of money then wind up dancing fancy before of the Princess!"

Snickering a little Rarity dunked her apple tart in her tea, her voice cooing soft teases to the younger mare. "Oh don't worry about it. If you go, I'll give you dance lessons. Maybe even make you a ball gown. Just think of how charming a couple you'd make on the dance floor. Oh sure, Dusk would have to look up at you as he attempted to waltz around the room, but you are---" And here she paused to clear her throat and attempted to copy AJ's tone for a moment. "A rotten apple tree in need of a good bucking."

The three relaxed and sit down to chat together for a while, trying to figure out a solution to today's headaches. While none came forth, at least the three could share the problem between three different viewpoints. Dusk relaxed a little, content in knowing the two mares friendship was as solid as ever.

* * *

Arriving home with a fresh perspective on the situation but no more answers, Dusk opened the door of the Golden Oak Library only to suddenly find the sweetest of singing voices whispering through the air and teasing at his ears as the unseen singer carried on. A little worried now, he wandered inside, knowing that wasn't Barb's singing voice his step was a little slower, and his eyes searched every corner of the room for the source of that song. It wasn't until he stepped into the Library proper that his senses were hit full in the face by a shocking sight.

Dressed up in what could only be described as a skimpy french maid's outfit, its frilly skirt hardly even reaching her knees while a big white bow tied over her plush rump swayed from side to side, Fluttershy was dusting the Library, with the aid of a half dozen of her animal friends. And it wasn't until she turned around upon hearing his jaw drop and the low muttering words whispering free of his lips. "Fluttershy, not you too?" He groaned.

The full effect of this new outfit really struck Dusk when she turned at his voice. While the skirt was short, the plunging neckline of the dress revealed a massive amount of cleavage considering the tremendous size of the blushing mare's breast. Except for the presence of a white dress shirt worn under the maid uniform buttoned up to the throat and giving her some semblance of modesty. Duster still in her deft fingertips, Fluttershy gasped and draw both hands up to offer a cheerful grin, only the fidgeting of her hands making it clear how uncomfortable she was in the moment. "Oh, well, hello Dusk. I hope you don't mind, but we're all doing a little spring cleaning for you."

Eyes wide, Dusk turned his gaze around the room to inspect the cleaning aid done by her animal assistants. Until he saw Angel Bunny walking into the room, a silver platter carried in one hand. Here too he we forced to groan a little, as the short bunny had been dressed up in a fine white chief's dress suit, fixed up in full with tall hat and apron. Having taken it all in, he turned back to glare at Fluttershy, his voice very tired now despite the shockingly appealing sight before him. "It's summer."

Blushing and offering a small shrug Fluttershy played innocent, flying swiftly over behind the bunny and grabbing Angel lightly by the shoulders forcing him to scramble as he struggled to support the weight of the platter in his grip as she shook him around a little. "Oh, well, better late than never, right? It was Angel's idea."

Not fooled for a moment, Dusk crossed his arms over his own chest, his own voice released in a sharp grunt. His leveled glare focused on the shy filly, figuring it might be easier to break her rather than the stonewalling bunny. "You're not doing this for the ticket, are you?"

Attempting to still act innocent, Fluttershy shook her hands and fly around her bunny to float before him, hands taking his own up and her head shaking with mirth and light giggles. "Oh no, I'm doing this because you're my very best friend. Right Angel?"

A little more aware of the whole situation then his boss, Angel turned his glare up to her and turned to Dusk his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not at all Dusk! Why would Fluttershy ever want to go to the biggest flower show and free range zoo in Equestria?"

Seeing both men turned on her, a whimper escaped her lips, before she gave a solid nod, taking up Angel's lead and dropping any attempts at faking the act of kindness was for any reason but her own greed. Voice warm and smile pleading she relented and returned to give the truth instead. "Oh, yes, we are just doing this for the ticket."

Groaning, but at least respecting the fact they were willing to drop the act and be honest Dusk turned around and pulled open the door to the library a hand waving to direct them out while his strained voice waved near the edge of flat rage. "No, no, no! Well, this was all very nice of you and Angel, but I'm not accepting any extra favors until I've made my final decision, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

But it was Dusk, not Fluttershy and Angel, who left, as he was suddenly scooped up by a dozen mare's who together snatched him up and cried out in unison. "SURPRISE!" Thrown head over heels, Dusk landed upon a trampoline, suddenly stuck in a friendly celebration whose origin was not hard to guess at. Arms crossing over his chest he sat back glaring heavily as he waited for this to calm down, or at least until he saw the source of this 'favor'.

Then in the bold blast of trumpets, Pinkie Pie stepped out, her voice lifted high in song as she began to dance around in a circle before the many cheering fillies who were helping her with the trampoline. Confetti in one hand, and a song in her heart she made massive leaps into the air to accent her words with bold actions.

Dusk is my bestest friend

Whoopie, whoopie!

Still waiting with a level glare and his voice sharp in the base of his throat, Dusk waited a moment, maybe two, allowing the mares to toss him into the air twice more, waiting for a break in the song before speaking out in his own calmly stoked furnace of annoyance. "Pinkie..."

Of course, the mare wasn't about to heed any distractions while in full blown song mode, his level polite words never once getting a chance to be heard as the delighted bubblegum mare danced on voice drowning his own out in her glee

He's the cutest, smartest, all around best pony, pony!

Clearly realizing his words were not getting through to any of them, he drew a sharp breath and spoke harder, adding some real volume to the tone as he continued to be bounced in the air. "Pinkie." The menacing addition to his tone attempting to make it perfectly clear to her he was done with her game... and it failed to get though.

In her gleeful parade, the mare was lost to his words, her singing only growing louder as she pressed on in song.

I bet if I throw a super-duper fun party, party!

His rage boiling over, Dusk swallowed sharply, and called out with a more vocal scream of rage, this time at last getting through to the others in the crowd as he cried out his annoyance. "Pinkie!" The trampoline stopped as they let him get to his feet, but the mare? Not even a dent was made into her own joyful dance, spiraling in the air with easy grace.

He'll give his extra ticket to the Gala to me!

Dusk slipped forward, off the trampoline while his arms crossed over his chest again, and he waited for the mare to land before him again in a pause in her dance. All the other mares had started to back off, quickly realizing that Dusk was having no part in whatever show she was putting on, yet now continued hanging around thanks to their morbid interest in the show she was now putting on for them. "PIIINKIIIE!!"

Standing together by the door to the Library, Barb looked up to Angel and over to Fluttershy, offering a soft shrug as she started to push through the crowd to make her way to his side, in hopes she might have a chance to offer him some kind of help. But even as she went, the low voice of Angel called over the crowd loud enough for her to hear at least. "Maybe we should have done that. I think the message would have gotten across a LOT better." At Fluttershy's whimper, he gave sigh and nod a little. "Yeah. You're right, it would have been a lot harder to get them all together to help out before Pinkie collected them first. Besides. I like the hat."

Stopped by Dusk standing face to face with her, Pinkie Pie spread her joyful smile as a counter to his annoyed glare, her hands cupping together behind her back even while she wiggled from hips to the tip of her nose, gleeful that the moment she had been waiting for. "Yes, Dusk?" If she showed any sign of realizing he was frustrated with her insane actions instead simply beaming a gleeful grin in response to his words of rage.

Groaning out under the force of that shameless grin Dusk relented a step or two, and put a hand to his brow voice filled with open despair at her plan to woo him. "At least the other ponies tried to be subtle about the ticket Pinkie..."

The sudden revaluation of Pinkie's words, made real to the others at Dusk's confirmation made the gathered crowd begin to realize that something more was going on here. Stepping forward from the gathering crowd that still grew in size, a mare Dusk had been introduced to the other day by the name of... what was it, Drizzle? As the first to speak up, her voice suddenly full of wonder, eyes soft pink hue wide with glee. "Wait, what ticket? What gala?" Turning to offer a offhanded comment to the pegasus Pinkie Pie laughed gently and offered her warm shrug. "Oh, you didn't know? Dusk has an extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala!"

Now the whole crowd spoke up together, as one massive voice in unison "The Grand Galloping Gala?" Suddenly forty mare's all at once turned and pushed together towards Dusk, overwhelming him with their sudden chatter and random offers mixed up was the crowd he wasn't be able to identify more than one or two of those were closest as they spoke.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your mane?"

"I'll wash your dishes."

Pressing in on Dusk, the filly Daisy stroked a hand across his cheek, her voice velvety and soothing "Would you like any help with your gardening?"

On the other side of him, Shoeshine slipped close to draw a finger across his lips, cooing low and warm. "I have a cartload of extra carrots." All the while still more voices pressed in, one after another crying out offers of one favor or another.

"I'll paint your cart."

Realizing the mob that was forming before him, Dusk grabbed Barb by the wrist, pulling her in close and bolting off in the only free direction he could go, away from the one safe place in mind as the horde had already clustered into a wall of body's before the Golden Oak Library. Even as he bolted, Barb called up to him from in his arms, her voice worried, shivering with momentary fear. "What are we gonna do?"

Bolting as fast as he could, Dusk was still scanning for any avenue of escape. His voice panting for breath even as he turned one corner and ran down another alleyway the wild horde mobbing behind them spilling through the streets and stalking them without fail. All he could manage was a grunt and a groan, his mind still wildly spinning for thoughts of somewhere safe, yet all that came to mind was the Golden Oak, now blocks behind him and only getting further way. "We're... gonna... run!"

Still more offers of favors poured forth, one after another whenever Dusk turned a corner only to find himself confronted by a second wind of the ever growing crazed horde. And not just mare's, several stallions had joined in, the one before him shoving a card into his hand his own voice professional compared to the crazed mob. "I'll do your taxes!" An offer so ridiculous in this situation Dusk was forced to halt and simply stare as the smirking stallion. This was a bad choice and soon the mass of bodies surrounded him again.

This time they offered him no avenue for escape, no gaps between two bodies he might dive though. Even overhead a dozen pegasus had gathered to form a net in the air to lock down upon him with the rest of the begging crowd. Panic setting in Dusk dragged Barb up into his arms and held her tight to his chest. Any attempt to think was lost to this situation as he twist and turned around in place even while his hand rubbed the dragon’s back. Swallowing sharply as he shifted and shuffled feet on the ground, he twisted around in one last desperate hope, the idea of safety now all he could think of... and in a sudden burst of power, he popped from sight in a bubble of brilliant raspberry light enveloping him and then releasing its own bubble of silence that washed over the gathered crowd.

Realization dawned on the gathered masses, that Dusk had disappeared before their eyes. Random voices muttered softly even as they began to disperse, "Where is he? Where did he go? he just... disappeared." Of the crowd, five hung around, gathering close and starting to talk, or more appropriately, speaking to the others in a soft voice, Rarity fingered at the thick and silky purple mane of her hair. Whispering of the only other time she had seen such magic, the night of Nightmare Moon.

* * *

A second flash of shocking bright white light that faded to simply scorchingly resplendent tones of light raspberry aura before the bubble unfolded and fell free from two panting figures, the last moment of the spell exploding in a small column of smoke that left the two coughing for breath. Once more in the safety of the Library Dusk and Barb staggered together and sank to sit on the floor, resting back to back as the aftershocks of a spell cast by sure force of will alone still sapped at their strength. It was the little dragoness who spoke first, shaking her head and sticking her tongue out at the taste of the magic that still managed to somehow linger on her taste buds. "Ugh, warn me next time you're gonna do that."

Laughing a little warmly to himself Dusk shook his head grinning to his assistant as he started pulling himself to his feet, staggering on uneasy feet. His voice happy at the discovery of new found magic, yet still drained and strained by the act of power behind the spell, as accidental as it might be. "I didn't even know it was gonna happen. Now quick, lock the doors."

Yet before they could get five feet, the front door slipped open and five bodies quickly slipped inside, locking it behind them before the soft tones of Fluttershy's voice lifted up, calling out with soft care. "Dusk? Please come out. We... We want to talk..."

Groaning as he turned the corner only to walk straight into the five friends he couldn't do anything to help Dusk gave up and flopped to his knees before them. His voice openly ranting at the unfix-able situation at hand. "Yaaaargh! I can't decide, I just can't decide. It's important to all of you and I just can't stand to disappoint any of you, and giving me gifts and doing me favors won't make any difference, because you're all my friends and I wanna make you all happy and I can't, I just can't!"

Unsurprisingly it was Applejack who stepped forward, and gave his shoulder a soft squeeze. "Dusk, sugar, I didn't mean to put so much pressure on you, and if it helps, I don't want the ticket anymore. You can give it to somepony else. I won't feel bad, I promise." Her gaze was swift to shift to Rarity, and a quiet sad smile drifted over her lips as she offered the Unicorn mare a little nod.

The real shock was that Fluttershy of all people, still in that silly black and white silk and lacy maid's outfit who stepped in next, cupping his cheeks with her hands and smiling down to him, leaning in to put a light kiss on his nose her voice warm and light. "Me too. I feel just awful that I made you feel so awful." Outside you might just hear the sound of a familiar bunnies voice screaming out 'Oh come on!'

Next Pinkie Pie blushing dark and drooped her head low, putting her hands on his own drawing him to stand up with her, resting her head to his chest before at last spoke her own soft apologize. "And me too. It's no fun upsetting your friends."

Rarity was the only one who was silent, as swiftly Dash pushed in front of him and cried out in victory, a small dance and twirl on the spot preformed in her own joy at the others retreat from the situation. "Yes! That means the ticket is mine. Ha ha!" Her song grew to a near sing song tone as she danced in place in her own bold joy. "I got the ticket, I got the ticket--" Yet as she looked to AJ and the others a sigh escaped her lips, her body sinking down to the ground and sheepishly she kicked the door lightly. "You know, I haven't perfected my signature moves for The Wonderbolts anyway. I don't need that ticket either." More a guilt trip then really relenting to the others pressure the mare glared at the others but with only a small pout on her lips.

Rarity at last stepped forward, her hands holding one of Dusk's own, her voice soft and easy. "I won't go if you don't want to Dusk. Princess Celestia doesn't need to make you go to some dance just to talk to me. I can make the trip any day of the week if she but asked."

When the others started to mumble in confusion AJ simply leaned back against the wall and crossed arms over her chest her voice level, a hint of... jealousy maybe danced on her words. "Dusk and Rarity are a number now. And you'd all better respect that." When none offered more than a mild shrug, she turned back to Dusk her voice softer now, tone warm as she tried to patch the situation with one last bandage. "We all got so gun-ho about going to the gala that we couldn't see how un-gun-ho we were making you."

All the others nodded and replied together in unison with everyone's statement a joined note. "We're sorry, Dusk." Of one sort or another.

Realization dawning upon him Dusk grinned and turned from the mares, he spoke to his assistant, his voice rich with new found confidence. "Barb, take down a note." The scramble for paper and a quill took only a moment and Dusk wrapped his arms around as many of the five mare's as he could manage in one massive hug as he guided them into the Library to watch over the little dragoness as he spoke on. "Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, but when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala." Together the others were shocked at the words, all turning to look from one another then back to Dusk, AJ even squirming from his grip, her voice calm and sure now as she stroked a hand across his cheek. "Dusk.. you don't have to do that." Followed by the others calling out with assorted statements of "What?"

Laughing softly, Dusk turned to hug her again shaking his head warmly as he looked over all his new friends. his voice was relaxed and confident for the first time since the letter had arrived. "If my friends can't all go, I don't wanna go either." As AJ started to form more words he put a finger to her nose and winked playfully up to the mare. "Nope. I've made up my mind. Barb, you can send the letter now."

Barb took a breath and casting her magic she sent the new letter away, along with the two tickets stuffed into its coiled page. Fluttershy stepped up beside him as he watched the magic whisper out into the clear blue sky, her voice sad and low. "Now you won't get to go to the gala either."

Lightly giving her a soft chuck on the jaw, Dusk drew them all into a second massive group hug, his voice brimming with soft confidence this time. "It's okay, girls. I couldn't possibly enjoy myself without my best friends there with me, so I would rather not go at all." For her part only Barb stood apart, suddenly snorting and coughing as if her throat was stuck on something. "Hgh... hgh... urk... urk..."

Laughing sharply at the reaction to their friendly sentiment, Applejack gave the little dragoness a clap on the back, voice teasing to the younger lass. "Well wallop my withers, Barb. Isn't that just like a young filly? Can't handle the least bit of sentiment." Yet the blow was strong enough to clear up whatever was clogging her lungs and Barb released a sudden powerful fireball of that same green magic, bursting into existence a new letter and forcing AJ to draw away from the flames with a cry of shock "Whoa Nelly!"

A little shocked, Dusk peeled away from the others to pick up the letter and unfold it for the dragon while she caught her breath, but leaving her the chance to read it first. His voice light and worried, he almost didn't dare to look down to the words of anger he was now worried what might be written across the page. "A letter from the princess? That was fast..."

Gathering herself up again, Barb took the scroll and inspected it, reading quickly as the others soon started to press in close in hopes of hearing or seeing more sooner, rather than waiting for her to finish. "My faithful student Dusk, Why didn't you just say so in the first place? Here are Six tickets to The Grand Galloping Gala, it would be my pleasure to have all your friends come along and enjoy a night on the town. They have earned it a thousand times over after all."

As a collective, all six ponies gasped, Dusk turning to address his friends with his own soft chuckle of glee. "Well how about that? Now we can all go." As a rich cheer echoed forth from the gathered crowd the sudden rumble of his stomach reverberated through the room, causing them all to laugh and cut short the rich cheer they had just began at the discovery of the new tickets. With a nervous laugh he lightly pet his own belly, eyes dropping to Barb voice soft. "Did you ever eat properly today?"

Turning to Dusk, the little dragon considered trying a bold lie, before giving in and nodding. "Those gems you ordered showed up in the afternoon mail. They go great on a daffodil sandwich!" While the others laughed a little, Dusk shook his head rubbing at his hungry stomach.

Rarity step into his side, linking arms with him and flashing a rich smile up to him, her voice soft and warm. "Please Dusk. Do allow us to treat you to dinner."

Here Dash snickered softly, looping her arm with his free one, her eyes bright with wonder. "After all, how what else could we apologize to you, egghead!"

Hopping onto his back and wrapping arms around his neck, Pinkie Pie thrust one free hand forward her voice filled with that same air of unbreakable excitement at what lay ahead. "And to celebrate. Come on everyone, the cupcakes are on me!"

As the others filed out, Barb alone stared at the note, six tickets and six ponies had wandered away. Her voice soft, and somewhat sad she searched the letter again speaking quietly to herself. "How come I don't get a ticket to the gala?" Then another sharp burp ripped through her gut and a much smaller burst of flame ripped through her clenched teeth. Staggered at being overlooked she took a minute to unfold it, eyes scanning the note, even as the heavy stride back to the front door signaled AJ's return, her deep eyes searching for the tiny dragoness.

Reading aloud to herself she quoted Celestia's letter. "And one for you, Barb." With a bold giggle she tore towards the door to catch up with the others, stopping only when she saw AJ towering above her, wearing a delighted grin. Attempting to play innocent she stopped and turned to lock the door, her tone and behavior pulling a total one eighty. "I mean, gross, I have to go too?" If she fooled the mare no sign was given, just a rich and knowing smile. Then linking arm and arm with the dragoness once the house was locked up, they rushed to follow after the others.

Author's Note

Alright! Another chapter down. Thanks to my kind Prereaders for putting up with a 7 am link bomb and I hope only that you guys can continue to put up with my random and rapid schedule. What did you think? Can you tell the clop scene was cut from this chapter for pacing issues? Don't worry because I'm working on it now as a reward for 100 favorites on this series. I'll have it out asap and will put a link to it where it belongs in this story. But to keep this from being over 20k it will remain a separate bonus story not part of the main narrative, besides some people don't want / need clop in every chapter to be happy.

As always leave me any and all feedback, its always appreciated!
/end of original author's note.

Also, please everyone thank Frankie for putting up with being my only editor / spell checker in this chapter due to internet outages for the others. It's been a crazy week but I'm glad to finally have this out and ready for you all to enjoy. Please send all of your sanity for poor Frankie needs it after dealing with my shit all alone!

Version 2 updated April 28th, 2016. Edited by me!

Interlude 4 - The Princess of Love - Part 1

Masquerade's Law: Passed in the wake of a teacher's abuse of influence over more than a dozen fillies a decade ago; this law makes it illegal for any Doctor; Teacher; or other adult with influence upon a minor to be alone with a minor at any time without a parent; guardian; or a representative of the Crown princesses' government with a clean legal background. The goal was to avoid any future chances of foal fiddlers who might want to abuse their influence with these impressionable and unsuspecting children.

* * *

Ponyville Clinic was so quiet in the early morning, and Dusk was there alone, just after dawn. It was surprising just how much had happened so quickly when a letter from one of the princesses arrived suddenly. It had only been two days since Dusk had received the Gala tickets from Celestia and now suddenly he knew every mare in town, as everyone now wanted to get to know the star stallion better as a person after their daydreams enraptured rampage through town.

Then yesterday Cadence's letter arrived, one for himself, another for Nurse Redheart. All the sudden the staff of Ponyville Clinic were falling over one another to get things ready, with Dusk suddenly being consulted on any kind of random paperwork; the color of the blinds; and what kind of flowers should be planted on the walkway from his home to the clinic as well as the new hospital building site. The fact that she was younger then half the clinic's staff apparently had no factor on today. A royal visit from one of the three princesses' made for a huge event for the town now alight with royal fever.

And then laws suddenly were being thrown around. Even before his supper last night, mayor mare had been knocking at his door nearly faint with shock. His mind wandering in the silence of the quiet clinic's sterile halls, Dusk drifted back to last night in his mind. To the mayor's panic attack over some simple loopholes in paperwork.

* * *

The incessant knocking at the Great Oak Library's back door, where the hall connected to the kitchen, demanding his attention just as Dusk's first bite of a daffodil salad slipped between his teeth. Memories of the endless conversations and tiring assault of requests for what might be served for dinner to a princess. He was sure all of this was at last answered, with the assistance from Rarity to set up a lunch tea to the worried mayor's exacting requirements, even her reputation for class, grace, and style had hardly won the diplomat over. And here she was again, her voice calling, nearly begging though the door for them to answer. "Dusk! Dusk!! We've got a real major emergency! You've got to help us!"

His eyes matched Barb's for a moment as they sat at the table, and when she shrugged, he gave a forced little sigh, fork dropping to the plate, half bite of leafy greens mixed with fresh daffodils likely to go to waste with hours of still more meetings that likely lay ahead if this went anywhere similar to the day he had just had. At last his voice lifted tired but calm while his fingers moved to straighten his shaggy bangs a little and a brave face was put on. "Get it Barb, or she will just break it down."

The dragoness gave a simple shrug and nod, before shoving his plate closer to him before she turned to walk away. His lunch had not been touched, and breakfast had been eaten at a run, she was not about to let dinner be disturbed by yet another asinine list of concerns that even Dusk himself clearly didn't care about. With the door opened, the mare rushed inside swiftly and pushed past the little dragoness without a word of thanks, nearly slamming her back into the door frame as she charged past. "Dusk! It's all falling apart! Her parents are gone from town already and left permission only to Nurse Redheart or Princess Celesta's royal court! And if we don't submit the paperwork, Canterlot Royal Hospital refuses to let the princess visit! Some law about not allowing resident doctors work at another hospital without proper documentation!"

Even with his quick mind, Dusk needed a minute to catch up to just what in Tartarus Mayor Mare was talking about. It was only thanks to Barb's glare at him from behind the mayor that he stopped, and twisted his fork up once more, drawing it to his dinner platter again, forcing the mayor to wait as he ate. While chewing as slowly as he could manage, his hand lifted, waving for Barb to close the door and come to his side. In silence he finished what was left between his teeth, leaning back upon the chair and crossing arms over his chest while his hand lifted to wave gently to Barb. "This is quite the problem Mayor Mare. After all, clearly you need someone other than her physician. Diamond's Masquerade's Law, aye?"

The mayor nodded enthusiastically, her mind still reeling from the weight of the problem at hand and all the sudden effort they had put to a royal visit, now doomed because of Scootaloo's parents absent permission. Dusk lifted a hand, and softly stroked two fingers across the curve of his jaw even while he pretended now to be lost in deep thought. His gaze turned to Barb, speaking with a light, sarcastic edge. "Barb, this is horrible. Cadence will never be allowed to visit if Scootaloo's attending medic does a physical and sends it to Canterlot for their release." Barb nod slowly, but even as she did, the math was quickly adding up behind her eyes and soon she had realized what he was getting at, a sly grin spreading on her lips.

Turning to stand at Dusk's side, her hands lifted up and clasped her cheek's in horror her cat's eyes going wide in shock. "But Dusk! Wherever will we find someone who could stand in as Celestia's representative to satisfy Masquerade's Law?" Her over dramatic tone made Dusk's lips quiver with suppressed mirth, attempting to suppress his glee at the situation at hand. "Maybe we should send a letter to the princess? I'm sure if we wrote her, even this late at night, she might answer us with some kind of helpful advice, after all, you are her favorite student and have acted as her personal representative on a dozen occasions in the past."

At this point, Dusk had hoped that the mayor might have caught up with them, and realized her foolish mistake. She didn't, instead she was turning from one to the other as they spoke, her eyes spreading wide with glee at the hope that some form of salvation to her problems might be found before disaster struck. Thus Dusk suddenly found her clutching his hand, on her knees with tears in her eyes, the thin wire frames of her glasses gazing pleadingly up at him. "Please Dusk Shine! Anything you can do! Oh to have a princess visit us at a time of peace has gotten the people so excited! Can you write her? Even with it being so late?"

A groan left his lips, even as he and Barb both mentally shared a glance that spoke volumes of how poorly the mayor was handling this crisis, though of course for Barb the joke of the situation lay deeper as she had seen Dusk fall apart just as easily when a problem got its grip on him. So, she stepped forward, taking the mayor by the shoulder, and waved a hand towards Dusk. "We can write, but why bother the princess? She has left Dusk as her student and representative already mayor... Why not have him stand in as Scootaloo's guardian while Nurse Redheart conducts the physical? His seal should stand good as any others we could get in so short a time, and I'm sure both princesses' will vouch for him and his record being spotless when it comes to matters of the law." A pause before she grinned softly. "Besides, he is one of the few adults Scootaloo gets along with. Other than Rainbow Dash of course... "

At last Mayor Mare finally caught up with her hosts and in a single violent moment her brain snapped back into place at the realization of just what they had been talking about all along. The mayor attempted to clear her brain out and stand up, her throat cleared as she shifted into a more professional frame of mind. "Err, yes! Yes of course Dusk Shine! If you could stand in as the princesses' representative, it would be a huge assistance!" It was shocking how easily she could manage to shift gears once she caught up with the situation at hand leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. "It might be the greatest favor you could do for Ponyville if you could give up your free time to help us out..."

* * *

And so Dusk had found himself signing yet another silly pile of paperwork, working for a few hours into the night to clear the paperwork for some nameless bureaucrat in Canterlot who planned to hold out on any tiny technicality possible, right to the very last minute. And when at last Dusk had gotten serious about the paperwork, applying real effort to clearing up each and every silly crossed 't' and dotted 'i' until even this annoying paper pusher had backed down. Thus he was left with five hours of sleep before Nurse Redheart and Scootaloo's scheduled appointment... and somehow he had still showed up early, and was left to wait alone in the nearly empty clinic for a half an hour in boredom.

It was with glee that someone opening the clinic's door drew Dusk back from his idle thoughts. Turning to snap his head over his shoulder the short figure who entered was instantly recognized as Scootaloo, and behind her? Nurse Redheart walked with a muffin currently still in her lips, while the younger filly munched at a grilled cheese sandwich. Even as he stood, the mares crossed the hall, young lass rubbing her limp cerise locks from her eyes as she was still half awake, even while her gaze turned up at Dusk, voice lifting in quiet annoyance. "You're promising to make this worth my time, right? It's too early for this shit if I'm not gonna get something out of this." Her low grunt made Dusk laugh and Redheart sigh, but rather than delay things, the three moved down the hall to one of the clinic's open exam rooms while the two mares continued to finish their breakfast.

Walking into the exam room, Dusk now realized things were still going to be quite uncomfortable for a while yet. Someone had set up a seven foot tall thin white curtain that separated a Desk from the rest of the sterile white exam room. Already having guessed what the rules of having anyone but a relative in the room during an examination of a child, Dusk wandered to the desk, a small mound of paperwork piled up on the table awaiting him as his weight sunk into the doctor's chair. Even as the girls finished off their meals he scanned over the pages, his spoke up with with quiet care. "It might save some time if I did the writing, alright Redheart?"

Here the mare stepped to his side and lowered her gaze to look to the paperwork he was still flipping over page by page in quiet review. Her eyes locked onto a page and a grin spread over lips, fingers lifting to lightly tap the page, Redheart lifting her gaze to Dusk the tone of her voice soft. "Oh I think you're neat enough a writer to handle this Dusk. And it might help out and save us some time. Barb's going to come here when she gets up?" At his nod she grinned warmer. "Good. As much as the others are getting worked up over this visit, I do admit I want to meet the princess as well. Her work during the wingrott outbreak in Canterlot is still talked about in medical circles, even if she had figured out some kind of miracle cure for wingrott it couldn’t have made her any less popular."

Here it was Scootaloo’s turn to speak up, her voice low and hollow. "We learn all about wingrott in school you know." Dusk swallowed and stood slowly, walking around the white curtain and looked at the small girl, sitting low on the exam table, her eyes red from restrained tears.

Three easy steps split the distance and Dusk's hand was on her shoulder with a soft touch, his voice offered in quiet consideration to the now clearly panicked young girl. "Princess Cadence doesn't think it's wingrott Scoots. If it was you'd have started molting months ago." Of course, this was far from supportive for the young mare.

Nurse Redheart knelt, taking the girl's hand into hers, making Scootaloo look up at the taller woman. Her voice was a low coo as she spoke, while her thumb rubbed the back of the young mare's knuckles. "Think of it this way Scootaloo. Your wings are weak, but with someone like Cadence taking direct and personal interest, we will find out what's really wrong with them, and get you back in the game, one way or another."

At last the little mare managed to relax a little, her gaze turning up to Dusk again as she let her hand rest in Redheart's. Her voice was fragile, eyes wide with pain as she looked into his. "Ca... can you make Dash come visit me sometime Dusk? I love watching how beautiful she is when she flies with such easy grace." At his nod she swallowed sharply and sat up taller again, her free hand wiping her eyes before returning her gaze back to Nurse Redheart again, grinning lightly. "Then let's get this shit over with. I wanna see Dash!"

The stress from the room alleviated, at least for the moment, Dusk and Redheart laughed quietly and moved to their respective sides of the room again, to get this exam started. Quickly enough the Nurse began her work, numbers called out over the curtain as Scootaloo's height, weight and a dozen other physical figures were broken down. Even the measurement of her wings was done with detailed specifics from the length of each wing bone, to even the weight and composition of a single flight feather. In the end even as Dusk was signing his name to the last page, Scootaloo pulled down the curtain that had separated them, and crossed arms over her chest, leveling a glare at him, her voice sharp. "You forget about what you just wrote down Dusk. No way I'm putting up with you knowing all those personal details." She then leveled a dark glare, grit her teeth, and waved a fist was lifted to wave before his eyes to emphasize her open threat at him.

Laughing at her threat Dusk gave her a nod, and softly pushed the stack of papers across the counter towards the girl, his voice soft and warm as he tried to reassure the young girl. "What are you talking about Scootaloo? I've no clue." His eyebrows lifted high up and he followed her as she nodded at the quiet seriousness to the young girl. "Now take these papers and go give them to Barb. She should be in the waiting room. Ask her to walk you home and if you're nice, she might even treat you to breakfast." Even as he spoke, Dusk slipped a twenty bit coin on top of the papers, and pushed at the girl’s shoulders, directing her from the room.

The filly grabbed the money greedily and clutched the paperwork to her chest, she rushed from the room, leaving Dusk alone with Nurse Redheart, the mare was still washing her hands... washing them for the fifth time. It wasn't until Dusk's hand rested on her shoulder that she at last looked up, her eyes red with restrained grief, her eyes wide as she looked up at him, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know Dusk. I swear. I've spent the last few weeks since you told me about her wings pouring over everything I could find on wingrott. Everything except her lack of molting makes me swear it's wingrott. But the lack of any kind of Osteoarthritis? Its following no natural pattern." Her tears at last came when Dusk's arms slipped around her hips and he drew her into a soft hug. For a few minutes silence reigned in the room, save for the nurse's raking sobs.

Taking the nurse by the hand, Dusk lead her from the clinic, and across the street to the half finished new hospital. He walked around the much larger facilities new halls. At last they stopped at the recently finished fountain, a tribute to princess Celestia's new dedication to the health of her people. Someone had hooked up the water already, and thus its soft ripples and spray broke up the silence between student and nurse, over ten years separated them in age, but the problem of someone nearly a generation younger had captured both their minds this morning. At last Dusk released her hand turning to look down to her again. "Something that doesn't spread like Wingrott. That doesn't cause rotting or bone decay. It's a quandary... but it's something we will have to leave for Cadence. Maybe she will at last find us an answer."

For a moment Redheart looked ready to speak up against him, but slowly she at last offered him a nod. "You're right. I'm no expert on wing diseases. My heart goes out to the girl, but beyond taking care of her.. she is slightly malnourished... about ten to fifteen pounds underweight for her age." A low sigh escaped the nurse's lips, as Dusk's hand on her shoulder and his warm grin encouraged her. With a solid nod she lifted one hand to squeeze his hand before pulling away. "I have work to do before the princess arrives. After all, I need to get through my backlog of patients before Cadence shows up."

* * *

Even as Cadence stepped from the shower the sounds from downstairs told her Shining Armor had already arrived. Even as early as she had started her morning, already he was here and making her breakfast. Already the smell of freshly cut flowers drifted through the air, tormenting her rumbling belly. Quickly she rushed to dress and rushed down the staircase, for a moment she paused at the kitchen entrance for just a moment wishing she didn't already know what was awaiting her inside. Slowly a breath was drawn, before stepping around the corner and into the room.

Few could make a romantic breakfast as as Shining Armor. Freshly cut roses both, red and white, were mixed together in a bouquet containing five rare Saffron Crocuses, the rich purple hue had a unique presence that sung out between the two vivid roses. Breakfast was piled out exactly to her taste. From the rich aroma that danced through the air she could tell that her vegetarian lifestyle had rubbed off on him, leaving the meal that ran the gambit of her favorite dishes: from the decadent hazelnut almond chocolate spread and freshly baked rye bread, to the simplistic bowl of oatmeal with blueberries. A swell of emotion rippled up in her heart and turning slowly, her eyes locked upon the stallion who had been up for hours to prepare this morning. But just as quickly as her heart began to flutter at the romantic gesture from her love, at the same time an uncomfortable conversation with Celestia flared up in her memory and in an instant her stomach dropped. Walking with quiet confidence she shifted into a more official mind-frame. Dealing with what she knew was going to come this morning might just be easier if she just distanced herself from the situation. Breath calm, shoulders straight and a polite smile drawn upon her lips. "Good morning Shining Armor. It's a pleasure to see you've set up quite the breakfast spread."

Shining Armor had worn his official parade dress, the fine red uniform jacket a professional showpiece even if the white enameled breastplate had been left at home, leaving the stallion a proud example of the royal guards finest men. Grinning as he lifted his gaze to look with longing to Cadence's eyes, while she smiled back, her lips spreading wider than ever. "Cadence! You... you look radiant this morning." His lingered, watching her, a soft breath whispering from his lips in wistful joy. Gesturing to the table he drew back her chair. Trapped now between a rock and a hard place, Cadence blushed and slipped across the room and into the chair he offered, letting him push her chair in for her and sitting while her soft mumbled words were offered to him in quiet thanks. "No problem at all my darling Cadence. It's just a pleasure to get the chance to see you so early in the morning."

Even as he moved to sit down Cadence knew what was to come. For all the times she had helped others with their love life this was the first time she had ever had to think of how to get out of this situation, and yet no answer was forthcoming. Thus with polite grace she accepted a plate he placed before her, his fingers lingering on her hand for a moment even as a soft breath of quiet delight whispered free from her lips. "You're... too kind Shining." She darkly blushed as his hand drifted openly across her palm, before grinning down to her. "Shining... I... we c.." his touch to her lips silenced her even while he dropped to a knee beside her, a small box drawn from the fine red jacket, and placed into her hands.

Gazing lovingly up to her, Shining struggled to swallow and smiled warmly up to her, his voice calm and confident even while his fingers lightly stroking across hers as the box was pushed into her hand. "Cadence... I know for the last few years I've been trying to honor your request to take it slow. But I love you Cadence. Will you... Will you marry me?" Popping the box open in her hands he revealed the fine crystal gemstone, carved in the same shape as her cutie mark, and set in a golden ring that framed it from below in the shape of a shield like his cutie mark. His fingers lifted to stroke her cheek, cooing softly up to her.

In turn, Cadence was now forced to swallow her heart, her eyes wide open even while his words sunk in, and lower lip was sucked between her teeth, raking across its surface as she grasped for words. Her throat ached with raw pleasure and an overwhelming need to say yes, yet Celestia's words echoed in her mind, and swallowing deeply her gaze lifted to lock upon the stallion's. Her free hand lifted and drew out to stroke her soft fingers across his jawline. "I... oh Shining... I. it's fantastic. So pretty... I love it. I..." A sob racked through her chest and throat, while she sat back pulling her lower lip between her teeth and gasping for a breath.

Blushing in return and smiling warmly up to her, Shining Armor grinned and leaned into her fingers stroke voice a low coo of soft delight at her kind attention. "You do? Then, you'll say yes?" His eyes were warm and deep as he gazed up to her, silently murmuring a soft coo of joy.

Cadence shifted a little to draw her body to sit up tall and draw her hands back from his touch her eyes wide even as she swallowed once more. "I... Shining, I need time. I love you so deeply, but... But what happens after Armor? What happens in a hundred years?" Her eyes hung low and her breath whispered free of her lips as she slowly shifted and lifted both hands to cup his cheeks fingers stroking at his jawline slowly while a low breath whispers free from the depths of her throat. "Ca... can you give me some time? Let me thin... think about it?"

Shining was clearly hurt, he ducked his head at her words, yet at the same time even as she drew his hands together and whispered to him, hope flared up, and his weight leaned forward, arms lifting to wrap around her hips and pull her into a warm hug voice soft as his cheek rubbed against her belly. "I... Ca... I understand Cadence. Take all the time you need to think. But know I love you and I will wait for your answer as long as it takes."

Even as he spoke a fist knocked upon the door to Princess Cadence's apartment. Ripping them both back to reality. Cadence leaned in close and wrapped her arms tightly around Shining's shoulders, hugging him tightly and pressing a tender kiss into his cheek, breath released in a low and whispering sigh. "Th.. Thank you Shining my love. I promise... when I get back from visiting Dusk, we will talk properly. Okay?" At his nod she gently smiled as she stroked her fingers across his jaw even while she continued cooing softly and nuzzled against his cheek.

Silence reigned until again the impact of knocking ripped them back to reality, a voice calling for her through the door. "Princess? Your Chariot is ready. Do you need help?"

A sigh escaped Shining's lips and he stood, his hands slipping to gently grip Cadence's, even as he helped her to stand up. His eyes gazed lovingly into hers, and a soft grin spread even as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly in return. A level murmur whispered free from his throat's base, then at last, he called out softly over his shoulder. "She is on her way, thank you Empire Wing." The sound of guards realizing that their captain stood inside, quite embarrassed while muttering was traded between the men outside while Cadence laughed in quiet delight at how aptly he handled his men.

* * *

A rich breeze drifted through the air and tickled at her nose. Alone upon the chariot, Cadence watched as six pairs of wings beat in time and effortlessly drew her though the air. A copy of Nurse Redheart's report on Scootaloo's health was tightly clutched in her fingers, a low murmur escaping even while she tried her best to understand the situation as it read out. "Advanced decay or malformed growths in half the Pinion feathers, but no molting at all." Shaking her head even as she continued to softly mutter to herself, the mare looked up to Empire Wing, inspecting the silver and grey streaks in his powerful flight pinions. Her voice lifted and she called out to them. "Empire Wing? You other guards? You all had sisters right?"

The others offered nods in response to the question even as the lead stallion spoke up first. "Five Princess. South Edge has two. Zephyr and Arctic Gust have fourteen but their father has a herd of eight mares." All of them laughed at this, if gently the twin brothers beaming with pride. "The two trainees have one each. Why do you ask Princess?"

Grinning a little as she inspected the stallions in flight before her, her voice light and tender in her careful phrasing. "It's this case. A girl of thirteen, unable to fly. My childhood biology is a little rusty. Do any of you remember how much their wings weighed at the time? I remember having nearly thirty pounds of feathers myself at the time. But I'm an Alicorn, and was easily six inches taller then this girl."

The stallions only took a few minutes to talk among themselves, at last Empire Wing turned to speak over his shoulder to the princess, his voice gentle. "We didn't exactly weigh our sisters or anything Princess, but I suppose we all agree, about twenty pounds sounds about normal yeah."

Offering them a quiet nod the mare sat back in the chariot's chair, calling out lightly. "Thank you, that is exactly as I feared." Her head dipping again to inspect the page the figure that came up again was exactly as she had figured. "Twenty pounds as an average. And this little Scootaloo ranks in at only twelve. Oh Dusk, what horror did you find..."

Even as she made small notes upon the papers based off her theories, the chariot began to circle and lower into Ponyville's city square. Already a collected crowd numbered in over a hundred had gathered, and many were waving flags and banners, while Dusk stood with the Mayor and a pink haired mare in a white nurse's uniform, a quick connecting of the dots lead her to assume that this must be Nurse Redheart.

Even as the chariot lowered, Cadence launched into the air while her wings unfurled and spread wide open to take up her weight and allow her to glide through the air. Pink feathers danced in the wind as she circled twice over the crowd and spiraled down to land before Dusk and the two older mares, to continued deepening applause. Waving to the gathered crowd and accepting a heavy bouquet of flowers from a cute little filly with pale violet and white streaked hair to go with a cute little tiara she wore. A soft grin flashed down to the short filly, before she drew the girl up into her free arm, holding the girl against her shoulder so she could wave to the crowd. "These flowers are fantastic, thank you so much... but who is this 'Filthy Rich' the note speaks of dear?"

Diamond Tiara smiled glowingly up at Cadence, still waving to the crowd even as she gave the princess a tight hug about the neck. "That's my father! He runs the Rich family business. You know, the only company that sells real Zap Apple Jam?" When Cadence grinned and nodded in return Diamond reached a hand out and separated the flowers a little to reveal three cans of the jam in the flowers. "A gift for the visiting princess. Daddy says it's not a bribe though princess. Just a present to show you how much we appreciate you visiting a boring place like Ponyville."

Laughing gently, Cadence lowered the mare from her hug and fluffed her hair playfully even while she drew away from the young girl, still waving to the cheering masses. She turned to walk to the fountain in town square and passed Empire Wing the heavy bouquet now that he had landed to stand at her side. Striding swiftly forward, the mare step up to stand before Dusk first, ignoring the fact that the mayor and hundreds of others were gathered around, her hands took up his and with a delighted grin crossing his lips he leaned in close in time with her.

As one the two started to sing out, ignoring the hundreds of eyes as the two rested open palms against one another and started to do a small dance in place. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybug's awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" together the two laughed in glee, clapping hands together in time as they sung, closing together while Dusk wrapped his arms around the taller woman's waist and drew her into his arms, then lifted her up and swirling her around in a circle, despite her being over a half foot taller than him.

Giggling in glee, Dusk hugged her tight once he lowered her to her feet again. He then took her by the hand and guided her to the mayor and Nurse Redheart his voice soft but warm. "It's a pleasure to see you again Cadence, but we don't have a lot of time to talk just now. We should get this stuff over with so we can talk in private, maybe over lunch?"

When Cadence laughed, Dusk guided her to the older female first. A professional woman in a light tan business suit, which included a white blouse with a frilly collar. A rich grey mane that suggested she was older then she looked. "Mayor Mare. This is Princess Cadence, my foalsitter and the inspiration to learn I've ever had. Cadence, this is Mayor Mare, Ponyville's mayor of fourteen years."

Even as the Mayor lifted a hand to shake Cadence's, Cadence used her strength and size to pull the shorter mare into a warm hug, grinning wildly. "It's wonderful to meet you miss Mayor!" Cadence giggled with glee, after planting a happy kiss on the older woman's cheek. When the squealing mayor was set down to her feet and saw a grin from Cadence, it was clear to the shorter mare it was clear the formal rules were out the window and Cadence wasn't going to take a professional stance on meeting strangers.

When the Mayor's soft and pleasant small talk was over with, Cadence turned to face Nurse Redheart, and grinned warmly, as the mare stepped forward with her arms lifted up, already well aware of the princess's method of greeting others. "Cadence. It's a pleasure to see you on a much nicer day than last time." In quiet joy, the towering mare slipped arms around the nurse and for a moment the two of them hugged in silence.

Grinning a little at the attention from the nurse, Cadence lovingly stroked her hands over the mare's back, her grin warm even as she laughed warmly in her soft joy. "While this was a better time than the last, we should keep this trend going. Why don't I sneak out for a few days when both of us don't have any work so we can talk properly without.." A pause as she leaned back to wave to the gathered crowds who of course happily cheered at the attention from the princess. "Such a happy crowd." She laughed gently and leaned back stroking her nails across the nurse's arms before stepping away and offering a soft smile. "So do we get to move on or are they going to require a speech?"

Here Dusk came to the rescue, stepping forward and waving a hand to the gathered crowd, his magic joining his horn and echoing out to the collected crowd. "It's a pleasure to see you all here. The Princess would like to give thanks to you all for coming to see her. That being said, she is here on medical business. Please understand she only has a few minutes to talk." Turning to Cadence, she offered him a calm nod, and let his spell slip over to lift her voice.

With her words echoing forth Cadence spoke for the gathered crowd, her hands lifted to the gathered crowd with her polite and professional waving. For a good five minutes she praised their town, their rebuilding efforts, and the fantastic spirit of community she had seen from them all. When the last of the cheers died out, her quiet smile spread and a light wave ended, hands moving to rest on her hips. Swallowing one last time she spoke up again, voice calm and confident. "Thank you for welcoming me Ponyville. I wish you all a good day until we can meet again soon!" Here she nodded to Dusk who at last dropped the spell. Soon they walked off together, Dusk guiding her to the Carousel Boutique.

* * *

Even as Rarity's teapot lowered back to its knitted pad, her voice lifted to speak once more, tender tones light and dancing in a soft and low cooing tone. "It's just a simple Earl Grey Princess Cadence. I do hope you don't mind?" Her hand lifted to wave over a platter of cucumber sandwiches; berry trifles; vegetarian quiche and a half dozen small cakes and matching sweeties. "It's just a random collection I picked up from the Cakes I asked them to help out by making sure it was all done up vegetarian style. Dusk said it was very important to you. And if it's very important to Dusk?" Here she stopped and giggled a little to titter to herself. "And if it's important to Dusk? It's important to me dear prin--"

And here at last Cadence gave a calm grin, her hands slipping forward and grasping softly at the slightly younger woman's hands, pulling her closer while flashing her warmest grin to the fidgeting younger unicorn. "Please. If you and Dusk are half as close as that kiss you two shared before he left, then you should call me Cadence... or even better, Cady." And here she laughed warmly, and squeezed the other woman's hands tenderly. "Now tell me while I enjoy a cucumber sandwich. How did you two meet? How did you fall in love? I must hear it all, to know someone is making little Dusky-poo so happy!"

For her part, Rarity took the matter in stride and attempted to stay calm as the older woman took her hands and gushed all over her with such affection. Rarity drew her lower lip between her teeth and raked it in joy before speaking with soft delight. "Oh... Pri.." A pause as Cadence leveled a glare at her. "Cadence. I apologize! Dusk is wonderful. I admit I heard of him due to the Canterlot gossip mags." When Rarity saw Cadence's jaw drop, she groaned out a little in embarrassment, lifted her hands and waved them protectively before her to drive off any questions. "I am still obsessed with the silly gossip that comes from Canterlot. It's the best channel to keep up with Canterlot's elite without having to leave Ponyville."

Here Cadence started to warmly laugh at how quickly Rarity got defensive over the whole situation, even as Cadence herself worried that it was getting out of hand. "Oh come on Rarity, it's not so bad. Dusk was telling me on the walk here you care for your little sister? What was her name... Um... Sweetie Belle?" She cocked her head to the side, flashing Rarity a warm grin even while nibbling the crust-less half cucumber sandwich, chewing at it in small light bites.

Grinning, Rarity turned her head, and called over her shoulder to Sweetie Belle with soft joy. "Darling! Please, come say hi to Cadence if you are not busy with something." In an instant Cadence's eyes spread wide at the sight of the young filly who stepped through the dining room door that lead into one of the sitting rooms. Dressed in a light white lily colored silk dress with a bow that was dyed a very pale yellow lily hue in the front. Grinning warmly the girl rushed up to her sister and took a light grip of her arm, standing half behind the taller woman who sat half behind her shoulder while gazing around it to watch the towering princess.

Cadence's eyes flared wide open, joy dancing in her eyes even as she drew raking fingers through the hair of the girl who half hid behind her older sister. The resemblance was striking and the girls dependance and trust on a sister thirteen or so years her elder was so sweet. It made her heart throb in rich delight, her heart throbbing in joy even while a soft murmur whispered free from her lips. "Hello Sweetie Belle... I am Cadence. Can I have a hug?" Her arms lifted and offered a warm hug to the smaller girl her voice soft and eyes warmly begging.

Sweetie's stride was slow at first, stepping forward from behind her sister's chair in soft steps, those wide eyes half hidden by wild locks of mulberry and pale rose hue. Soft steps continued as the thin mare drifted he short distance across the floor with a innocent grin. The distinct sound of Rarity clearing of the throat made the tiny mare freeze up for just one second, then she grasped the hem of her dress, as she dipped into a shallow curtsey for the princess her voice warm and high pitched, a squeak of delight bursting the middle of her sentence. "Hello Princess Cadence, it's a pleaSURE!" She stopped swallowing deeply and then continued again blushing darkly. "Its really great to meet you!"

Laughing at the young mare's gleeful but clearly drilled behavior, Cadence swooped in and pulled the filly into her lap, hugging her tightly and giving her a warm kiss on the top of the head. Her voice was light, warm and soft as she rocked the small lass in her arms sitting back in her chair and grinning with joy. "Someday I want a daughter just like you. You're perfect Sweetie Belle. Just make sure you behave for Rarity, or I'll be forced to steal you away."

For just a moment the princess could have sworn that she saw Rarity freeze up and swallow at what she had just said, a single tear tracing down her left cheek. But why? Her eyes scanned the mare as she made small talk with the young filly and hand fed her a few of the richer treats from the sweets on the table, her manic grin of joy an honest one, even as she secretly continued to study Dusk's lover. What had she said that had set her off, had hurt the woman who acted so calm and happy... Why wasn't she as happy as she acted.

* * *

Even as the mares were eating lunch and getting to know one another, Dusk was across town, knocking upon Scootaloo's door. Just after noon on a weekday, Dusk was shocked when it was Nurse Redheart who answered the door. "What? Redheart? You're still hanging out here? Is Scoots Ok?" His voice short and eyes darting with worry around the room hunting for any sign of the tomboy filly.

Gently laughing, she pulled the door to the house wide open and turned to call out to the girl. "Scootaloo! Dusk's here. Finish cleaning your plate and come help me lock up. You're going to meet the Princess."

Even as Dusk stepped up to speak with the nurse the distant yell of a filly split the air before he could. "I know, I know! They are my dishes to clean! Just cause you're in charge of my medical care doesn't mean you're my mother!" Dusk was impressed, it was clear even though Scootaloo didn't care for Redheart's words, the fact the rebellious young mare was talking with such a casual tone to the woman more than twice her age suggested the two were getting along well enough.

Laughing warmly, Dusk crossed his arms over his chest, leaning to the door frame and glancing down to the nurse mare. "So I take it even grumpy little Scoots is excited to see Cadence?" A grin spread as she started to laugh in return to his question shaking her head.

"It took nearly two hours after you left to get her to pick out her outfit and even then she demanded I watch as she tried all three outfits on." A pause, as she drew closer to Dusk, standing on her tiptoes and whispering softly. "She even tried on a dress. Can you imagine? Our little Scoots showing up to see the princess in a dress?" A snort of laughter was suppressed between their lips, Dusk biting his lower lip while Redheart turned to face the door frame even while Scoots came storming out of the kitchen her voice still at a powerful volume.

The filly was dressed up at least that was clearly her intent. Her short hair had been brushed but still stood tall, while matching white jeans and a dress shirt had been picked out for the meeting with the princess. A soft off pink lilac vest was worn on top, left unbuttoned "Come on guys! You should have way more class than this. Let's get going before the princess gets sick and tired of waiting on you two to stop flirting and leaves me to suffer another round of Red's examinations." At Dusk's glance and a raised eyebrow she snorted. "She tugs too hard on my feathers. They are sensitive! How'd you like it if I pulled your tail?"

The silly threat made Dusk laugh but he backed away casually from the mare, his hands held up defensively. "I yield! I yield! Let's go Scoots, so Redheart can get back to her lunch, while we head to Rarity's for some tea before Cadence eats all the sweet cakes." A nod was offered to Redheart before he turned waving for Scootaloo to lead the way, grinning warmly as he started to whistle, happy for how well the day was going.

* * *

With the hyper Scootaloo leading the way, Dusk found the trip back to Rarity's Boutique took no time at all, leaving him knocking upon the door with two light wrapping blows before opening the door himself and stepping inside his voice lifted in a soft calling tone. "Rarity? Cadence! We're here." A pause as soft voices and happy talk came from the dining room. As he stepped through the door and waved for Scootaloo to follow, the young filly spoke up with slight sarcasm.

"You and Rarity sure must be close. Just storming into her house without any permission. Are you two that hot to trot?" At his leveled glare she only grinned warmer with glee. "I'll take that as a yes Romeo."

Rolling his eyes, Dusk lead his way to the dining room, ignoring the smart mouthed filly's comments. Even as he guided her through the kitchen soft voices and easy laughter reached him, the happy easy conversation a reassuring reminder of just how well both Cadence and Rarity were at getting to know people so quickly. "So then, Dusk managed to accidentally cast a teleportation spell disappearing from the horde of jealous mares and landing safely back in the golden oak library. When I remembered what Nightmare Moo... err I mean Princess Luna's teleporting looked like, I told the others and we tracked Dusk back to the only place he felt safe, the library. Thankfully he accepted our apologies for hounding him so aggressively and now the six of us are good friends..." She paused here as Dusk stepped through the door, blushing darkly at a story about himself being the topic of conversation, but continued when Cadence gestured her to go on. "He err.... We are all good friends still and Applejack plans to invite Dusk out to the farm more often once harvest is over."

With her back to the door, Rarity's face must have given his presence away, for Cadence turned slowly in place, lifted her gaze to him and put a finger to her lips while shushing him gently. Even as she did he quickly realized why, curled up in her lap and clinging to her chest was little Sweetie Belle, passed out and dozing in her lap, a quiet grin on her lips even while the young filly dozed on. Dusk swiftly stepped back, slipping a hand over Scootaloo's lips just as her mouth opened to call out something loudly. Even as the tomboy glared up at him, he pointed her towards the second filly and a grunt was released from her lips before she pulled away from his hand and leaned against the door frame, grunting in her annoyance.

When he was sure Scootaloo was not about to disturb the sleeping filly, Dusk stepped into the room and walked lightly across the room to Cadence's side. Nodding softly to each mare in turn, he stepped in close and wrapped his arms around the tiny and peacefully resting Sweetie Belle, lifting her up into his arms with a soft touch, while he stroked his fingers tenderly across the young girl's cheek while his free hand supported her weight with a hand under her hips. As he drew a soft nod from Rarity, he spoke gently to his foalsitter in a quiet whisper. "I'll take the girls upstairs and see if Opal can look after Sweetie. Redheart isn't expecting us for another hour or two."

Cadence's lips curved into a soft frown as he took the mare's weight from her arms, a finger lingering in a light stroke across the filly's cheek with quiet loving affection, before relenting at his suggestion, nodding softly. "Thank you Dusk. Take care of the sweet filly. She has a priceless heart." Even as she spoke, Rarity offered a small silk hankie to Cadence, who drew this to wipe tiny tears that were flowing from her eyes. Swallowing softly the princess slipped her weight back a little and picked at a random piece of her cucumber sandwich, but her eyes were on Dusk and the tiny filly asleep in his arms as he carried the pure innocent from the room. Scootaloo followed Dusk only after she had slipped in and stolen a few of the sweet cakes from the table.

Author's Note

Yet another chapter that got away from me as I worked on it. It's quite a delight to have a basic idea for a chapter to grow this large but it's also a little disconcerting since I continue to get delayed further and further as more things come up and yet I feel I can't rush on to the next chapter even though all I can think of right now is whats going to happen in the next dozen chapters. Hopefully you guys find this extra chapter as fun as I do!

Version 2.0 Updated April 28th, to reduce over use of own and would. More edits to come tomorrow when my brain stops aching.

Interlude 4 - The Princess of Love - Part 2

Opal had spent much of her day sprawled across a chaise lounge in Rarity's inspiration room. Grooming her faintly turquoise gray fur had taken most of her morning, leaving the lazy feline to idly scribble upon a random chunk of parchment. However, the sound of footsteps intruded on her peaceful day. Low throat-ed muttering noises and a steady grumble whispered free, as she glared in the direction of the disturbance. “This way Scoots. Sweetie's room is just on the right.” The distant sound of voices as they moved down the hallway only just reached her peaceful place, revealed it was Dusk who was fooling around in her domain, yet he was clearly not alone. The feline exhaled a low grunt as she stood and returned her quill to its holder, the silver ink pot's lid locking into place with the deft twist of her wrist.

Even as she slinked out into the hall and locked the door to the inspiration room behind her, the voices cut off to a low mumble. She moved with a stealthy stride as she glided her way down the hallway, her pawed feet cushioning every step she took to aid in her silent investigation. She halted at the open door of young Sweetie Belle's room, squared herself to the wall and glanced around the doorway, as she kept herself tightly pinned to the wall. A new voice she didn't recognize spoke up, a gruffer tone then the fashionista's little sister. “All these dolls. And dresses, and so many pink filly things. Can she get any more girly?”

"And what do you know about girly, poor little colt? Little miss is a fine young lady, far too good for a street rat like you." Opal pointed out as she sauntered though the door, her hips swaying with her stride even while her tail danced in rhythm swishing in the opposite direction. A single long glare locked on Dusk as he lay the still sleeping Sweetie Belle into her bed, and quietly sat down his arms lowered to the bed as he leveled his own glare at her in return yet kept silent, even as his right hand lifted and stroked tenderly over the sleeping fillies cheek.

Scootaloo curled a lip into a small snarl and took three swift aggressive steps to stand before the feline, leveling a glare at her and thrusting a fist in the feline's face. "I'm no colt you pudgy paperweight, and don't make me knuckle your teeth in." Huffing in her rage, her wings flared up, every feather twitching wildly at the tips.

Just as the filly stepped up to confront her, Opal slipped around the raging girl with her own oddly easy grace despite her heavy weight, her tail lifting to stroke across the mare's face even as she slipped to sit half on the edge of Sweetie's bed. Her fingers then idly stroked over the sleeping filly's hairline, toying with with the sleeping girl's mulberry hair. Dusk had leaned back when Opal approached, giving her access, here the feline lifted her gaze to look at him and wiggled her whiskers inspecting him closely. "The mistress trusts you with little miss, so I will put up with you, for now. But if you keep spending time with..." And she stopped glaring back over her shoulder at Scootaloo, curling a lip to snarl. "Trash like that colt over there." The two locked a steady glare at one another.

Dusk laughed gently, and shook his head, the noise drawing the attention form the shared glare to himself. "Stop antagonizing one another. I'll go get some of the sweet cakes from downstairs. You two just... don't wake Sweetie up, do that for me at least?" Annoyed sighs from both females suggested they didn't like the idea but they were going to leave it be for now.

* * *

Even as Dusk stepped into the kitchen, the soft talk between Rarity and Cadence drifted from the other room and reached him. At first he had planned to simply grab the spare tray of cakes and leave, yet the weighty words caught his attention, drawing him to pause. "... but when did you figure it out Cadence? We..." A sniffle. "It's been kept secret all these years. Besides AJ I've never told anyone. She doesn't need that heartache. None of them do."

Dusk stepped lightly across the kitchen, stood close to the door, held his breath, and tried to stretch out his hearing as far as he could manage in hopes of figuring out what was really going on. "I've an eye for these things. Don't worry dear, when you're ready I will help you tell him, until then? It's our secret." A pause and the sound of ... feathers drawing over silk? They must be hugging Dusk realized. "Until then if you need anything. For yourself or her, just ask." For a moment Dusk thought he heard Rarity raise her voice, but she was instantly hushed. "I love Dusk. And he clearly loves you. So I'll do whatever it takes to keep you both happy." Dusk shook his head, picked up the platter of cakes and turned to walk upstairs again, the conversation tormented his mind, what secret had Cadence found?

* * *

As Dusk returned to the upstairs hallway, the sound of softly speaking fillies made him groan a little, clearly poor Sweetie had been unable to sleep with the noise Opal and Scootaloo made. Yet even as he got closer, the sound of conversation was very one-sided, the chipper voice of squeaky little Sweetie Belle was the loudest and quite warm. "And this is my favorite doll. Her name is Princess Platinum! Isn't she so cute?? Just like the real princess she has silky purple hair and the cutest little horn." It was funny, yet cute, how her voice would suddenly crack and suddenly squeak as she spoke.

Dusk stepped around the door frame and looked inside. He was shocked to realize that Sweetie was up and was presenting all her dolls to Scootaloo with her own highly energetic flare. She stepping up to offer the unicorn princess doll to Scoots, the older filly let out a groan, clearly already frustrated with the younger girl's obsession with the toys, as a dozen other dolls were already piled up in her arms, only still being held so they didn't spill into a pile upon the floor. "She is just as cute as the other nine whose names I can't remember Sweetie, but can't we go outside and play soccer or something? Dolls aren't my thing, I'm way more into sports or games."

Even as Scootaloo stood up and pushed the pile of dolls back onto the bed, Sweetie's lower lip began to tremble at being rejected by the older filly. Yet even as Dusk took his own light step into the room his voice cutting in to prevent a future argument. "Afternoon Sweetie Belle, I'm glad you had a chance to introduce Scootaloo to all your dolls. Care to join us for some snacks?" The plate of sweet cakes was placed on a small tea table in the middle of the room, fitting in well enough with the little girl's tea set.

Before he had even shifted his own weight back to stand up, Opal's paw snapped out, stole one of the strawberry frosted mini cakes, shoved it into her mouth, and chewed while her cheeks ballooned out with glee, munching in her own delight, the steady low throated purr that came from the fat cat a reassuring noise to the watching fillies. Giving up, Scoot stepped away from the pile of dolls, took three quick steps over to the tea set, grabbed up another of the strawberry cakes and pushed it to Sweetie. "Here Sweetie," said Scootaloo, in the warmest voice Dusk had heard her speak, outside of speaking about Dash. "I picked this cake for you. To thank you for letting me see your favorite doll. But I would hate to get it messy, so put her down with her friends and have some cake." A pause as she gave the smaller filly a warm smile. "That way we can sit and talk with Dusk, heck we could even thank him for bringing us these treats."

To Dusk's joy this at last had the intended outcome, the smaller filly got up, gently settled her favorite princess doll on the pile of others left behind by Scootaloo, using them to form a throne for her prized princess. That done, she skipped over, accepted the small cake from the taller filly and sat against Opal's leg. She relaxed and ate quietly while grinning warmly up at Dusk and Scootaloo. "Tankths Scootalooguh. It's very good!" She said with her mouth still full of cake. Thankfully, things from there would go smoothly and for an hour, the three of them chatted lightly while Opal napped, holding little Sweetie close, occasional she was heard soft purring in tender pleasure.

* * *

It was an hour later that Cadence and Rarity walked down the hallway together, better moods generated by their new found friendship and conversation over a good lunch. The sight of Dusk having tea with Opal and Sweetie Belle, while Scootaloo pretended to like playing house with the younger and more innocent girl brought laughter from the ladies. Recovering from her laughter Cadence called the older filly, her voice warm. "I'm afraid it's time for us to go Scootaloo. We had best keep our appointment with Nurse Redheart."

As she spoke though, it was Sweetie Belle that stood up and rushed across the room. She Dashed into Cadence's arms and warmly hugged her. Instantly the small girl presented the older woman with her favorite doll, her voice bright and warm. "Don't go yet Cadence! I didn't get to introduce you to Princess Platinum! See she is pretty like you, and has really nice silky hair and a big horn like your own, except you've got wings cause you're an Alicorn were as she was only the princess who lead the Unicorn's from their old homeland to Equestria." And only then did the filly run out of breath and look up to Cadence with wide eyes and a hopeful smile.

Never one to spoil a good moment, and always happy to get a good hug, Cadence would wrap the filly in her arms and knelt down, lightly kissing the girl on her head and hugging her close. "That's fantastic Sweetie, but I will have to wait for another day when we have more time to talk. It's fantastic that you took the time to introduce us though, I think Princess Platinum is one of my favorite of the three leaders from Hearts Warming Eve, even though her assistant Clover the Clever did all the hard work."

While the two got into a quiet private conversation about the legend of Heat's Warming, Scootaloo would shove one last cake into her mouth, munching swiftly and whipping her hands on Sweetie's table cloth, earning her another glare from Opal. Once done, she walked over to Cadence, her voice more serious now that she had cleared her mouthful of food. "So tea was good but we are going to go now right?"

Cadence pouted in time with Sweetie Belle for a moment but at last stood up and fluffed the young filly's head, and voiced softly. "Thanks for the Company Rarity, Sweetie Belle." A sigh whispered from her lips. "Come on Dusk, we had better go before I spend the next week spoiling Sweetie silly." As they moved downstairs and stopped at the door, Dusk would draw Rarity into his arms, softly kissed her while the other two started to walk down the street. It was clear the couple were close and their tender moments made Cadence think only of poor Shining alone now in Canterlot with her words of rejection, even as Scoot muttered comments about too much PDA in town as of late.

* * *

"Now Scootaloo, take a grip on the table and bite down hard. I am sorry, but we need to pull one of your pinion feathers next." Even as Cadence talked, Nurse Redheart offered her a thick rubberized bite guard. It had been nearly an hour since Dusk caught up with them and guided the two mares into Ponyville's clinic and tracked down Redheart and the room the nurse had booked for Cadence's examination. Going over all of Redheart's details had been first of course, then some minor athletic information. At last however, it had come down to the more painful side of things.

Even as she lay her chest on the table, Scootaloo's body trembled at the threat of a feather being pulled. Already her lips worked over the rubber chunk, her face laying on her crossed arms. Behind her the older women worked in a team, Nurse Redheart applying antiseptic to the feather Cadence had picked out, while at the same time Cadence gently pushed a needle into the flesh near the base of Scootaloo's wing, a mild sedative to numb the her wing. Even as a few breaths were drawn and hissed out of her nose, she felt the drug spreading. Against her will her wing drooped flat against her back, and she could feel her whole left side going slightly numb as the rhythm of her heartbeat spread the numbness even further. Suddenly a hand on her cheek drew her back from her numb void, Redheart's voice tender and low. "Squeeze my hand Scootaloo, remember we are here to make you better."

With her right hand trapped in the nurses own fingers, the numbness had not yet spread fully into those fingers. Squeezing gently in response, she drew a breath and felt Cadence's breath on her cheek, then... nothing and a sudden bout of screaming orders stormed around the room over her head. Strange was that she had not felt the pain that Cadence and Redheart had been so detailed and sorry for inflicting on her. In her haze all she really remembered was Redheart forcing Cadence from her unfocused line of sight while Dusk slammed the door closed and locked it, but not before shouting something out at the staff waiting in the hallway.

Dusk was then at her side, stroking her hair and whispering something quietly to her. The faint smell of burning feathers tormented her nose for a few seconds just before he sat, holding her hand and stroking her hair. Alone and silent except for his quite muttering, it took what felt like weeks before the drug started to fade, and she could at last feel her jaw again. Speaking was a strenuous effort, as her body simply didn't wish to act without her ordering it. Her voice was weak and nearly a whisper but she finally got his attention. "Wh... y didn't not hurt. Why Cad leave? Why you crying?"

Realizing the girl was starting to come back from the drugged stooper, Dusk sighed and looked down at her, his voice tender but polite. "Your feather snapped and Cadence got sprayed in the face with what was inside. We had the staff evacuate all the pegasi in the clinic to make sure nobody else could get infected in case it really is wingrott. I'm sorry Scoots but I had to burn a few of your feathers because it was oozing rather badly where it snapped and I'm no good at healing magic."

Swallowing softly, Scootaloo turned her head and placed it face down on the table, a sob rippling though her even as she drew her breath. "So I infected Cadence? So much for a nice visit from your childhood mentor." A sniffle was swallowed back.

Dusk didn't let her have the time to wallow in her depression, his fingers softly stroked her hair, while he tried to comfort the filly in a warm and soft voice. "It's not the first time she has been sprayed with the blood of a person with wingrott Scoots. The popular theory is that Alicorn's are immune to wingrott. And the clinic's lab is still going over the pinion we gave them, we still don't know if it's even really wingrott." Her snort was all he got in response, and for some time after they sat in silence.

* * *

In a nearby room three of the clinic's lab technicians worked with delicate care on the shattered half of a pinion feather. On the other side of the glass Cadence wrapped herself tighter in the hospital gown they had given her while her clothing was sent to be sterilized. Her hair still drenched from the emergency shower, her eyes crossed as she tried to focus on the solution the feather shards were being dipped into. The mixture of chemicals had been made up based off notes she had sent them in the morning. She observed as a shard dissolved in the liquid as it was stirred with a slow, steady rhythm. "Ca... Cadence. You said if it's pink, it's wingrott. This is the third batch we have tried. It keeps developing a slight sheen, but it never turns fully pink. Can't you just tell me what that means?"

Redheart clutched her own gown close, the spray she had taken while forcing Cadence into the shower had soaked her own uniform. Now the nurse clutched Cadence's own arm, her finger's trembling at the mystery before them. Cadence at last released a sigh even as the same faint hint of pink appeared in the fluid, yet it was never fully turning pink.. "It's wingrott. But it makes no sense at all. Her feathers aren't molting. Even with this feather snapping, it's still far stronger then any wingrott would leave it. And she isn't infectious..." Her gaze turned back to Redheart's, and she asked in a stiff voice. "Not a single pagasus in town has shown any wing or flight issues?"

Now it was Redheart's turn to think, the binder she had put together of the last three months of medical histories was opened again and she scanned over the front page, at last stopping at two lines. "Of fourteen pegasus who came in over the last three months... Four cases of molting in children who were simply growing fresh new pinion feathers; seven cases of weakness in flight all connected to a brief outbreak of a lung infection; And three of the weather team came down with scarlet feather who had to be isolated for a few weeks. We lost one of them but that was because she had an allergic reaction to the medication." She snapped the book closed and shook her head. "Scootaloo has been in town for over a month. If she really had wingrott half of the weather team would have been in here by now, right?"

Cadence sighed and nodded again. "What we have is something bad Redheart. Clearly she had wingrott." A hand shot up to deflect the question Redheart was getting ready to ask and continued, her voice quiet and serious. "Maybe she was a carrier, maybe she simply got lucky and it mutated. It's clear it has damaged her wings but it's also clear it has gone dormant, maybe even died off. I've seen two other cases of wingrott that simply died off naturally, leaving the fillies in both cases weak for a few months but then over time, they were stronger then ever before, and both were found to be immune to wingrott afterwards." Now she paused and nodded to let the nurse go on with her question.

No expert, Redheart had spent the last two weeks pouring over everything she could find on the subject of wingrott to understand Scootaloo, in hopes of helping somehow during Cadence's visit. Now her question was lost from the start of their conversation, yet she felt another form just as quickly. "But then as you say, why are her wings so fragile. Is Dusk right? Do we need to look into her family? Do you think its abuse after all?"

Silence passed between them, as Cadence stared at the lab words as they continued further testing on the feather shard, time and time again they all came up negative. A sigh whispered from her lips and Cadence would lower her head. "Get me the paperwork Redheart. Are you sure you want to be the one to take her in? Isn't there any pegasus who could do it?"

In her own turn, Redheart paused and watched the lab workers at last burn the remains of the feather as well as most of the leftover chemicals that had been used in the tests. A sigh whispered from her lips and she shook her head. "There is only one. And she isn't one for responsibility. Did Rarity or Celestia tell you about the head of our weather team... Rainbow Dash?"

* * *

Out in the courtyard of Ponyville's half finished hospital, Dusk sat beside Scootaloo, resting an arm lightly around the girl's shoulders. Since the drugs had worn off, he had been forced to call for Redheart and Cadence to return to the young filly's room. The talk had been brief and inspection of his poor sterilization technique was inspected. Thankfully he had only discolored the neighboring feathers, and he had been complimented for his quick thinking. With no chance of infection, they had been given time off while the real doctors worked on the results of their testing.

Thus Dusk had left a note saying that he was taking the girl to watch the weather team, knowing Dash she was going to be out and showing off, especially with such a slow week of clear skies and lots of sun to make sure the local harvest was kept healthy. Dash was more then happy to take full advantage to show off when the work load was this light. She had lined up her team after they cleared the few wild clouds from the sky and started having them race, often in teams. The whole time she destroyed them with her own raw speed, and after they had put in a few hours of practice, she let them go about their day. Now Dusk realized her eyes were on him, and he grinned at the sound of Scootaloo's joyful voice. "She is so good! Did you see? Even carrying forty pounds none of them could keep up with her! Dash really is that amazing!"

Even as Dash let her wings relax to a soft flicking rhythm to slow her fall to land by Dusk, Scootaloo's words had her grinning, her voice lifting to gloat with pride. "Well thank you squirt! But it takes a ton of practice to be half as good as me." She flashed a bold grin as she let her wings fold to her back and landed against the newly installed statue of Celestia. She crossed her arms behind her thin figure while she puffed her tiny chest out, fresh sweat coating her form from the stress of her workout. In her usual tight breast band top and ass hugging shorts, the head of Ponyville's weather team was showing off her own fine figure for her crowd to enjoy, she even turned a little to the side, letting her tail dance and stroke across her own hips. Locking a suggestive gaze on Dusk, she slowly licked her lips. "When you off babysitting duty Dusk? We haven't gone for our jog today and you're gonna get flabby if you don't keep up your workouts."

Dusk laughed warmly at Dash's teasing, but shook his head and leaned back, crossing his arms over his own chest. "And I told you for the last week Dash. No exercise today. You missed Cadence's arrival and Rarity's tea. I never expected you to pass up a free meal." Offering a wink to ease the sting of the monetary tease, Dusk pushed his arms up behind the filly and gripped Scoot's shoulders, pushing her towards Dash his voice solid and calm. "This is Scootaloo, say hello to her Dash." Even as Dash rolled her eyes, the filly offered her hand stretched out, offering her hand to her hero, even while her growing blush darkened her cheeks ever more. Her eyes wide with wonder. "Scootaloo this is Dash. She is helping me get back in shape after our fight with Nightmare Moon cost me so much of my muscle mass."

As Scootaloo stepped forward, her own bright smile turned upwards even while a unnaturally shy side suddenly overtook her normally brash behavior, the presence of her hero clearly overwhelming. Eyes on the ground and hands clasping one another behind her back she nervously wiggled her foot while the tips of her toe pushed against the ground and rotated in small circles. The best she managed was to quietly mutter a low. "Hi Dash...."

It dawned on Dash that she might be disappointing Dusk by ignoring the younger mare. So she stepped forward, took up the offered hand of the young filly, shook it with her leather gloved hand in return, presenting a dry and strong grip. Dash presented her a warm grin voice kind and welcoming. "Well hello Scoots. Don't take the squirt thing personally, It's a pleasure to meet you kid." When she realized that Scoot had a dark blush and was looking down and away, she lifted her free hand and fluffed the girl's hair, laughing warmly. "You should come hang out with the weather team more often, we could always use someone to bring us fresh drinks and stuff."

Just as Dusk shifted to stand up himself, Cadence's voice called out, "Dusk! Scootaloo! We need to talk!" Dash stiffened up at the tone of authority in her style of speech, setting the normally relaxed mare off her comfortably lazy style. Even as the words echoed out, Dusk stepped up and looked down from the courtyard to get a clear line of sight of Cadence and the small crowd that followed her.

Yet now it was Dash's turn to get nervous as she started to edge back around the statue, her wings already unfolding, while her gaze turned upward towards the sky while nervously scratching at her neck. "I err.. heh... Sounds like important business for egg heads. I'd just get in the way."

Dusk stepped forward and reached his hand out to gently grasp one of her own, and pulled her into his arms, wrapping one of his arms around her hips while his other hand stroked her cheek. Leaning in close, he whispered with soft care into her ear, his voice low but reassuring. "Dash, you should get to know people like Cadence. She can be a great friend, and besides, she went to school with half the current Wonderbolts." Even as his words convinced Dash to relax and stay, Scootaloo slumped when Dash moved away from her, suddenly no longer the center of attention she stepped in behind Dusk watching in silence from around his hip.

When Cadence swept into the courtyard the sudden serious nature of things at hand became clear, towering as she was, it was hard to miss the fact Mayor Mare and Nurse Redheart were flanking her, along with one of the mayor's assistant's carrying a bulky stack of papers. Her eyes darted over Dash in only a second before locking on Scootaloo, voice polite but her tone quicker then Dusk would have liked. "Afternoon ... Rainbow isn't it? I apologize but the day has been a bit of a whirlwind and I think I've lost track of Dusk's introductions. You're the... Head of the Weather Patrol and the Element of Loyalty right?" At Dash's dumb slow nod, she smiled and nodded back then crouched before Dusk to bring herself to Scootaloo's eye-level, her own voice serious, hints of fear marking it. "Scootaloo. We need to ask you some questions. It's very important that you tell us the truth. Think of it as..." She paused and looked to Dusk and Dash for a moment before returning her gaze to the filly. "... well. I wont lie to you Scootaloo. Your parent's haven't been taking good care of you. It's why your wings are so weak, why you're so skinny. We want you to get taken care of properly and it would really help if you give us the truth, ok?"

Now suddenly it was Scootaloo who once more had everyone's attention again. While Dusk had stepped aside to let Cadence she her fully, Dash suddenly stepped forward to stand between the two of them, arms crossing over her chest, a new found courage swelling up in her as she moved to stand protectively in front of the younger pegasus. Her voice was angry yet, she was clearly also straining to keep herself calm. "Just cause her wings are small doesn't mean her parents aren't any good." A breath pulled in, raked over her teeth in a hiss.

Yet it was Scootaloo who defused Dash's sudden defensiveness in this situation, stepping forward and taking a grip of Dash's hand and squeezing as she stood half behind the taller female, even while she looked at Cadence, her voice soft and low. "I... It's cause they work so much isn't it? I've been good at cooking for myself, and mm.... mom still does the laundry all the time." Her voice quivered, breaking down as she spoke on, her eyes going wide as she watched the gathered adults.

Realizing that this was a sensitive moment, the mayor and her assistant backed off, even while Cadence lifted her arms to offer her a hug, one that Scootaloo would not take up, instead reveling in standing tightly against Dash's side. Her hand slipped up to gently grip the older woman's own. Cadence's heart dropped at this, and yet she didn't let the pain of Scootaloo's rejection cause her smile to drop. Her voice soft, Cadence offered Scoot a smile, hands on her knees. "I'm sorry, but you're right Scoot. Your health is fragile, and its not just due to whatever got you sick a few years ago. In truth, you really lucky Scootaloo. You should be immune to wingrott, but you're also very sickly, you need proper nutrition and months... maybe years of physical therapy to make up for the damage done to your wings."

Dusk stepped forward, cupping a hand under Dash's elbow, as he saw the terror slowly forming in her eyes, as talk of wingrott spread between the group. He had a gentle smile as he stroked her jaw, and told her in a soft and tender voice. "We didn't tell anyone about it because we didn't want to start a panic... or to have anyone start attacking her from fear of a disease she doesn't have. You understand right? The panic that can spread though a population if they thought wingrott had broken out?"

With Scoot's wide eyes gazing up at her, while still grasping her hand, the words Dusk spoke took time to sink in, yet as they did Dash slowly smiled, and nodded a little, her own hand squeezing the young girl's hand back with a steady but calm grip. "I understand Dusk. It's horrible how people treat wingrott victims. I've seen ... " her voice fell off and she sniffled, only continuing when both Scoot and Cadence both urged her to speak on with silent but demanding body-language. "It's... it's outlawed, and heartless, but I've seen a filly stoned by her own parents when the molting started."

When Scootaloo stiffened up at Dash's story, Cadence drew both girls into her arms stroking Scoot across the shoulders and Dash's lower back as she comforted them both. At last, she listed her head and shook it, then gazed at both girls with a warm smile. "Dash. We could use a favor. You see, I can't stay here in Ponyville to look after Scootaloo's daily care, so Nurse Redheart has offered to act as her guardian until a permanent one can be found to care for her. But you're a pegasus, and from what Dusk told me, you're likely the best flier Ponyville has to offer. If you were willing to take care of the athletic side of her physiotherapy while Redheart covers the medical it would be a massive favor to us all."

Stiff in Cadence's hug, Dash blushed, but as her eyes lifted to gaze at Dusk, and a grin spread over her lips. At last she turned her eyes back to the princess who was trying to comfort her, nodding her affirmation. Cadence beamed with a delighted grin in return, releasing her from the hug as Dash at last spoke up. "I... It..." Her eyes turned to Scootaloo and then her own grin spread wide. "It would be a pleasure to help Cadence, what do you think Squirt? Wanna start joining me and Dusk for our daily jogs?" The mood improved, soon mayor mare would return and paperwork was signed. Dusk and Dash both stepped up to witness the paperwork placed Cadence as Scootaloo's guardian, with Redheart as her temporary representative for the time being. The whole time Dusk and Dash's attention was on the strength the young girl showed, trying to avoid breaking down before the adults, showing off only with a light quiver of her lip, and the occasional soft sniffle.

* * *

Dusk lay bare chested on the examination table, three of the clinic's experts on unicorn biology had spent most of the last hour referencing Cadence's notes and applying a thick brown paste across his back, starting just above his tail and working up over his shoulders before drawing the last of the required emblems upon his temples. Thick and cold, the mud like mixture had dried onto his bare flesh, leaving him unable to move while awaiting Cadence's return. Trapped as he was and ordered to refrain from using any magic, he had been attempting to recite princes Celestia's last class from his days at Star Swirl U. Muttering quietly to himself he quoted her word for word.

"The Crystal Empire's magic was different from that of unicorns. No single pony in their tribe could cast a spell alone, not like the earth ponies, whose magic leaks out through their body into the land beneath their feet. Even the Pegasus art of weather control is a willful individual act. Instead each acts as a single node in a greater world of magic, giving the holder of the Crystal Heart access to a power that dwarfs even that of an Alicorn. Their last queen, Starlight Secret helped me and my long lost sister Luna master the movement of the Sun and Moon. Before that, it took teams of a dozen unicorns from all over Equestria to complete the act, and it would leave them drained of their magic for weeks if they were not the strongest of mages..."

Cadence's voice had cut in and she finished the second half of the speech, her impersonation of Celestia far better then Dusk's own. "But with Starlight's rise as the new Queen of the Crystal Empire this duty was taken from the unicorns, allowing the unicorns to start using their magic for more then just the act of moving sun and moon. Instead of a population drained to near exhaustion they quickly became a flourishing empire of their own right. While this change ended the old days of the tribute system from the earth tribe to the unicorn out of gratitude for the sunlight that allowed them to grow their crops, the change forced the unicorns to take up the arts and sciences to find a way to support their people. This lead to the unicorn's minting the first gold bit and establishing many fine arts." The main passage of the story finished, Cadence grinning to him, her voice playful. "A good lesson Dusk, but today is about your mind not early Equestrian history."

Dusk blushed darkly, yet as he watched her, Cadence drew a finger tip to her horn, and let a tiny mote of her magic leak free and stick to her slender digit. She then lowered her hand and with the lightest touch to the tip of his horn, allowed the magic spiral down though his body and rippled out across the tattoo designs that had been drawn over his back. The rich glow of her magic was a very light cornflour blue, and as its power spread though his body it expanded past the herbal designs, to bleed into his veins making them all glow bold against his skins surface. "Remember Dusk. No magic until I tell you, when you feel me pulling on it just let me." She whispered in hushed tones.

Dusk's skin felt electric as the odd Alicorn magic poured though his body, searching every pour of his flesh for any hint of his own magic essence. It was shockingly relaxing after a stressful day, as every muscle on his body shivered then went limp, leaving the stallion relaxed. Yet somehow, oddly enough Cadence's version of the spell felt somehow more alive, it made his skin tingle in joy under her focused attention. At last, he found his voice and softly replied, "I know Cadence, I've had this kind of exam before... But why is your version so ... energetic compared to the normal? I haven't studied healing magic properly before but this feels different from the last few times."

Her fingers traced a line across his naked spine, drifting her nails across the sensitive parts of his back in silent inspection. At last done, she happily responded. "It's just the difference between Alicorn magic and Unicorn... that and I've adapted the spell. It's searching your muscles as well, looking for bruising; internal bleeding; infections and the like." When he glanced up at her, she offered a shrug voice soft. "It's shocking how often you find solutions to other problems when you're looking for something else altogether. Now relax, let's see how badly you've messed up your magic with these last few weeks of adventure."

Dusk quietly laughed at her words, yet he was well aware of what she was referencing. After his last letter to Celestia talking about his accidental teleportation, she had asked him to avoid using magic, sure he had hurt something using too much magic all at once. Silence passed between the two of them as Dusk felt her pulling at his magic, twisting in places and drawing at him in small distracting tugs. Once done, she stopped and placed her fingers on his cheek and stroked her thumb across his jaw. "Dusk... I..." She paused and swallowed sharply then she knelt down before him to look him in the eye. Her net words were stern and strong, yet full of hurt. "When did you start chewing Lotus Dusk? You know it's outlawed. Where did you even get it?"

The panicked tones of Cadence's words made Dusk's amused rejection of the concept of him doing drugs die on his lips. Instead he took a deep breath and swallowed before shaking his head a little and, once again, meeting her gaze "I have never chewed Lotus. Just... why?"

The room went silent as Cadence and Dusk gazed at each other with a seriousness seldom seen between the two. Finally, Cadence sighed and nodded softly. "Dusk," she began, "I trust you not to lie to me. I...I've known you too long to question that." She then pleaded with Dusk, "Help me understand, Dusk. Teleporting is a very magic-draining spell, even with Alicorns. That's why very few can perform a teleportation more then once a month, it's why we don't even teach it at the university unless someone shows they have a talent for it. Yet, not only did you accidentally teleport, but you did it just after recovering from your ordeal with retrieving the Elements and rescuing Luna, and your magic is completely replenished. How is that even possible without the use of drugs?" Flustered, but wanting to trust him, she wilted a little, her shoulders slumping.

As she inquired, Dusk took a moment to let his mind inspect his own magic, getting a feeling for the warmth it emanated as his will wrapped around it's flame, enjoying the odd pulsing sensation as he focused his will against it. Exploring, he reached deeper to see how far it went, and in shock realized, that he somehow found a back door in Cadence's magic that left a pathway he could follow back into her own essence. His appetite for learning blooming, he reached in further and traced the link from her spell, only to find his will now holding her own aura. But realization on what he had been doing dawned on him, and he quickly withdrew. This was a massive intrusion into the core of her being, without any permission! Drawing himself fully back to center he released his will and lifted his eyes to her own, his words a low murmur of shock at his discovery.

Cadence swallowed sharply and leaned in close, cut off the spell. She then softly spoke while still gazing into his eyes. "Then sometime in the future we need to test that, but not today..." She gasped and her eyes went wide while a smile crossed her lips. "It's simply amazing. To think half of Celestia's reason for sending me was your foolish attempt to cast dragon magic. Yet here you are, in the prime shape of your life. I wonder if its another abnormality in your cutiemark..."

Dusk's fingers shot to his own neck, stroking his cutiemark, suddenly gasping in realization that it was warm to the touch. "Celestia always said my talent was magic, I never really questioned her on that before." Silence droned between the two of them while Dusk was lost in thought. After a minute or so, Dusk looked at Cadence again and smiled. "So she wanted you to tell me off for using the dragon magic?" Dusk asked in a soft, yet sure, voice.'"

"She did." Cadence sighed as her eyes fell and her head shook softly. A hand touched his shoulder as she explained in a soft voice. "Dusk, even as an Alicorn when I try to cast that spell the drain it has on me is shocking. It creates a loop with the magic, the greater the distance the larger the loop. This loop requires a massive amount of magic to sustain, and I don't care how powerful your magic is these days. I agree with Celestia. Don't ever try casting it again unless its really a massive life and death matter." Her eyes locked with his in a sharp and steady gaze, waiting for him to relent.

Releasing a gentle sigh from his lips, Dusk blushed, rolled over, sat up properly, and rested his open palms upon his knees. "I understand Cadence, I promise I won't try it again. It really did hurt badly enough, and I would rather avoid going though that again." His eyes drifted away as he formed a warming smile. "I'm glad you were able to come today Cadence, it's good to have a stable friend around again." He sighed gently and happily as he watched her writing her notes.

Cadence's rich and ringing laughter at Dusk's words was warm yet echoing as she lowered her quill and smiled as she stroked her own jaw with gentle care. She turned to him, and spoke in a soft and easy voice fulled with teasing delight. "Oh come now. You already have some fantastic new friends, don't you? Rarity is a brilliant mind, a fine business woman and a great friend; Pinkie Pie somehow could manged to remain positive even during the worst of Night Moon's assault on Ponyville; Applejack and her brother put their lives on the line to rush into the hall to rescue you and Shining Armor during the worst of the fighting; and Dash went one on one with Nightmare Moon, plus she clearly is after you, this afternoon with Scootaloo made that clear." When Dusk blushed she offered her own light shrug. "I get the feeling you've got a fantastic new group of friends."

Dusk blushed gently, her words were warming, yet he let a slow sigh whispered from his lips as he smiled quietly but shook his head gently. "Rarity... reminds me of why I shouldn't let my experiences with Sunset rule my future. I love her, she really brings light to my day." At her grin his blush deepened and he dipped his head a little again but kept smiling as he sat up properly once more. "Pinkie is a bundle of crazy, but quite fun because of that. Applejack? I've never had a more reliable and supportive friend, even as she suggested the other day she wants more..." And here he grinned and winked at her. "Apparently I am 'quite the catch' according to both her and Rarity."

Together they both shared a warm laugh at this, even as Dusk realized she was silently crying a little, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand and offering a warm grin. "How right they are." A silent wistful sigh escaped her lips as he gently tapped his cheek. "Almost as good as your brother." She quickly changed the subject and leaned forward, "What about Dash?" She quipped with a grin and a playful wink.

Dusk laughed gently, and his own warm smile broadened in return. "She is young, and needs to deal with some more of the realities of life, but otherwise? She really is quite a charming girl, and her dreams soar as high as she flies. It's really quite impressive just how much energy and excitement she puts into even her simple work with the weather team." He paused in thought for a moment then continued, "And then there is Fluttershy. She reminds me of you, with how much she loves to care for her animal charges." He let the conversation drop off, standing up and walking gently to her side, a hand placed to rest softly on her shoulder, and squeezing gently. "Thank you for your attention to my life and that of my friends. But what about you. Has Shining ..." He paused and smiled when she froze up, realizing what her body language said instantly. "Well know that I love you Cadence. I will do any thing I can make up all you've done for me." As she blushed and relaxed a little, Dusk wrapped arms around her neck, hugging her close. "I love you Cadence." A kiss gently placed on her cheek he stepped into the adjacent bathroom, the dry mud would require some scrubbing to remove.

* * *

Hours later, a fine dinner still lingered on her lips, as Cadence watched the Moon's rise in silence while her guard carried the chariot across the night sky. Empire Wing guided the team as they flew into the courtyard of Celestia's palace, the torchlight lit up their landing in a flickering eerie glow. Yet as she stepped down from the chariot and turned to thank the old knight for his hard work, a figure behind his back caused her to pause, and her eyes to go wide. Lingering behind her champion, Luna's black robe made her nearly invisible against the dark and starless night. Rather then linger on the presence waiting for her, Cadence stepped forward, gently grasping the stallion's hand and smiling warmly to him. "It's been a pleasure to have your company again, Empire. Please, think of me if you ever want some company."

Elder Guard laughed warmly and shook his head. "You act as if I'm some old stallion about to be put out to pasture. Don't worry." The conversation paused as he grinned at the snickering of his younger companions. "Now it appears you have a guest. You don't have to worry about being polite to us, clearly she needs to talk." With ease he shooed her away, returning to his men and shouting orders with calm confidence. "Zephyr, Arctic Gust. Take the trainee's and polish the chariot before putting it away. Make sure to leave notes for the engineer about the fraying harness and the cracked runner. And warn the colt I'll be back in two days to make sure its repaired properly this time, no more patch jobs with varnish to hide the wear and tear. The rest of you enjoy your night off, but remember we are scheduled to race the Wonderbolts chariot team next week. I expect you all here tomorrow afternoon for practice."

Out of excuses to put if off Cadence turned from the guards and stepped towards Luna who awaited her in silence at the edge of the torchlight. Cloaked by its shadow she realized that four of her own honor guard waited watching everything around them in silence, the black batwings and... "They finished all four sets of armor already? It's fantastic Princess Luna. I... I think your guards really stand out as their own force now." The lack of a response made her swallow sharply, talking a few light steps forward, eyes probing for what was keeping the princess silent.

Luna stepped forward from the shadows, her eyes bloodshot and breath short. A hand reached out and sharply gripped the younger Alicorn's wrist, when she spoke, her voice was shaky and low. "We hast not the time f'r sweet words great niece. The beast is knocking at the do'r and thou ne'd to be prepar'd."

Author's Note

And at last, our last major Interlude of Season 1 ends. More will come as the story progresses but after this they will not be as major a part. So what do you guys think? Enjoying the shape things are taking? Feel free to discuss below but please, try to leave direct spoilers out or at least use the spoiler tag [ spoiler ] and [ /spoiler ] so you don't reveal too much to others!

See you all next time in Apple Bucking Season, Space Cowboy!

Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 1

Author's Note

This chapter has a short prologue from Big Mac's PoV found here. It's not required to understand the events of the chapter but will hopefully give some insight into Mac's view of the world and his work.

Huge thanks to GDQuirm for editing of the opening / short story about Big Mac at the start!

Second huge thanks to Frankie2 for helping me out with edits and turning my scattered thoughts into something readable!

And my third big thanks to the rest of you for putting up with my slow writing of late. :facehoof:

I am currently working on the last scene of the second half of this chapter, but I figured after a month and a half, I owed you all some sign I was still alive!

Please note: This first half of chapter 5 has not been edited by Wrabbit yet, so you will still find errors that me and Frankie might have missed. In fact, as I am posting this while rushing out the door to work, I wouldn't be surprised if more then a few errors crop up just from the importing process from google docs. I will try to fix these when I have time at work tonight, or when I get home in the morning. In the meantime, enjoy the story and PLEASE!!! Let me know what you think!!

Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 1

Applejack gave a low grunt as her weight shifted back, rolling her hips and in a single smooth thrusting motion, she forced the oak beam across her shoulders into the air. With a massive barrel suspended at each end of the supportive length of oak, the heavy wood groaned a little under the strain of the weight, guessing they must have approached near two hundred forty or so odd pounds, the strain was enough to make even her sweat due to the need to keep them balanced. With the cart only a good ten paces away, she had just enough time to let her mind wander a moment. It took Winona's laughter and playful punch in the shoulder to get her attention back on the work left in their day. "Sorry Winona, what did ya say? I was thinking about harvest hiring. We've got such a rich yield this year we might need more than the normal crew to help."

Standing in the back of the cart with hands outstretched, the canine girl barked a light laugh before shaking her own head and flashing a bold grin. "I asked when Dusk's coming today? If he was a deft hand at chopping wood you might not have to hire nearly as many brutes to clear this deadwood. Right? He just blasts it and then you and Mac can lift the chunks into the cart. No fuss with saws, and you'd have a lot less fights with the labor shop for taking half their hands a week before harvest." As they talked, AJ would settle the heavy oak beam to the ground and with both hands wrapped about the lower third of the barrel she hefted with a single smooth motion to slip it across the edge of the cart and with Winona's help pushed it back to join the other four full barrels.

Judging space with one eye while the process was repeated to get the other barrel into place. Turning her gaze up to the pleading canine, a hand was used to wipe sweat from her brow, while rich grin spread across her lips. "Sure. We can ask 'em. But no pestering him if he says no." Before the pup could start to argue, Applejack lifted a hand and shook her hand dismissively. "No Winona, seriously. He works hard for the princess already. The doctors say he needs a few hours of exercise a day so he spends three with me and two with Dash. And that's before his new job of running the library with only Barb's help. And every week the mayor or Rarity or somebody is having some kind of problem that he is forced to help them figure out. That said, I'm in no rush to give him extra headaches to deal with by making him spend more time here burning through his magic to do work we can hire a couple dozen laborers to handle." A grunt escaped her lips as she leaned back against the cart and crossed arms over her chest, her head turned up with a grin at the young canine who stood over her. "Besides, we pay good money for help before the harvest, and we get them back to town in time for other farms to still get their own pick of the workers. Then we hire half of them back again two days latter to come work harvest with us too. If they can't respect just how much we do for Ponyville, we will just have to try harder next time they need our help!"

While the girls shared in laughter, AJ walked around to the front of the cart and lifted the harness to rest across her shoulders. The effort to take the first few steps was a strain, forcing her to brace her shoulders and her every step drove her heel into the dirt, even while Winona pushed at it from the back. After two seconds of straining effort, the weight forced the cart to wiggle forward, and once it had started rolling, it soon become an easy effort for her to keep it running. As soon as the cart got rolling properly, Winona marched ahead to start leading them after Mac’s sent, while they fell once more to idle chatter. The girls wouldn't hear the noise of a distant crash, nor the scream of pain that followed.

* * *

Wandering the fields alone, Apple Bloom wondered if her shortcut home from school was such a good idea. The orchard trees towered over her, and even though she helped out with them all the time, it was still confusing to be alone and with nothing in sight in any direction but endless trees heavy with apples. She knew she was somewhere in the south fields. And she had passed a bunch of deadfall not more than ten minutes ago, but still there was no sight nor sound to suggest what direction Mac had gone after clearing this section. Worried, she considered just sitting at the next fallen tree and waiting for AJ to show up. At least that way she would get picked up, and Winona would be with... "Grroott.... Heelap..."

The whisper dry voice that rustled through the trees made Apple Bloom's spine shiver, the icy chill running down her neck as a harsh, demonic huffing noise began to rise and hiss though groaning lips. Shivering a little and steeling herself, Apple bloom shifted her weight to stand up taller and cross arms before her, voice attempting a proud and gruff tone. "I ain't afraid of you, whoever you are. Just ‘cause you're trying to put on a creepy voice doesn't mean you'll scare me! I'm not no scared little girl!"

For all of her brave talk when the leathery dry voice made a series of grunts, it took all of her willpower not to flee from the scene. And then from under the tree before her a hand thrust free of the branches, while the weak tones of a voice that only made the whole situation worse. "Get AJ. Hurry AB... please..."

Horror dawned on Apple Bloom far worse than what she had been dreading only a moment before. Creeping slowly closer she reached into the branches, and with tiny hand stretched out to grasp at Mac's own extended fingers. A sob started to from in her throat and shaking fingers grasped his own. "I.... I will find her Mac! I don't..." a sob ripped through the tiny girls throat and then she released his grip and bolted to the north only sure of that one fact alone, all the while screaming for AJ at the top of her lungs.

* * *

Still drawing the wagon though the orchard, Applejack would only realize Winona had stopped when she started passing the canine. Rock still the smaller woman stood stock still and her normally floppy brown ears extended to stand their full height, tips twitching as she focused on some sound AJ couldn't hear. This was a time for silence; respecting Winona's far keener sense of hearing and ability to sense danger, AJ leaned back against the wagon forcing it to roll to a stop. In silence she reached for her spare bandana to brush sweat from her face, she kept her eyes on every motion the canine took. A worried yip whispered from Winona's lips and she turned bolting into the trees in a sudden hectic flurry of motion, two words from her were enough to make AJ's blood boil. "Mac's hurt!."

Throwing off the harness for the wagon might have only taken her a few seconds but in that time she had already lost sight of the canine through the dense branches of the trees, but right now that was far from a concern. Abandoning the cart and following the canine though the heavy branches, the sound of barking from the guard dog her only guide... until she realized she could hear at last what Winona had already picked up. It was the screaming voice of little Apple Bloom. Smashing her way though every tree before her now, AJ ignored the bruising and cuts that quickly layered her face and arms; desperation growing thick in her throat, until at last she crashed into a new aisle where Winona stood clutching the little filly close, the tiny girl weeping into her shoulder. No time to pant for breath she rushed to the girls’ side, her voice was short, and sharp with her own panic as worry for her brother overrode her concern for the filly. "Mac??? Where???!"

Turning in Winona's arms, the filly showed her strength, and stood up again, grabbing AJ's hand and guiding her through the trees her own voice quick in answer to her older sister's question. "South edge of the Orchard. Near the trail to town." Even as they ran on, the canine was quick to join them, a worried whimper and hand on AJ's shoulder. Her touch was just enough to pierce through the panic that clouded her mind, and halted their mindless rushing.

"Winona, go to town, get ... get... Get anyone who's on duty at the clinic, I don't care who! Get them all! If they argue get Dusk, tell them..." and she stopped, realizing she didn't really know what had happened. She turned to Apple Bloom who was shivering where she stood. Kneeling low and cupping her little sister’s hands she drew her close, and forced herself to speak in a calmer tone. "Apple Bloom, what do we tell them? What happened to Mac?"

The little filly drew strength from her older sister’s grip, her calm words and the clear need for information. Swallowing back tears, she spoke as carefully as she could muster. "A tree. He is under one of the deadfall. Sh.... should we send for Carrot Top too?"

About to bolt the second AB spoke, Winona took a half step then paused at that question, twisting her head and quirking an eyebrow at the boss mare, ears half lifted again in concern and confusion. Swallowing once sharply, AJ shook her head and stood picking up her little sister and placing the girl on her shoulder voice firm. "She doesn't need to know right now, the Doctor's are what is important. Guide me to Mac, AB. Winona please... hurry!"

* * *

It was well past midnight when someone from Ponyville Clinic came to retrieve AJ and Dusk. Apple Bloom had been left sleeping in Dusk's bed curled up with Winona. So, only the two of them stepped into Mac's recovery room. Bruising covered half his face, running down over his chest and most of his ribcage. Standing over his bed, a weary Nurse Redheart poured over a clipboard, her voice tense but calm. "So no Mac, you can't help with the harvest. You’re lucky Dr. Horse is letting you go home so soon." When he moved to speak she crossed her arms and leveled a glare at him, and spoke sharply. "No Mac. Don't even think about it."

Storming up to Redheart's side AJ gave her a single sharp nod before slipping into almost the exact same posture, arms also crossing and glare matched by her curled lips. "Damn right you're lucky Mac. You know I hate it that you do deadwood duty alone! This kind of accident is just what I was warning you about! You’re lucky your fool head wasn't crushed! I can't believe I let you work alone today, if it wasn't for Apple Bloom cutting through that part of the orchard..." Her voice became ragged as she forced herself to swallow and attempted to continue. "You'd have bleed out you damn fool! Then where would me and Apple Bloom be?!" her tirade was silenced when Dusk gripped her shoulder, but it could also have been the glare from Nurse Redheart at the volume her voice had reached.

Without really moving, resigned acceptance settled over Mac's form. His head slumped and his eyes drooped, even his cheeks deflated and he offered a single slow nod to their words. Turning his head to face his little sister he spoke up at least, his voice leathery, still dried out from the harsh day. "You win AJ." his voice was quiet and he spoke only briefly, keeping his eyes on her, one hand slipping out from under the blankets reaching out and forcing its way to grip AJ's elbow since she refused to uncross her arms. "Visit the Labor Board in the morning. Two jobs, deadwood and --"

Cutting him off and shifting her hands to at least uncross and clutch up his own hand with both her own. "And the Harvest workers as well. I know Big Mac, it's practically a standing quota we have with them at this point. I can handle it." Prideful, the mare let her gaze sweep once over his form putting on a hard look that reminded Dusk of her brother's own normally quiet resilience. Her voice was level and calm when she spoke up again. "I know you've let me handle more of the work these last few years Big Mac, but I'm ready to take care of it all. And you're gonna need time off to heal them ribs, not to mention all the cuts that tree left after it tried to hug ya." Bending down and leaning in, she stroked her open palm across his right cheek, one of the few places that had not been scrapped or punctured by the collapse. "I'll stop at the labor shop in the morning, and then bring Apple Bloom and breakfast. Alright?"

Mac's soft nod, and half smile at his sister's firm approach to take control of the situation would stick with Dusk long after that night. It was powerful, the trust the Apple family shared. Their visit ended shortly afterwards, with Nurse Redheart ushering them out of the Clinic as politely as she could, but she was firm on them going, the small clinic now really felt cramped compared to the two story hospital that sat nearly completed across the street, it's shadow swallowing them as they walked back to Dusk's Library; keeping busy with random chatter about the upcoming harvest.

Even as Dusk unlocked the front door he knew Winona would be waiting on the other side, the small canine lass had keen ears and yet knew when to be quiet. Even as he nodded to her and moved into the library hall with AJ close behind. Once he was sure the three of them were far enough away from the staircase that their voices would not carry he turned and waved to the recliner behind his desk. "I will sleep down here AJ, you and Winona might as well join Apple Bloom in the study, no reason to wake the lass up just to walk home and come back in an hour or two when the sun comes up, right?"

The guard dog was chipper, even on a day like today and this late at night. Standing to her full height she turned to face AJ, offering a small shrug but a slight nod. "I can go back to the farm, Granny doesn't need to be alone out there... and it wouldn't take me more than fifteen minutes to get home." The keen pup's tail twitched, half way between freely wagging and a nervous twitch. Dusk realized the girl was far more worried then she let on, simply masking it with her helpful nature while staying keen.

AJ let go a single sigh, at last nodding a little. "It's been hours since I got Pinky to take Granny Smith some dinner... I suppose if you're sure you feel safe walking home alone it would be safer. And if you don't heaven knows what Granny will do. Probably try walking to town herself when she gets up in the morning and finds us still missing.”

As Winona turned to head for the door, Dusk followed to intercept her. From his desk he had taken a small pouch of herbs he had to buy from Fluttershy, Nurse Redheart’s reaction to his request had been very negative. Voice soft he pulled one of the small inner pouches out, offering it to the canine. “This is Dawn Blossom. If you suck on the petal it will keep you alert and reduce fatigue.” A hand lifting to interrupt AJ’s stern look, he offered only one to the canine then pushed the rest back into the large pouch, then spoke to AJ in soft tones, hoping to keep the noise down and avoid waking Apple Bloom. “I keep them only for when something important comes up AJ. It’s legal, but if you are worried, I can give the rest back to Fluttershy.”

Applejack’s face contorted between a broad mixture of emotions, as she started to form a sentence three times, before at last giving up and allowing it to drop. “If Fluttershy thinks you’re safe with them, then you’re safe. But the second she thinks you have been using too many, you’ll find me and Rarity kicking down your door. Redheart might even get an invite if we feel like sharing the beating you’ll have earned.”

Even as she growled out the last few words; Dusk leaned forward, fingers holding the pouch out to her. “I took one while Cadence was here, but I will admit, the temptation is dangerous. Here, if you hold onto these it means I have to walk to the farm before I can take some more.” He paused, winking playfully to her and closing her hand around the thin pouch of herbs, his voice dipping to a more seductive tone. “Besides. That just means I have all the more reason to come visit you more often for the other herbs. The ones for headaches and the like.”

Applejack’s blush at his words was fierce, yet the warmth of his grip on her hand made her want to linger, every factor, even the whisper of his breath on her throat brought back powerful feelings; the reminder that her heat had only been over for a few weeks was strong every time she and Dusk got so close, driving her back into those feelings with the smallest touch and his growing familiarity. Cheeks deep red she at last offered him a small nod, drawing her hand away and shoving the pouch of herbs into her belt beside one hip. “S… sure thing sugar cube. I’d always welcome your company at the orchard.”

This conversation lead her mind wandering back a few hours while trapped in memories, an excuse to have Dusk visit more? Winona had left them at some point in their conversation, yet her request was fresh on AJ’s thoughts now. “Dusk… with Mac hurt we really need all the help we can get this year. Do you think you could spare the time, and use your magic to help us speed the process of dealing with deadwood up?”

Dusk would not even take the time to pause, and consider her question. With a light smile, and an easy nod he shifted to step behind her, hands on her shoulders and pushing her towards the stairs despite her towering over him. “Then I will have Barb tell Dash in the morning that I’ll be missing our workouts. When I explain it’s all for the greater good of your family, she will understand. Besides it will give her more time with Scootaloo.”

Pausing as she half turned to face him on the steps, AJ’s brow lifted, her voice harsh. “That trouble maker from Apple Bloom’s class?” Applejack questioned in a harsh, yet low voice, “Why is she studying under Dash? Isn’t she a bad influence for a filly who had to be taken away from her parents?”

Shaking his head, Dusk returned to pushing her to go to the bedroom upstairs. “We can talk in more detail on the farm tomorrow. You gotta go to the labor board early in the morning. And Dash might be a lot more casual, but you know she takes her responsibilities seriously. Scoots thinks of her like Dash thinks of the Bolts.” When AJ at last relented, Dusk would turn and head towards the Library again, softly finishing his thoughts to himself. “Or how most of the farmers who aren't simply jealous look up to you and Mac, working the biggest farm in the region yet hiring help only for seasonal work, despite easily producing enough to hire half of Ponyville, yet alone just those who work at the labor board.” Applejack released a proud snicker, even as Dusk wandered into the library, and made his way to the comfortable chair to catch a few brief hours of sleep. Dawn would be here soon, and no emergency request for Celestia to push it back a few hours would change that.

* * *

“Wait one apple picking moment!” AJ’s fist slammed violently down upon the counter, the half complete paperwork she had been writing smearing as still wet ink on the second page was mashed against the paper she had just put back on top to let the labor board manager consult. “The Apple Clan pays near double what everyone else does for emergency work like this because we don’t normally require the help and we want to make it up to everyone for pulling their labor away so suddenly!” Fuming, Applejack lifted her fist pointing one finger to the belligerent mare behind the counter, eyes narrowed. “Now you're telling me all those years of making your pocket fat don’t count for anything? Come on Ginger Gold!”

For all of AJ’s rage and fervor, Ginger Gold leaned back in her chair and sternly crossed her arms. When the taller mare at last calmed down a little she cocked an eyebrow, and then, at last fired back her own ice cold retort. “And I told you three times. Its a week before nine tenths of the farms crop comes into season. I got four people working on town hall. Six on the new hospital with another thirty out of towners stealing all the other jobs related to that project for the last two months. The Weather patrol picked last week to tell me part of the reservoir needed to be reinforced, so thats another eight. Filthy is getting his house and shop both reshingled, and he booked months in advance.” Ginger paused as she glared back, while letting that settle in. “That’s another three. Then two days ago Carrot Top let us know their harvest was ready early. She took twelve to get it done before anyone else needed extra labor. Even with the out of towners arriving early for harvest season, that’s thirty three of our local freehands busy with jobs. Even If I gave you all the remaining locals and half the townies, that would only make seventeen. I can’t give you twenty five for a week, even if you payed triple fees for the next five years.”

With a grunt she leaned over the counter and tossed the labor sheet for the week before AJ, her voice worn from the argument. “You can check my numbers. Just ‘cause Mac’s hurt,” and here her tone became softer, more sympathetic. “Bless Celestia that he is ok, that doesn’t mean I’m going to break contract with someone else. Maybe, and this is a big one, but maybe a few extra out of towners will show up over the next few days while the opening crew of local workers get started, you might start harvest two or three days late. So yes AJ, you can have seven today. But I’m keeping all the townies in case someone else has a disaster and drops it on my desk today.”

Seething, Applejack’s gaze dropped to the chart, her eyes roaming the lines and hunting for any mistake, some loophole or a simple fix that would make the numbers work out in her favor in some way. Only one did, and the math on that matter made her mouth bitter. But it was for the farm, and bits could be earned back from the harvest far quicker when the dead wood was removed. Swallowing her pride, Applejack’s hand pulled her coin sack from her hip. “Then I’ll pay triple fees for the out of towners, disaster relief as the Apple Clan contract states, right?”

Even as AJ started to count out her bits, one at a time, Ginger remained silent… until the gleam of the platinum hundred bit pieces reflected on her counter. She did the mental math and nodded slowly, speaking in a shaky voice. “That would make it twenty seven bits a head a day for the out of towners. Round it down to twenty five.” At AJ’s harsh glare at the sudden generosity in the face of so much money, Ginger waved her hand. “For Mac’s sake AJ. And because you Apple’s are always payed up with your annual fees two years in advance.”

Giving a firm nod, while still trying to suppress the trembling rage that grew with every beat of her heart, Applejack rounded her numbers down and spoke in a low, calm tone. “Then for the eighteen out of towners to make it the full twenty five hands I need, we will call it three thousand, one hun---”

Blushing, Ginger shook her head one hand and attempted to reach out and touch AJ’s hand to stop her. “I gotta keep a few hun.. please, at least leave me five? You know, for an emergency?”

Snapping her own hand back before the labor board mare could touch it, AJ rechecked her numbers a third time. She barely kept her anger in check, as she spoke in a sharper tone, the new sum fixed in her mind. “Thirteen out of towners for seven days. Twenty percent in advance and an extra ten percent for food and lodging fees. Makes it six hundred eighty two bits. Another 88 for the locals in advance.” Eight of the fat platinum coins were pushed across the counter to lay with their eyes all turned to stare accusingly at Ginger. “Get them to the farm before noon, Or I’ll demand half that fee back. And you know the boards rules are on my side.”

Even as Applejack stormed out, Ginger snapped up the coins and started yelling orders, the unfinished paperwork forgotten on her desk. Three lead hands were summoned and received their orders: once breakfast was finished, they were to bring their crews out to the Apple farm to pick up the slack caused be Big Mac's injury.

It would be a week before anyone found that half finished paper, the Apple’s harvest labor request would not be filed this year.

* * *

Dusk had taken the time to search the library that morning, hunting for the best maps the town had of the Apple’s orchard, and quickly making a copy so he could bring one with him. He also used his magic to float a book about apple harvesting practices so he could study up on them as he headed out to the farm, all the while forming mental checklists of things to take account of as he went. He muttered to himself as he walked down the lane to the farmhouse, Dusk tried to account for everything he had gathered from his swift skimming. “Depending on the size of the tree, six to eight full-sized barrels can be gathered from each tree. Empty, an average stallion can pull a cart with thirty barrels stacked two by five and three layers deep. Assuming the Apple’s follow the national average standard of between one hundred sixteen to one hundred forty two trees per acre, let’s assume that means approximately six hundred ninety six to one thousand one hundred thirty six barrels per acre. Considering the Apple orchard comes in at eighty six acres that gives us a range of fifty nine thousand eight hundred fifty six to ninety seven thousand six hundred ninety six. Let’s reduce that by -”

Dusk stopped, cutting himself off as he lifted a hand to wrap knuckles upon the door, the sturdy wood echoing the sound into the house. While waiting for an answer, he would pick up his train of thought. “-making that an average seven point six barrels per tree, one hundred thirty two trees per acre. Gives us a solid and reliably accurate estimate of eighty five thousand one hundred forty barrels to cover the whole orchard. Meaning two thousand eight hundred thirty eight cart loads to set up all the barrels. At six days that means we need to average four hundred seventy three cartloads a day to insure a one day buffer on getting everything set up.”

“At seven and a half minutes to reach the farthest corners of the field if they can maintain an average walking pace while pulling a wagon, then make it twenty minutes to delivery a load and return from the farthest corners. Given fourteen, no make that fifteen with AJ helping them doing barrels, makes thirty two loads per day per person. Means approximately ten point six repeating hours to complete said loads without breaks. Make it a solid twelve to include a full hour break for lunch. Start every day around six or seven in the morning and finish no later than seven or eight at night, allowing plenty of time for rest and dinner before the next days shift. And that still leaves me with six others to help with the trees.” At last realizing that Granny Smith had opened the door some time ago and was staring wide eyed at him, Dusk could feel his cheeks darken, and quickly attempted to apologize. “Err sorry Granny Smith. I was just trying to work out the numbers to make sure we can get everything set up before the harvest starts.

As elderly as the old mare was, a grin snuck over her lips. “We don’t normally have everything set up before harvest starts. Don’t know if we even have half that many barrels, but boy? You’re gonna do just fine ‘round here.” The old mare said warmly, leading Dusk into the house.

* * *

Dusk channeled his magic into a pale raspberry beam, that ripped the deadwood into virtually even strips. When Apple Bloom offered him a mug of cider, he gladly accept it, threw his head back, and chugged down another mouthful of the thick herb laced brew, as he thought about getting home after his first day at the farm helping with the harvest.

Nurse Redheart had been waiting at his door after that first day. That heated argument had continued until Fluttershy showed up and offered her own brand of assistance. Dusk’s ears still rang from the Nurses objections, but in the end she had relented.

It had been four days since that fight and thanks to his help, they were all but finished with the worst of the work. AJ was working with the rest of the crew, currently most were busy setting up barrels beneath every tree in the orchard, a major time saver when the bucking started.

Even as the filly took his mug back, the last bitter drops of the lingering herbs tormented the tip of his tongue. The drink had been Redheart's compromise, a vitality boosting concoction from Fluttershy's collection of medicine with low supplements for his magic. It wasn't until the second time Apple Bloom spoke up that her words cut through his own thoughts. “Please Dusk, won’t you talk to AJ? She is making me go to school tomorrow, but I can still help out so much with this work.”

Pulled back into focus, Dusk would swallow down the last of the bitter flavour that lingered on his lips.His gaze shifting down to the young filly, he inspected her eyes for a minute before his playfully said. “Sure Apple Bloom. I’ll just go march up to your older sister, and tell her I think you are ready to skip school for a few weeks to help with harvest.” He rolled his eyes, yet it wasn’t until he looked down and saw the hopeful look in her eyes, that he realized the filly clearly hadn’t mastered sarcasm.

Releasing a sigh, Dusk let a hand pat the filly’s head and spoke in a warm voice. “First of all Apple Bloom, school? It’s really important. Your sister is smart to order you to class even through harvest.” The filly wilted instantly like a flower, her shoulders drooping. Dusk would try to continue with his explanation, hoping the young filly would pick up a little of what he was trying to express. “Secondly, I spent a few hours with your sister mapping out the work we need to do before we start harvesting on Tuesday. Even with allowance for breaks, and keeping to an eleven hour work day, we will still have Monday to let the emergency crew AJ rounded up enjoy a day off before we have to start up the work crew for harvest itself.”

Groaning, Apple Bloom finished for him. “And Filthy Rich’s family pays good money to keep the school up to snuff in partial payment for the Zap Apple harvest, as tradition states. I know schools good for me, but I wanna help more!”

Unable to resist laughing openly at the fillies youthful ambition, Dusk would fluff her hair, careful to avoid dislodging her ribbon. “Now now Apple Bloom, you can help. You can keep helping me with the harvest today, and you can go to school tomorrow without worrying your sister and forcing her to spend the day concerned about you. Deal?” Offering the filly a grin and lightly elbowing her in the ribs, the stallion stood, walking with ease to the next tree. Already the five most powerful earth stallion’s had returned from delivering their last load of deadwood logs to the storage barn and were waiting for him after his extended break to talk with Apple Bloom.

She nodded and scampered to follow him, then sighed in a tone full of disappointment, “Ok Dusk. I promise.” She then quickly realized that there were supposed to be six wagons, not five. She called up to one of the stallions that just arrived, as she jumped onto a wagon and used it to boost herself to the seat just behind his shoulders. “Meadow Song, where is Bulk Biceps? I know he is only a pegasus, but he should keep up!”

Shocked at the girl’s agility, the stallion stopped his wagon and leaned back against it, leaning back to look up at her. “Well young lady, maybe if you were keeping up, you’d notice this tree isn’t split yet anyways. Besides, your sister said something about getting him to bring lunch out for the other crew who are setting up barrels.” His eyes lingering on the young filly, the stallion stood a little taller, straightening his collar. “You know, if you’re not busy during lunch it’d be nice to have some company of someone who isn’t in their thirties.”

Watching over his shoulder to keep an eye on the young filly, Dusk drew up his magic, forming it into a tight band, wrapping it around the trunk of the tree and then in a single smooth motion, he drew the band up from the base, slicking though all the branches while constantly tightening the loop to a smaller smaller circle as he went, leaving the core trunk of the tree spotless while at the same time piling all the branches into two even pools, piled up on each side of the trunk. “The boy must be what? Sixteen? Seventeen? Only four or so years older than Apple Bloom, but still. It would be best to warn AJ”

While the five stallions and Apple Bloom stepped up and pushed the thick log to roll it over the pile of branches, Dusk took up position again, his watchful eye following the way the filly and young stallion talked between work, collecting up the branches and filling Meadow Song’s cart with the lighter load. Dusk spent his time slicing the bulk of the trunk into even sized chunks. Each five feet long, quick and easy work, and soon enough he and the majority of the cart stallions were ready to move on to the next tree, Meadow Song heading back in to deliver his load. Apple Bloom would wave to the stallion before turning and came running with quick strides to catch up with Dusk again.

* * *

Applejack eyes went a little wide, her gaze turned back to Dusk while her dinner plate was put back on the cart. “I. Err. Oh Dusk. You sure he was flirting with her? She is so young!”

Dusk’s own half eaten dinner was put back onto the cart as well so he could pick up the bitter tasting herb blend, sipping at it again. Giving a sigh he lowered the cup again, voice as weary as his body from the days work. “She is thirteen Applejack. I might have been a little more innocent at her age, but I understood what Princess Celestia was suggesting to Sunset Shimmer, even thought I was around the same age.”

Suddenly overwhelmed, Applejack would turn away from Dusk and lean back against the cart, one hand pulling sharply down at her hats brim. Her voice a whisper, Dusk had to strain to hear her. “I knew I would have to at some time. But… what with everything that has happened. I just wanted her to be safe and innocent for a few more years.”

Stepping in close, Dusk slipped his hands to rest on her hips, leaning in against the mare’s towering frame and resting his cheek to her neck so he could whisper into her ear. “Do you want me to ask Nurse Redheart? Or maybe Rarity? I’m sure both would have good-”

Shifting her weight back against the stallion, AJ laughed a little, “No Dusk.” she interrupted, her voice stilted and low but still warm. “She is my sister, and I ain't going to let anybody else talk to her about something this personal.” A pregnant pause hung in the air, broken only when AJ tilted her head back, and planted a brief kiss on his cheek, her red cheeks spread in a grin. “Now you finish your dinner and head back to town before Barb gets worried you're so late getting home. Thanks for letting me know Dusk.”

For the longest moment in his life, Dusk hesitated before leaning in closer to the mare, keenly aware of how much he had come to grow accustomed to her close presence and the soft scent of fruit that always hung in the air when she was around. But Applejack would break the moment, stepping up and drawing away as she moved to look out over Sweet Apple Acres. Quickly finishing his dinner, Dusk cleared his throat, voice hunting for an excuse to offer help. “It is a pleasure to help Applejack. You are a good friend, and Apple Bloom is a smart filly. With Granny Smith and Big Mac’s help, you have quite the team to keep an eye on her.”

The mare laughed a little at his words, shaking her head and turning to face him again. “Thanks Dusk. Now go back to town. We don’t need a worried dragoness out alone at night hunting for her missing brother.”

For a long time after Dusk left, the mare stood alone on a hill, watching the sun set and the stars bloom in the summer sky. Watching, and waiting for a familiar pair of stars to join the night sky.

* * *

The floorboards creaked under her feet as AJ stepped to the flight of stairs, old wood groaning in complaint to the weight of her steps. She had watched the night sky too long, asking for guidance, and now it was late, Winona had meet her at the door as she started her evening patrol of the farmland.

At the top of the stairs, Applejack hesitated for a moment. To her right lay Big Mac’s open door, the stallion’s light was on and she could hear him flipping pages of some kind or another. A book? Possibly, but more likely it was the farm ledger. He had been so firm about doing something when he got home, now he was going over the last decades ledgers, for fun! “Don’t bother me with your fancy mathematics Big Mac. We go over the ledger ever year. You aren't going to find something new just because you spend a lonely night rereading it.”

The mare still lingered in silence for a moment, despite herself, her mind fell to… her. “Would Mac still be with her if it wasn’t for me and Apple Bloom? If we hadn’t come home so young to help with the farm, would he still be happy? Not stuck a single stallion too busy looking after his kin to make his own family?”

Moving stealthily to the stallion’s bedroom door, she peeked inside her eye adjusting to the soft light of a lamp. Mac lay in bed, a light sheet across his chest. A book in his fingers… but not the ledger. It was a thin pink jacketed novel, with hearts on the cover. “Maybe Mac isn’t so alone. Or did Carrot Top visit him when we were busy?”

The mare resolved to leave messing with her brother’s life for another day. She had a harder conversation ahead. Stepping down the hallway to the far end, she had expected to find the light out this late after sunset. Instead, Apple Bloom sat on her bed, her loose red hair hanging wildly around her shoulders, while a badly abused quill lay lodged in her teeth. Still dressed in her blue jeans from the afternoon of helping in the field, the filly was scowling down at the paper that lay before her, jumping when Applejack’s voice shocked her from her stupor. “Apple Bloom? Up so late? Surely Miss Cheerilee didn’t give you homework during the summer for your first day of class.”

Shooting up in bed and looking over to her sister, the filly laughed a little, shaking her head at the question. “No Applejack, she just asked us a question and I’m having trouble answering it. She wanted us all to think about what we wanted to be when we grew up. Twist couldn’t stop talking about how much fun she and her aunt Bonbon had making sweets this summer, but I ain't got any stories that good to share if she asks me.”

School life, something so normal and simple. Something far easier for Applejack to handle her little sister mooning over at night then a boy. The mare would step half up onto the bed and looked down over the paper, inspecting the scribbled out ideas that were scattered over the page. Of course, the real reason for the assignment was to keep the foals busy thinking about things that would direct them towards discovering their cutie marks. These kinds of things always did end up being done with some subtle effort. Picking her favorite, Applejack pointed to the scratched out line. “You did help Rose out in town in the spring when her first flowers were in bloom and she needed a good pair of hands to pull her wagon while she made deliveries. I remember you being really excited when you got home because she had liked some flower arrangements you made to pass the time when she got busy talking. Don’t you think that makes a good story?”

The filly stared for a minute at the words she had scribbled out hours ago, a slow smile dawning on her lips. “You’re right AJ! Roseluck did say she enjoyed them so much, she offered me more part time work when the farm calms down after harvest.” Now a world full of grins, the filly would put quill to page again, scribbling notes quickly on the page. “You’re a genius sis!”

Grinning despite herself, Applejack would find a comb on her sister's bedside table, and started to stroke it though the mess of red hair. Trying to keep herself casual, even while her fingers shook with nervous. “Well, I try to be level headed about good idea’s like work. And your flowers were a nice sight.” A brief lull in the conversation, passed as the younger girl scribbled notes. “Now or never.” Thought Applejack, before breaking the silence. “So down on the farm today, Dusk says you were talking with some young stallion? A boy called Meadow Song?”

Giggling at the way AJ’s brushing tickled at her head, the filly would shiver, her tail’s lazy sway rocking from one side to another from the attention. “What? Who?” She paused a moment in silence, before grinning. “Oh him! Yea well he invited me to eat lunch with him and two of his friends who were helping with the work today. Said it was nice having some good company instead of the grumpy out of town workers who have been showing up at the labor board the last few days.”

Faking a smile when her sister looked back up over her shoulder at her with her own warm grin, Applejack tried to push just a little further. “A nice boy? Good enough to keep on for harvest? Or maybe I sh-”

The coy filly burst out laughing and rolled over so she could look up at her older sister, eyes bright with humor. “Applejack! Were you going to suggest inviting him for dinner? Just cause I talked with some stallion, doesn’t mean I wanna bring him home and show him off to Big Mac!” Bawling with laughter, the younger filly was handling the situation far better then Applejack, who was now dark red with embarrassment.

Stammering to find her voice and get the conversation back under control, AJ would put the brush down, and looked worriedly into her sister's eyes. “It’s not that Apple Bloom. I just worry for ya. I’m not the world’s best big sister, too busy with the farm to look out for you proper, and I don’t want some young stallion taking advantage of you when you're too young to understand when your bodies doing to you when your heat strikes.” Stammering over herself and losing track of her train of thought, the mare ended up staring down at her little sister, frustrated and embarrassed.

The filly would smile, and leaned in to gently hug AJ about the ribs, head resting on one knee. “Applejack… I um…” Suddenly, her own embarrassment began to well up, Apple Bloom’s own cheeks were deepening red. “I know about mares and stallions. And how a mare goes into heat and gets all wobbly in the legs. Just this summer Twist got all gaga over Snips when we were talking with him at the Summer Sun Celebration before everything went wrong, and for a few weeks afterwards she kept wearing this funny perfume. After that I made her tell me what was wrong with her.”

Realizing some of this had been answered for her helped Applejack relax, the mare calming down and looking to her younger sister once more. “You did? You do? And just what did Twist tell you? I don’t want you to misunderstand this kind of thing. It’s important to know the truth Applebloom, not just schoolgirl rumors and romantic nonsense. Misunderstanding this kind of thing can get a filly in a whole heap of trouble.”

The filly frowned a little, looking up to her sister, voice more worried now, but more honest. “Like Rarity and-”

Applejack would cut the filly off with a soft hug, stroking the girl’s hair and holding her close. “Exactly Applebloom. Now let’s start over. What do you know about a mare’s heat?”

The two sisters had talked for a few hours more, leaving one sister educated, while the other found some peace of mind in having the full topic discussed properly, even if only after it was all over. In her own room some hours later, Applejack found herself looking out the window, one of her sister’s questions lingering on her mind. “How do you know who is the right stallion? There are so few of them, and it seems every good guy already has a few girls who get all his attention.”

Her eye falling to the picture sitting on her bedside table, the silver frame an heirloom Granny Smith had dug up for her from the attic. Someone had taken a snapshot of Dusk and her after Princess Luna and Celestia had left. He was so happy, and had leaned in close to her, a bold grin on his face. She still couldn’t remember what he had said to her, but when AJ saw the picture a few days later while visiting Rarity, she had made an excuse to take the page from the paper. A finger stroked the stallion’s face inside the frame, in a soft, low voice she spoke to herself now, hours later and alone. “Because Apple Bloom. Sometimes, the heart just knows.”

* * *

AJ couldn’t believe how well the pre harvest work had gone. With Dusk’s help they had finished so quickly, and now with a full day off to relax and recharge before the worst of harvest starts. Somehow she had convinced both Granny and Apple Bloom to go get Mac something special from Sugar Cube Corner to cheer him up, leaving her and Dusk alone on the porch after dinner. Sitting together on the porch swing, already she could feel her cheeks burning as she gazed over at him, while he continued to ramble on about the deal he had made with Filthy Rich to get the extra barrels they needed to finish setting up the rest of the orchard. The stallion’s normally smooth shaven jaw was covered in short stubble as he hadn’t taken the time in days to shave.

“... So when his shareholders come to town next month, he asked for me to make some silly speech of some kind or another. Apparently my name carries some decent weight thanks to that silly interview I did. Still not a bad deal for the loan of so many extra carts and barrels.”

Dusk’s words fell on deaf ears as AJ felt her weight shifting to the side, until her head found its way to a resting place upon the shorter stallion’s shoulder. Gazing up into his eyes she would grin, and lift her left hand to cross over his body while cupping his jaw. Turning it a little to the side and up so she could gaze into his own eyes. For a second she thought he was working to form his mouth and to speak new words, and she wasn’t in the mood for anymore tonight. Turning her own head up from her slouched posture, planting her lips against his own and letting them linger, while her fingers stroked softly across his cheek.

For a moment she felt the pressure of his own lips pushing back against her own, and she savored the pressure, even while Dusk’s lips began to split open and his tongue pushed forward to stroke across her lips. The weight of one of his hands snuck into her hair, while the other slid up her ribcage, slipping slowly higher as their linked kiss lingered, until it at last it clasped and rested across her heavy breast. Her nipple tingled in pleasure, as the pressure of his hand pushed down against the cloth of her shirt and stroked over her tender flesh. Moaning caused her to part her lips in pleasure and give his exploring tongue full access. Then the pressure of his hand slipped down from her breast and across her ribs, and between her thighs, stroking across--

* * *

AJ shot up in bed, panting for breath while her body shivered in warm sweat soaked blankets, and a moisture that leaked between her thighs, leaking a sweet smell she knew all too well. Memories of the arousing dream still lingered, and as she compared it against the simple conversation she had with Dusk, she began to wish she had leaned in to press for the kiss, rather than simply leaning against his shoulder and holding hands for so long…

Forcing her mind back into the here and now, AJ moved to stand up and walked to her bedroom window, lifting the curtain and gazing out at the pre dawn sky. It was early, likely four in the morning, still hours before dawn proper, yet a nervous energy tingled under her skin and spurred her to life. Harvest proper would start today, and Dusk had promised to pick up some apple, peach and cherry tarts from Sugar Cube Corner on his way out this morning. No time like the present to get up and get started with her day.

* * *

AJ worked fast, and as she walked out into the chilly predawn air, her hair was still damp from the rushed shower she had taken to wash the richer scents and lingering sweat that had tried to cling to her body. As she walked, her long blond hair was twisted into a single long braid that stretched past her shoulders and well down her back. A song upon her lips, as she marched from the house, her second favorite stetson settling in placed on her head, as she crossed the farm.

Dusk had insisted they leave the spare carts scattered across the farm, towards the outer perimeter of the orchard. His goal, he explained simply enough to her the day before. “If we start at the outer edges of the orchard on all sides, it means the carters can transport their loads in from the farthest regions to the barn while those bucking keep up their work at a steady but casual pace, meaning that by the time any cart returns, those bucking will be four to seven trees ahead. The buckers can then load the cart, letting the carters rest while they load. After that, half the buckers can rest while the other half continue working. This way when the carter returns again, the rested half can load the cart again, while the other buckers can start their own rest. Keeping this method up and rotating the pattern of what half gets to rest, and you can keep them working for twelve, maybe even fourteen hours a day without anyone breaking down, avoiding exhaustion and accidents with the extra rest periods.”

Thinking about Dusk made her lips curl slowly up, and a happy train of thoughts distracted her as she crossed the field. Just like Dusk had claimed, it took her about seven minutes to reach the far edge, picking out a cart and a good tree at the edge of the orchard. Stopping to take a few minutes to stretch and flex, bending her legs to ready them for a long day of bucking. Even now, in the early predawn sun her powerful legs gave a few quiet murmurs at the opening stretches, but nothing the mare had never dealt with before.

Four swift steps brought her to the first tree on the very south edge of her field, a talented eye roaming the trunk for that sweet spot, the one that would cause all the apples to fall in a single blow. First making sure the seven barrels were in position, then checking her posture and distance from the trunk, AJ drew a deep breath and shot her right leg out in a smooth roundhouse kick, her steel reinforced shoe heel pinging the sweet spot with flawless precision. The vibration twitched up the trunk while the branches danced in turn. And soon a rain of apple’s fell from the branches, all but a half dozen landing square in the carefully positioned barrels.

Grinning to herself, AJ admired her work, arms crossing her chest in pride. “Dusk, you might be able to do the math, but let’s see you buck a tree in a single kick.”

Two more trees were beaten in a single blow, tossing their load into another thirteen barrels. And that was followed with loading half of those barrels into a cart. It wasn’t until she was locking the hatch in place that AJ head Winona’s arrival. At a light jog, the canine would grin as she stopped to lean against the cart at her side, grinning up to the older woman. “You’re up early boss lady. Is this just ‘cause you're far too excited by Dusk bringing you breakfast to sleep properly?”

Jabbing her guard dog in the ribs for her snark, AJ tried her best to avoid showing her own deep blush to her dear friend. “And you? Took you long enough to arrive. Were I an apple thief, you’d have been twenty minutes too late to stop me from snatching everything in this cart. You busy off daydreaming about some handsome canine lad?”

Even as she took up the cart’s harness, she could hear the canine taking up position to help push off the carts heavy load. Offering light banter all the while, Winona never lost her own keen grin. “Maybe I was. But if I was, my lad had a good beard, not some patchy mess like you’re unicorn suitor.” The girls banter would continue, as the day carried on.

* * *

Dusk would arrive with his promised breakfast of fritters, still steaming from the ovens. Pinkie Pie had given him the sugar glazed treats and refused payment, only planting a quick kiss on his cheek. Her words still teasing his memory. “Don’t worry about payment Dusk, Sweets for the Sweet! and if AJ argues, tell her that’s what I said!” Then she had bullied him out the door, stating she needed to get back to work for the Cakes.

Looking for AJ, it was only when he noticed fresh wagon tracks leading to the barn that he figured out what was up. The mare was up already and at work, even now as the dawn was only just now rising. As he approached the massive barn doors, the sound of the mare inside and hard at work carried on the air, the bang of a massive barrel of fruit being lowered into place among the rafters.

Winona shot up as Dusk stepped through the door, grinning warmly. “You’re finally here. Good, that means I can have dinner and go to bed. You can deal with her.” The canine lift a hand to gesture into the depths of the massive barn. “Two hours we’ve been at it, and she is annoyed she can’t keep pace with your calculations even though she is working solo. Keeps muttering twenty minutes per cartload.” Swiftly, the canine lass snatched the sack of fritters from Dusk’s relaxed grip, and pulled out two of the peach fritters before pushing it back to him, while she ate them in rapid bites. “Thanks for dinner!” The canine called over her shoulder as she was walking away, offering Dusk a wolfish grin.

Getting his balance back, Dusk took a few light steps forward, making his way to the cart and peeling open the sack of fritters, laying it across the seat and picking one of the hot apple treats and nibbling in quiet joy while he waited for AJ’s return. Return she did, walking fast and puffing for breath at her own forced pace. He had to laugh as she realized he was there, stopping to step behind a pillar. When she stepped out again, her hair smoothed and clothing straightened. Walking to his side and leaning in against the cart in profile for his gaze, she would snatch up another of the fritters, wolfing it down in a few swift bites. Speaking up in the end only after a thumb brushed crumbs form her teeth, her voice low but warm. “Thanks Dusk, Pinkie and the Cakes really are the only people I’d trust to make a fritter half as good as my own recipe.”

Breakfast over the rich treats was healthy, and conversation was light and playful. It wasn’t until conversation returned to the fitters, that Dusk really realized how well Pinkie had set him up. AJ’s voice was playful and warm as she asked him. “Now Dusk, I already owe you for all this labor. Let me make some payment for breakfast.”

Flashing back to Pinkie’s words, Dusk grinned, leaning in and tapped her lightly on the nose. “No no, it’s quite alright. Sweet treats for the sweet. No charge” While he had altered Pinkie's words he was rewarded with a deep blush and warm smile in return. The mare offered a nod in her thanks and moved off form Dusk’s side to avoid any continued embarrassing flirtations. Soon enough they returned to the field, Applejack pulling her cart, while Dusk walked quietly behind, leaning against the cart and pushing it a little to AJ’s own swift and easy pace.

But as they worked on, Dusk realized that AJ was endlessly watching the rising sun. Even as time passed the mare’s own nervous nature began to infect him too. By their fourth trip in after sunrise Dusk’s watch of the sun had become constant, yet so far none of their workers had yet arrived. By their sixth trip, Apple Bloom was waiting in the Barn and would help them with the barrels before AJ chased her younger sister off to school.

When they returned sixteen, maybe seventeen minutes later with the the seventh load Mac stood watching on the porch, and walked slowly to meet them at the barn door, a sour look twisting the towering stallion’s lips. His gaze was filled with worry, and before he could speak, Applejack asked the question. “Have the labors already arrived at the other farms?” Mac simply gave a sharp nod, worry screaming in the weary stallion’s eyes. Snorting in her building rage, the mare turned shoving the wagon into the barn and bellowed back to Dusk. “We are going to the labor board. They are hours late. And Ginger better have a damn good reason to be holding out on us.” Seething with rage the mare tore off without waiting for Dusk’s answer, bolting to town at a flat out run.

* * *

Running as fast as he could in an attempt to catch up with Applejack’s own impressive pace, Dusk quickly realized just how quickly the mare could run. Even with his training with Dash as of late, and his own athletic history, it was shocking to realize that he would have to push himself to keep up with the furious mare. Together, they made the three mile walk to town in only ten minutes

Applejack didn’t slow, forcing her way though those few who were hanging around town. Harvest season was a busy season for so small a town, likely of the thousand residents of the town only a good one hundred thirty or forty people were left in town. They found the labor board office was locked up even though it was long past eight am.

Out of breath, Dusk would step up behind AJ, a hand reaching out to rest on her shoulder. “Slow down for a second Applejack. Catch your breath. I’m sure there must have just been some mistake, once we talk to Ginger, I’m sure that we will-”

While Dusk talked AJ was panting for breath, but she refused to halt, still beating on the door. Right up until a voice from behind them stole her attention. “What in tarnation? Applejack? Why are you here? Did something happen to your crew?”” Turning, Dusk and AJ wound up face to face with a sleepy eyed Ginger, still sipping at a cup of coffee. Yet, Dusk could pick up small signs of worry already altering her sleepy disposition, her keyed small signs dusk picked up, the twitch of a hand and her tail frantically sweeping behind her hips. “It’s… it isn’t Meadow? He’s a good worker, I just got him on last week for my sister and I promise he will shape up soon…”

Enraged, AJ would stomp up to the smaller earth mare, snorting in response. “We ain't got a clue about your nephew Ginger. None of my workers showed up this morning. What did we do to piss you off so much? Just cause I had an emergency a week before Harvest is no justification to delay our Harvest crew. Where are they? When are they gonna show up??”

Ginger’s face fell and the hand gripping her cup released its hold, the mare suddenly shoot between the two of them, pulled out her key, and frantically tried to unlock the labor board door. Her frantic voice panicked even as she charged inside to her desk. “Nonononononono! We did the numbers! Four times!”

Realization dawned on both Dusk and AJ, the pair rushing to follow Ginger inside even while the mare rushed across the room and throwing chairs out of her way, until she reached the big board on the south wall. There they had been keeping a display of the harvest breakdown for every farm, business and the few local projects still needing workers. The second Dusk spotted it, numbers started running through his head, recalculating the totals written in chalk across the board and hunting for some error.

He found it before AJ reached Gingers side, and his shoulders fell. Applejack’s voice was frantic as she grabbed the smaller earth mare by the shoulder, panic had filled her eyes. “Come on Ginger. It’s a joke right? A prank to get back at me for being so rude last week. Something?”

“Applejack…” Dusk called out gently to her, his third recalculation of the numbers on the board leaving no doubt. “It’s no jest. The Apple farm isn’t even on the board.”

Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 2

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Chapter 6: Griffon the Brush-Off - Part 1

Dash groaned and let the page in her hands fall to cover her face, her body dropped back to sprawl across more than half the leather couch in Dusk’s library. An exasperated groan hissed out, followed by a huff of annoyance when she realized that she had not earned any attention from her friends through her dramatics. Her voice lifted to complain once again. “Guys, come on! This is so boring! I’ve already told you everything about Gilda, surely you can do all this reading without me, right?”

Rarity lifted her head from the page she was inspecting, her silver framed lenses hung low on her nose. “Really Dash? All you’ve told us about her is that you two were friends at school, that you raced and drilled together, and that at sixteen, -” And here she turned to look at the notes Barb was hanging up on a makeshift blackboard Dusk and Applejack had hung on the wall. “She was six foot one, and had,” she paused, clearing her throat dramatically here. “And I’m quoting here, ‘The most bitching white hair with pale purple tips.’” Shaking her head at the phrasing, Rarity looked to her much younger friend, disapproval clear in her eyes.

Dash sat up quickly, looking to the board and glaring at the notes in an attempt to find the quote Rarity had picked to reference. “What! It’s true. She really did have cool hair. And it was natural, like mine. That and she was as strong as Applejack is. I remember the first time we tried staff fighting drills, she had such a strong overhead swing, that she broke my staff in half! The drill captain gave me a new one with a steel core in the end. It was way too heavy at first, but it really helped with my upper arm strength.” The pegasus grinned warmly, as she lifted a bicep and planted a light kiss on the well toned muscle on display.

Applejack looked up from her spot on the floor, her eyes narrowed, while the pile of papers on her lap were sorted into two new piles at Dusk’s latest request. One pile for letters from his mother about griffon empire politics, culture and society. The other, for letters about the behavior of specific griffons. With a look to the lazy mare taking up more than half of the couch, AJ rolled her eyes, unable to help but release a sigh. “If you wanted stronger arms, you’d have come and helped me out on the Apple farm more often, Dash. We could make you as strong as any member of the royal guard in just a few months, if you cared about anything besides the Wonderbolts.”

For just a moment a grin spread across Dash’s lips at Applejack’s suggestion, but as she remembered the long hard days helping harvest, she balked at AJ’s offer. “But that would eat up all my free time! I only just got the weather team into shape, I’m way too far behind on my Wonderbolts training as it is. And with the Young Flyers Competition only six months away? Thanks AJ, but I’d rather focus on my application to them for now, and except for some simple weapon drills, they don’t focus much on combat.”

Dusk, frustrated by the continued conversation, tossed the two papers he had been reading at the same time onto AJ’s pile of griffon behavioral letters. A hand drawn to his forehead and rubbing deeply, he looked to Barb across the room; the small dragoness was still pinning notes to the board. “Barb, any chance for a cup of tea?” When the dragoness offered him a nod, he turned to the mares, strain clearly in his voice. “Girls, can we please focus on the Gilda issue for now? We only have two days until she is scheduled to arrive, and I only just finished my mother’s notes on etiquette. At this rate, I’ll be up half the night trying to figure out if offering to shake her hand is a sign that I think of her as weak, which she would take as an insult, or a sign of respect for her strength, since I would be leaving myself open for a sneak attack." While Dusk had started out calm and a little admonishing, towards the end of it, he had worked himself into a bit of worry. While he panted for breath and his eyes bugged out, Rarity stepped to his side and hugged his head into her chest.

A kiss from the mare on his head lingered, while her slender fingertips stroked, raking nails through his hair. "Don't worry, Dusk. I've already finished notes with Barb on greetings, proper public attitude, and respectful social behavior." Under her ministrations he began to unwind, his shoulders relaxing and headache smoothed out. Until she ruined it. "Just remember, do not flinch when she punches someone in the shoulder all the time. It means you are weak and will submit to her demands. It only encourages female griffons to demand more outrageous and ridiculous things."

Dash fell over in laughter at Rarity, her words only driving the stallion to worry harder. When the young mare recovered, she leaned over to pet Dusk’s shoulder without getting off the couch. "Don't worry about her Dusk. Me and Gilda are tight. Besides, after three years at flight school, she learned to go easy on you poor stallions. Of course, not until she had stolen half the class’s boyfriends and formed herself quite a cute 'roost' of stallions. It was one hell of a good laugh, seeing the boys who used to have three or four mares begging them for dates suddenly carrying my books just because it might make Gilda smile."

Even Applejack stopped her sorting, turning to glance back at Dash. "Wait, I thought that griffons didn’t normally herd?" Her question was a valid one, and all eyes turned to the day-dreaming Dash.

When she finally broke off her wandering trail of memories to return to the room as Applejack cleared her throat, Dash offered a small shrug. "What? Oh. I don't know. She said they don't normally. Occasionally an alpha male will claim his beta or his beta's mate, or any of his clan's females, as a show of power. But, she figured herding sounded like a pretty good laugh. Said it was like their hunting packs. She even named me her beta and let me use her stallions for a while. When the school caught wise of how many of them had been bullied into the group, she was taken in for discipline. Sadly, after that she ended up going back home when they couldn't come to an agreement with the griffon ambassador on a punishment."

Now even Dusk had leaned in to watch her as she spoke. It was Applejack who squeezed the mare’s knee while Dash wiped a tear from her cheek. Voice tender she pressed Dash on the sensitive topic. "And you never saw her again?"

* * *

Dash burst into her room, the door slamming shut behind her. Straining with the effort, she pushed her dresser in front of her bedroom door just in time to stop it from opening again. When he realized that he was not welcome in his daughter’s room, Blitz started speaking to his child through the door in quiet, private tones. "Dashie, you have to understand, what she was doing to those boys, just cause you-"

"I don't care what those boys said!” Dash cut her father off, her screams breaking through her chest racked with sobs. “She promised me we were going to found our own hunting pack. I’m her beta! I won’t lie about her like they want me to!" Sitting on the floor with her back to the dresser, tears streamed down Dash's cheeks. With her father silenced, she continued screaming her tirade at him. "I won't show up at the tribunal, and if you make me go, I won't read that letter. They fooled me into saying those lies about Gilda! Besides, those colts asked for it. It’s not like they didn't fool around with fillies they were dating."

For ages Blitz was silent while his sixteen year old filly wept on the other side of the door, her violent sobs absorbed into the sleeve of her coat, one that Gilda had given to her when the griffon outgrew it. The griffon's rich scent still clung to the wool and somewhat comforted her torn heart. When he finally spoke up again it felt like hours later. "I love you Dashie, if you say you were not forced like the colts I-" He paused, and a sigh whispered against the door as his head fell to rest against the wood. "I'm sorry Dashie, but after they found her on top of that boy, how could I let you ever see her again?"

* * *

It was hours later when Dash woke up, still wrapped in Gilda's coat and sitting against her bedroom door. Rough echoes of sound called to her. Someone had just knocked on her window. On her feet in a jolt, Dash ripped the window open and jumped out onto the rooftop of the first story of the house. As she turned, she found Gilda leaned against the outer wall of her bedroom, arms crossed over her chest. The powerful griffon towered at six foot two, and at sixteen, she was likely to grow more, still. Massive, glorious brown wings towered behind her back. Even folded up, they showed her raw strength, stretching from above her head and as the tips of her longest feathers were within an inch of dragging on the ground. The wild locks of her pure white hair crudely cut back around the neck, but grew long and was combed straight. Of course, she had on her fine brown leather jacket, specifically chosen to be bulky and loose. It was a near match for the one that Dash now wore, the white wool that lined the inside on display around her collar. Under it, she wore an over-sized, thin white shirt that hung low and exposed too much skin and plenty of her breasts. Only a brilliant purple scarf, one that matched the vivid violet that her hair turned at the tips, kept her somewhat decent. The only clothing she wore that fit properly was her pants, a dark blue, with heavy material that bound it tight to her hips, pinned tight around the cuffs of her boots.

What really captured Dash, what had always captivated her, heart and mind, were those piercing orange yellow eyes. Their gaze never relented once, Dash's eyes unable to break free from hers. In one fluid motion, Gilda pulled Dash into her powerful arms, spun her around, and pressed her back against the wall of the house. One hand raked roughly through Dash’s hair, across the back of her head, while the other slipped up inside her jacket, under her shirt, to fondle her breast, their lips aligned to kiss deeply. They never needed words when they were together. Gilda had come for her even after all the trouble they had given her today.

When their kiss broke, Gilda flashed that cocky grin, a hand casually shifted to fluff Dash’s wild hair before aggressively cupping the back of her head, holding her still. Compared to Gilda, Dash felt tiny, having to look up into her eyes. "Dash. We are leaving Cloudsdale, we’ve got no time for this lame city and the ambassador doesn't wanna put up with any more of these dweeb’s accusations. You will remain my beta back home. You’re coming with us, right n-"

* * *

"Dash! Stop day dreaming! I asked you a question!" Applejack’s cheeks were red as she glared at the younger mare, now really aggravated by the way she kept drifting off.

Throwing a lazy grin on her lips, her arms crossed behind her head. "No. Never did after she was in trouble. Pops wouldn't have put up with it. But don't worry, we were like this!" With both hands lifted before her, Dash linked her two pointer fingers and tugged to show they were tightly tied together.

* * *

Two of Dusk’s fingers slipped into the handle of a porcelain teacup, his grip clutched it into the smooth palm of his hand, and drew the cup closer. Even as he drew the cup to his lips, the rich scent of lemon and ginger mixed to tickle his senses, even as he lifted the cup, letting the rich liquid tease its way across his lips and his throat. Unable to help himself, Dusk let the cup linger there, just under his nose. Its rich perfume coiling in his senses and driving away the budding headache. Dash had used the sudden and unscheduled arrival of a rainstorm as an excuse to slip away and take command of her weather team.

Applejack's head rested against Dusk’s right hand as she sat on the floor by his feet. Even in his library chair, her massive height really stood out, so her body was slouched to allow her head to use his armrest as a pillow. Casually, his slender fingers snaked out, the movement allowing him to stroke into her vibrant blonde locks, the favorable attention elevating a low murmur from the mare’s throat, even though she kept reading. Unable to hide a happy grin, Dusk turned over the letter he had just finished, only to find a childhood report had been sorted into the mess of papers, it's title catching his eye instantly. 'Pony, Zebra, Griffon and Buffalo: The Biological and Sociological contrast of Equestria and her neighbours'. Memories rushing back to him, Dusk quickly flipped the cover, his eye roaming the two notes written on the inside cover.

The first, in green ink and full of boundless praise, was written by his classroom teacher at the time, Cherry Smile. The second, written in a flowing black ink with tiny gold shavings that still glittered in the library's soft lamplight, was by Celestia herself.

"Dusk Shine, after reviewing this work at Cherry's request, I found issues that must be addressed. After speaking with your father, we have agreed you are old enough to be told the whole truth about our neighbors. Report to my chambers with Sunset Shimmer after dinner."

She had not signed her note. She did not need to when it came to school matters. His mind turned, and wandered back six years ago as he read the opening passage of a random page. 'Much is known about the Zebra of the West Prairies, thanks primarily to the past history they share with our own people. Back before the fall of the Crystal Empire, when the Windigo drove five of the six pony tribes from our native homelands, one tribe got lost, and was soon separated by great distances from the other tribes. By continuing far to the west, they found a massive flatland of ideal climate, long grass, and freedom from the other clans oppression. Thus, it was the Zebra, lost Sister Tribe of the Unicorns, who settled in their new homeland as nomads in an endless summer.'

* * *

Dusk stepped forward, quietly clearing his throat to get the guard’s attention, even though they already watched his approach. "Excuse me, but um.. the princess invited us to see her aft-"

Sunset had listened enough to Dusk's quiet, shy and polite tone. Two steps pushed her past him, one hand wrapped around his arm while she tugged him forward with her. Voice serious and straightforward, without a hint of Dusk's meek attitude. "Sunset Shimmer and Dusk Shine for the princess as she requested." The guards, used to the brash mare and her younger ward had already started to step aside and open the door. Its flawless white wood covered in decorative gold filigree in the shape of one massive blazing sun, split in half by the two doors.

Even as she pulled him inside, Dusk could feel her annoyance, the mare muttering to herself, yet was loud enough for him to hear. "They know you by face. They should have known you were here at her request. Why do you insist on being so bashful before the grunts? Your brother is a member of the castle guards. You had Princess Cadence for a colt-sitter for Celestia's sake Dusk, you have to get use to guards at some point.”

Dusk followed her into Princess Celestia's private chambers. While this wasn't his first visit, he was still awed by the impossible luxury. From her changing room, the goddess called out, her velvety voice whisper almost like a smooth whisper. "Sunset? Can you come here? I sent away my maid and now the hooks are caught again."

Dusk froze up at that voice, his gaze on the nearly transparent drapes that separated them in the study from a towering figure behind the blinds. Sunset's attitude had changed the moment that voice spoke out to them, a reverent joy spread over her, from her wide open eyes to the quiver of her lower lip. Even her tails excited shifting and swaying across her hips was a signal to Dusk. He knew that feeling so very well. "Coming, Princess Celestia!" Only a second pause to grin back at the young stallion, prevented her from bolting through the drapes. She spoke to him in a soft, low voice. "Poor Dusk, if you'd been born a filly, she might have asked you to help her instead."

Dusk couldn’t help but wince at the comment, his mind quickly returned to three weeks ago in Celestia's private baths. Memories of that embarrassment left him to shuffle into his chair while pulling his report from his bookbag. Thus he was in silent study of his own project, on the hunt for what prompted this unscheduled class.

Suddenly a haughty new voice called out behind him, her bold tone demanding attention. "Beatrix Lula is not used to being ignored when she enters a room. What exactly has you so engrossed, little colt?"

Shocked, and forced to twist around in place to look back at the new mare, Dusk’s jaw dropped. Dressed in clingy purple silk that accentuated her curves, was a mare... no, a filly still really, probably only a year or so older than him. Her long hair was a pale white, with dual tones of pale cornflower blue streaks. Sitting up, Dusk turned on his chair to loom at the mare more directly, Dusk shook his head. "I err.. I don't know how you got past the guards but you should really go. Sunset Shimmer and Princess Celestia will return soon and you do not want to make them mad."

With a scoff, the mare threw some of her loose long hair back over her shoulder and stormed past him to sit in the chair at his right. Leaning back into the plush cushion, she crossed one leg over the other, while letting her piercing azure eyes scan him. Her smirk grew ever wider, a finger wagged in his face. "Beatrix did not break into the princess’ chamber. She was invited, you foalish colt. It really was a shock and honor, but considering how amazing Beatrix has done on her recent exams, it's a surprise it took her majesty so long to acknowle-"

"What?? Why? Dusk I can understand, but some cheeky mare who cheated on her tests for a few weeks? Princess Celestia please. You can not be serious. We already have to slow down my studies for Dusk why-" Sunset Shimmer's rant was suddenly cut off on the other side of the drapes, while Dusk and Beatrix were left to stare at one another in awkward silence for a minute, the mare’s good mood suddenly turned to a gruff scowl focused on the blinds while Dusk tried to gather his wits.

In an attempt to break the ice, Dusk would turn out of his chair and stepped before the mare, a hand offered to her. "I am Dusk Shine. I am sorry about Sunset Shimmer. She would not talk to me except to answer assignment questions for the first week after Princess Celestia let me into their private class."

Beatrix's glare was blocked by Dusk’s body, as she re-fixated on the younger stallion again. At last relenting, she placed her hand into his palm, her voice passive aggressive. "As Beatrix said, she is called Beatrix Lula. Beatrix is sure you are a proper young stallion despite the behavior of some other students around here."

Even as Dusk gave her hand a squeeze and started to shake it, a throat clearing behind his back made him freeze up, a dark flush colored his cheeks. He heard Princess Celestia's whisper, despite the distance she stood from him, her words carried to him even at so soft a tone. "Do not shake a mare’s hand, Dusk. Kiss her knuckles. You are a stallion now, so greeting a lady properly is a good lesson to learn."

Unable to stop and turn to see her, but as sure as the sun was setting outside the window, Dusk knew both Princess Celestia and Sunset Shimmer stood there watching him now. With the blazing heat in his cheeks, Dusk looked into Beatrix's eyes in hopes of finding some sign of help. But she was fixated on something behind him, likely Princess Celestia herself. Stuck, Dusk flashed back to the etiquette class his mother had taught once a week for the students before Celestia promoted her but a short time ago. Straining his back and lifting Beatrix's hand to his lips, Dusk brushed a brief kiss to her knuckles before returning it to her lap.

Even as he started to shift and look around at the two mares behind him, Dusk realized that Beatrix herself was also blushing hard. Sweeping past him, Sunset stole Dusk’s seat and glared at his report. Her voice was level but bitter tones were hinted in her words. "Is this why we have an extra class today? Because you didn't let Dusk learn about Griffons in an adult class? I keep saying he is mature enough to take it, Princess. Besides, like you keep suggesting, he is a stallion now."

With warm laughter that whispered like silk down Dusk's spine, the princess pushed that away. "I think you are right, Sunset. Dusk, Beatrix, we don't normally teach students quite as young as you about the real nature of Griffon herds, hunting packs as they call them. Sit down in my chair, Dusk. I told the guard to bring a spare, but it appears that they have forgotten." When he moved as directed, Princess Celestia stepped before the towering bay doors that sealed off her balcony. A brilliant golden glow formed around her horn and at the horizon, the three students witnessed the moon begin it's slow rise into the night sky.

Sunset started the lesson when it was clear the princess was busy for the moment. "It starts with an alpha. Male or female, the alpha is the master of a hunting pack. You got all that right, Dusk. But after that, you let the romantic nature of our culture and herd get in the way. The Alpha of a hunting pack doesn't respect ownership or possession of any other pack member. They all belong to him. Often the Alpha will pick a mate, but even then, that doesn’t stop him from deciding to claim one of his pack members as a target for his pleasure."

Swallowing sharply, Dusk began to put the facts together quickly. When she paused, he had to ask the obvious question. "But what if the pack member... be he male or female, is not interested in their Alpha's advances? If a mare says no, a stallion who forces himself upon her.."

Celestia's hands were in Dusk's hair suddenly, stroking and combing his thick and silken dark blue hair. Her words were soft but sad. "The Griffons have no such laws. Unless another Alpha chooses to protect the lower pack members, they are at the whim of their Alpha. I'm sorry to shatter this romantic illusion, Dusk, but you must properly understand the griffons. What we call rape is simply an Alpha marking their property so other Alphas know not to touch their pack members."

Even with Princess Celestia's tender affectionate touch, Dusk shivered as he pictured it. With his powerful imagination, it suddenly become clear as day. "Bu... but you sent mother there. She only has a small private guard. What's to keep-"

The princess silenced him with a finger to his lips, quietly making it clear he should stop that line of questioning. "First, Dusk, relax. Your mother is safe. You can’t think of things in the way that we do. Think of it from their view of the world. Your mother is my voice among their people, thus they see her as a member of my hunting pack. After the Night of the Red Sun, they will never challenge me again.” For just a moment, Celestia’s voice got very cold and distant. While she looked again out at the full moon, Dusk’s eyes instantly drew to the Mare in the Moon upon its surface. He still couldn’t believe how the outline was clear as day on nights like this one.

It was Beatrix who broke the silence, her own voice confused. “But if normal griffons are at constant risk of violation by their Alpha, or any other Alpha out to show off, why do they not flee to our country, for our protection?”

Sunset answered that easily enough, her voice distasteful. “Who really knows? Maybe it’s because that’s what they’re use to? Maybe it’s because they all dream of being the Alpha and taking what they want one day? Some griffons do come to live with us, but with how tense relations were both before and after Princess Celestia was forced to act, few have ever felt comfortable anywhere except Cloudsdale.”

Dusk could swear Celestia’s cheeks were red with suppressed tears when she turned to face her students. “Why is it she always gets so sad on nights like this?” Unable to keep his mind from hunting, Dusk would attempt to log everything she had said and done tonight. Surely, if he kept track of when she got like this, he could find an answer. “Let us continue with the lesson. Dusk, you should know the most on this, tell us about the current Griffon Emperor.”

Shifting to stand up, Dusk took a moment to recall his mother’s letters from over the last three years, quickly shuffling and sorting them out before smiling warmly up to the princess as he offered her a nod. “Thank you, Princess Celestia. The current Emperor renamed himself Steel Talon when he killed the last emperor, Broken Beak. Born Cynric, he was the son of Broken Beak, himself son of Silver Feather. Currently, he follows his father’s tradition, demanding he be referred to by full title and heritage despite having killed his father who was the last emperor.” Getting lost with himself, Dusk carried on with his own current train of thought, never realizing Sunset was growing bored by his train of thought. “This means to properly address him, he currently must be called ‘Emperor Steel Talon, son and killer of Emperor Broken Beak, son and killer of Emperor Silver Feather, who ended the rule of the vile murderer Demeiza the XIX.’ This has lead my mother and scholars she has conversed with to fear that if this continues, in fifteen or twenty years, we will soon have quite some difficulty keeping track of the current emperor’s title, as Steel Talon’s son is already in his early thirties and has seven sons of his own, the oldest of whom is already nineteen. Considering this, mother and some of her entourage have already started to encourage Steel Talon to start calling hims-”

Sunset Shimmer’s groan of boredom and annoyance sent a chill down Dusk’s spine, the mare’s glare making her threat clear. When he paused at the noise, Princess Celestia turned to look at Sunset, for a moment, words were forming on her lips, yet she held them back, before finally speaking out. “Very well Dusk, but you are getting a little too much into the theory and not the facts. Please, continue.” Unable to hide his red cheeks, Dusk would nod, and pressed on again, now very aware of every movement Sunset made.

* * *

Even as Dusk continued his idle reading of that childhood report, the sound of Rarity returning to the library drew him back into the present. Her hair protected by a small scarf tied below her chin, the mare stepped in to look at Dusk and AJ before placing a package on the counter, her voice almost singing. “Good news. The Cake’s have a slow week ahead, so Pinkie will be free to help out in an hour or two. I also got some more daisy and cheese wraps from them so is dinner taken care of.”

While Dusk had given a polite hello and allowed Rarity to walk off to speak with Barb, a thought dawned on Dusk, and the icy shiver that ran down his spine made him sure he had to address this, quickly. “Rarity?” Hopping up and dashing out the room to follow her, Dusk called out in a tone rife with mounting worry. “What about meat? Dash said that Gilda only ate meat!”

Even as he turned the corner, Dusk found Barb accepting a second package from his lover. The mare offered him a grin, turning back and stepping into his arms, her voice consoling. “Don’t worry, Dusk. I took the money you had budgeted for dining and had a few words with Burnt Oak, who runs the meat stall in the market. While we are a small town, enough people around here eat meat once every week or two, so a big order like this to feed a griffon will take some time to arrive. He promised his supplier in Canterlot uses fresh meat only, never frozen, and only from feral creatures. I’d hate to think what might happen to a vendor who uses unlicensed or even non-feral animals for their supplies. Fluttershy aside, even little Angel has one hell of a mean kick. Just remember that they eat raw meat, and room temperature. And Gilda will expect you, as her host, to join her in at least a small portion of the meal at her selection. To prove it isn’t poisoned, of course.”

Suddenly feeling ill, Dusk let his weight lean in on Rarity, shaking his head. “You did well. But raw? I like a little meat occasionally, but that… that is just wrong.” When she looked up and started to speak, Dusk shook his head. “I can handle it, it just feels tasteless. It’s no wonder Princess Cadence is a pure vegan.”

Offering him a laugh, Rarity would begin to rub her open palms across his spine, soothing him and nuzzling her jaw into his neck, and tenderly spoke. “The rest is set to arrive by train late tomorrow or early Friday. Barb will empty your cold box tonight, but I’d suggest you get used to the smell of the meat now. It will only get stronger.”

Curling his lip into a weary grin, Dusk called out to Barb in the kitchen, voice still hopeful. "Barb, you like meat. Any chance we could cook it extremely rare without Gilda noticing?"

The short dragoness stuck her head out the kitchen entrance, a quizzical look offered to Dusk. "Yeah, about as well as I could hide sapphire flakes on your salad Dusk. You remember how poorly that went over."

Unable to help himself, Dusk winced at that memory. "You swore they had a faint spearmint flavor. I was brushing my tongue for an hour trying to get the taste off." With one arm extended to wrap around Rarity's hips, he turned to walk back into the library. "If you do come up with any solutions to help me out, please, warn me first. No more sapphire surprises!"

Deflated at his tone, the dragoness gave a light kick to the door frame before returning to the kitchen, grumbling to herself. "Just means more for me anyways."

* * *

While Dusk and his friends spent the rest of the day studying, the only thing on Scootaloo's mind, as she bolted from class that day as soon as the bell rang, were her flight exercises with Rainbow Dash. The filly had intended to head straight to the hill just south of school, Dash's favorite place to show off her newest moves in the afternoon. What better audience to wow than the adoring foals who were easily wowed by her flamboyant displays.

But then, familiar laughter, along with a filly’s cry of distress, sent a chill down her spine. Moving quickly to duck around a corner, Scootaloo peered back to locate the source of the laughter. At the far end of the hallway, Snips and Snails were playing a game of catch... With Sweetie Belle’s treasured ivory brush, the owner of which scrambled between them, trying to get it back.

Already, the younger filly was balling with tears, her magic attempting to snatch back the brush. However, she still wasn't strong enough to tug the expensive brush free from the older colts’ own. "Why isn't miss Cheerilee stopping those dumb bullies!" thought Scootaloo. Turning to look further down the hall, her answer was clear. Diamond Tiara stood just outside the classroom doorway, laughter evident even while she kept watch on the classroom. And if she was alone, Silver Spoon must have been in the classroom, keeping Cheerilee busy.

Chasing her brush through the air, the wailing younger filly tripped, falling to her knees. Even as she lifted her head to gaze her tear-stained eyes at her tormentors, Scootaloo got a clear view of the grief in her flawless, pale, harlequin green eyes, while behind her, Diamond Tiara nearly doubled over with laughter. Something in those puffy red eyes begged Scootaloo for help, and the disgusting chortling from Diamond irked her to no end. Rage flooding her veins, Scootaloo bolted back down the hallway, beating her wings like Rainbow Dash had told her. Not wild and violent but moving together in a powerful swooping beat. Like an arrow, she shot down that hall, performing a last second hop onto a trashcan that had fallen over during the stallions’ game of keep away with the youngest filly in their class. Even if only for a brief moment, Scootaloo was thrilled, realizing she had built up enough speed that she now glided through the air just above Snail's head. Adjusting for this with a quick shift of her wing’s beat, she shifted her right foot out to use him as a platform to shoot herself further into the air. Floating high above them all and gliding on her sustained momentum, she snapped a hand out to clutch that brush, and used her speed to snap it from the unicorn’s spell.

And then everything went horribly wrong. All her speed had been more than enough to snag the brush free, but Scootaloo realized, as she felt the spell’s release, her momentum was now ruined, no longer carrying her flight easily, or even help manage a simple glide, and so she spiraled out of control. It was too late, even as she tried to kick off an open locker, she was unable to find a purchase and tumbled down to the hallway floor, rolling head over heels until she come to a stop at Snips’ feet. Her eyes shot open even as the stallion stared down at her goggle-eyed. The sight of his feet so close to her face sent her mind back to her training with Dash, flaring through her mind just as quickly at the burst of pain from her tumble cleared away. She could remember Dash’s words before the lesson, she might even have been able to quote them if she had the time to catch her breath. "You have to learn how to fall, how to roll with an impact, Squirt. It's not just for now, even when you learn to fly, you'll find the wind slapping you around harder than any stallion can kick. So lay down, and watch my kick. I'll go easy at first, kid, but once you get the idea, we're going to get a little rough. Just remember to tell me when you need a second to catch your breath. Can't accidentally bruise you, or Redheart would be after my head."

For a moment, the hallway was silent and still, than Snips stamped a foot by her head, his angry voice cracking from his annoyance. “Scootaloo! We were having fun with that! Why do you always have ta ruin things!”

With one hand on his left shoulder, Snails walked over to join them, rubbing his fingers over the sore spot Scootaloo had used as a launch pad to throw herself into the air. Groaning with annoyance, he glared down at her. “And why did you have to kick me! I didn’t do anything to you!” Outraged, the gangly young stallion would take a lagging kick to her shoulder in retribution. A quick movement allowed her to twist away from the blow, yet for a moment, terror roared in Scootaloo's mind. Dash had only been helping her for a few weeks. Rough landings and bad wind was a new topic, how could she keep dodging both young stallions' feet. Her answer came in a battle cry from the direction of the classroom. The blur of red hair and blue jean overalls flew over her head and into Snips' body. The fight was over seconds later.

Scootaloo was now sitting with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell in the nurse's office. Miss Cheerilee's disapproving tone still rang in her ears, until a hand thrust before her face, the grinning filly connected to it spoke gleefully. "We never had a proper chance to say hi, and after you rescued Sweetie Belle from those grunts, well, I figure I should make up for that. I'm Apple Bloom, and I've been looking out for Sweetie Belle for the last year or so, ever since Diamond Tiara started picking on her in class."

While Scootaloo took up the offered handshake, Sweetie spoke up, cutting into the conversation. "You have been looking out for me longer than that Apple Bloom. With Applejack and Rarity spending so much time together, we have been spending time together constantly, ever since you moved back to Granny Smith's orchard!"

For her part, Scootaloo leaned back, releasing Apple Bloom's hand and pressed at what she found interesting. "So you moved to Ponyville too? I heard you Apples have been here for ages. What happened?"

Her question drew a moment of silence to the room, while Apple Bloom stared at her feet. Just as Scootaloo shifted to clear her throat and apologize for asking about something sensitive, the filly shifted her stance and looked back into her eyes. "Me and my big sis got sent away to stay with relatives when ma and pa passed away. I was only a baby foal and AJ wasn't old enough to help out on the farm. Big Mac stayed here to help granny and the farm. When AJ got big enough, she made them let us visit in the summer, and proved she was old enough to be helpful on the farm. And Granny Smith refused to let me go back to the big city. I must have been four years old at the time, and she didn't want to see us broken up again."

A towering shadow formed on the other side of the door, and with a grunt, a gigantic earth stallion stepped through, ducking his head low to avoid catching his head on the frame. Golden hair, long and thick, tied up behind his shoulders with a single leather tie. As tall as the stallion was, for a moment Scootaloo could only gawk at the titan. From behind him, Cheerilee’s voice could be clearly be made out. “Mac, you may take the girls home, but I want to talk to Applejack when she has the time. Apple Bloom can not keep getting into fights with the boys and Diamond Tiara. I’m going to talk to Filthy Rich tomorrow, but we can not keep having these problems.”

The giant extended an arm to wrap around Apple Bloom's shoulders, pulling her close, his fingers stroked through her hair, while he moved to sit beside the little filly. Voice dry but calm, he offered the teacher a nod as she followed him in. "AJ will come tomorrow before class. She is helping Dusk and Rarity today." As he turned to look at the youngest filly, offering Sweetie Belle a quiet grin. "Your big sis is gonna be busy helping Dusk too. So you and Apple Bloom get to have a sleepover." His gaze swept to lonely Scootaloo, a half frown formed on his otherwise cheery face. "Sorry lil' filly, can't seem to recall your name."

If Scootaloo had been intimidated by Big Mac’s size, it was the way he looked disappointed in himself for forgetting her name that broke the ice and won her over. Unable to hide a blush at his piercing and perceptive green eyes, the filly stuck out a hand like Apple Bloom had just done for her a few minutes ago. "I'm Scootaloo mister Mac... um err. Wow, you're even taller than the stories miss Redheart told." As she realized what was dribbling out of her mouth, Scootaloo slapped her hands over her mouth and dropped her head, unable to ignore the heat in her cheeks or the laughter from the other fillies.

Cheerilee only now realized that Scootaloo was still in the room with the other girls, and turned to look where her voice came from. “Oh dear, Scootaloo. I’m sorry, after talking with Snips and Snails it’s clear you didn’t do anything to start the fight. If you wanna head home, I wrote a note for Redheart, you might as well head home too.”

Scootaloo twisted to look up at her teacher, unable to hide her frown. “But… I’m already late to meet up with Rainbow Dash, shoul-” Her worried gaze was lifted by the soft touch of Big Mac’s hand on her chin, drawing her to look into his own eyes, the warmth in those bottomless sap green pools rang with quiet calm.

“Rainbow Dash? Saw her sittin’ on a tree stump just south of the school as I passed, looked rather distressed about something. Was gon’a see if she was ok after I picked up the girls.” The giant’s rough hand had a gentle touch, and the kindness in those eyes helped mellow Scootaloo’s growing panic at disappointing Dash. His voice returned, easy and calm. “If ya’ want, I can talk to her while we head to the farm. I’m sure she will take my word you didn’t do this on purpose.”

With Cheerilee’s letter in her hand, Scootaloo would nod, while looking up to the towering earth stallion, giving a nod. “I… I’d appreciate it Mac, disappointing Dash-” She let her words fall off, biting down on her lower lip. Then, stepping up, she offered a grin to Big Mac. “Let’s go! I can’t wait to get my practice in!”

The walk to the hill where Rainbow Dash sat was a short one, but in that time Scootaloo learned enough about the girls to relax, and enjoy a few laughs. Scootaloo felt Sweetie Belle’s arm wrap around her own, the younger filly’s energetic grin and soft laughter was infectious, charming and endearing. “So then Dusk and Rarity started dating. They make such a cute couple too! Plus, he has started taking time to help me control my magic. He is really nice!”

Walking behind the girls, Big Mac couldn’t help but grin in delight at the girls’ good mood. But the sight of Rainbow Dash, still brooding upon that same tree stump as an hour before, sent him to lengthen his stride. "It's only been seven, eight months since she moved to town? Just because the mare is acting oddly, doesn’t mean you know something is off." Cutting off his internal monologue he called to the mare as he crested the hill at her right. "Rainbow Dash, you never struck me as one to watch a sunset."

Whatever had the mare trapped in her private thoughts, his words had broken through her shell. Twisting her head to look up at him, the mare offered a lazy grin. "Mac! Hey there. Noticed you passing by before, I should'a said hi. What's up? How can Ponyville’s greatest flyer help the Apples out today?" Observant even in her distracted state of mind she leaned around him, her grin only got wider at the sight of a bruise under Apple Bloom's left eye. "Oh my, quite the shiner you got there, kid. Is that why poor Mac got dragged into town?" Standing now, and shadow boxing with Big Mac despite his stiff stance. "Want me to teach her how to tussle? I was first in my class at flight school for wrestling!"

As she got carried away with her own train of thought, Mac let his suggestive inquiry go, if something really was up with the mare he could find out more later, when things had calmed down. His right arm stretched to wrap around his kid sister's shoulders, offering the weather mare a small shrug. "No Dash, the girls were just dealing with some problems in school. Apple Bloom can clearly fight well enough." Patting his sister's back and pushing her towards the road to the farm, Mac signaled for the fillies to head off. "Just thought I'd let ya know that Scootaloo was late for her lesson because she was busy helping Sweetie Belle get her brush back from some bullies."

Rainbow Dash quickly turned back to Apple Bloom, too excited to care the filly was already thirty feet down the road, her voice booming with pride. "Protecting your filly from intrusive bullies? Well done, kid! Knew you had it in you all along." Even as Mac rolled his eyes at that comment, Dash caught up with the rest of his story, turning back to look for Scootaloo. "Oh yeah, where is the squirt. I got so distracted watching the skyline, I must have missed our workout today."

Seeing a chance, Scootaloo took a few steps forward and flashed Dash a proud smirk. "Sorry for being late, Dash! But you should have seen it! I got a good running start and was pumping my wings just like you taught me! When I jumped it felt like you said, with the wind filtering through my feathers, I had to have been six feet off the ground and still flying forward with solid momentum! At least, 'til I tried grabbing Sweetie Belle’s brush from those colts. Does pulling something from a spell’s grip always kill your momentum like that?"

Happy to listen to the young filly, Dash leaned in, laughter evident in her eyes. At Scootaloo's question, she held up her hand and turned to Mac "Before we get too carried away with talk about flying, I just want to thank you for looking in on the brat, Mac. Catch me for a mug of cider at my birthday bash, all right?" While that had been a question, the mare didn't wait for his answer, turning back to Scootaloo and giving the filly her full attention, her tone more explanatory and calm, much to Mac's amazement. "If you and the unicorn don't get your timing just right, yeah. It’s got something to do with all the power they use when they levitate an object, so for whatever reason it makes it really hard to pull it away without a fight.”

Rainbow Dash's words might have been a dismissal, but Big Mac would linger on the hilltop, a watchful eye on the filly and almost mare as they talked, already getting comfortable. "Well, why not, they really do have a lot in common. Dash is only three or four years older than Scootaloo, after all. Wonder if it does them good, both children of broken families." His thoughts paused as he swept his watchful gaze to little Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, walking arm in arm and lost in conversation. "How to keep her from getting into so many fights. That's the real question." Relenting his watch over Dash and Scootaloo, Mac waved goodbye to them when they looked his way, a strong but easy pace picked to catch up with his little sister. "One problem at a time Mac. First family, then friends. Besides, what trouble can Dash get into? AJ said they will all be busy the next few days with this griffon guest."

Dash only made Scootaloo listen to theory for as long as it took them both to get bored. Or rather until Dash was bored with the words she was reciting from flight school, then pretense was dumped and she pushed on with the exercises. It had been a near fistfight with Redheart at first, finding a exercise routine she approved of that Dash didn't find lazy and boring. Now as the filly got stronger and faster, it was Redheart who was forced to relent.

With their warm up jog finished, Scootaloo began the stretches Dash had taught her, slow at first, extending her wings to touch the ground during toe touches, and flexing them wide and high while the push ups continued. Even as Dash watched, her mind wandered.

* * *

Celestia's palace in Canterlot was not a war fortress, but a place of comfort. Dash sat alone in a guest room, both awed by the luxury on display about the room, and fidgeting, her eye constantly drawn to the letter, signed in Celestia's own hand. It had only been three days since the defeat of Nightmare Moon, and she alone had been summoned to see the princess.

After almost an hour after guards had escorted her alone into this room and locked the door, a soft knocking rattled the wood. A voice she knew too well called to her through the door, the strong masculine words froze her in place. "Dash, can we talk? The princess and I just finished a long conversation. I love you Dashie, can... I come in?"

Heart in her throat Dash stood, stepping up to the door, her heart in her throat. "I... we haven't talked in a long time. Not since Gilda-" Dash cut herself off, steeling herself and pulling the door open. "Except when I took this temporary job in Ponyville."

Stepping into the open door, Rainbow Blitz gave a smile down to his daughter, swallowing back something, and wiping tears away before wrapping her in a hug. "And that is my fault. I am so proud of you Dash. You saved the world just a few days ago, and I was still angry about-"

* * *

Scootaloo’s standing aerial backflips finally pulled Dash back to the present, a wild grin splitting her lips. "You've really mastered those jumps, kid. Lots more control and confidence. Think you can manage one over my head?"

Her eyes wide, Scootaloo nervously stared up at Rainbow Dash, fidgeting and mumbling to herself. "I- wha- bu-" before at last getting a hold of herself and looking up into Dash’s eyes. The confidence she found there, mixed with something else, something Scootaloo couldn't name, yet even this brief sighting filled her heart with such joy. "If you believe in me, Dash, then I’ll try my best!"

That other thing disappeared from Dash's eyes as they were suddenly back to serious lessons again. "Good to hear, squirt. Now, like during your practice. Stand facing away from me, with your wings fully extended. And remember, as you jump into the backflip, keep your arms and legs straight and tight; don’t want a black eye when I've got a guest coming to visit tomorrow."

Something in the way Dash held her shoulders from behind, making sure they were far enough apart while she focused her mind on the stunt made Scootaloo's heart beat faster, harder in her chest. Everything was suddenly overwhelming, and the smell of whatever scent Dash’ wore made Scootaloo's mind wander to suddenly more lewd thoughts. Suddenly, Dash squeezed her shoulder, that confident voice booming. "Get this right and I'll talk to Redheart about letting you learn some real trick acrobatics. On the side outside these workouts, nach. Just whatever you do, try not to kick me in the head, okay?"

With the sudden pressure of Dash's confidence pressing down on her, Scootaloo took a deep breath, braced herself, and leapt. And landed, her orange feathered wings still quaking with excitement. That same look had filled Dash’s eyes when Scootaloo had looked down into them while soaring in the air over Dash’s head. She knew it now, knew it from watching Dusk and Rarity sitting together, enjoying a treat at Sugarcube Corner. Even as Dash scooped her up into a tight hug, and gave a whoop of victory, the scent of her perfume and that look made Scootaloo's heart quake again. "I love you too, Dash...."

* * *

Dash had suggested a stop at Sugarcube Corner on their walk back to Redheart’s. The fact it nearly doubled the walk home was never brought up, Scootaloo used the excuse of being tired from how long they carried on past the normal exercise routine to lean against Dash in the booth. When Pinkie finished serving a few others that had stopped by the bakery, she stole the empty seat on the other side. "You two are SOO lucky you got here now. I’m taking off early to go help Dusk and the others with this weird request from Princess Luna to host a griffon that is coming to town! It’s so exciting! I never hosted a griffon before, I hope they aren't spoilsports."

Dash kept her own good-natured grin while Pinkie rambled on, following her own crazy train of thought. An eye flicked to Scootaloo as the filly picked quietly at the heavily glazed and toasted cinnamon bun Dash had picked out for her, drenched in butter, the sweet mixed scents flooded the room. “Eat up, kid. After such a strenuous workout, you need the carbs. It’ll do your body good.” Privately, Dash was glad for the strong smell of the buttery, toasted bun. She awkwardly shifted her hips, attempting to mask her own discomfort.

Distracted by Dash’s words, Scootaloo returned to nibbling at the small chunks she pulled off the toasted bun, eating quietly and watching the two older mares talking. With Dash suddenly paying attention to her, Scootaloo flashed her a grin in return. “I know, I know, It’s just so rich and sweet.”

Pinkie laughed at that, and offered the filly a grin. “We make the best treats here, glad to hear you like it! Maybe if you keep up your training, I’ll let you come help me test samples of our new treats!”

Rolling her eyes, Dash pushed a short letter over the counter to Pinkie. “Don’t spoil the little brat too much. She’s a good sport, but I doubt she knows when to say enough is enough.” While Scootaloo stuck her tongue out and blew raspberries at Dash, Pinkie took the small letter, flipping it over and looking at the front, she lifted her eyebrows at the name on the front, ‘AJ’. Answering the bubbly mare before she could start asking too many questions, Dash blushed darkly. “It’s personal, but I have things to take care of tonight. It’s not only important, but private, so if you could give it to AJ for me, I’d be grateful.”

Whooping gleefully, Pinkie snatched up Dash’s letter and shoved it into the protective depths of her cleavage. "Okie Dokey Dashie! Just don't let Derpy find out, or she might think you don't like her and want a new mail mare for Ponyville."

Walleyed, Dash took a minute to process Pinkie’s warning. "Why would anyone want to do something as heartless as that?" Her normally laid back tone aggravated to display open shock at the suggestion.

Pinkie offered her an over energetic shrug in response, her own smile replaced by a warning pout. "'Cause you're Ponyville’s head weather mare. Just ‘cause you can’t hire or fire her doesn’t mean you aren't her boss, doesn't mean some meanie mean pants, whoever held that kind of a job before you, hasn't used their influence to get other pegasi shipped off to other jobs."

Dash could feel her aggravation and shame build as Pinkie rattled on, somewhere, a buried memory called out an echo. "'Cluttershy! Cluttershy! Cluttershy can hardly fly!'

Gripping down on the countertop, Dash hissed out her frustration and turned to look down at Scootaloo. "Hey, kid. You ever have to deal much with bullies?"

Shocked a little by Dash’s strong reaction to the sudden topic change, Scootaloo looked up at Pinkie for some glimmer of reassurance before answering Dash. "I- me- no, none really Dash. But, er- I kinda got in a fight with bullies today, helping out Sweetie Belle."

Disappointed for a moment, then again impressed, Dash gave Scootaloo a playful cuff on the chin. "Right, right! Good work at that." There was something in the way Dash talked with her, almost like she was brooding over something. "Well, let me tell you kid, with bullies, you gotta learn to step up to them, can't always just take their shit. They never give up or go away if they think they have you cowed." A sly grin spreading over her, Dash gave Scootaloo a one-armed hug around the shoulders. "Finish up kid, we better get you home before Redheart’s shift ends.”

* * *

While it had taken most of the day, Dusk sat back in satisfaction as he finished. With Applejack curled up on a nearby couch, and Pinkie and Fluttershy busy in the kitchen with Barb, Dusk looked to Rarity as she pinned the last of the notes upon the board, her tail left laying lazily across her right hip. Dragging his tongue across his lower lip, the stallion pushed himself to stand up, crossing the room with quiet stealth, until his hands cupped her hips and his loins pressed into her hip from behind, his voice whispering into her ear. “It is late and the others are leaving soon. Will you will stay the night? I could use the company, dear.”

Gasping at Dusk’s ambush of sudden attention, the mare enjoyed it, pressing back against the taller stallion and relishing the pressure of his body against her flank. Almost purring with her own delight, Rarity turned around, wrapping her arms around the stallion’s neck, a rich pout offered up to him. “Oh my, dear Dusk. If only I’d sent dear Sweetie Belle to stay with Apple Bloom for the night. Oh wait!” She joyfully tittereded, nuzzling against his cheek. “It would be my pleasure Dusk.”

From the couch, Applejack groaned a little, rolling over and glaring at them. “Could you two keep it down? After all this reading and pointless research, I’m plum tuckered out, and you two aren't making getting sleep any easier.”

All three shared a laugh for a moment, until Pinkie peaked through the door, a broad grin splitting her lips. “You’re all in a good mood? Great to hear! AJ, Dashie gave me this letter for you. I’m going to walk Fluttershy home, gotta go to work in the morning, but I’ll be free to help out with Gilda, I promise!”

Surprised as they were by Pinkie's unexpected, sudden arrival, the fact that the grinning mare placed the letter on AJ's flank and scampered back out of the room just as rapidly as she arrived meant they had no time to register her, except for AJ who called out quickly after the retreating mare. "But you've been here for hours, Pinkie! Why give me this now?"

If there was an answer, Pinkie was already long gone and thus they heard no reply. His playfully flirty mood cast aside, Dusk’s inquisitive mind instantly shot to the note, trying to piece together a mystery while AJ peeled it open. With Rarity slipping into the free seat on the couch at AJ's side, the whole room was now waiting for the answer held in Dash’s letter.

The short note inside could have been better described as four words scribbled down in an unsteady hand. Suddenly filled with worry, Applejack quietly passed the note to Rarity, her tone low and sad. "I- I hadn't even thought about that. Poor Dash. To be suffering from her heat, while we sat here talking about her last girlfriend." A creeping blush spread over her cheeks.

Finished with the short note, Rarity passed it on to Dusk, who suddenly felt once more the outsider in the affairs of mares. Flicking his eyes down, it took reading and rereading those four short words three times before the meaning really dawned on him. "Need relief, please! Tonight?"

"She- you two- err, that is to say, you and Dash used to help one another with your heat?" When a darkly blushing AJ only offered him a nod in response, Dusk, feeling very lost, turned to Rarity. "I- I've felt it, when a mare was in heat. Not just that time when AJ came for her interview." This had Applejack both give a giggle and a snort of nervous embarrassment at the same time. When Dusk looked to Rarity for any kind of solid ground to build on, he found her blushing and diverting her gaze. "Rarity? This is clearly something I need to understand properly. Could you tell me what has been going on between you mares? Does your heat effect you so strongly?"

Dusk’s open honestly about wanting to know everything upfront made both mares pause and look at one another, offering a slightly ashamed silence for a minute. Rarity soon found her focus and locked on Dusk again, though he couldn't miss her slipping her own hand into Applejack’s own hunting for that support. "It is complicated, Dusk. The heat of a mare varies between cycles, frustratingly enough. I usually have a light one every four to six weeks, but every second or third heat-" For a moment she dropped her voice off, until AJ slipped her fingers to interlace with Rarity’s own, applying a strong grip to the dainty mare’s fingers. That show of support helped Rarity to press on, a soft smile of confidence dawned on her, bringing out her glowing radiance. "Applejack asked me one day when we were out for lunch. That lead to a date, and that date lead to a very passionate night together. Since then, when my strong heats hit, I send Applejack a bouquet of Roseluck's best flowers." For a moment, the mares shared a warm and loving look, before Rarity looked back to Dusk. "Other than helping Applejack in return when she asks, I..." She paused, blushing ever redder, yet she pushed on despite her embarrassment. "Fluttershy has special needs. She rarely asks me for help, almost never more than twice a year. I am her... I am her mistress."

Rarity's suggestive phrasing drew even Applejack to lift an eyebrow in confusion, yet rather than let their conversation stall, she pressed forward with her own answer. "I have stronger heats two thirds of the time, with a heat every three to five weeks. Dash challenged me to a race just after she moved to town, and well-" She looked to Rarity and squeezed her hand for some support in return. "After, I treated her to some of the Apple family's best cider while we went to cool off in the steam behind the farm. Then two or three drinks in she slipped in behind me and started kissing my neck."

"It is okay Applejack,” Rarity said softly while leaning her cheek against AJ's shoulder, “I remember how it felt the first time she caught me in heat. The girl gets such a hungry look in her eyes, and yet she is just so..." Rarity paused, releasing a happy sigh. "That filly will make some mare so happy someday."

Dusk's own need to clear the air had been growing, until he felt he had to speak. "Dash smelt your heat on me after you left, Applejack, Pinkie as well. They both made their interest just as clear to me, but Dash got scared when things started getting too hot for her. Ever since, she deflects when I try to ask her if we are okay."

Both mares looked up as he spoke, a shared look of focus as they considered for a minute in silence before Rarity sat up and offered him a smile. "We need to set rules and standards, if we are going to learn how to be a working herd." Releasing her breath and turning to look into at Applejack’s eyes. "I love you, and I love Dusk. I could be happy with only your company for the rest of my life, but the truth is, I enjoy my time with Fluttershy, as rare as it is. Would you two be comfortable with me continuing that relationship?"

Standing, Dusk walked to the ravishing mare’s side and cupped her cheeks, planting a lingering kiss on her lips. When he broke it, he looked into AJ's eyes. "I had never been with a mare excluding that near encounter with Dash, and another with Pinkie that same day. That said, are you comfortable with the idea of established boundaries?" When Applejack gave him a nod, Dusk shifted his weight to slide onto the couch, his hands lifting Rarity to sit in his lap, while he leaned in against taller mare. "First rule, then: all three of us agree that Fluttershy, Pinkie and Dash are good close friends who we are all comfortable sharing company with?" When the mares gave him a nod, Dusk leaned over and gave Applejack a soft kiss, letting his lips linger on her own as he gazed deep into her eyes. "Then for tonight, we are okay. Go to Dash. She is scared and in need, the least we can do is show her comfort, love, and support when she needs it."

For a moment, Applejack lingered with them on the couch, her eyes drifting from the mare she cared so deeply for, to the stallion who had worked so hard to help her out of such horrible times of late. That same loving confident look was shared by both, and her heart swelled and melted at the shared love she found there. "I will. I can’t leave Dash suffering, I ain't that kind of friend. Besides, she really came through for the farm during Applebuck Season, now it's my time to help her before we get swamped dealing with Gilda." With a resolute grin and a firm nod she leaned in, using her larger size to pin down her two lovers, giving each in turn a lingering kiss.

Just as she started to step away from the couch, Rarity called out, still breathless from the wonderful feeling of Applejack’s body pinning her hard against Dusk’s own powerful frame. "Darling, don't forget to stop by my boutique on the way over. I've some of those white chocolate pretzel sticks left that Dash refuses to admit she adores. Something to break the ice with your paramour.”

Suddenly somewhat reluctant, Applejack would look from one, to the other, before at last offering them a soft nod, pealing herself from the hug. “Thank you Rarity, Dusk. I will return in the morning.” Slipping out the door, AJ went to go make Dash a happy mare.

Author's Note

First to get this in before anyone freaks: No there will not be a sex scene between Dash and Applejack in the next chapter. Due to Dash being under 18 at the moment in the show, such a sex scene would be unacceptable according to site rules. Sorry for getting your hopes up, but don't worry, I do have plains to make that up to you all during Dash's upcoming birthday.

Second, huge shout out to Frankie and F14m3rz for their assistance on editing, as well as ShadowThunder for continuing his good work helping me sort out insane idea's from valid ones.

Progress report:
Chapter 6: Part 2 has been outlined, expect it in the next week or two depending on mental block and distractions from my ps4 [dragon age 3 has been a ton of fun so far]
Chapter 7 has been heavily discussed and will begin outlining it during mental blocks with Chapter 6 Part 2
Interlude 5: has been plotted out and will be outlined in the next few days.

Wrabbit Progress: We are 1/3rd of the way though Interlude 2, hope to have it finished in the next week. Progress, yay!

As always, leave me all your thoughts, comments and suggestions! While I will ask you to spoiler tag things you think are spoilers, remember I have only once had to delete a comment for revealing one, so don't be scared to ask about anything!

Chapter 6: Griffon the Brush-Off - Part 2

Dusk felt the faint warmth of sunlight through his bedroom curtains, forcing him to rise just before dawn.Yet as he twisted his head to the side and drew himself in closer to the still sleeping form of Rarity, it was Applejack’s voice that got his attention. “Sugercube, I’m sure you two had a busy night, but I’ve got fritters on your desk in the study, now get up and move it before I got’ta swat your lazy rump.”

As Dusk realized he was not alone with Rarity anymore, he struggled to suppress a yawn and buried his head into his pillow. When he felt Applejack’s hands on his shoulder, he lifted his head and shook it at her, voice a suppressed whisper. “I am up, AJ, but keep it down, I do not want to wake poor Rarity.”

For a moment the powerful towering mare’s eyes lingered on his own before she flashed him with a grin, leaning in close and placing a light kiss on his cheek. Whispering to him in return, the mare cooed into his ear. “Five minutes, darling. Then I get the frying pan and a spoon.” Offering him a playful wink, the mare turned to slip back out of the room.

Dusk pushed Applejack’s threat to the very limits, fully aware she was probably quite serious. The hardest part of getting up was Rarity of course, everything from her soft but sweet scent teasing his nose, to the warmth of her body pressing against his own. But really the fact she was sleeping on his arm was probably the worst part. Now attempting to extract it without disturbing her rest, Dusk longed to curl in tighter with the mare, returning to sleep for a moment. Slipping free, he gave a sigh of relief, leaning in to whispering softly into her ear. “Sleep well, Rarity. At least, someone should.” As he kissed her cheek before slipping from the bed, he heard her murmur and coo something sweet in return.

Unable to shake a grin that had forced its way on to his face, Dusk found a clean pair of casual black trousers, thicker for the brisk hints of fall that were in the air these days. A more casual black t-shirt was found, very thin, while a long sleeved white dress shirt was thrown on top, while he didn’t bother to button it up, it would at least give him something serviceable for both the cold and in case there was any emergencies he might be forced to deal with today.

It only took two steps down the staircase before the scent of AJ’s fritters hit Dusk’s nose, when suddenly everything was better about being up. From the living room, two voices already locked in conversation gave Dusk forewarning, and as he stepped into the main study, the sight of Pinkie Pie and Applejack going over the notes on his board made him laugh. Applejack would snap the pointer from Dusk’s desk to the pinned note, her voice serious and straightforward. “No, Pinkie. See, if you offer to host her a party, she will assume you’re trying to bribe her, or that ya’ll think she’s a bad hunter and can’t feed herself properly. Griffon’s don’t party.”

Pouting at AJ, Pinkie munched down half her fritter in a single bite, shaking her head in annoyance. “But you just said they love having feasts to celebrate a good hunt! So why can’t we have a party to welcome her to town?”

Dusk moved quickly to come to Applejack’s rescue, his own voice still a half sleeping drawl. “Because, Pinkie Pie, she hasn’t earned a feast yet. Maybe if you could find some event to use as proof of her having earned one. Say, if she brings Dash or myself a big enough of a gift to prove her loyalty. But a party for a party’s sake would be seen as an insult. And it’s not like we have to fend off dragons or anything as a daily matter, so I doubt we can try that as an excuse.” Stepping in to place a soft kiss on AJ’s cheek, Dusk stepped past her and to his desk, his eyes set on the freshly baked fritters. “Did you run into Pinkie on your way back?”

Her eyes slitting for a moment in joy at the brief affection from Dusk, AJ shook her head, following after him from the note board so she could slip in against him from behind, she hugged him tightly. “When I went to ask the Cakes for something quick for breakfast, she was already there making us something sweet.” Looking over her shoulder at the smaller earth mare who was now locked in deep study of the blackboard, and almost scowling at all the rules listed there, AJ couldn’t help but grin. “So we talked and finished these sweet treats. Now I’m trying to review everything we figured out yesterday. Turns out Pinkie isn’t the best study buddy.”

Dusk stifled a soft laugh at the suggestion of trying to get Pinkie’s assistance at something like research or study, but was suddenly cut off by Pinkie leaping from her chair and calling out far too loud and harshly for so early in the morning. “I’ve got it! It’s Dash’s birthday next week, right?!! So since Gilda can’t stay that long, let’s have a pre-birthday party for Gilda! Considering everything Dash has done for Ponyville, not to mention saving everypony from Nightmare Moon, I’m sure everyone will agree she has earned an extra party! And it falls under the griffon’s rules of acceptable feasts, see!? Right here!” With the pointer she had suddenly taken from AJ’s hand, Pinkie pointed to the notes on the wall, under the header of ‘acceptable reasons for a feast’, she had picked out the line ‘Celebration of a Champion's victory, or birthday.’

For a moment, Dusk was stunned, his eyes inspecting the notes on the wall, first for references towards what was defined as a champion. Reading aloud, Dusk was suddenly impressed. “A champion is any member of a hunting pack, local or foreign, who has done a deed of such great importance or danger, that even a whole pack would normally have died attempting such a raid or battle.” For a moment he let his voice trail off in consideration, before Dusk at last offered Pinkie a grin. “Anypony who thinks Nightmare Moon’s return could be handled any easier, quicker, or better than how we managed is only blowing smoke. Dash even risked a series of solo attacks on her just to act as a distraction while you and Mac rescued survivors from the rubble of town hall. I’d say that alone makes her Ponyville’s champion.”

As Applejack separated from Dusk, Pinkie puffed out her chest and took a step up to AJ's side, poking her in the stomach while grinning widely. Stepping up to the taller mare Pinkie poked her in the stomach, grinning widely. “See! And you said we couldn’t have a party for Gilda! Now we can have a Dash’s-Best-Friend-Gilda-is-Coming-to-Town party, and just call it a Dash-is Ponyville’s-Champion party!”

The sudden, very loud and violent impact of a foot, shoe, or something else quite hard or heavy being thrown to the ground with a lot of force silenced everyone for a moment. Turning to Pinkie, Dusk attempted to apologize. “We should keep it down. Rarity… well, she isn’t a morning pony.”

Unable to keep from rolling her eyes, AJ would look back to Dusk, trying to shift the conversation to more serious matters. “Dusk, we should review insults and how to respond to them. From what we were reading yesterday, she’s going to consider you and Rarity a hunting pack, with me as your beta. That means, if she thinks she’s been insulted, or refused something she deserves, she might try to challenge you or Rarity. Most of all Rarity since, well you know.”

Dusk was glad AJ was the level headed mare in the room, letting Pinkie’s gloating blow over without an outburst. Turning to look over the notes on Honor and Challenges, Dusk got AJ’s point instantly. “There are few answers for an insult that do not lead directly into a fight. Something she demands can be given over, or refused and if refused, we could have a fight on our hands. And when I say something, she could in theory demand Barb as a war trophy, and the griffons would view it as her simply staking a claim. This is troublesome.”

Munching at her own fritter, AJ gave her own sharp nod. “See, thats the problem. I don’t know how you’re doing, sugar, but if everything I’ve heard about griffons holds true, I doubt I could take on this Gilda in a fight right now. I still wake up after six hours sleep feeling like I’ve had two.”

With AJ admitting her own weakness openly, Dusk’s worry about the notes was abandoned, the mare now his primary concern, a hand on her forehead, while his free hand cupped her wrist, fingers hunting for her pulse. “If you are feeling so bad, you should have told me, Applejack. I can handle this alone, and with Pinkie to help, I am sure we can figure this all out.”

Too proud to let weakness overcome her, but happy to have Dusk’s attention, Applejack let him hold her for a moment before shaking her head, and smiled warmly at him. “I’m fine Dusk, just a little slow, a little tired. But we do need an answer if she does start a fight.”

Here, Dusk flashed the mare a grin and releasing her, turned to Pinkie, who was currently stuffing a fourth fitter down her throat. Focusing, he poured his magic out in an inverted version of the bubble shield that Shining had mastered, wrapping Pinkie in his own raspberry magic, and locking her in place. Sustaining the spell took effort, as the beads of sweat forming on his pointed out, even while Dusk tried to suppressed as many signs of the fatigue as he could.

Suddenly caught up in Dusk’s magic and unable to move her body in any way, Pinkie cried out and tried everything she could manage to shift or scramble free of his grip. After a few seconds, Dusk released her, blushing and shaking his head. “Sorry, Pinkie, it was just a quick and simple little example for Applejack. Are you okay?”

Twisting to look him over once, before offering a shrug and snatching up a fifth fritter, Pinkie gave a casual shrug. “Okey dokey Dusk! But next time, warn me!”

Applejack gave a slow nod, her voice serious but more relaxed now. “If you can keep a spell like that up for long enough, I’m sure you can convince her to give up on any challenge. And I don’t see anything about no magic, right?”

Leaning back against his desk, Dusk shook his head. “Ever since the Night of the Red Sun, they have encouraged use of magic, even weather magic, in any and all challenges. They want to be ready to deal with mages. At least, that was the accepted theory at Star Swirl University.” Inspecting the noteboard again, Dusk shook his head. “This is a lot to go over. And Barb is supposed to be trying to season some raw meat for lunch. Today is just getting better and better.”

Wrapped in Applejack’s arms, while her head moved to rest on Dusk’s own, Applejack flashed him a grin. “Don’t worry about it sugarcube. Just remember, you got a whole day to prepare for Gilda’s arrival.”

Rolling his eyes, Dusk gave a shrug and a nod. “Sure, sure. Just try and keep your celebrating down. If we wake Rarity up before she is ready, who knows what she might do to us.”

* * *

Rainbow Dash only realized Applejack was gone when she heard her front door closing, and even that only got a low moan of delight, before she rolled over and wrapped the blanket tighter around her body, curling up again and returning to her own blissful slumber. Besides sleeping alone was better, more bed for herself, more room to slumber, and nobody to bitch that she snored. After last night, she had earned her right to snore, besides, Applejack really had done wonders with those magic fingers. Already, Dash felt more relaxed then she had in weeks. Cracking one eye open she looked out the window, and groaned a little. “Too early. I’ve earned the right to sleep in a few hours! Besides, who else but AJ gets up at dawn?!”

Three hours later? Four? Who gave a bloody damn? Dash woke up, the sudden realization that she desperately needed to go to the bathroom now at war with the warmth of her bed. The bathroom won out, and Dash went straight from the can, to the shower, a blast of full-powered hot water to drive off the cold and make getting up finally worthwhile.

Drowning herself in the roaring heat of the pouring water, Dash felt relaxed for the first time in a week, the heat in her loins and that aching need at last calmed. Dash let her head rest forward, enjoying the cool contrast of the tiled wall of her shower. Enjoying the shower’s lavish heat, Dash let her eyes droop and her breath fall off. With the call of sleep so sweet, Dash let herself return to the world of dreams.

* * *

Cloudsdale’s racetrack had been set up as an obstacle course, with a series of rings to fly through and clouds to avoid. Dash couldn’t help but watch with fascination as three more wonderbolts flew the track together in a single tight line formation, so close she could swear the lead mare’s feet were inches from touching the second mare’s face. They took every corner and turned every spiral as if they were all one creature. Fascination grew as in a straightaway, they split their formation, instead racing to see who would make the next loop first.

In the hour she had been watching them already, the clear winner of speed had to be Spitfire, second in command of the current Wonderbolts display team. Flustered, Dash leaned against Gilda’s shoulder, unable to hide a small pout. “Look at how good they fly together. I’ve got nobody to practise those kinds of stunts with. Everypony in class is way too slow!”

A light punch in the back of her head nearly sent Dash sprawling off her seat, while Gilda snorted her derision. “Oh don’t be such a dork, Dash. You endlessly go on about those Wonderbolts, but can’t you see? They don't have any real talent, they just fly loop-da-loops and act as if that’s something special. Speed doesn’t win an aerial battle, let one of them come at me, I’d swat her out of the air with one hand!”

Dash was appalled by Gilda’s comments, so much so that she forgot to punch the taller woman in return for sucker punching her. “Gilda, haven’t you been paying attention in flight school? Speed is everything! If I can outfly you, how can you hit me? If I come at you three times faster than you can fly, how do you dodge? If I have the flag, how do you catch me and get it back?” For a moment, Dash was really worried, yet Gilda only rolled her eyes, offering a snort in return.

“Oh sure, you can run away, but in a real fight, that’s all you pony’s can do. Admit it: a griffon is twice your weight and nearly two feet taller. In a real fight, you’re toast.” Gilda’s disdainful snort and folded arms showed Dash she hadn’t even considered any of the points she had tried to present, instead brushing them off and returning to her old view on the matter. Even while Dash deflated, Gilda moved on, pointing to the front row of viewing seats, and the Princess’ throne. “Look, with Celestia busy in Canterlot, they got your dad to host the Ambassador. What a laugh! How long has it been since he flew with the ‘Bolts? Five years? Nine?”

Suddenly, Dash wasn’t feeling so reasonable, even as she turned to look down at her father and Gilda’s uncle, she curled her lip and offered a sneer while she answered in return, her own playful tone lost. “Well I don’t know, birdbrain. He did serve at the Night of the Red Sun as second-in-command of the Wonderbolts, and he lead the strike force on the griffon raiders personally. You have to respect that, right? A real fight, and his unit didn’t lose a single flyer.”

Gilda laughed, openly laughed, at Dash’s words, rolling her eyes. "After what bullshit Celestia pulled on such a moonless night? That was no fight, just a heartless slaughter. You can't think that ambush was a proper way to handle a war Dash."

Dash cut her off, turning to watch final lap of the Wonderbolts performance with giddy delight, her attention stolen as the announcer called out over the speaker. “And once again, Spitfire takes the lead! Another fantastic performance from the ‘Bolt’s second in command.”

Whooping with glee, Dash lept into the air, and turned to face Gilda again, the fight they had been in forgotten as she grabbed the taller womans hands, pulling for her to stand and follow. “Come on, Gilda! They always do a few extra laps with people from the stands! Let’s go get in line and try getting picked! That way I can show off my moves!”

Huffing with annoyance yet charmed by Dash’s sudden girlish joy, Gilda rolled her eyes, releasing a snort. “Why not just let me ask the ambassador? He could get you to the front of the line before anyone else.”

Dash laughed, turning to head down towards the growing crowd all begging for a chance to fly with the Wonderbolts. But she called back to Gilda, big grin flashing from ear to ear. “Because, Gilda. I’m good enough, they should recognize my talent without anyone else having to point me out in a crowd!”

* * *

Something pulled Dash from her reprise, sleeping with her face flat against the shower wall, with hot water pouring down her face and across her face and across her nose. In silence, she tried to remember what had pulled her back from the dreams for a minute, then the sound of sharp knocking echoed through the house again. Scowling to herself and leaning over to the bathroom window, Dash pulled the latch open, screaming out at whoever was at the door. “Alright! Alright already! I get your damn point! Just, give me five minutes you damn prowler!”

From outside, a voice that made Dash’s knees weak called back in sarcastic reply. “Oh, sure. In that case, maybe I should just grab one of these cute little mares and get a proper hello. Get down here now, Dash. A proper beta doesn’t keep her alpha waiting!”

Gilda. The flash of mixed memories competing in Dash’s heart, the fight between memories of good times, and that talk with Celestia and her father just a few weeks ago. Shutting off the water and snatching a towel, she leaned out the window, and shouted in a sharp, yet playful voice. “Don’t push your luck too hard, Gilda! Just cause you’ve got one hell of a cute ass, doesn’t mean you’re always in charge!” Yet even as Dash toweled off, and pulled on her panties, the warming tingle between her legs had returned, the distracting warm torment returned. Biting her lip Dash rushed to dress, storming downstairs in tight jeans while pulling her loose white tanktop on, something easy to get her wings through the holes.

Rushing to the door, Dash pulled the bolt and stopped for a second, trying to straighten up and clear her mind. “Get a hold of yourself Dash. Remember. Remember Dad. Remember Celestia. Remember AJ and Dusk. Rememb-” Pulling the door open, Dash looked up, and those eyes captured her, pulling her in tight, and refusing to let go, just like those powerful arms around her hips and over her ass. Straining to stay serious, calm and in control, Dash spoke up, unable to break that powerful gaze. “Gilda, you’re early.”

* * *

Dusk took another sip from the icy water Barb had poured him, scowling at the noteboard on the wall. Shifting to look at AJ and Pinkie, he crossed his eyes. “So what’s left? We have covered food, polite conversation, activities to keep her busy, and how to deal with politics. We must still have something left to cover.”

"What? You're still nose deep into research? What an egghead! Come on, Dusk! She is already here and can't wait to meet you!" Rainbow Dash's voice pulled Dusk from his reading even as a feeling of dread flooded over him. Leaning against the doorframe, Dash wasn't alone. When Dusk saw the towering woman at her side, he did everything in his power not to panic, as she focused her piercing yellow gaze at him. It almost felt like a clamp tightening over his heart.

Stepping forward casually, Gilda passed Dash and looked over the room. Looming over even Applejack, Dusk’s best guess put her at six foot seven, towering in height even for a griffon. As those hunter’s eyes swept from him to examine the noteboard, the curl of her unpainted lips hinted at her amusement. "Really now, Dash? This is the kind of company you keep these days? I thought you said he was at least a decent runner! Bookworm?" She had paused, sweeping her sharp nail tip to point at Dusk. "You gonna join us for your jog or not? My beta can't be seen with such out of shape lameos."

Rather than waiting for Dusk’s reply, the mighty griffon swept her way out of the room, already marching out the front door before Dusk even had a chance to absorb everything that had just happened. Stunned, the best he could manage was to mumble in utter confusion. "Jwah?"

Almost swimming across the room, Dash scooped up Dask's hands and half marched, half dragged him out into the world. All the while, her ecstatic voice gushed over Gilda. "Isn’t she just amazing! The way she assesses a situation and cuts straight through to the solution! Come on, Dusk! Let's go for that run and see if we can't properly introduce Gilda to everypony later!"

Suddenly left with a much quieter room, Applejack and Pinkie stared at one another for a minute, each attempting to see the other mare’s view of what just happened. At last, Pinkie stapled on a brave face, leaning forward and pointing out the still open doorway. "Well you have to give her credit for being energetic and hone-"

Still wearing her flat stare, AJ cut her friend off in a cold level tone. "Horse Apples!" When Pinkie’s jaw dropped at her sharp language, Applejack shook her head. “I’m serious, Pinkie. This is bad, why was she so gruff and aggressive? I know everything we’ve gone over says griffons are rough around the edges, but she didn’t give us even a moment of courtesy, and what in tarnation is her history with Rainbow Dash, anyways?”

The sound of footsteps on the staircase interrupted Pinkie again, pulling both mares to turn towards the library’s doorway. Still toweling her hair off, Rarity stepped through the doorway, a pleasant grin dancing on her lips. “Mmmmmmphhh. Forgive me for missing breakfast, darling, but your bed is simply too comfortable, and that shower! Divine.” 'It was only after she wrapped the towel over her hair that she looked around the room, frowning a little at the tense confrontation between AJ and Pinkie, and the lack of Dusk’s presence. “What, exactly has gotten into you, girls? And where has Dusk gone? I wanted him to brush my hair.”

Looking up at Rarity, Pinkie’s pout was massive, combined with the quiver of her lower lip, making her look as if she were about to cry. “That giant, gruff griffon Gilda got Dash to drag Dusk out, declaring they should dart deviously downtown!”

Unable to hide her pity at Pinkie’s wobbling lower lip, Rarity slipped onto the couch at the mare’s side, hugging her friend into the valley of her cleavage on display due to the towel wrapped across her chest. But, even as she turned to admonish AJ, the taller mare found herself offering an apology to the younger mare. "I'm sorry, Pinkie, but there’s somethin' going on with Dash that really nags at me."

"It's okay, AJ. I just don't take such a quick disposition to new people. She was kinda meanie grumpy grouchy pants, but I'm sure she will brighten up at Dash’s champion's feast!" Refreshed by Applejack’s apology, Pinkie's goodnatured smile returned. "After all! Who doesn't love a good meal!"

Rarity grinned down at Pinkie, still hugging the younger mare close. "Now then, girls, tell me about this Gilda! Was Dash’s description accurate? I really do wish I could have seen her, I hear griffons do not have a well developed sense of style, but surely I could offer her a makeover. Smooth things over, and show her we mean well, right?"

Unable to hide her own grin, Applejack shook her head, suppressing a fit of laughter that was attempting to break free. "Dash understated the details if anything, sugercube. She’s nearly as tall as Big Mac, her wingtips brush on the ground, and she still has those purple tips on her hair."

Pinkie piped up, filling in the details that AJ skipped. With her own manic train of thought. "She must smoke 'cause I saw the pack in her jacket pocket, and that got me thinking about the jacket, I could have sworn I've seen it before, 'cause it's the kinda heavy brown flyers coat with the extra dense white wool lining on the inside for extra warmth! And that's when it struck me! It's just like the one that Dash wears when the weather is super blustery cold!"

With only a moment of silence hanging in the air as Pinkie paused to prepare another breath, Rarity places a finger on the mare’s lips, gently hushing her. "Alright, alright. I think we get the point, Pinkie darling. The real question is whether or not she, Dusk, and Dash are getting along." As a quiet moment passed between the mares, a memory flared to life from the back of her mind. "Oh, dear Celestia! The meat shipment!"

* * *

Numb. That was the word. His legs had gone numb. Somehow, with Gilda present, Dash's normally casual and talkative jogging pace had been replaced with a competitive, yet silent sprint. Always lagging behind the two female athletes, it had really become clear to Dusk that there was a competition going on, and he was simply here to witness the winner.

Dash had been ahead for the first mile, maybe two, and it appeared that no matter how much longer her legs were, Gilda had no chance of catching up. Then, Gilda suddenly unfurled her wings, and with two powerful beats of those massive appendages, the gap closed.

Rainbow Dash needed only to look over her shoulder for a moment to see how much of her lead had been lost. Flashing Dusk a grin, rather than change her pace, she added something new to the game. As they started to cross the marketplace, Dash lept up, kicking off the wall of Roseluck's flower shop and tapped the bottom edge of the shop's sign with two fingers. All without the assistance of her wings.

Unable to ignore Dash's new challenge, Gilda used her towering size to make up for the fact she couldn't match Dash's agility. Her leap was only a short running jump, but her fingers tagged the sign squarely, setting the wooden board to swing violently on its hinges.

And then, without warning, both females stopped, turning to watch Dusk as he caught up. For just a second, Dusk considered attempting to copy Dash's leap and springboard off the building. But an easier solution flared up, his answer to Gilda pumping her wings. A raspberry flare of magic swelled up his horn, balling up at the tip before firing out two small bolts. Even as he continued to run the magic took shape, forming two crystalline steps in mid air. Judging his timing and leaping forward, Dusk's right foot landed square on the supportive platform, allowing him to push off and forward again, his left foot just reaching the second step. With this added height, Dusk was easily able to tap the sign, before his momentum carried him on, his magic steps fading even as his focus on them shifted away.

Out of breath from the frantic pace Dash and Gilda had set, Dusk reveled in the slower pace he was able to take as he approached the watching women, panting to catch his breath. Gilda's sharp yellow gaze turned from him, to focus on her friend. "Alright, Dash. I'll give you credit on this stallion. He's slow, and could clearly use a proper workout. But he is kinda cute and has the balls to try and keep up." That predatory grin returned to her lips. "How is he in the sack?"

Even as Dusk's cheeks reddened with shock, it was Dash’s turn for a quick answer. "I wouldn't know. He already has two mares for that kind of fun. Personally, I just like Dusk cause he’s the only other decent challenge in town besides AJ."

Finally catching up with their conversation didn't help reduce Dusk's embarrassment. Shocked at their candid talk, Dusk looked to Dash for some strand to follow. The revelation she was feeding him a suggestion came when he realized her right arm was crossed under the left, letting him see her thumb subtly pointing towards the school in the distance. With this answer on hand, and his breath restored, Dusk turned to point towards the school. "Hey Gilda, care to give the school foals a thrill? Dash can introduce you to her new protégé, Scootaloo."

Rather than wait for her answer, Dusk attempted his most confident wink, before bolting off out down the path again, leaving the women in his dust. With her own husky voice calling after him, Gilda declared her amusement. "See what I mean? You picked a good stallion for a toy. Brass balls, thinking he can beat us anywhere!"

* * *

Barb strained under the load now piled into her arms, struggling to adjust the load of meat and other packages Rarity had selected from the marketplace. Charmed by the gorgeous mare, the young dragoness followed after her through the many rows of stalls set up offering an immense assortment of goods, from exotic silk bolts to simple grilled cheese and tulip sandwiches.

“Barb darling, if those bags get too heavy, please do tell me. I would not want you to hurt yourself.” Shifting in place to look down at Dusk’s young assistant, she took a moment to fawn over her with a soft stroke of the spikes on Barb’s head.

Shocked and enraptured by the light strokes across her head, Barb leaned into Rarity’s touch, the proof of her embarrassing infatuation radiating out her cheeks. Pulling her tail around and chewing lightly at its tip, Barb forced herself to look away from the gorgeous mare. Letting go of her tail, Barb spoke up to be heard over the noise of the market. “Nuh… No Rarity, I’m just fine! I can carry twice as much as this, no problem!” Flashing a proud grin up to Dusk’s marefriend, Barb tried her best to keep up with Rarity’s pace.

Clasping her hands together, Rarity gushed over the dragoness again. “What a proud, noble little dragoness you are! Dusk really is lucky to have such a helpful assistant. Oh! Spices!” Her attention stolen by the smell of a nearby merchant opening a pouch of spice, suddenly rushing through the crowd, only calling for Barb to follow her. “Come, Barb! Let’s see if we can find something to help make the raw meat a little more palatable for poor Dusky-Poo.”

Still lost in the joy of that gentle head scratch, Barb drifted along to follow after the mare, eyes distant and lightly glazed over with delight. “Anything you say, Rarity…”

* * *

Swirling around in the air, the two women twisted, turning to lock onto one another. Separated by twenty meters at Dusk’s best judgement, Dash and Gilda held for a moment in the sky over Dusk’s head, the gathered crowd of school foals clustered in the open field. Dusk was still trying to remember who had dared the girls to start a game of chicken, was it a school filly? Had it been Gilda and Dash continuing some age old argument? In the haze of so much going on, and keeping watch over so many of the children at once, Dusk had missed whomever had issued the challenge.

Looking around for the field before turning his gaze to the sky again, Dusk held out Sweetie Belle’s babushka, the bright and clean white silk headscarf had been chosen since it would be easy for both flyers to see. Dusk projected his voice for the gathered crowd, doing his best to sound powerful and calm. “Last chance to call this off…” Darting his eyes from Dash to Gilda, he got no response. “Alright! Three!” Raising his hand high, allowing the silk to dance in the breeze. “Two!” Shifting his weight to one foot, Dusk let the word hang, drawing it out for the foals.

“One!” Even as Dusk released his grip on the cloth, allowing it to float free from his grip and dance through the air, the challenge had begun. Dash and Gilda simultaneously shot forward as quickly as they could manage, each beating her own wings as hard as she might manage. Aligned as they were, it would only be seconds before one was forced to swerve out of the way, before crashing head first into one another.

The roar of the crowd was matched only by the scream of the wind as Dash closed in on the far larger and slower Gilda. They were locked head on at ten feet, unshifting at five, and then just inches from crashing head on into one another, both women twisting to their respective right. Having waited so long to shift even that tiny bit, Dash’s wild rainbow colored bangs and Gilda’s purple tips brushed against one another. So close in fact, their bodies brushed in that instant as they passed one another.

“Of course, I get it now. They must have practised displays like this in flight school. Still shocking though.” Dusk might have been muttering to himself, yet standing at his side, Sweetie Belle was just as lost in the crowd’s noise and joy as anypony else.

Anypony but Scootaloo. The young foal had lept into the air to scream out her own girlish glee at Dash’s stunt, yet was now returning with Sweetie’s silk hanky, shoving it into the other filly’s pocket. Turning to look up at Dusk, she flashed him a big grin. “She told me they practise that kind of thing all the time. Me an’ Dash have already started practising the same idea with what Dash calls ‘jous-tin’. Same idea, just on the ground instead.”

High above, Dash and Gilda would make a second, and then a third pass, every time pulling it just as close as the last. Coming in for a landing, the crowd of foals surged forward, rushing to both women’s side and drowning the world out with their excited chatter.

“That was so cool!”

“Griffons are the best flyers!”

“Dash! When did you make friends with her!?”

“Silver and purple hair is the best!”

Relaxing as things appeared to be going well, Dusk looked down to Scootaloo who stood at his side still, even though Sweetie had been one of the first to join that mob now crowding around the two women. Arching a brow and giving her a light nudge, he jerked his thumb at the crowd. “Not interested in getting closer to Dash and her friend?”

With a beaming grin that stretched from ear to ear, Scootaloo gave a snort and rolled her eyes. “No way! Dash told me we will still have my training even though Gilda’s here. Said something about it being important to keep up practise even when things get busy, ‘cause otherwise you get slow and lazy.”

Nodding with approval, Dusk turned to look back, just in time to see Gilda pulling a pack of Silver Feather’s from her heavy jacket. The sound of a lighter flicking to life, and the whimper from Cheerilee at his right said it all. Suddenly stuck in an uncomfortable position, Dusk stepped forward, passing through the mobbing crowd of foals to Gilda’s side. All the while smiling and agreeing with the excited questions the mob pressed on him. Grinning up to the taller woman to try and prevent an uncomfortable reaction, Dusk leaned in at her side, trying to keep his phrasing carefully selected. “Fantastic showing Gilda, but we have policies here, and one of them is no smoking around the school. Foals are too impressionable, right?” Dusk hoped his own, faked tone of annoyance at having to bring the topic up with her would go over well.

The grip of those eyes darted to Dusk even before he approached, then shot over to Cheerilee and the two other teachers, all of whom were in a small circle, clearly talking very rapidly over what to do about Gilda’s smoking. A snort was her answer at first, yet after one more puff, she crushed the smoke in one hand, snuffing it out before thrusting the empty pack of smokes into Dusk’s hand. “Fine Dusk, kids are dumb like that. But, you owe me a pack of smokes for not warning me in advance. And none of your weak pony brands. Something strong like Silver Feathers, got me, dweeb?”

Palming and pocketing the empty package, Dusk flashed a grin up at the griffon, nodding even as he felt a bead of sweat form on his brow. “No problem. After all, we can’t have our guest smoking something bland. What kind of host insults a mare that way?” Even as Dusk relaxed at smoothing this situation over, rule seven from his noteboard sprung to mind. “A griffon never asks for gifts, or takes presents. They demand them, and take offense if their standards are not maintained.” Sweating a little, Dusk made a quick mental note to visit the marketplace after they were done here. With so many merchants in town with harvest over, there must be someone selling decent tobacco around town.

* * *

Alone, Dusk stepped into the market, Gilda’s empty pack of Silver Feathers clutched in his palm. With classes over, Dash and Gilda returned to the school for Scootaloo’s lesson. He gave the stock of each stall with a quick sweep while trying to hunt down someone who sold cigarettes. Trying to remember what kinds of cigarettes Rarity ordered in from Canterlot, Dusk found his memory failing. He only remembered seeing her light up twice since moving to town, and she kept them in a silver carrying case, hidden away from young eyes.

Turning the corner to dart down the next aisle, Dusk suddenly found himself face to face with Mayor Mare, gushing with pride and wrapping him in a hug. “Oh, Dusk! You’ve really done Ponyville proud now! Bringing a griffon to town and having her and Rainbow Dash put on an airshow at the school? Genius! Are you sure you aren't just out for my job?” The joke was followed with the older mare crossing her arm over his. “What are you looking for in my bazaar? I swear, after Rarity’s shopping spree earlier, we might not have much left, but I can help you find it!”

Shocked at the mayor’s sudden arrival and the hug, Dusk struggled to keep his cool, even as the realization that the mayor owned the market, and would likely be his best guide around the stalls. Accepting the way she took up his elbow, Dusk offered her a grin, while attempting to act calm. “Miss mayor, why would I ever want your job? I would rather take up Ponyville’s long-vacant patrician post instead.” When the mare looked up at him, wide-eyed, he smiled and winked at her. “It’s half the paperwork, and the mayor does all the work and reports to you. Besides, isn’t that title far more charming?”

When his joke sunk in, the mare laughed warmly, shaking her head. “Oh, Dusk! You really are trouble. Ponyville isn’t important enough to have a patrician! Besides, with Princess Celestia living so close, we don’t feel ignored.”

Feeling that pleasantries were covered, Dusk pushed on now, driving towards his real goal. “I need cigarettes, miss mayor. Something for our visiting griffon. Something that can be considered a gift, due to cost or it’s unique qualities.”

Beaming at his request, the mayor took the lead, guiding Dusk to the far side of the market. The booth she left him at was maintained by a silver haired mare he didn’t recognize, and while only a few products were on her table, he knew instantly the mayor had chosen well. Silver cigarette and cigar cases lined nearly two thirds of the table, from flawless polished examples, to engraved artworks. Long black cigarette pipes, and a few other nick nacks of the same posh style covered the free space, save a simple yet elegant notice on the far right ear corner. ‘Luxury tobacco products available on request’.

Stepping up, Dusk let his eye linger for a moment on one of the unadorned silver cases before his eye was caught by another, depicting the scene from a few years ago, when Cloudsdale had drifted near Canterlot. Intrigued, and remembering that week well, Dusk picked up the case, and spoke fondly. “This was quite the sight, I remember how every sunset was tinged in a special hint of red and yellow because of how the light hit their clouds.”

The salesmare, hardly a fool, saw a good opportunity when it came knocking. Leaning in and fawning over his words, she offered her own warm praise. “I had the pleasure of witnessing that myself. A shocking sight to see, it’s why I encouraged Silversmith to keep producing these striking cases. Their distinct nature really does wonders for making a gentleman of class stand out.” For only a second she went silent, appraising Dusk before speaking up again. “You are not much for tobacco, are you sir? No offense meant, but you don’t have the whiff of it about you. An elegant case makes a good gift, but even better with something to fill it.”

Dusk could not help but grin at the mare’s suggestion, drawing Gilda’s empty pack of smokes from his pocket, and offered it to her. “She likes strong flavors like this apparently. Any suggestions for something similar if you do not carry this brand?”

Inspecting the package for only a moment, the mare placed it down near the edge of the counter near him, before pulling a sealed black suitcase from under the counter. With a key from her pocket, the mare unlocked the clasps and opened the case towards him, her voice cheerful and warm. “I just received this shipment from my supplier in Canterlot, so you’re in luck, sir. As you can see, I don’t have the regular brand, but I can at least offer the choice of two of their premium brands. We have the choice between Platinum, or Blacks.” For a moment she paused as she watched for Dusk’s reaction, before quickly recognizing his confusion, and offering additional aid. “The Platinum are a luxury brand, but much smoother, a more gentle flavor. The Blacks are their premium brand, very rich and heavy.”

With the salesmare’s swift response, Dusk was saved from a tough choice, instead now knowing exactly the answer he wanted. “Then the Blacks it is. Will one pack fill the carrying case?” At her nod, Dusk reached into his belt pouch, fishing for his money pouch. “What do I owe you for the two together, dear lady?”

Grinning widely and pulling free a pack of the blacks before relocking the case and putting it away, the mare appeared to do some quick mental math before jotting a small paper receipt. “For Princess Celestia’s student? I’ll give you the best discount I can and call it one platinum bit, or four golden suns if you haven’t got something that big on you sir.”

Shocked at the high price, Dusk did some swift mental math, before cycling through his pocket, drawing the heavy platinum bit and placing it on the mare’s side of the counter. “A hundred bits is a more than acceptable price for such a gift. Thank you, miss... huh?”

Stepping out from under her booth’s canopy and into the sunlight, a pout formed on the mare’s lips. Short cut, her two-toned blue and blue-grey hair flared half-memories in Dusk’s mind, while she put a hand on her hip. Dressed in a soft white blouse and blue jeans, The mare glared up at him, her cornflower blue horn stood out for some reason in Dusk’s passing memories. “Really, Dusk? I know we weren’t friends at University, and you’ve had a busy couple of months, but still, you don’t remember my name?” A coy grin curling her lips suddenly, the mare took a step closer, grinning. “Don’t have a single flashback to Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts at the very least?”

Even as she spoke, Dusk’s memory flared to his last day in Canterlot, and an encounter with three mares. As sudden as the realization hit, his jaw dropped, and his eyes went wide. “Wait, Colgate!? What are you doing here in Ponyville??” Stunned by the revelation that a mare from his school might be hanging around, running a booth in a small town like Ponyville, his mind demanded answers.

Laughing warmly at the nickname, the mare stepped forward, playfully flicking the older stallion on the horn, while flashing him her bright smile. “My name is Minuette, Dusk. Colgate was just a nickname the mares at school gave me.” At his questions, the mare offered an easy shrug, grin wide. “As for why I’m here, that’s simple enough. My uncle runs a shop for fine tobacco in Canterlot, and during the summer break, I work for him. Last year, he had such success selling to some rich merchant from Ponyville, he figured why not try setting up a booth here.” Leaning in close, the filly whispered to him, grinning excitedly. “Truth be told, except for Mister Rich, I think uncle’s products are a little too expensive for most of the locals, besides yourself of course.”

The jolt of shock that tingled through his body at even that casual flick of her finger to his horn caused a tremor of pleasure to ripple down his spine and echo out to the rest of his body. Wide-eyed, yet amused by her playful banter, Dusk crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “Well I do apologize for that, Minuette. I guess hearing their nickname for you so often, I never thought to ask.” Unable to help but laugh to himself at the mare’s suggestion that their product might be out of Ponyville’s price range, Dusk offered her a shrug. “Truth be told, my marefriend Rarity orders her own smokes directly from Canterlot. If you are going to be in town for a few days more, I will try to get her down here. She already has a nice case, but I am sure she would be willing to buy a few packs.” Lightly punching the mare’s shoulder, Dusk, winked to her. “Most of all to help out a friend from school.”

Laughing, Minuette couldn’t restrain her own wicked delight. “Seriously? A mare finally got your attention? That is a real shocker, Dusk! After you evaded our offer, Twinkleshine started to wonder if you were more of a coltcuddler.” Her playful tone, matched the evil grin she wore.

Equally amused, Dusk relaxed, sharing her humor. “I had that kind of reputation at college? Shows how little time I spent worrying about others. Truth be told, I had better go, I am hosting a guest from the griffon empire and really do not have a lot of time left before dinner. I hope we can talk again soon?” At her light, good natured ribbing and easy laughter, Dusk was glad to have yet another friend in town.

* * *

Dash and Gilda sat leaning back against the wooden fence that separated the school yard from the street. Relaxed as they were, the wait had been mounting on Gilda’s nerves, her normally snarky comments growing in number. “So just what’s the point of this wait? I know you said the kid’s under your watch, but is she really worth your time? I mean, come on, you’re the head of the weather team. Couldn't you just order one of your assistants to help her out, and we can go for drinks?”

Dash rolled her eyes, shaking her head up at her taller friend. “Come on, Gilda. You can’t really be serious. Why would I leave the kid’s training in someone else’s hands? You should know better than anyone else, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself and get your hands dirty.”

Gilda gave a grunt, rolling her eyes with disgust. “Fine. But, why this kid? You never much acted interested in teaching before. Besides, you said she’s a gimp, didn’t ya?”

Dash shot up to stand at her full height, crossing her arms defensively over her chest and glaring up at the griffon. “Hey now! Her wings are a little stunted in growth, that doesn’t mean that she’s a gimp, Gilda. Besides, she has a lot of talent. In the few weeks I’ve been helping her out, she has already mastered the standing backflip. Underdeveloped wings or not, she has a real knack for acrobatics.”

Dash’s passion for the filly caught gilda’s attention, and drew the larger woman to step forward, fingers stroking across Dash’s jaw. “Mmmm, I like it when you get all hot and fiery like this. How about we blow the lesson off early at the very least, and go back to your place. I can smell how much you want to-”

The sudden boisterous sound of Scootaloo’s voice cut Gilda off mid-sentence. “Rainbow Dash! Gilda! Sorry for keeping you waiting so long!” Running across the field alone, the young filly rushed headlong as fast as she could, panting for breath when she made it to their side, but looking up to the two mares, her eyes dancing with wonder. “I got out as soon as Miss Cheerilee would let me go! Sorry for making you wait!”

Suddenly very torn between exactly what Gilda was hinting at and Scoot’s grinning face, Dash needed a second to swallow back her own emotions, before turning away from Gilda to wrap an arm around the filly’s shoulders and pull her in close. “Now Scoots, this here is Gilda, a griffon mollen, what we call a mare, an adult woman. She’s also the niece of the current ambassador, so don’t screw up or I’m gonna look like a fool, ya got me?”

Like an overly excited fool, Scootaloo grinned widely and nodded heavily, delighted at being able to have a chance to show off what Dash had taught her. Stepping away from Dash’s girp, she stood tall, unfolding the orange expanse of her wings, proof of Dash and Redheart’s hard work clear in her healthy, fuller plumage. “No problem, Dash! I already stretched before during class. Should I start with tumbling? Or maybe the flips?”

Shifting to settle in against Gilda’s side, Dash shook her head and rested herself into the crook of Gilda’s arm. “Do the whole routine in order. And make it good, kid. Time to earn your dinner from last night!”

* * *

“Dashie!!! Do you gotta second!?” The sudden piercing sound of Pinkie’s voice broke Dash from her happy place, cuddled in against Gilda. For nearly forty minutes, Scootaloo had flipped, tumbled, sprung, and rolled to her delight. Now breathless, Pinkie charged into the school yard, bright grin and offered a warm wave to Scootaloo as she interrupted her performance. “Oh, sorry, Scoots! I just really needed to talk to Dash.” Turning back to the mare and griffon resting against the fence, she stepped up, offering Gilda her biggest ‘Welcome to town, friend!’ smile. “Sorry for interrupting you too, Gilda! But Mister and Misses Cake had a bunch of questions for Dash’s special order and I really needed to make sure I got everything right! After all, we’re going to have a hero’s feast tonight in her honor. Can’t skimp on the details or we might make Ponyville’s hero mad!”

For her part, Gilda simply gave a bored half shrug, “Whatever,” she casually responded, “gives me a chance to speak with the kid. You two run along and talk details, I can find my way to wherever it is you wind up. I’m good at hunting down Dash.”

Reluctant to go, yet only for a moment as she looked back over her shoulder at Scootaloo, the way the young filly beamed with joy made Dash relax, and nod. “Fine, Pinkie. Scoots? Take everything Gilda says seriously. She helped me out at flight school, so I’m sure she has some good advice for you, too.”

Even as Dash and Pinkie started to walk into town, Scootaloo ran to the wooden fence, jumping up to the second highest rung and stood with her knees braced against the top waving excitedly even as they walked away without looking back at her. Turning to grin up at the giant griffon, Scoot flashed her a smile. “So, Gilda?? What do you think? I’m really good now thanks to Dash, Right?!”

Rolling her eyes, she turned to check on Dash as she rounded the corner, disappearing from sight. This last detail confirmed, Gilda turned to the filly, leveling her piercing yellow glare on the girl. “Do you want the truth, kid? It’s not good. How old are you, really? Fourteen? Tell me the truth, are your wings half rotten? ‘Cause there ain't no way someone even half your age shouldn't be able to fly by now.”

Shocked, shivering and devastated at the aggressive, brutal words of the griffon, Scootaloo could only stare dumbfounded up at her. Her lower lip quivering in fear, the filly attempted to bring herself to speak. “But, Dash and Roseheart said that-”

Her daunting yellow eyes locking on the filly, Gilda hissed a snort of derision. “Said what? That they can fix your wingrott? That you might fly someday if you eat your greens and exercise every day? Be realistic, squirt. You’re missing half your pinion feathers and most of your flight muscles. You’ll be lucky if you ever learn to glide competently. The fact Rainbow Dash feels so bad for you, that she spends so much time every day hiding that fact from you is a kindness on her part, but really, you should do the mature thing, and stop wasting Dash’s time.”

Her eyes welling up with tears, Scootaloo gazed up at Gilda, lip quivering as she burbled with fear and sorrow. Looking around in hopes of finding Dash, or anyone else, Scootaloo realized she was all alone. Whimpering, she turned away from the griffon and bolted, blindly running off across the field, away from town.

With a snort, Gilda turned to look towards town again, one hand reaching into her pocket for a cheap pack of Silver Feather’s and her lighter. Lighting up a smoke, she took a long, deep pull, hissing her breath out her nostrils. “Well, that’s one nuisance out of the way.”

* * *

Dusk’s insistence to keep the "Hero's Feast" a small and private affair had been met with some resistance, some pouting, and ten tons of Pinkie Pie's unique and homemade brand of circular logic. But in the end, he had argued the scatterbrained mare down to a guest list of eleven. Now sitting around the table with Dusk were Gilda to his left (by griffon custom, so his weak side was exposed to her), then Rarity (another griffon custom, so that his 'alpha' had the same opening on Gilda as she did on him), then came Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle, and approaching Dusk’s right side came the last three, Aura (who was happy to talk school gossip with Sweetie), her father Davenport, and at Dusk's right hand the mayor herself.

Despite Barb’s insistence she could handle the work alone, Dusk had gone with AJ to get her some help. Bartering a proper price for the assistance of two mares from the labor board with service experience had been expensive, but thanks to them, the young dragoness was not being forced to handle the whole process by herself. Standing at Gilda’s side, Barb poured her another glass of the drink she had picked out. “Another visit from ‘The four horsemen’, Gilda?”

Dusk did everything he could to try avoiding a wince as Gilda drained the rest of her own shot glass, plunking it down on the table by her plate while grinning down at the dragoness. “Of course! And Dusk wants another too, right?”

Green around the gills, Dusk pulled up his own shot glass, pulling hard at the rich drink and sweating profusely as the harsh liquor stormed his veins. Another griffon tradition was kicking him in the teeth, as a host was expected to keep pace with his guest, and six glasses in, dinner was only just being served. Swallowing back and wiping his brow with a napkin, Dusk offered a nod to Barb, voice quivering a little. “And a large glass of water. I’m a tad parched.”

Worried for him, Barb gave a nod before rushing off back to the kitchen. What the others hadn’t noticed was Fluttershy excusing herself. Meekly, the mare placed her hand on Barb’s shoulder, causing her to jump, which in turn scared the pink-haired mare, causing her to whimper and step back. Once the mare was able to compose herself, she said to Barb in a low voice, “I, um… I thought I could offer something you could sneak into Dusk’s water. It’s an herb that helps absorb alcohol, and its clear like water, so people won’t think he’s playing a trick on her… if you don’t think he would mind, that is.”

Grateful, Barb took the offered pouch, and poured in the measured amount as written on the label, blushing herself. “I’ve never seen Dusk have more than three glasses of wine, four at the most. These griffon traditions are bad for his health, I swear!”

Even as Barb moved to return to the dining guests, Fluttershy at last noticed the platter of raw red meats that had been prepared for Dusk and Gilda. Turning a little green herself, the mare ran to the bathroom, just like she had claimed when she excused herself earlier, only now she really needed the trip.

Rarity ended up finding her there, sobbing over the toilet and chewing on a bitter leaf from her herb pouch to get rid of the taste of her latest ejection. Stepping lightly, the mare sat on the edge of the tub, her fingers stroking tenderly through those luscious pink locks. “I had a feeling you were gone for too long. All that meat was just too much for you, wasn’t it?” When Fluttershy only offered a curt nod, she started to softly hum, her fingers still stroking at the younger mare’s hair, while she leaned in, whispering into her ear. “Don’t worry, my pet, mistress will make all the bad people leave you be. If you wish to go home and lay down until I am done here, I will bring you some dinner.”

Shocked at Rarity’s open use of her status as a pet, the pegasus’ jaw went slack, and the leaf in her lips fell into the remains of her lunch at the bottom of the toilet. Lower lip quivering, she leaned in, wrapping her arms around Rarity’s hips and pulling her head in tightly. But her voice was different, icy cool and level. “No, mistress. I’ll be good, I promise. I want to be here, to support my mistress’ stallion. Please?”

Glad to see Fluttershy getting a grip on herself, Rarity continued her stroking attention with long, deftly affectionate fingers. When the last shivers and quivers left the mare, Rarity gave a small nod, and stood. “If you are good, I will still find you a proper treat, pet. You have earned one, after all.” Leaning in, she gave the mare two soft kisses on the throat, before one was placed on the slight hint of her exposed cleavage, the low moan Fluttershy released at that touch giving Rarity quite the reason to smile. Peeling free of her pet, Rarity straightened her own hair. “Now, let’s get back before we are missed.”

At the dining table, Dusk had long since passed queasy, and was well on his way to outright feeling like everything in his stomach was rotting and revolting simultaneously. But as Gilda extended the silver tongs towards the dinner platter before Dusk, her words made his eyes roll back in his head. “Now, what do you think, Dusk? I rather liked the rump roast. The liver was a little too rich, but the kidneys were a real treat. Maybe try another slice of the rump? Or just go for the loin?”

Shockingly, even as Dusk attempted to answer, it was Dash who interrupted, her voice dull, maybe even bored. “I think you’re just going for thirds to see how far you can really push Dusk. Admit that he’s proven the food isn’t poisoned and the drinks are good so he can relax before he ends up sleeping in the bathtub, Gilda. Or hasn’t he proven himself to be a good host already?”

Gilda’s wings flared, ruffled, and resettled back down again in a single motion as if signaling her own annoyance at Dash without responding to her directly. When she settled back on Dusk, it was almost as if she had looked at him for the first time, her voice almost shocked. “Oh my! Dusk, you’re turning green! You must have gotten the piece someone let spoil. Better hit the can and clean yourself up, we got a heck of a night to go, still.”

Even as Dusk went to the bathroom, the sound of someone opening the door after him and locking it once inside wasn’t really a shock. The shock was that it was Rainbow Dash, not AJ, Barb, Fluttershy, or heck, even Rarity. Swallowing back and flashing her a grin, he stooped low over the sink, and splashed the cold water onto his face and into his hair. As it soaked in, he couldn’t help but groan a little with pleasure as the moisture relieved even a portion of the heat that burned in his cheeks.

When she thrust a cup under the water and poured it over the back of his head, Dusk almost jumped out of his skin, yet the cool moisture did it’s job quickly, further soothing his own headache. When he turned to look up at the mare, she offered a shrug, her voice very quiet and distant. “I don’t know why she makes such a big deal in situations like this, Dusk. She’s the daughter of an ambassador of the Griffon Empire for Celestia’s sake!” Even before Dusk could answer, Dash punched the wall, the noise of knuckles cracking punctuating the vehemence of her frustration. “It’s like she just sees us all as amusing toys to fuck around with from time to time, like she thinks this is all a game or something! She should know how serious tonight is. Celestia told me all about the pardon.” When Dusk’s blank stare was leveled at her in return, it really began to sink in for the mare. “You were never told, were ya? What a fucking laugh.”

Dusk’s mind was now a rush of questions and answers. There had been rumors about why the old ambassador left Cloudsdale so suddenly one night a little over a year ago. Something about a group of stallions and… Dusk gently took the mare’s wrist, pulling her swelling knuckles under the cold flowing tap, letting the water work its wonders while he looked into her eyes. “Dash, I think Luna set this up as a test for me. But if we are to fix things, I need to know it all. I need to know why the ambassador went home, why you got the job here, and why... why Gilda is really here.”

Only now, this close together, holding her as the water soothed her bruised knuckles, did Dusk realize Dash’s heat was still in force. Adding smell of a mare to the list of things he didn’t need tonight, Dusk gave her a grin, and tried to ignore his body’s commentary on everything from her hair, to the way she held her hips against his thigh, and the swishing and swaying, of her tail back and forth, across his- “It started when Gilda got caught with a stallion… No, he was really more of a colt, to tell the truth..."

* * *

Dash moaned into Gilda’s invasive kiss, the press of the powerful griffon’s lips to her own made her heart race and blood boil. In return, she thrust her hands down the back of the larger woman’s pants, cupping the curve of her ass and raking her nails across the flesh. The hiss of breath over her cheek was all the sign Dash needed to know she had picked right, and now her hand lifted, descending to slap the more powerful woman’s ass. But before she could make impact, a hand grabbed her wrist, and twisted it around her back.

After that, it all happened at once. Three mares dressed in royal guard armor were restraining Gilda, while Dash could hardly raise her eyes to look to the stallion who held her. But the voice was all she needed to hear. “Why, Dash? I told you she was trouble. You know what she did to those colts. I trusted you, Dashie…”

The tears on his cheeks hurt more then her wrist as he held her arm pinned at her back. Then came the sudden, violent roar and a mare’s body impacted into the house to her left. Gilda flew after the limp woman, throwing herself violently at Rainbow Blitz, her warcry echoing from the depths of her throat.

Dash was paralyzed, watching the two go tumbling over the rooftop, and into the open sky below, the retired Wonderbolt wrestling with the powerful griffon girl easily three inches taller then him, and fifty pounds heavier. Her father-

* * *

“Dad kicked her teeth in.” Dash almost laughed as she said the words, her cheeks turning red from tears. Yet somehow, it felt good to say it. Resting her head back against Dusk’s shoulder, the mare swallowed and shook her head. “Gilda never really got a handle on weather control, so once he got free of her, he got the clouds moving and let her have it, building up one rager of a storm around her. When she wouldn’t give up, he finally zapped her, probably two or three times. Then, the ambassador showed up. Now THAT was a scene.”

Dusk realized that Dash was still glossing over details, skipping the most uncomfortable parts, and trying to get to the end. But this story rang with a lot more of the truth, and made Dusk relax despite himself. “So the ambassador left Cloudsdale to protect his niece from our legal system. Now things are making sense. So why is she back now?”

Dash pulled a towel in her free hand, and wiped her eyes clear, before shaking her head and looking up at him in the mirror’s reflection. “When we saved Princess Luna, Celestia brought me in. She had seen the ambassador’s request for clemency on Gilda’s behalf and wanted me to have a chance to explain myself.” Dash laughed to herself a little, shaking her head. “Truth is, Dusk? I think until just now, I still felt something for her, bitch that she is. There is… this fire when she looks at you. It’s just so powerful and makes you feel like the only thing in the world when those yellow eyes look into your own. Know what I mean?” When he gave her a nod, she blushed, shaking her head. “So, what do we do now Dusk? Do we ask her to leave? It’s not like she has any reason to stay anymore, I-” Dash fell silent, her nose resting against Dusk’s throat.

Turning off the tap and biting his lower lip to stop the list of things he wanted to do right now with the mare in his arms, Dusk gave her a smile instead, shaking his head. “She is… was your friend, Dash. For now, let us just see what she wants here. Between the two of us, I am sure we can find some way to make peace. And if not...” He let his voice drift off for a moment, before winking to her. “Well, we have learned a hell of a lot about griffons today.” Their shared laughter accompanied them back to the dinner table.

* * *

Scootaloo hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights. It meant the house was dark and cold, but she didn’t care. “Dash lied?” Dinner had been made and left in the icebox for her, yet for some reason, she hadn’t bothered to eat it. She wasn’t hungry. “And Redheart?” Sitting in the dark against the porch window, she was faintly aware her lips were chapped by the cold breeze drifting through the open door, and her cheeks burned. “Why, Dusk? Why, Cadence?” A feather twisted in her fingers, the blood on its tip still wet. The pain on her back was just a dull murmur. “She’s right. Weak, thin, and brittle. No real pegasi has feathers like that.”

* * *

Dusk never stopped to consider just how much of Dash’s scent had rubbed off on him... until he moved to sit down at the table. Only then did he catch a whiff of the clinging scent of mare-heat on his clothing. Wincing, Dusk hoped against hope that Gilda and the mayor would not notice it's lingering presence.

As dinner continued, Gilda’s disdainful attitude appeared to mellow, her sweeping yellow eyes settling on Fluttershy. Calling over the table, her first question was one Dusk had never expected. "So 'shy, do you find Ponyville more your groove? You always felt, I dunno... uncomfortable? Sorta out of place in Flight School."

Mellowed or not, Gilda’s voice carried weight and volume over the rest of the ponies who had been in smaller, and private conversions. As all eyes turned to the meeker pegasus, Fluttershy was too busy gushing with joy while replying to notice she was the center of attention. "Oh, Gilda! You'd never believe how much better things are around here than in Cloudsdale! Instead of just the occasional bird who makes a nest, we have hundreds of little critters that roam around the countryside. Why, we even have a small colony of bunnies near Ponyville! They are so cute! And helpful too! My assistant Angel Bunny is a wonder!"

* * *

“ACHOO!”

Angel's sneeze almost caused the birds that were currently trying to place some boards in front of the windows to drop them. Wincing a little, he returned to directing them again. "Sorry about that. Where were we? Oh yeah, a little to the left... there you go!" Angel adjusted his hard hat, the effort of organizing the animals to help fortify Fluttershy's cottage had been wearisome, but as Harry the Bear took up a hammer to pin down the new boards securing a window, he felt pride in their success. Windows were being boarded up, the door now had many more locks, and a few alligators now patrolled the water under the bridge leading up to Fluttershy's secluded cottage.

Leading the other animals inside, Angel turned to inspect the very long sign that was also placed by the door. Harry's questioning voice took him by surprise. "You sure all this is necessary, Angel?" The bear asked, adjusting the safety vest Angel had forced him to wear.

"You gotta be kidding, right Harry? A GRIFFON is in town! I’d rather be safe than sorry." Angel said with a shrug. "Which reminds me, here." Reaching through the open door he retrieved a metal bat from inside, offering it up to the confused anthro bear. "If you see ANYTHING with brown and white feathers, and a noticeable trace of tobacco smoke and red meat, just give her a wailing."

Harry gave a shrug, resting the metal stick on his shoulder. After they were all done, and all the animals were safely inside, the two went inside, the sound of various locks locking heard shortly afterwards.

Dangling from a nail by the door, Angel's notice made matters clear:

Criteria to enter this cottage:

* Animal in need of care

* Animal whom lives here

* Meek yellow winged pegasus who owns this home.

* Tomboyish blue winged pegasus who is not with a dangerous threat, mostly.

* Bookish lavender horned unicorn.

* White horned unicorn fashionista.

* Green eyed apple farmer earth pony or her family.

* Pink poofy-haired party animal earth pony

* And anyone who can prove they don't have the following qualities: Eagle's eyes, Lion's strength, Giant wings, and taste for raw meat.

Written below in a fine, if shaky, hand in very small writing was a final note. "Thank you for your time and have a nice day! And should anyone possessing those last few qualities attempt to come in, we have a grizzly bear armed with a baseball bat and we're not afraid to use him!"

* * *

Dusk was honestly mildly shocked when Gilda and Dash each asked for a second serving of the decadent strawberry and whipped cream for dessert. Rarity laughed right along with Pinkie as a white gob of the thick and fluffy goo ended up sticking to AJ's nose. All and all, dinner had wound up a success. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Dusk retrieved the silver cigar case, a simple red bow tied over the gift. "Now, at last, Gilda, I’d like..." Dusk paused, laughing a little at himself. "Sorry, sorry. I think I have had a little too much to drink."

Clearing his throat and standing, Dusk presented the silver case to the griffon guest, his voice more official as he forced duty and respect to team up and kick intoxication out the door. "I want to thank you for respecting our rules and laws. You gave up the last smoke you had, it only felt right that I replace it."

Suddenly silent, the room watched as Gilda extended an arm and, for the first time that day, did something delicately. Stroking her fingers across the embossed images of both Cloudsdale and the sunset before drifting over to Canterlot she was in awe. For once, her eyes did not have that hunter’s edge to them as she looked up at the stallion, her mouth agape. When she found her voice, it was far softer, and maybe even a little humbled, if still her usual gruff self. "Dusk, I've no need for such a shiny bobble. I justed wanted a new pack of damn smokes."

Laughing at her friend, Dash called over the quiet table. "It's Dusk, open it up and you'll probably find a pack of smokes and a book on how to stop smoking.”

The laughter from the room was unified, even as Dusk blushed and tried to cover his eyes. Just as Dash had guessed, there really was a small self help book squeezed into one half of the case. He had probably spent two hours finding one in the bazaar's limited selection. Even then, he had to remove the cover and spine to fit the book inside. Shaking her head, the griffon stood, enveloping Dusk in a hug while snorting at his foolish goodnatured attempt to 'help'. "See, Dash? Told you he was a giant walking egghead." Rolling her eyes while walking away, she called over her shoulder. "Let's get going before they try to get us to join some nerd cult or something with all these silly bribes."

And like that, dinner was over. The mayor and Fluttershy found Barb babysitting Aura and Sweetie Belle in Dusk’s room, and with her little sister in tow, Rarity headed home, a single kiss blown back to Dusk before she disappeared with Pinkie and Fluttershy into the night. The mayor and Davenport lasted no longer, the father carrying the young filly on his shoulders as she passed out over his back. In the end, Dusk found himself standing alone on the porch step, when Applejack's arm slipped around his hips.

"You'd better pay the mares and send them home, Dusk. It's late enough and they did well. Already cleaned the kitchen and almost all the dishes too. I'd say they earned a few bits extra since Barb left them alone so early on to help with the fillies."

Applejack’s words made sense, and Dusk might have bothered to agree with her, but the sudden movement and noise of everypony leaving had reminded him of just how many drinks he had tonight. Deciding to linger instead in the senseable mare’s grip, he gave a few soft nods. After a few minutes of mutual silence and comfort, Dusk’s brain knocked back into gear and his voice raised to call out to the two labor board workers. "I am sorry! Bonbon! Junebug! It is very late. Come collect your pay, it is more than time for you to head home."

* * *

Minuette was still getting a feel for her new residency at the bordering house. The tobacco business paid well enough so far, but with as quiet as Ponyville got, she didn't dare risk spending too much of her hard earned bits on an extravagant room.

Now returning to her temporary home after midnight after an 'extended business dinner', she worried, even as the key turned in the lock. "Keep it quiet. She only works part time, but she isn't just your roommate, she’s also the landlord."

Any attempts she made at silence turned out to be wasted in the end, as from up the street, a familiar voice called out just as she stepped through the door. "Minuette! Hold it for me, dear!"

"Damn! Caught!" Freezing up in the doorway, Minuette quickly picked at threads and threw a grin over her shoulder to the mare approaching her. Only when she was close enough to answer without having to yell did she respond. "Oh my! You're out quite late. Have a hot date tonight?"

Stepping inside together and relocking the door, Bonbon put on the voice and attitude of a petulant filly being scolded by her mother. "Not like we could'a had any fun with listening in on the other side of the door, mom!" As both mare’s shared a laugh, Bonbon lifted a heavy container. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you half of what happened tonight! Remember how I mentioned that I take work with the labor board when things are slow?

At Minuette’s cautious nod, she continued, her voice that of an excited gossip. "Well, Dusk Shine and one of his mares came and hired some waiting staff for a big dinner event with the mayor and a griffon! It was super short notice and experienced staff only! You should have seen how many people AJ made Ginger Gold cross off the list. Finally, I just HAD to step in and offer to take the shift!" She stopped, giggling at her renter's dumbfounded look. "What? Ginger has treated me well in the past, and it was an easy excuse to get the best gossip in town!"

Peeling open the tub, she revealed to Minuette a treasure trove of fresh strawberries in whipped cream. "Help yourself. I already have so much to share and it was a gift from Dusk for staying so late."

Minuette daintily took one of the floating strawberries from the collected mass atop creamy white waves of the rich ocean inside the heavy bowl. Swirling it around to collect a little of the rich fluffy cream, Minuette couldn’t help herself, a rich moan of delight hissing between her clenched teeth while a random squirt of fresh juice dribbled down her chin. "That's just... fantastic!"

Laughing at the younger mare, Bonbon dug into a few treats herself before returning to her story. "So then we started the pre-service, and you wouldn't have guessed the weird kind of drinks that griffon ordered!"

* * *

"I think she tried to give him a kiss on the cheek! In Celestia's name, I swear!" Giddy already, the two mares burst out in shared fits of laughter.

Picking the last strawberry and rubbing it around the rim of the bowl in hopes of finding some last hidden lick of cream to scoop up, Minuette popped it in her mouth and groaned a little, shaking her head and planting it on her crossed arms on top the table. "You're really a master of weaving a story. Come on! Sure, she liked the gift, but why would a griffon try and kiss a stallion? I bet she has a full foot of height over him."

Snorting a little in her own amusement, Bonbon took the dry bowl and placed it in her sink, spraying it down with a light mist before leaving it to soak. "Honest." She snickered, shaking her head. "It's way too late. I've got a train to Canterlot just before noon. Can you clean up for me?"

Suddenly perking up, Minuette quickly offered a nod, her voice hardly hiding her own excitement. "Sure. If I give you a letter, can you drop it in the mail when you get to Canterlot? I've been meaning to write to my uncle and a few of my family."

Bonbon gave a nod, grinning to the unicorn mare. "Sure thing. Always glad to help any renter whose as tidy as you've been."

"Then I'll leave it on the table with postage. Thanks again, Bonbon." Running swiftly upstairs, she took up paper and quill, humming softly to herself while scribbling. "Dear Uncle M. Eddler..."

* * *

Dash couldn’t believe how much better she felt with dinner over. She and Gilda talked the whole walk home, enjoying themselves just like they had in the old days. Leaning heavily on her older friend, Dash unlocked her house, the key moving slickly into the lock. Looking up to Gilda, she flashed a grin. “So, I don't normally host or such, but uh... there’s a spare room down the hallw-"

Cut off by Gilda’s knowing grin, Dusk stammered as the larger woman shoved both her hands into her tight shorts, fingers stroking over her private flesh, and lingering in the moisture of Dash’s own heat. Whispering into her ear, the griffon’s voice oozed with lust. "Come on, Dash. We're having a good time, but you're not going to tell me that quickie with Dusk in the bathroom was enough to sate a wild child like you."

Dash’s mind was suddenly torn between the wet and primal need in her loins, and memories of Gilda's abusive treatment, of Dusk, and her friends. Closing off her own moaning throat, Dash forced herself to swallow back the pleasure rising from Gilda’s wantonly exploring digits. Hissing between her clenched teeth, Dash's voice was restrained. "Gilda, not tonight. We've both had way too much 'ta drink. Wouldn't be any real fun." A half-lie by omission, she wanted it so bad, she could feel the moisture coating her thighs and Gilda’s unrelenting digits.

Rather than groan in annoyance like Dash had expected, Gilda flashed her a lewd smile, her wet digits popping free of the mare’s private parts. Lifting her wet fingers to plush pink lips, Gilda’s eyes had returned to that raptor stare, locking it and unrelenting. Licking the moisture from her own digits in painful slow care, she arched one eyebrow at Dash. "Sure. We can play hard to get, Dash. But when you remember who you belong with, you better hope I haven't worn myself out with someone who knows her place... or his?" Cackling, the griffon went down the empty hall, making her way to the spare bedroom. She did not close her door.

Alone and panting for breath, Dash let go of her lip and winced at the pain from biting down so sharply. The thick scent of her heat tormented her all the way to her bedroom, and clung to her sheets. Aggressive work with fingers and the lingering scent of apples got her through the aching need, but lingering lust told her it wasn't over. And Gilda's last words before stumbling to bed, that suggested threat brought back memories she had still not fully found peace with. "Tomorrow. I have to tell Dusk everything this time. If I don’t, then Dusk might be..."

* * *

In hindsight, Redheart should have known something was wrong. As late as she was getting home, Scootaloo was never in bed this early. The breeze blowing through the house made her shiver, and as she stepped inside and looked around, the smell that hit her was as fresh as any source at the clinic she had just left. But before that had even registered, words left her mouth unbidden, her frustration unmasked. “Scootaloo! You can’t be leaving the porch door open like that! Are you in bed already? Or-” And then her nose and eyes caught up with one another. The filly sat not ten feet away, her orange wings unfurled and one bloody flight pinion was held between her fingers.

Twisting that one feather back and forth, the simple way she asked Redheart only one question still managed to feel like a brutal slap in the face. “Why tell me I might fly someday? Was it fun to make me dream the impossible?” The hollow tone of the filly’s voice was not accusatory, but broken. And the distant way her glazed-over eyes looked past Redheart made the mare’s namesake skip a beat.

The sight of the small filly’s still-bleeding root, chapped lips, and wind-beaten face all broke what little restraint Redheart had felt. Forgetting the front door, she ran to the girl’s side, a clean towel pulled from the shelf, along with a bottle of antiseptic alcohol. Pouring some of it over the girl’s wing to kill any possible infection, Redheart wrapped Scootaloo in a hug, pulling her close and holding the back of the filly’s head. “Dear Celestia no, Scootaloo. I swear we did nothing of the sort. If Princess Cadence is right about your condition, in a year or two, three at the most, you’ll be as healthy as any foal in the schoolyard.”

Swallowing back the tears that kept running down her cheeks, Scootaloo looked up at the mare who held her, her voice full of pain, yet with a quiver of hope. “But I’ll never be able to fly!”

Shaking her head and pulling the filly close, Redheat could hardly restrain the questions she really wanted to ask, an aching need to know what had caused the girl such painful doubt. Instead she calmly placed a hand into the girl’s short and wild hair, brushing it down. "I promise you, Scootaloo, everything we told you is true. When Princess Cadence comes back for your three-month checkup, we can go over the other mares she helped in the past, ok? But for now, let me find your good winter coat. It's cold out and we need to take proper care of that wing."

Something in the older mare's calm confidence and concern reached Scootaloo, dispelling the fear she had been wallowing in. After truly looking at her wing, she groaned out at her own stupidity. "Dash is going to notice right away, isn't she?"

Kissing the top of her head, Redheart shook her head. "If we clean it properly, and you promise to never do this again, then I promise I won't tell her. Deal?"

At last climbing free of Redheart's grip, Scootaloo offered the mare a serious look. "Pinkie promise?"

A little startled and set back, Redheart looked down, into the once more hopeful eyes of her adopted filly. Willing to humor her to keep that flame alive, she pressed the girl on the matter. "Pinkie promise? I'm not familiar with that- unless, is it something that Pinkie Pie came up with?"

Managing a small grin despite herself, Scootaloo stood up properly, reciting Pinkie’s pledge from memory. "Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye!" Miming the actions as she spoke, in the end fake shoving a cupcake on her own face. Realizing the odd look Redheart was giving her, she gave a shrug. "What? Pinkie told me a secret at work. And then she made me Pinkie Promise that I'm not to share it with anypony."

Unable to stop herself from laughing just a little, the mare would mimic Scootaloo's performance, including the cupcake-to-the-eye. The warming laughter from her filly made the silly act worthwhile. Done, she offered the girl her winter coat, careful around the still-oozing broken pinion feather's stub. "Now that we're good, Scootaloo. Let's get your wing looked at."

* * *

Ironic, that Scootaloo had made her promise in such a unique way. For twenty minutes later, Redheart found herself helping her own staff out with that very mare, while the nurse on duty tonight was busy with Scootaloo in the next room over. Still torn between a defensive need to protectively care for the filly and the anger swelling in the pit of her stomach. She was so distracted by her inner turmoil, that she wasn't giving Pinkie’s excuse for how she had scraped her forehead got half the attention so wild a story earned. "And then I said 'But it's a surprise sleepover, Angel! Why would I knock if it's meant to be a surprise!??' And poor Harry the Bear was really apologetic, but said with Gilda in town, Angel had ordered him to take no chances with strangers breaking into Fluttershy's cottage, and I was all like-!" And here Pinkie stopped the endless rambling story to take a deep and sudden dramatic gasp of breath.

It was only during Pinkie’s momentary silence that Redheart had a chance to notice the one detail from her story that tugged at her memory. Cutting the mare off before she could continue, she picked at that budding thought. "Who is this Gilda? I don't recognize that name, Pinkie."

Cocking her head to the right, Pinkie’s eyes shot wide and she again gasped, this time in shock. "You haven't met Gilda yet!? She‘s a bit of a grouchy grumpy pants griffon, but she is also Dash’s oldest besty bestest friend, so she's got the best stories about their time in Flight School! She and Scootaloo were getting along well too when I came to get Dash’s help with planning her feast after school."

Redheart hardly realized she was standing until Pinkie’s quiet little 'uh oh' whispered into her ears. Restraint was far from her mind, though, as the scene now played out perfectly on her mind. "You left poor, innocent, impressionable little Scootaloo alone... with a griffon?" Passionate, her eyes blazed with a hate unnatural for her profession. Someone had hurt her dear little patient, and now she had a name. Gilda.

The serious change in Redheart's attitude already had Pinkie’s attention, but as the older mare got more focused on Gilda, Pinkie’s need to help came creeping forth. "I- err well, you see, we-" She stammered for a moment flailing about for a moment before finding some place she could focus her attention. "What happened to Scootaloo?"

The filly in question stepped out of the open door from the clinic room she had been in. The bloody mess from her snapped feather was cleaned up and the feather itself was removed at the root. Trying to hide a wince, she walked up to the station where Redheart was working on Pinkie, the watchful filly's eyes focusing on the the adults. "Hi, Pinkie! Hope you aren't mad, but I told Redheart what a Pinkie Promise is. But, don't worry! I didn’t break ours!"

Any sign of worry Pinkie might have been wearing before the filly entered the hall was thrown aside for a bright and cheery grin for Scootaloo's sake. Noddingly enthusiastically, she replied in her usual cheerful style. "I knew I could trust you, Scoots! You might as well head to the lobby and hang with the nurse, glueing my head back together is gonna take a few more minutes, ok?"

Goodnatured as Pinkie was, the filly was easily convinced to agree and she headed out. Only when she was out of earshot and sight did Pinkie slump, a frown crossing her once gleeful grin. "Something did happen. Poor Scoots."

Somewhere between enraged and empathetic, Redheart returned to cleaning the bruise on Pinkie’s forehead, a cotton swab carefully applied to clean away the last hints of dirt from the shallow wound. Keeping her voice level and quiet, Redheart watched for Pinkie’s reaction. "I found her sitting against the window, with the porch door wide open. She had snapped off one of her pinion feathers and questioned me if she would ever fly." As the bubbly Pinkie mare heard more of her story, a serious and firm look settled over the young mare. "So tell me, Pinkie, do I ask the mayor to summon a magistrate from Canterlot? Do I go to Dusk, when he is hosting the griffon that did that to her? Or do I-"

Pinkie’s soft grip on her arm distracted her enough to let her voice drift off on mid-sentence. When she looked into the younger mare’s eyes, a determined look stared back at her. "Give me until your shift ends tomorrow night. Please? If I can't prove to Dusk Gilda would do something so horrible to Scootaloo by then, call for a magistrate. But give me a chance before Dusk ends up humiliated." If her words spoke of protecting the stallion, however, the way her eyes lingered on the hall to where Scootaloo waited for them to finish spoke words on a different level.

Her anger tempered by Pinkie's serious change in nature, Redheart accepted the easy answer. "I'm not as close to Dusk as you mares are, but I admit that I don't want to see him embarrassed. You will have your day, but no more. I cannot allow someone who would so callously hurt a filly in my care go free."

* * *

Just before noon at the bazaar, the chill autumn breeze blew her short, wild, rainbow-coloured bangs over her eyes. The violent crack of a bolt of lightning rippled through the otherwise clear sky, pulling her gaze up to the sky. “Celestia damn it!”

Turning to look up at the sky with her, Gilda rolled her eyes, releasing an annoyed grunt. “Weather problems? Make the grunts deal with it. Why you gotta be so hands-on all the time?”

Dash bit her lip, her mind now racing between two suddenly conflicting duties. Even as Thunderlane and Cloudchaser shot into the air, she knew a storm brewing this quickly simply couldn’t be left to the part-timers. Yet there was Gilda, crossing her arms over her chest and locking those predatory, yellow eyes on her soul. Shuddering under the weight of that gaze, the second violent crash of lightning ripped her attention away, ending the debate. “Sorry, Gilda, I’ll be back in a flash, I swear!” Three quick steps built up her pace before she leapt into the air, her wings spreading wide and beating the air with casual ease. “Can’t let my crew get zapped!”

Grunting and rolling her eyes, Gilda never noticed two sets of eyes following her through the market. Walking with hauntly ease, she elbowed her way past a few of the crowd that had stopped to watch as two, three, then quickly seven pegasi rushed to cluster around the growing storm front as it began to move out from the Everfree forest, quickly moving to threaten Ponyville and nearby farms that had not yet finished with their harvest.

Giving one last push to shoulder through the last of the crowd, Roseluck suddenly found herself back in her doorway. Crying out at the rough assault, the mare glared up at her attacker. “Hey! Why not give people some warning at least!”

Towering over the mare, even standing on the step of her door, Gilda snorted in derision. “Oh shut up and go back to fantasizing about people that do actual work.” To empathize her point, Gilda turned, the short fur on the tip of her tail flicking out, snapping in the air before the shopkeeper before she stormed away across the open bazaar.

Behind a crate, Pinkie scribbled quick notes of the event before her eyes. “Gilda bashed Roseluck for standing in front of her store watching the weather team at work:Rude, not evil.” Realizing her target was getting away, Pinkie straightened her deerstalker and slipped out from her hiding spot, to scamper through the crowd, doing her best to stay out of sight, by not trying at all, and somehow succeeding. At last, out of Gilda’s line of sight, the rest of Ponyville simply accepted that this was Pinkie Pie, and didn’t question it.

* * *

The rapid and violent knocking at Dusk’s door pulled his attention from the book on his knees, his crossed eyes beginning to glare at the doorway. Before he could shift to stand up, Applejack’s voice called from the hallway, her boisterous tone cheerful. “Keep dusting the low spots while I get the door, Barb.” Dusk fished for his bookmark, slotting it into place and snapping his book closed. From the doorway, AJ’s cheerful voice warned him who was at the door. “Oh, hi... sorry Derpy!... Why the big package?”

Stepping to the library entrance, Dusk was hardly able to see the mail mare around the powerful earth mare who filled the doorway. Brushing a nervous hand through her sunny, yellow hair, Derpy blushed, resting the heavy crate on her knee, against the doorway. “Well um… the mail mare who brought the load on the train this morning said that this was Dusk’s order. Some kind of an emergency griffon-sized supply of raw meat?” She paused and stammered a little, flushing in embarrassment. “Oh, don’t tell me there is some mistake. Lugging this box all the way here gave me such a bad knot in my back.”

Grabbing the heavy crate from the far smaller mare, AJ made to casually rest the heavy crate on her shoulder, but Dusk caught a wince she tried to hide. Looking back over her shoulder, she arched a brow at him. “Dusk? What do you need done with this, sugarcube?”

Pouring his magic out to pull the crate from her arms, Dusk shook his head, his memory returning to Rarity’s warning the other day. “You did that by yourself, Derpy? You should go see Redheart, this was far too big of an order for any one mare to carry. I am sorry if we didn’t warn you properly.”

Even if Applejack had been trying to hide the stiff pain in her back, when Dusk drew the crate away with his magic, she leaned into the doorframe. “See? Ponyville’s most trustworthy mail mare comes through in a pinch! Got time for some tea or lunch? No reason we can’t thank ya properly, right Dusk?”

While Dusk directed the crate into the kitchen and Barb abandoned her work on dusting the hallway, the mail mare was quick to reply. “Oh, thank you Applejack! But Amethyst Star and Dinky were hinting we were going to do something for lunch today, so I wanted to get my rounds done A.S.A.P!”

Waving to the mare as she cheerfully turned and marched off, catching herself as she caught her foot on a loose paving stone on the walkway, but she prevented a spill by cartwheeling, aided by the rapid flick of her wings. Slipping his arm around AJ’s hips, he turned back from waving goodbye at the retreating mailmare. His voice worried, he kept his words soft, to avoid Barb listening in on their conversation. “Does it still hurt you that badly, dear?”

Wrapping an arm about his shoulders and rubbing her knuckles into his heavy bangs, AJ couldn’t help but snicker at him. “Ah, I’m fine sugarcube. Still a little stiff from overdoing it at the harvest, that’s all.” When he gave her his best incredulous glare, she lifted her hands, waving them defensively. “If it’s still bugging me tomorrow, I’ll go see the twins. They got magic fingers for back aches, ah promise!”

* * *

Pinkie’s notes had grown in the hour since Dash bolted off into the sky. Scribbling quickly, she lifted her head to level a glare at the griffon, even while Granny Smith bolted off towards Sweet Apple Acres. “Tricked Granny Smith with a rattle. Gave the old mare quite a shock. Still not evil, just mean.” In inspecting her list, she kept coming across the same issue with everything she had written down. “Roseluck, mean. Shoeshine, petty theft. (Pinkie noted that Dash owed her six bits, since she had left the coins behind to make sure the mare didn’t get in trouble for losing produce.). A half dozen other cases of the griffon gruffly pushing her way past ponies who were waiting politely in line, and three attempts to catcall random mares for a ‘real woman’s touch’. I really have nothing to take to Dusk, or even Redheart.”

A sudden cry from the other side of the booth Pinkie hid behind changed all that in an instant. Crashing into the product on the counter behind her head, Fluttershy’s whimper of pain and fear called to something in Pinkie that she couldn't ignore. Leaping from her hiding place, Pinkie landed upon the stall and called the griffon out. “Enough, Gilda! You’ve terrorized my friends too much already! And nopony, NOPONY pushes around Fluttershy like that! She’s my yellow, pink, and super-cute best friend!!”

The shock of Pinkie’s sudden appearance from behind the booth, not to mention the attention she had already gained by brutally hip checking Fluttershy out of her way meant almost the entire bazaar had stopped to stare at the sight before them. Growling from the base of her throat, Gilda sneared up at the mare. “Right, gimpy. I didn’t do nothing wrong, me and Muttershy just bumped into one another.”

Whimpering as so many turned to watch the scene, Flutteshy’s lower lip began to shake and quiver as thin streaks of suppressed tears escaped, despite her best efforts. When Pinkie turned to look down at her, Fluttershy simply couldn’t take it anymore. Turning and bolting past the gathering crowd, she raced from town, heading blindly towards her home.

Pinkie twisted to watch Fluttershy’s balling retreat, suddenly left with the bag and the whole town glaring up at her. Twisting back, she stamped her foot sharply down on the wood. “We’ll settle this later! And don’t think Dash and Dusk aren’t going to hear about this!” She then leapt down, chasing after the poor, bawling mare, with Gilda smirking all the while.

“Hey! What happened to my bag?” In the distance, the sound of one pony or another crying out in frustration at the discovery that apples had disappeared from her sack. Grinning to herself, Gilda suddenly found a wide berth offered for her passage, wherever she turned in the bazaar.

* * *

Pinkie had to race to finally catch up with Fluttershy, and the low-hanging tree branch really helped her catch up. Still bawling, Fluttershy sat there, hugging her knees against her chest, shivering a little as Pinkie approached. Not looking up, she spoke into her knees. “I… I’m sorry, Pinkie. I know you were watching Gilda for some reason, but I got busy looking at the booth, and the next thing I knew, everypony was glaring at me!”

Dropping to her knees, Pinkie wrapped her arms around Fluttershy’s neck and knees and hugged her close, resting her cheek to Fluttershy’s. “No. It’s not your fault. That Gilda is a bad egg… cub… seed… thing!” Darting her eyes from one side to the other, the mare arched a brow, turning her voice low. “I’ll let you in on a secret. I’m looking into Gilda for abusing Scootaloo for Redheart.”

Shocked, the normally docile Fluttershy suddenly forced her way out of Pinkie’s arms, her timid nature lost as she turned back towards town, ready to storm around Pinkie and back towards the market. “What??! She did what to Scootaloo? Why, I’ll- I’ll…. I’ll knock that grumpy grouch into next week! Nopony should have to put up with a bully like her!”

Shocked at how quickly her friend reacted to her secret mission, Pinkie jumped up, putting her hands out to try and stop Fluttershy from making any more of a public scene. “Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait! We should go talk to Redheart and Dusk. Now that Gilda attacked you in such a public place, not even Rainbow Dash will protect Gilda anymore.”

Fluttershy’s whimper as Pinkie’s hands touched her ribs ended that line of thought. Against ‘Shy’s protests, Pinkie peeled back her sweater, revealing a growing purple brown bruise on her right side. Gasping, Pinkie glared back over her shoulder. “That Gilda! Someone is going to have to teach her not to push such a pretty pony around.” And so, she grabbed Fluttershy’s hand, having her stand back up, to find medical attention.

* * *

Redheart had quick hands and a light touch, each an asset when dealing with an injured mare. But as Fluttershy shivered and whimpered at even her lightest touch, it made even her practiced hands nervous, her normally deft fingers suddenly feeling awkward. Stopping again, she looked up into the mare’s eyes, her voice strained. "Fluttershy, dear. Please, if it hurts that much, you have to let me give you something for it." The silent mare shook her head once, a firm rejection. "Just a local? Nothing strong enough to confuse you like before-" Again she gave that single sharp rejection, refusing to look up.

With her patience rushing headlong towards her limit, the sound of the door opening behind her instantly gained her full attention. Her leveled glare focused on it, yet as Scootaloo stepped through, she mellowed at the sight of who she had brought in with her. Dusk, Rarity, and Applejack made an imposing trio now that the gravity of the situation had sunk in. Barb followed suit, a clipboard of notes in hand and her quill running furiously over the page. "And make sure to request the magistrate to include the directive granting me emergency powers. I want permission to remove her by force if necessary. This farce has gone on for too long. If she refuses, go to Celestia directly. Gilda is not going to get away with any... of... this." Dusk's last directions trailed off as the sight of Fluttershy's battered figure came into focus.

The timid mare sat on the clinic bed, her heavy yellow sweater rolled up until the edge of her straining white bra was just barely visible, peaking out from under the fluffy top. Realizing what he had just walked in on, Dusk set a foot down and started an about-face, right in time with Fluttershy’s cry of shock at the stallion seeing her in her current state of partial undress. Rarity came to everyone’s rescue, taking four ardent steps across the floor before cupping the whimpering mare’s jaw and part of her ear between two fingers before giving it a sharp tug, her firm voice both calm and serious. “Now stop that, pet. Stop fidgeting for the nurse and stop whimpering. I brought Dusk here for you and you WILL be good.”

Once again, Rarity and Fluttershy’s unique relationship inspired both Dusk and Applejack to wonder about them. Fluttershy had not fallen silent, but instead quietly made soft mewling sounds, nuzzling into Rarity’s touch as she let her eyes close.

Only Redheart ignored the odd relationship, and returned to cleaning the scratches across her bruised side, calling out her report to Dusk. “No need to worry about this mare too much, Dusk. The bruise looks worse than it really is, she will just be a little sensitive for a little while.” Pausing to consider the mare she was speaking of, as Fluttershy tenderly kissed at Rarity’s cheek, Redheart rolled her eyes, correcting herself. “A little more sensitive than usual.”

Dusk shook his head, facing the wall or not, he was sure his point was clear. “That is good to hear, Redheart. And I am glad that Scootaloo is feeling better. I wish you and Pinkie came to me right away, but Gilda’s snarky, duplicitous nature should have tipped me off sooner.”

The sound of a commotion in the hallway was followed by the door suddenly being thrown open as Dash burst inside, Pinkie following close behind her. Frantic, Rainbow Dash dragged Scootaloo by the wrist, before protectively hugging the filly around the shoulders as she stepped up beside Redheart and Fluttershy. “Pinkie told me everything, are you alright, Fluttershy?” The rainbow-maned mare asked, panic clear in her voice as Pinkie looked at Dash with concern. Her whole mood had deflated at how torn up Dash had become when she told her about Scootaloo and Fluttershy.

Dusk turned around, leveling his glare at Rainbow Dash, yet before he could speak up, Barb’s sudden coughing fit signaled the arrival of a new letter. Peeling it open and reading aloud, the dragoness’ voice was kept official. “Dear Dusk, blah blah blah. Associated powers are granted, blah blah blah, Princess Celestia is awaiting your official report on this matter, blah blah blah.” She paused for a moment, her voice suddenly a lot more confused and hesitant when she continued again. “When asked if he wished input on the matter, the griffon ambassador stated and I quote: ‘Any problems Gilda created are the mollen’s own problem.’ ” The dragon fell silent for a while, before turning to look up at the stallion. “Dusk, he might as well have said he is removing his ambassadorial protection!”

Dusk found himself scratching his jaw, his eyes on Dash and her firm, yet protective, grip on Scootaloo’s shoulders. As Barb read the letter, he slowly gave a soft nod, voice level. “Then, if you're done, Nurse Redheart, we need to go confront Gilda. Her time in Ponyville... is over.”

* * *

“Ponyville is lame.” Gilda had decided that this was as clear as day that she needed to do something about that. Already forming a mental list of things that needed to be taken out, starting with the stuffy mayor and any pony who even looked her way when she lit up a smoke. Leaning against city hall, the griffon huffed sharply, popping another of the rich Silver Feather’s Blacks between her lips. Gumming at the filter, she pulled her lighter from a pocket of her heavy jacket, fingers flicking the flame to life. Lifting the lighter towards the end of her cigarette, a sudden burst of magic suppressed the flame. “Who in the hell?”

Crossing the city square, Dusk was not restraining his magic as he had days before. His purple horn glowed with the ambient raspberry hue of power, while Dash, AJ and Pinkie moved to warn everypony in town to avoid the square. With Rarity at his side, Dusk’s voice rang out across the square. “Gilda, we need to talk. Your time in Equestria is over, at least, as a free guest. Surrender yourself peacefully. Princess Celestia has nullified your pardon and Dash is willing to testify to all of your past crimes.”

Sneering, Gilda flicked her lighter again, this time holding the flame against the tip of her cigarette, the tip catching flame and turning quickly to flickering red embers. Her haunting yellow eyes turned to lock on not Dusk, but the mare at his side, a grin curling her lips. “So, I get a little close to your Alpha male, and you get all defensive? Turn my own Beta on me too? Just like a pony, following Celestia’s method and ambushing me with your herd rather than a fair fight?”

Rarity wasn’t about to have any part of Gilda’s power plays, the griffon’s words rolled off her like water. Alighting her own white horn, her cornflower blue magic aura focused as she stepped to Dusk’s side. “We have your ambassador’s words on it, Gilda. He has pulled his protection, you’re on your own now.”

Gilda spat at the ground at her side, her wings expanding while she puffed a breath of smoke into the air. Dash and the other mares had turned to circle in on the three suddenly facing off in the center of town square. Gilda had an answer, however, popping a silver ring from the inner pocket of her jacket. Grinning with immeasurable overconfidence, she turned to level her glare at Dash. “You really think you’re better off with these dweebs than in my own hunting pack, Dash? I’ve been protecting you from useless people for years now. I can’t believe you’d turn on me like this, I’m your alpha.”

As Dusk and Rarity closed in on Gilda from one side, Dash, stood tall, her own eyes were reddened yet had a hard edge as she shook her head at her lost friend. “You’re no alpha. Dusk? Rarity? They run a better ship than you do. They look after weaker ponies and would rather suffer themselves a little then see a filly hurt. How dare you say that to her? Your words could have driven an innocent girl like Scootaloo to pluck out her own feathers. And after you forced yourself on those colts back at flight school, I’m just as guilty for not turning you in years ago!”

Gilda hissed and snorted a breath, twisting around and snapping the silver ring in her palm violently down on Dusk’s horn, scraping across the keratin. The effect was instant, as the silver ring impacted the aura of magic around his horn, before his magic cut off. Even as Dusk fell back in shock at the violation of his magic, Gilda continued on, her nails clawing for Rarity's face.

Falling back, Rarity attempted to throw up a shield spell like Dusk had taught her, a faintly blue orb of energy protecting herself from the griffon’s assault. The force of the blow caused her horn to gleam, and the orb to waver at the impact, revealing her inexperience with the complex shielding spell.

In her rage, Gilda finally issued a challenge. “Let us have a proper fight, mare. You win, I come peacefully. But when I win, I take Dash and Dusk back as part of my hunting pack, and leave your rotten dive town.”

Before she could reply, Dusk howled in pain, pulling everypony’s attention. Crouching over him, Pinkie released the silver ring she had been trying to remove from his horn, her attempts to pull off the ring had resulted in arcs of raspberry lightning to shoot from the ring to other random parts of his horn. Shifting away and whimpering a little with horror, Pinkie’s voice was full of remorse. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!”

When she pulled her hands away, the crackling bolts of magic sparks cut off, and Dusk’s breathing leveled out. Voice soft, he struggled to speak up. “Get Barb, send for-”

Applejack cut Dusk off, her arm wrapping around his shoulders while she lifted him to stand again, supporting his weight and holding him close. “We will, just breath, Dusk.” True to her word, it was clear as Dusk’s eyes began to focus again. He could see Fluttershy retreating from where she had been watching at the edge of the square.

Unnerved by Dusk’s suffering, Rarity’s glare carried little weight as she turned to Gilda, her tone sharp. “As if you know what a fair fight is Gilda. Your use of mind games and dirty tactics, while all the time claiming we ambushed you? You are a brute!”

Gilda laughed at Rarity’s response, spitting on the ground between them. “So does that mean you won’t take up my challenge?” Bristling with pride, the powerful griffon let her wings flare out behind her back, her smirk of victory showed she was unashamed of her tactics.

“No she isn’t, Gilda. But you will have to face someone. I’ll take you on, like I should have done years ago.” Dash’s voice was calm, while her fingers pulled the light jogging jacket from her shoulders, taking a few steps to stand between the griffon and Rarity.

Looking over the young mare, Gilda’s lip curled into a sneer, she then sharply spoke. “That really is it, isn’t it ,Dash? You’re just another mare in his herd, pining for a cute stallion to penetrate your loins to calm that sweltering heat roaring between your legs.”

Dash’s cheeks reddened while her actions were questioned. But resiliently, she stepped forward, standing up to the towering griffon, her wings flaring out, extending the blue feathered masses to their full span. “So what if I am?! Dusk is a better stallion than you are an alpha of any hunting pack! I’d rather be a mare in his herd than follow you ever again!!”

Pinkie couldn’t help herself, encouraged by the other mare’s words she called out her own support. “Damn right, Dash!” Her usually friendly demeanor gone, she narrowed her eyes at Gilda, while sticking her tongue out at the blowhard griffon.

Applejack winced, straining her back as she loaded Dusk into her arms before scrambling to carry him back from the sight of what was going to quickly become a brawl between weathermare and griffon. Pinkie was suddenly at her side, pulling the stallion from her arms, showing that while she was nowhere near as tall as the other earth mare, she was at least strong enough to carry the shellshocked stallion.

As they stopped to settle Dusk onto the step of city hall, Rarity swooped in, cupping up the stallion’s chin, looking into his eyes, while a frantic edge entered her voice. “Dusk, what is this ring? Can’t we do something to get it off?”

Panting for breath, Dusk shook his head. “It’s like the magic suppression rings they use in Tartarus to seal off magic users’ powers.” Pausing as his eyes rolled backwards as a new wave of pain surged through his body, he struggled to continue. “Need a keystone to remove it, oh… oh… or a mage who knows the code spell.”

The sound of a shock wave impacting in the sky overhead got everypony’s attention back towards the fight. Already high in the air, Dash and Gilda were battling in a very traditional style. Dash spiraled fast, twisting and turning to gain height, while Gilda circled, preparing for Dash’s attack. Both had taken to the air barehanded, neither having yet wasted any time finding a weapon.

Turning from her rising height, Dash twisted around, shooting down towards Gilda, her angle selected to intersect the griffon in flight. Even as Dash shot towards her, Gilda appeared to predict this, turning up towards Dash’s descending path, and forcing on a burst of speed in response, her massive and powerful wings beating the air as she sought to climb and interrupt the mare before she could reach full speed.

Dash appeared to predict this, however, as she spiraled away, turning off from the normal path of her descending flight and twisted around, pulling away from town, towards the towering treeline of the Everfree Forest. While Gilda might not be able to match Dash in flight speed, the sight of the mare leveling out and flying towards the treeline of the forest was clear as day, due to her greater vision. Like a hunter, she twisted her body around and dove towards the mare. Aided by her weight and massive wingspan, her dive would quickly add on speed at a far faster pace than the mare in a shorter time, even if her top speed was slower.

And again, Dash had a plan for this. Just as Gilda’s descending flight brought her within feet of striking, Dash dove below the treeline, before shooting back into the sky, crashing directly into a black cloud and quickly trailing motes of its mass behind her. When Gilda moved to cut off her dive and follow, she found herself flying through the small, but heavy, sticky black chunks of the broken off cloud that Dash was trailing. Angry at how long this was taking, Gilda drew to a stop, hovering in place, her voice bellowing over the forest. “Stop running from me, Dash. I’m tired of your game! Just surrender and we can go home, and I might even let you borrow the stallion when I’m done with him.”

Dash spiraled higher, before turning about, the sticky black cloud trail still following behind her. Circling around, and glaring down at Gilda, Dash arched an eyebrow. “Really, Gilda? Because I put up with your game for a few days. Shame you can’t even show the same patience for mine!” Twisting back, she divebombed again, the trail of black cloudy blobs collecting in her trail while she flew a broad circle around the griffon.

Hissing her frustration as Dash used her speed to stay out of reach, Gilda turned, following Dash’s circling flight. It was a sudden crack and rumble in the air behind her that finally revealed what was really going on. “Dash, what are you doing?!!”

High over her head, Dash released the stormcloud she had kept pinned against her hips with her tail, the anemic black mass that was left now far smaller as her flight had broken off all the clustered small and sticky black masses in the air around Gilda, forming a loose sphere. Twitching her head to the side, Dash arched a brow at the griffon. “You never did learn how to deal with a stormcloud, did you? A shame, you could have learned so much from dad if you’d just tried.” A foot twisted, and while Gilda’s eyes shot wide, Dash kicked one of the many isolated blobs of black cloud broken off from the mass she had left behind. The reaction was instant, and a series of bolts shot from one cloud to another, the chain lighting turning the sky a blindingly bright white.

In the deeper parts of the forest, a figure in a brown cloak had seen this battle start and quickly moved into a deeper part of the forest, not wanting to be a part of some fight beyond her depth.

* * *

Shining Armor didn’t knock on Silken Flight’s door, the stallion had been in a mood ever since Barb’s last letter from Dusk arrived, and he had spent hours taking it out on his staff. Behind her desk, Luna’s agent overturned the letter in her hands again, inspecting the coded phrasing in silence while the stallion stormed his way to stand before her. His voice was sharp, and eyes hinted with red. “Alright, Silken, let’s try this dance again. You have agents in Ponyville, and your last report to Princess Celestia made it clear, you knew things were going to come to a fight with Gilda. Why did you let things escalate so far? My brother’s horn is likely to be permanently scarred by that black market horn ring!”

Rather than answer the frustrated guard captain instantly, the bat mare finished reading her letter, folding it back and placing it on her desk. Arching an eyebrow high, she pulled the quill from her inkpot, her voice haunting while the quill hovered over a blank page. “And when did you plan on allowing me to direct a military drill in the main square, sir knight?”

Shocked and confused by the bat’s words, Shining attempted to understand the mare’s purpose, his hands balling into fists on the edge of the mare’s desk. “Okay. Use the square. Hell, borrow my troops. But talk to me, Silk. I can help, you have Princess Luna’s trust, as I have Princess Celestia's. Why can’t we work together?”

At last looking up at him, inspecting his face with her own piercing eyes, the mare gave a slow nod, a smile curling her lips. “And I suppose you want to know about where your lady love went with Princess Luna, too?”

As the tension poured out, Shining at last relaxed, shaking his head. “She made me promise not to share that with anypony. The fact we both know is good enough, right?” When she gave him a nod, he let his fingers touch the paper on her desk. “Your spy’s notes?” Another nod. “May I?”

Silken Flight laughed, offering a shrug. “It’s all in code, but I’m sure you can pick up on the rougher hints. The first was sent her third night in town, after she had made contact with your brother and gotten a measure of him. After that, she started detailed surveillance, following both of her targets as close as she might. If we had known about the black market ring, I swear we would have stepped in sooner, but Gilda slept in her clothing, and my agent’s attempt to inventory what she had on hand was severely hampered. She was on hand during the fight, and had a longbow on the griffon in case Rainbow Dash’s efforts failed.” Pausing at his worried look, she shook her head. “The ambassador might have disowned her, but she was using drugged arrows with blunted tips, our goal was to trap the beast, not kill her. We are not as kind hearted as your mare, Princes Cadence. But capturing a chess piece like the Ambassador's bastard daughter? How could we resist?” When Shining Armor laughed, she cocked an eyebrow at him. “How is she liking Tartarus? I have had trouble getting any of my agents into your ranks there.”

Offering his own warm grin, Shining relaxed, reading over the letter from Ponyville and at last sat on the chair across from the spymaster’s desk. Skimming the coded letter, he grinned across at her. “Officially, I am not in charge of that prison, dear, so officially, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

It was her turn to laugh, while a flask was pulled from her desk, and two small shot glasses of a thick black and milky liquid was poured, one pushed across to him. “It’s Amber Rose, and nothing else. I swear in Princess Luna’s name.” When he nodded and accepted the tiny glass of rare liquor, sipping at its thick texture, she asked again. “But unofficially?”

Shining Armor shrugged, his voice soft. “She is still recovering. Rainbow Dash didn’t pull any punches with that storm cloud business. It might have been easier on her if your agent had shot her, poisoned bolt or not.” Returning the letter to her desk, Shining pointed to the name at the top. “M. Eddler? Surely so childish a nickname stands out of place. Wouldn’t anyone suspect the letter to be for or from a spy the moment they see it?”

Silken Flight offered a shrug, her voice quiet as she sipped at her own tiny glass of the potent black drink. “True enough, but then, with so obvious a title, we have found that most would destroy the note rather than try and decode it. Safer to lose a message or two rather than have them collect in the wrong hands.”

Author's Note

Another chapter, complete! Huge shout out to Frankie, Flamerz and ShadowThunder for their ongoing assistance, and to you all for reading. Hope you enjoy and see you next time in Interlude 5 - Dash's Birthday Bash.

Interlude 5 - Dash's Birthday Blast [Dash x Pinkie Pie; Strapons and Toys; Anal Sex]

Rainbow Dash sat in the waiting room outside Celestia’s private chamber. For some reason, today it felt different. When she had been summoned here alone, right after the defeat of Nightmare Moon, she had been proud, even a little smug. Today, she couldn’t stop the shaking in her hands. Today was September 27th, her eighteenth birthday. But Princess Celestia had not summoned her so suddenly for that. Yesterday, she had given Dusk a full confession of Gilda’s crimes back in Fight School. Yesterday, she had admitted her feelings for Dusk. Yesterday, Gilda had defiled Dusk’s magic with that silver ring, the same silver ring now in a tightly sealed leather pouch in her lap. She still remembered the way the tears soaked his cheeks as he drew on some magic to put a sealing spell on the knot of the bag, ensuring it could never be opened by anyone weaker than him. He had refused to admit it, but she had seen him straining against the pain caused by those deep gouging wounds in his horn.

Today, she faced Princess Celestia’s judgement for keeping Gilda’s secrets for so long. A powerful hand wrapped around her two fidgeting ones, the voice that joined it was tender, if dry. “Calm down, Dashie. Princess Celestia’s justice may be strict at times, but it is always fair. And I’m here, we will get through this, together.” She wasn’t alone. Rainbow Blitz’s strong grip brought that back to reality, and calmed some of her fears.

The calming presence of Blitz's hands and voice was interrupted, as the two stallions on duty before Princess Celestia’s private chamber suddenly snapped to attention, the doors between them opening. Dash couldn’t help but look up, to see who had been with the princess before her, even this early in the day. The leathery bat wings and simple style of dress told a better story than any name badge, but Dash’s trained memory for observing things made her account for every button on her shirt and the way she brushed her hair. Stepping forward while shoving a rolled up parchment under her arm, the mare walked straight to Dash and Blitz, offering a small smile. “The Princess will see you now.”

Unable to help herself, Dash stood up and gave the bat pegasus a grin in return. “I remember you, you were with Princess Luna when she came to look in on Applejack’s harvest.”

The mare had started to turn to walk away but pulled up short, arching an eyebrow high. “Oh my, impressive. A good eyesight and a keen mind. Maybe I should have fought him harder for you.” When Dash’s confused expression bloomed wide, the mare laughed and turned to walk off, calling warmly back over her shoulder. “If they let you go, consider writing me. Your stallion friend knows how to get in contact with me. I could always use a mare with good eyes.”

Confused, but memorizing every facet of the mare, from the way she walked, to the small battle scars that she wore with pride, Dash remembered the keen hint of her phrasing, and shivered. “If they let you go.” But she had no time to dread over that possibility. Stepping up in front of her father and clutching the small leather pouch close, she stepped into Princess Celestia’s sitting room.

“I don’t see any reason to recall her. You said her report made it clear that the Emperor doesn’t care, and the mollen is no blood relative of his. Everything she taught me about their politics and power plays shows it has made their ambassador weaker in his eyes. But mother? It shouldn’t change a thing about what they think of her.” Shining armor stood at Princess Celestia’s desk, the two pouring over a rather heavy tome. Even Rainbow Dash could sense the thick magic pouring from the book. Oddly, it reminded her of the tingle she felt every time Barb sent a letter to the princess for Dusk.

Princess Celestia was… radiant in the glow of morning sunlight. Her room must have been planned for just this reason, the open balcony facing the rising morning sun. Wearing a simple, yet pure white silken dress, Dash realized the goddess needed no jewelry, a beam of sunlight on her radiant ethereal hair did the same job, and left Dash feeling dazzled, leaving faint after-images of brilliant hues in Dash’s vision. Looking up, and flashing a brief smile to the pair as they entered, the princess turned to look at her captain, giving him a smile in turn. “Very well. If that is settled, let’s move on to the next item on our agenda.” She paused only long enough for him to nod before turning to face Dash again, her voice calm but very serious now. “Rainbow Dash. I have read my student’s report. I have also read his apology, his confession, and his application for equal punishment. I have even read his research paper on how he would apply what he has learned these past two days to prevent a future scene, such as the one that happened yesterday in Ponyville. I have seen your confession, and the transcript of Gilda’s crimes. Can you justify why you did not reveal them all to me when I offered you her pardon?”

Standing at full attention, Dash winced at that question. But she had expected it, she knew that it was coming. Clutching the bag in her hands tighter, she felt that odd blob of magic in the knot digging into her palm, reminding her of Dusk. Leveling her gaze on the princess, she shook her head, at last forcing herself to find her voice. “I… I can not, your Majesty. I was a foolish mare who had been offered a chance to see her first lover again. I can only throw myself at your feet and beg that your justice does not take me away from my real friends.”

Shining Armor had a look in his eyes, it was bugging Dash from the second he had turned to look at her. She recognized it, yet she wasn’t sure what it really was. When she stepped forward, a hand extended, she tried to study it closer, it reminded her… “Dusk’s eyes. When he was trying to tell us not to bother, to leave him behind during Nightmare Moon’s endless night. Determination.” She was sure of it now, but what had made the stallion think that way? Stepping forward, he offered a hand out to her. “The ring?”

Dash swallowed, but put the leather pouch into Shining’s outstretched palm, her voice soft. “He put a knot spell on it. Said only you or the princess should be able to open it up again. Even showed me it was safe by trying to cut the pouch open with a knife. It ended up breaking when Applejack tried to cut it open on her turn.”

Both serious figures had to smile at that short story. Shining’s pale white horn began to glow a soft rose hue, while the pouch’s knotted strings took on that familiar raspberry hue of Dusk’s own magic. A few seconds of silence passed before the captain frowned, his lower lip curling into his teeth. He then proceeded to bite down on his lip while focusing in frustration. Just as the princess turned to look at him, there was a small shattering feeling of the magic breaking, and the stallion blushed, stammering an apology. “I- err, sorry, Princess. He must have been practising this spell lately. I couldn’t unlock it, so I had to break it.”

Rather than be annoyed, Celestia held out her hand for the pouch, smiling gently at her guard. “I think we now know the outcome of Dusk’s checkup today. Now you won’t have to wait half the day outside my door for his letter to arrive, will you?” When he blushed, she grinned wider, accepting the ring as he poured it from the pouch into her hand. Unadorned, the silver ring was hardly polished, and the inside groove still held faint purple scrapings of ‘dust’. Gilda’s keystone had been easy enough to find, but the crude cut of the ring and the violence of her application of it had left Dusk with an unsightly scar running the length of his horn. The princess inspected it for several minutes in silence before passing it back to Shining. “Give it to Silken. Her network is better setup for this kind of matter. No word of it until the smith is found.” She was silent as he offered a nod, only to look back at Dash and then Blitz. “You are old enough. Were you at the battle, the Night of the Red Sun?”

At once, both shocked and honored, Blitz stepped forward, smiling to the princess. “I was, your majesty. At that time, I was second lieutenant of the Wonderbolts. I lead the first wing in the counter raid.”

Shifting a little, Celestia looked deeper into the stallion’s eyes, searching for something before relaxing, and sitting down on her plush chair. Waving to the guards standing inside her door, she spoke with a lingering exhaustion. “Do you think I did the right thing? I remember consulting so many of my advisers leading up to that day. I might have even asked you, former 2nd lieutenant.”

The guards she had signaled were suddenly placing two deep and heavy chairs before the princess’ desk, signaling them to sit. Shining Armor had left with the ring while they talked, and the two guards were soon out of sight. Realizing this, Dash and Blitz sat, daughter now enthralled by her father's war record, father remembering a past long gone. “You did, Princess. Even promoted me a week after the war was done. Made me the youngest full-captain in the Wonderbolts. You said it was because I brought everyone back alive, but I wasn’t responsible for that, it was only thanks to how you-.”

Celestia raised her hand, and the old man stopped talking. “I remember now. You tried to refuse the medal. Said your wing deserved it far more than you did. Was that really thirty years ago?” When Blitz gave her a nod, the princess shook her head. “Dash. before that one day war, the griffon’s raids had become unacceptable. We were losing food, workers, and friends. I had to make a choice that day. But no matter how many keen minds I asked, the answer was the same. A war. And many deaths. In the years since, the griffons have respected our border, though we have kept a stronger guard on it than ever before. I’ll ask you what I’ve asked a hundred people before that day. Was the death of a few thousand griffon’s and twenty pagasi worth it?”

Suddenly on the spot, Dash’s eyes went wide. So deep a question, so serious a matter! Fidgeting in her seat, she looked up to the goddess, and mauled over the idea in her mind. An answer spoke up, the only one she could accept. And she gave it. “I was not there, Princess, but I can see it only one way. If you had hesitated any longer, their raids might have discovered your plan, and the loss of life in Equestria could have been far worse. I’ve read the history in Flight School, and I can’t see any better answer. A few died to prevent a war from killing far more. Justified? It’s brutal and sad. But I think you made the best choice.”

Smiling quietly to herself, Celestia gave a nod, and snapped a quill from her inkpot, scribbling rapidly at the bottom of the paper before her. “Then we are finished here. This is your sentence. I expect you to serve it willingly.”

* * *

Tossing streamers towards the balcony, Pinkie’s practised arc made decorating a quick, easy, and chaotic job. While there was no real style to her design, the colorful array of streamers made for quite an eyeful for anypony who entered city hall. “You know… someone should really make a decoration launcher, like some way of just making an explosion of decorating happen all at once!” Muttering to herself and amused at the idea, Pinkie took a minute to notice Fluttershy’s silent arrival.

Enthralled by Pinkie’s dance of decorating, she stood silent for a minute, simply watching the way her friend worked. As she leaned over against the doorframe of Town Hall, Pinkie began to string up the banner, words in towering blue type, hued like Dash’s feathers, read out “Happy 18th Birthday, Rainbow Dash!” with the center of the a’s, b’s, d’s, p’s, the o and the r as well as the 8 were all colored in to match Dash’s hair. Upon reading it, Fluttershy couldn’t help herself, grinning widely she murmured, “Aww!!!”

Pinkie paused, a silly grin spreading wide as she gave a rapid wave to her friend. “Hi, Fluttershy! I’m almost done, just give me two quick minutes!” Hopping off where she hung from one balcony, she rolled with her landing, her tail’s fluffy mass snatching up the string for the other side of the banner. With surprising ease, she climbed up to the other balcony, lashing strings into place to properly support the banner. Teetering backwards, she let go, dropping to the ground and bracing herself for the landing, and again rolling with her impact to soften the blow. Popping up to her feet and flashing Fluttershy yet another grin, she clapped her hands together, strolling to her friends side. “Ok! What can I do for you, Fluttershy?”

Impressed with Pinkie’s clowning around, Fluttershy grinned warmly and gave the mare a soft round of applause. “Way to go, Pinkie! You were great!” As soft spoken as she was, Pinkie blushed at the ‘boisterous’ cheer. Realizing that Pinkie was still waiting for an answer, Fluttershy blushed, taking a step forward. “Oh, right sorry. Um… you see, that is to say, if you don’t mind, Rarity wanted you to be there for Dusk’s horn exam, to show support. If… um… if you’re done here, that is.”

Laughing at Fluttershy’s continued stammering and polite phrasing, Pinkie wrapped her up in a hug, planting a kiss on the mare’s cheek. “Sure, Fluttershy! That’s a great idea! Should we go now? I’ve got things finished here until the food and drinks arrive.”

Shocked at Pinkie’s affectionate attention, Fluttershy half collapsed into her hug, but smiled as she gave a nod, turning to walk back towards town. “That’s great, Pinkie! Let’s go now, his appointment is right away.” Her arm wrapping around Pinkie’s hips, Fluttershy found herself enjoying Pinkie’s hug, and was glad when Pinkie moved her hand to mimic the soft grip on her own hip. Walking together with arms crossed over one another’s back, ‘Shy nuzzled against the top of Pinkie’s head, releasing a happy coo.

* * *

Dusk lay in silence on the cold metal exam table. Something about the way the sterile metal beneath his bare back bled away the screaming pain that still emanated from his horn. Once again, Dr Horse and Nurse Redheart leaned in, the magnifying plate having been set up to help highlight the deep scar in his horn’s keratin, running from a starting point an inch from the base to the very tip on the underside.

Dr. Horse picked up the sanitary swab, applying the black-brown solution to the tip before using a soft touch to drag it over the scar from the tip to the base in three slow applications. Dusk was shocked, realizing that this did not hurt, but instead helped to numb the aching pain in his horn. Releasing a sigh and letting his eyes roll back in his head, while his jaw went slack.

That tiny sigh made both doctor and head nurse freeze up for a moment, waiting to make sure he would go still. “Dusk, you need to hold as still as possible. I am going to apply a kind of glue to your horn, to seal off the exposed veins. It should reduce the pain you’re feeling, but it can cause numbness in the horn, and occasionally it does cause a loss of magic power.”

The doctor’s words had a chilling effect, forcing him to act. Dusk pulled one hand to cup the doctor’s closest arm, squeezing his wrist. “Then don’t. I can live with the pain if necessary. I need my magic, it is what I do, it is who I am. It is my special talent and my cutie mark. That black liquid took the pain away, can’t you continue to use that?”

A look of worry was impossible to hide at Dusk’s suggestion. Dr Horse winced, and put down the swab in his hand, looking to the younger stallion’s eyes in hopes of getting how serious this matter was across to him. “I understand your fear, Dusk, but you should know already: horns don’t heal. Even in the rarest of cases where they do, the pain of having so many exposed nerves drives even the strongest stallion mad. We don’t have to do this today, but pain killers won’t work forever. The longer you put this off, the stronger your bodies tolerance for the painkillers will get.” He paused, looking to Nurse Redheart for some support.

Her hand slipped to squeeze Dusk’s own, while she looked into his eyes in turn when Dr. Horse pulled away, yet rather than support his word, she smiled quietly to herself, and shook her head. “I’d tell you to think about Scootaloo, Dusk, but I can see it would be a waste of our time. Talk to Rarity about it, she might be the best support you can have for something this dangerous. I think I know why you’re saying no, but please consider it. Until then, I’ll fill out a script for painkillers.” When the doctor took a step back, arching a brow high, she offered him a shrug. “He marched into the Everfree Forest with bruised ribs and a dislocated shoulder, doctor. I don’t think anything we say could convince him better than a week dealing with the pain.”

Giving a snort, the doctor put a hand on Dusk’s shoulder, giving him a squeeze. “Alright, but you’re going to have to learn to keep it clean and sanitary. Nurse Redheart, make sure to include sanitary swabs and cleaning alcohol, we don’t want something to fester in the wound.”

* * *

Applejack and Rarity leaned against one another outside of the operating room, AJ’s fingers continued to stroke in a slow roaming path across the older mare’s ribcage. It had stopped her quiet sobbing and simply felt good to continue over the last twenty minutes since he had gone in alone. A question had been bugging her, and at last, she simply had to ask. “Sugarcube, I’ll admit I’m a little ignorant. I get that horns channel your magic and all, but if I break my fingernail, and I give it a few weeks and a good cleaning every day, and the nail grows back and heals up. Are horns this sensitive?”

Looking up to Applejack, Rarity shook her head, curling into her younger lover’s arms while she folded her hands over one another to keep them busy. “It’s… There's more to it, AJ. The truth is, unless you’re very lucky and are a descendant of Princess Celestia, horns don’t grow back. As far as I know, she has only ever had four children, and their family tree’s are very carefully guarded secrets. That said, Dusk is not one of her children.” When Applejack stiffened up, Rarity put a finger to her lips, preventing her from talking. “His family tree is very old, I was bored one day and researched it back. In over fifteen hundred years his ancestors have never come close to one of Princess Celestia’s known children.”

Applejack relented, relaxed and gave a soft nod. “And he bleeds magic, not a wonder why you two are so scared, and now I am too…” Falling silent for a moment, she shook her head, then gave Rarity a soft kiss on her horn, smiling at the way it made her shiver. “So, what, it’s painkillers?” Rarity gave her a small nod, curling into her side and pulling her knees up against her chest. “Don’t worry, hun. You said the glue rarely costs a unicorn their magic, so if we need to, we-”

The door before them opened, and alone, Dusk stepped out, still straightening his pale white dress shirt's collar. Pausing as the mares looked up, he offered them a smile and stepped forward, holding his hands out to the mares. “We decided to give it a few days. Never know, maybe my blood is a little more blue than history thinks.”

Stepping through the door with Nurse Redheart, Pinkie and Fluttershy each carried a small bag. Offering Dusk a clipboard, she pointed to the bags. “One month’s supply of the liquid painkiller. One months supply of rubbing alcohol. Two hundred individually-wrapped sanitary cotton swabs. Signature?”

Accepting the board and quill, Dusk did as asked, offering the nurse a half smile. “Thank you for smoothing things over with the doctor. If I find some other solution in my research, can I trust you to help?”

Rolling her eyes, Redheart gave a sigh. “And when you give up, will you at least let me perform the operation? You’ve pulled off enough miracle's this year, Dusk.” Rather than wait for Dusk’s answer she swept off, muttering quietly.

Stepping up to his side, Fluttershy looked up, inspecting the thin line of black liquid that had dried into the scratch in his horn. “Isn’t that essence of Blood Tulip? Is the pain that bad, Dusk?” Normally quiet, the mare sniffed at the air while inspecting his horn, her own concerned look a deep frown.

Shaking his head, Dusk offered her a smile, speaking softly. “It is under control Fluttershy. But, your concern is very ki-”

Pinkie stepped forward and interrupted him, her arms wrapping around Fluttershy’s hips, keeping low to avoid rubbing the bruise on her ribcage from the day before. “I’m sorry, Dusk, but I have to ask, will you be able to come to Dash’s birthday party? I have town hall all set up, but if your headaches are that bad, you could wait for the end of the night. I’ll make Dash come visit you on her way home so you don’t have to deal with all the noise…”

Wrapping an arm around Rarity’s hips as she stepped up to his side, Dusk shook his head at the still bubbly, yet warmly concerned way Pinkie tried to offer help. “I’ll come to the party, Pinkie. I’ve reviewed the rules for this medication and I’m allowed alcohol, so a few drinks might help, and if they don’t I can always go sit in the balcony to get away from the noise.”

As he hugged her, Rarity smiled, and leaned up to lightly kiss Dusk’s horn. “I got the items you requested with Barb’s help. Her gifts are all in order, as well. Just let me know when you need some quiet or a back massage, okay?”

Dusk was shocked, the thrilling shiver that rippled through his body as Rarity’s lips touched his horn made him weak in the knees for a moment. Groaning out a happy sigh he nuzzled her cheek in return, flashing her his warm smile. “Keep that up, and I’ll ask for more than just a massage.”

With some of the tension dissipating, Dusk lifted his free arm, cocking a finger at Pinkie. “Care to walk with me, Pinkie Pie? I wanted to talk about what you and Dash said yesterday.”

Befuddled, Pinkie stepped in on Dusk’s other side, curling into his body and slipping a hand into the hair of his tail, teasingly stroking through the tail hair while humming softly to herself. “What? Did we bring something up yesterday?” Giggling to herself she winked over at Rarity under his other arm.

Rarity tittered as Pinkie attempted to play coy, “Oh my, Dusk. It appears we might have misunderstood what Pinkie said. And here I thought you might have a chance to at least take some silly young mare out for dinner. If she isn’t interested in a free meal with a handsome stallion, I’ll just let Fluttershy join him for dinner instead.”

Shocked, Fluttershy whimpered, slowing her pace and falling behind the group as they walked out of the clinic. Leaning against the doorframe, she closed her eyes, breathing deeply and trying to calm the rapid, light and fluttery feeling in her heart.

Applejack put a hand on the mare’s shoulder, squeezing down with her powerful grip. “You alright, sugarcube? I don’t think she was serious, we were gonna offer you the same opportunity is all. Rarity thinks it’d do you some good.”

Whimpering as she realized she wasn’t alone, before quickly slipping into Applejack’s arms, nuzzling into her chest, openly whimpering and shivering in her arms. “Oh, Applejack! I-.. I just... “ She fell silent and clung close to her taller, stronger friend, shivering and whimpering in near silence.

Tenderly stroking at the frightened mare’s hair, she attempted to soothe her with gently spoken and reassuring words “It’s ok. If you tell Rarity no, she would never make you do something you're uncomfortable with. Besides, with everything that’s happened of late, there's no question things have been moving fast.”

Relaxing under AJ’s hands, she flushed, smiling up at the tall farmhand, nodding once. “Maybe in a few months when things are calmer? Do you think mistress will understand?”

Applejack laughed and lightly tapped Fluttershy’s nose, grining down to her and nodding. “I’m sure Rarity will sympathize. Things have been hectic lately. Maybe after Dash’s birthday tonight, things will finally calm down for us.”

* * *

A hand overturned the pages of notes collected on the desk, the mare sniffling once as she shook her head. “Not a single note. No hint or clue at all. Why does he have to make it so hard!” Frustrated, the book was hurled at a nearby wall, the mare collapsing to her knees and sobbing for a moment, losing herself for a moment in overwhelming despair. The sudden sound from downstairs- a key unlocking the door- made her freeze up, panic welling up again. Reaching out, she found a single stallion was entering her range. She could…

Shining Armor slipped his key back into his pocket, looking around Dusk’s observatory for a moment before shaking his head. “A good thing you wrote me, brother, this place is in no shape for a mare to visit, even if it is only for a night.” Shuffling a pile of books left in a stack by the door, Shining laughed gently to himself. “You’ve always been a bit of a mess, Dusk. You’re lucky Barb does such a good job looking after you.”

Walking up the staircase, silently itemizing things to have cleaned, fixed, or moved, he never noticed he was not alone until the creek of wood behind him on the steps echoed through the silent house. Snapping around and rushing to the staircase, Shining Armor caught a faint hint of a mare rushing down the stairs and around the corner, out of sight. The sound of rapid footsteps in flight, rushing across the main floor and the bang of the front door being thrown open. Shocked at the intrusion, Shining Armor lept over the balcony, summoning his shield sphere beneath his feet, using it to absorb the impact of his fall before bolting towards the open door. Outside, he found no footsteps, and except for a brisk wind blowing across the empty school campus, the guard captain saw no sign of whoever had been with him.

* * *

Saturdays in Ponyville could be boring for a filly with few friends, and Scootaloo sat against the fence by the school, tapping her foot nervously in the dirt while she watched the sky, waiting for any sign of Rainbow Dash’s return. “Why’d they let her go alone? Couldn’t someone have gone along… I know Dusk’s hurt, but I’d have gone along.”

Looking around the open field, the sight of a few other fillies playing catch with a ball made her stop and wonder once more: What was it that made it so hard to go say hi, and ask if she could join in? But soon, the light, tittering laughter of a familiar classmate made that line of thought uncomfortable. Diamond Tiara was directing the small game, and even as Scoots looked over the other girls, she felt those eyes watching her in return, sending a chill down her spine.

Suddenly, the group turned, and while Scootaloo couldn't hear what the other fillies were saying, the realization that they were all heading her way gave Scootaloo the impression something was about to happen. Balling her hands into fists and standing taller, she puffed her chest out, and leveled her eyes on the violet-haired filly. Calling to her as they came closer, Tiara’s eyes were hungry. “Oh, Scootaloo! What you doing here alone? Is there something you're waiting for?”

Tightening up, Scootaloo twisted her gaze away from Tiara’s, her mind wandering back to the way Gilda had attacked her in this very same spot only two days ago. Pulling her head up, she flashed a grin, before offering the other fillies a shrug. “Well, it depends on Rainbow Dash. We have our workouts, you see. And today, I was hoping she’d help me get a grip on clouds. After she used one to fend off that griffon, Gilda, who wouldn’t want to know more about how she did that, right?”

From the crowd, Aura stepped forward, her own eyes bright. “You’re so right, Scootaloo! And you're lucky, too, as a pegasus, you can really touch clouds.” Pouting a little, she looked at the other girls in the crowd, shaking her head. “All of you are lucky.” For a moment, the three other fillies all appeared to beam for a moment at the way the mayor’s daughter gave them attention. A gentle stroke to the ego really went a long way.

Scootaloo saw her opening and took it, stepping forward before Diamond could react, smiling up to Aura and offering her a grin. “Oh, come on! You gotta admit, being an earth pony is pretty great. Have you seen Applejack? She can pull a cart with twenty barrels of apples and not even break a sweat! I wish I was half as strong.”

As Aura and Scootaloo giggled, Diamond Tiara fell back from the crowd as the conversation turned to other impressive things they had seen adults in town manage. Her moment lost, she turned to Silver Spoon, pouting. “It’s like they don’t realize she’ll never fly.” When Spoon gave an indifferent shrug, Tiara huffed, turning and walking away. “Let’s go back to my place, Daddy said we were getting a new shipment of dresses in sometime this afternoon, maybe we can try to look fabulous like Rarity.” And so, obsessed with her own amusement, Tiara went back to her home with Spoon following suit.

* * *

It took a few displays to get the girls to take her seriously, but now Scootaloo looked over the line. Aura and three others stood back to back, while Scootaloo took a moment to make sure they weren’t too far apart. Then turning to face away from them, she lifted her hands and bent her knees. For a moment, even the chatty fillies went quiet while Scootaloo closed her eyes, bent her knees and then, she leapt. At the highest point of her arc, Scootaloo shot her wings out as wide as she could manage and beat them furiously in the air, the whole time sailing over their heads, soaring high over the heads of her classmates. Struggling to keep her flight level due to the distance she was attempting to travel.

Impacting heavily on her right foot, the impact pressure was more than she prepared for, causing her to stumble a few feet, beating her wings as she struggled to get her balance back. She was proud of the fact that she had managed this long jump, crossing over nearly twelve feet in the process. But the real shocker was the sound of clapping, not from one of the other files but rainbow Dash herself, who hovered just over the gathered girls. Shocked to realize that Dash had suddenly arrived while she was busy showing off, Scootaloo blushed and looked away, biting down on her own lip, but Dash’s words pulled her attention back up again. “Way ta go kiddo! You really are continuing to improve! Need to work on beating your wings evenly so you land with better balance, but otherwise, you’re doing a fantastic job.”

Nervous and embarrassed, Scootaloo lifted a hand to scratch through her own hair and shuffled her feet, but she was delighted by the attention before the other girls. Aura stepped quickly up to Dash’s side as she landed, unabashed, she held her hand out. “Mother said you were going to see the princess, I can see under your arm, you have parchment from her majesty. Can I see it? Or is it private?”

Shocked at how forward the filly was, Dash looked down at the letter tucked into her armpit, shaking her head a little and offering a shrug before holding it out to the young girl. “It’s long, and a bit boring, but the short story is I’ve gotta start unpaid classes here at Ponyville’s school teaching flight classes, as well as gym for you girls.”

Pausing as she started to unfold the letter, Aura’s jaw dropped, her own bangs falling heavily over her eyes. “But… unpaid? For how long? I mean, you’re the head of our weather team, but?”

Dash offered her a shrug, laughing out of her own nervous worry. “The next five years, unless I’m pardoned by Princess Celestia, I guess.”

Scootaloo gave a shaky sigh, unsure of what to feel. Stepping up beside Aura, she leaned in to look over her shoulder at the letter she was reading. Shaking her head softly at the complex and finely written script. “Maybe Dusk can..?”

Dash offered a lazy shrug, smiling. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I deserve this, working with you has been fun already and it’s an easier punishment than I’d ever expected.”

* * *

“We’ve been over every inch of this place, Shining, and whoever she was, she did a fantastic job of leaving almost no sign of her presence. In the end, we found only three clues. I found a very long hair in the shower, pale and cornflower blue. Plus, she must have had a good reason to hide, because his ice box was empty, even the meat he kept stored and inventoried in there for Barb, so she was scared of going out; or maybe simply hiding from someone? Lastly, she was reading all of Dusk’s diaries and correspondences with Princess Celestia. Does he have anyone you can think of who might have had access to the observatory?”

Shining Armor shook his head, looking over the pile of letters, notes and assorted journals. Silken Flight and her team had been fast, very detailed in their work, leaving him to only watch and worry. “As far as I know, only one mare ever had a key to his home besides her majesty herself. That was Sunset Shimmer, and she has been missing for years now. Besides that, her hair was a blend of yellow and red, not blue.”

Silken Flight overturned the most recent letter from Dusk to Celestia they could find. Frowning to herself, she poked the page, her voice showing actual, clear worry. “None of these notes give away that he is living in Ponyville now, so we have some time to figure out who she might be. For now, I’ll inform my agent to look out for new mares in town with pale blue hair.” She fell silent for a moment, shaking her head. “In fact, I think I’ll send a second one. This is worrisome.”

Shaking his head, Shining turned around, walking towards the door. “I’m going to report to Princess Celestia, she will want to know all of this.” Pausing at the door to her office, the stallion shook his head gently, turning to look back at her over his shoulder. “And.. Thank you, Silk. You took me seriously and have been a massive assistance. I’m glad we can work together; you see things I miss.”

Snorting, Silk rolled her eyes. “You’re a stallion, your kind always miss the little details.” When he started to rear up to fire back, she broke down and really laughed. “Oh, you’re priceless, Armor. Go talk to the princess, I have agents to debrief. We will have another drink and you can tell me what she said after you’re done.”

* * *

Scootaloo panted heavily. Attempting to keep up with Rainbow Dash had been a real workout, leaving her soaked and exhausted while Dash just smirked. She looked just as fresh as she did before they started. “Great job, Squirt, you really will make some fantastic competition. I’m sure Redheart will be just as impressed.”

Blushing as Dash gushed with praise, Scootaloo leaned over and put her hands on her knees, panting to catch her breath, gasping for air, giving the blue winged mare a thumbs up and a tired grin. “You kidding? I can...go on for longer, this was hardly a warm up… I swear.”

Dash’s amused chuckle at the filly’s courageous nature was cut off suddenly, as Pinkie’s voice rang out from behind her, offering her a polite warning. “Don’t freak out, Dashie-poo. I’m just here to kidnap you!” Blindfold in hand, Pinkie jumped Dash from behind, lashing the cloth over the girl’s eyes and tying it off.

Both shocked and amused, Dash didn’t fight, as Scootaloo followed along. The mare leaned back into Pinkie’s arms, unable to help herself but lightly snort with laughter. “Pinkie, you’re one heck of a party planner, but I’d have to be blind not to see half of town heading to the hall over the last few hours.”

Pouting, Pinkie would step up and push a cold water bottle into Scootaloo’s hand, winking to the filly. “Drink up! You look like you need it.” Turning back to Dash she pouted despite the taller mare being blindfolded. “Aww… Well, could you at least pretend to be surprised for everypony’s sake? I wouldn’t want them to think their hard work was a waste!”

Shaking her head, Dadh put out a hand, blindly groping at the air before her fingers found Scootaloo's shoulder. Gripping down, she leaned in mock whispering to the filly. "You'd better guide me to town hall. I've got a feeling that if I left it up to Pinkie, I'd end up somewhere in Rarity’s drawing room before really reaching the party."

Scootaloo couldn't repress a snort of laughter and Pinkie’s pout was lost on Dash’s blinded eyes. Moving out towards town hall, the weight of Dash’s grip on her shoulder almost made Scootaloo's heart skip a beat, giving her the excuse to walk closer to the sweet smelling mare.

* * *

"Surprise, Rainbow Dash!"

"Happy birthday, Dash!"

"Great to have you back in town!"

Dash had a powerful ego, but when she realized that nearly a third of Ponyville had piled into town hall for her birthday, she had to take a moment to drink it all in and shake off a flustered blush that been creeping in. Giddy, she darted forward, leaping into the air and crying out above the din that filled the room. "Yes! It’s as awesome as you've ever managed, Pinkie!"

Laughing at Dash’s display, Pinkie quickly ran up and tackled her from behind, giving her a tight hug around the ribs, and lifting her from the ground, shaking her gently back and forth while Dash’s legs kicked wildly. "Happy eighteenth birthday, Rainbow Dash! I hope you're excited for your super special birthday surprise!"

Giddy with laughter, Dash had to hold her gut as Pinkie set her back down. With shaky knees and watery eyes, Dash took a minute to catch her breath. The sound of familiar voices in casual conversation sent a shiver down her spine. "... and after that, I challenged the mastery exam. Thanks to Barb’s help with studying, I passed the written section with a flawless grade and my practical was waived due to previous examples of my talent. But it was Princess Celestia's last question for bonus marks that caught me off-guard, and led me to obsess over the Mare in the Moon foal tale."

She winced as Dusk prattled on to her dad an endless tale of his background, and told it in the most boring style. Groaning and burying her face in her hands, she turned to Mayor Mare who stood at her side talking to Pinkie. Interrupting them, she plead for mercy. "Mayor, can't you appeal my sentence? Princess Celestia is sure to take pity on me if you argue in my favor."

Startled by the mare's sudden outburst, the mayor took a few steps back, her confusion ringing out in her voice. "But Rainbow Dash, Princess Celestia was already so lenient on you. Surely you can't expect more?"

Shaking her head, Dash pointed to Dusk and Rainbow Blitz who stood talking beside a table covered with presents. "Not from the princess! From them!"

Realizing Dash’s real meaning, the mayor looked over at Dusk, still in quiet, polite conversation with a stallion whose hair instantly reminded her of Dash. Unable to help but laugh gently, she put a hand on the girl’s shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. “Don’t get too worked up, darling. You’re lucky, your stallion has a good job, and is both popular and well known. When I introduced mine to my father, he didn’t even have his cutie mark yet!”

At her side, Davenport winced, shaking his head. “Yes, but we were both young, dear.” The mayor murmured, leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek, still lightly laughing to herself as they turned and walked into the crowd, arm in arm. Dash could hear his protests soften, but continue. “Besides, I got my cutie mark two weeks later when your dad’s easychair broke!”

Rainbow Dash straightened up and walked over to the stallions, a relaxed expression glued to her face by sheer force of will. Giving her father a nod, she leaned against Dusk’s side and jerked a thumb at him. "Don't get too bored with his stories, dad, he really is a decent dude. Can almost keep up with me on a good jog, and has a hell of a lot of fight in 'em when he’s facing the impossible."

Drawing a sip from the heavy leather tankard of rich brown cider, Blitz’s strong and quiet demeanor was broken. Chest shaking with unrestrained laughter, the stallion lightly punched Dusk’s other shoulder. "She must like you, next thing you know she'll be quoting statistics like your hundred yard dash, or how many miles you can run." Turning to his daughter, Blitz offered her his hand, shaking it gently. "Dusk’s an alright stallion, dear. We already talked about your work to get him back into shape after the drastic weight loss from overworking his body while dealing with Nightmare Moon. And I told him about my time with the Wonderbolts, as well as how I met your mother."

Dusk smiled, quietly slipping a hand around Dash’s hips. He was amused as she accepted it and slipped in closer to his side, but wasn’t surprised. Pulling two jacks of the dark, thick, mulled apple cider from the platter carried by a passing serving mare, Dusk offered one of the steaming mugs to Dash. "Your mother sounded like a wonderful mare. Shame. Come, drink up. You've earned it, crazy as these last few days have been."

Shocked as she finally realized Dusk's hand was about her hips, Dash accepted the mug, ending the handshake with her father and looking deep into the steaming cider. Smiling quietly, she nodded to the stallions, a distant memory distracting her. "Thanks, guys." Realizing she was still the center of attention, she attempted to restart a less painful direction for their conversation. "Did dad tell you about the princess' judgement?"

Dusk chuckled a little at the mare's question, nodding a bit. "He filled me in on the rest. So now you are Ponyville’s head weather mare, officially rather than temporary, and you have to serve as a teacher at the school for five years of community service? Good thing Scootaloo has already prepared you for dealing with foals."

* * *

Two hours passed in a flash and with dinner served and cake passed around, Dash realized Dusk had disappeared. Turning around and searching for him, the realization that none of her friends were around began to sink in. Turning back, she spotted Mrs. Cake, still handing out plates of ice cream to a massive army of foals. Making her way through the herd massed around her table, Dash leaned in, yelling to be heard above the pestering foals. "So, did you see where Dusk and the others went? I must of lost sight of them when I walked Dad outside!."

Offering her a playful cuff on the chin, Mrs. Cake pointed to the second story balcony. The staircase was roped off, but Dash could make out a whisp of Rarity’s hair around a chair setup facing away from the main floor. Wearing a giddy grin, the older mare leaned in closer. "I think it must be time for your birthday presents. The personal ones that is."

Caught off guard, but pleasantly pleased at the suggestion, Dash suppressed a giddy outburst, if only just. Rushing up to the balcony, the sight she found wasn't so exciting.

Dusk sat leaning back in his chair, a heavier wooden mug of the rich apple cider held loosely in his right hand. Still steaming, the smell had some added spices she didn't recognize. Fluttershy sat on the arm of his chair, fingers resting on his temples.

"What's wrong? Noise get too much for you, Dusk?" Rainbow asked as she walked to his free side. The stallion opened his eyes and took a long slow sip of his cider, smiling to up to her.

"Not too badly, but I figured we should have some time in private to talk together." He replied, while patting the chair beside his own. Dusk then gave Rarity a nod. "If you would please? Like I showed you earlier."

The fact Dusk asked the other unicorn to cover them with a privacy spell worried Dash, opening new questions about how well his checkup had really gone. As Rarty’s magic formed a thin and nearly clear blue sphere around them, Dash realized it looked just like the shield spell, just thinner and a lighter color. As the noise of the room around them drained away, Pinkie stood up first offering Dash a small wrapped box.

"Happy birthday, Dashie! I hope you don't mind being an adult now."

Laughing along with her friends, Dash opened Pinkie’s present, finding three coupons inside. The top read 'One free Pinkie Pie deluxe 18th birthday bash.' beneath it, the second card offered 'A best friend for life!' with the last being a 'Free custom cake' voucher from the Cake’s bakery. Looking up, Dash realized Pinkie was blushing. Standing up and wrapping her friend in a hug, Dash pressed the second card into Pinkie's hand.

"Thanks, Pinkie. Think I'll redeem this one right now!"

Blubbering but happy, Pinkie accepted the friend card and hugged Dash back, glad her sappy gift and broke wallet hadn’t been a drag on Dash’s birthday. Pushing Dash to sit back down in her chair, Pinkie taped her playfully on the nose.

"No problem, Dashie! But remember!~~ No substitutions, exchanges or refunds!"

Fluttershy, stepped up next, placing a shoebox sized package in Dash’s lap. Sitting down on the arm of her chair, she pointed to the card on the box.

"It's not much, but your dad thought it might go over well."

Opening the box, Dash discovered a pair of old-fashioned stunt flyer goggles sitting upon a silk cushion inside. Looking past the new leather strap and freshly cut lens, Dash knew these goggles, knew them too well. Turning to look up at Fluttershy, she struggled to keep her voice under control.

"These are Fir-"

In an unusual display, Fluttershy cut off Dash, a finger to her lips. Nodding gently, she offered her a small shrug.

"From the day you stood up to the colts in flight school and challenged them to a race? Yes, I know how much they meant to you, so I figured I'd get them restored. Dusk even promised to research a way to make them stronger, so they can take the pressure better!”

Wrapping her arms around the older pegasus, Rainbow Dash buried her head in Fluttershy’s ample bosom, trying to suppress a sob. Her mother’s aviators had shattered when she hit the sonic barrier, but now she had them back. Dash's attention was pulled back to the box by Pinkie's voice.

"What's this, Fluttershy? A coupon for a home-cooked meal? You didn't steal my idea after I told you what I was giving Dashie, did you?"

Everypony laughed at the accusation in her tone, as well as the embarrassing flush growing in Fluttershy's cheeks. The timid mare looked down and mumbled her reply.

"It's just... well, your idea was so good and I'm sure it's been at least a year since she had a proper Cloudsdale homemade meal. You see how much she eats out."

"Yay! I knew I had the best gift idea!"

Excitedly clapping her hands together, Pinkle tackle hugged Fluttershy, before snuggling together with the stunned mare after they hit the carpeted balcony floor.

While everyone relaxed, Applejack gave Dash a receipt she had Big Mac make up. Unlike the first two mares, AJ was more serious as Dash inspected Mac’s crisp handwriting.

"Mac’s delivering you two small kegs of his prize cider, Dash. No free refills, but that's twenty liters of the best cider around. Don't go making a fool of yourself and make me regret it, alright?"

"The good stuff in the oak kegs he brews in the basement? The stuff you only let me have two cups of when we were having that fancy grub with Granny Smith?"

Applejack rolled her eyes at how excited the younger mare had become over the suggestion of alcohol. Lightly petting AJ on the knee, Rarity gave a her a gentle shrug. “Don’t worry, dear. She is a pegasi, they aren’t exactly heavy drinkers.”

Rainbow Dash leaned back into her chair, pouting a little while she turned to face Rarity again, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh, come on! You didn’t warn me how strong that wine was, is all! If I had known one glass of that fruity stuff was as strong as three or four ciders, I’d have been WAY more careful.”

Hiding her mouth behind her hand and tittering quietly, Rarity shook her head and pointed to the largest box on the top of the table as she offered a shrug. “You might as well get started on my gift, darling, I used your measurements from two or three months ago, so we might need to make some minor adjustments to make sure it’s perfect.”

Lifting the lid off the box with one hand, Dash’s eyes shot open wide and was quickly on her feet, pulling the silver flightsuit from the box. Fully muted by shock, she inspected the silk reinforced spandex bodysuit, fingers stroking lovingly over the lightning bolt design over the chest crossing over one shoulder to her hip. Holding it up and pressing it close, she looked over how well it hung over her body. Pulling herself back together at last, she looked down at Rarity. “It’s like a Wonderbolts high aerial performance suit! Proper stitching, and insulation, I could practise in this for years without risk of catching a cold!”

Smiling lightly, Rarity gave a shrug to the overwhelmed mare. “Fantastic to hear I did a decent job, darling. Sadly, the Wonderbolts keep their trade secrets heavily under wraps, so I was forced to make the design based off memory and what Dusk could piece together from what few details we could research.”

Dusk’s turn was up,and he drew a thin, longer package, about as wide as his hand from his jacket pocket, placing it upon the table before Dash and gently lifted one hand. "There is a second gift to go with what is inside, Dash, but it should be easy to guess once you see this one. Applejack and Rarity chipped in as well, so I hope it goes over well.” His intent was to tease, Dash’s joy at the presents so far made it clear they had chosen well.

Hesitant for once, Rainbow Dash’s hand shivered as she hovered over the box, looking from Dusk, to AJ, and finally to Rarity. With a worried hand, she lifted the lid from the box.

She looked up to the stallion, her lip quivering, once she saw what was inside. “These are box seats. For the Wonderbolts. I… I can’t accept these, Dusk they must have cost a thousand bits.”

Looking over her glass, Rarity flashed her a wicked grin. “Oh no, darling, you’ll take them!” Rarity interjected, taking Dash’s attention off Dusk. “You owe Dusk that much at the very least. And besides, Shining already cleaned up Dusk’s observatory in Canterlot. That’s the second part, Dusk’s hired a few mares to turn his place there into a bed and breakfast." She suddenly gushed with barely suppressed amusement, the humor spurred on by a flash of inspiration. "Just think. You can sleep in, get fed a nice breakfast and get a manicure. Such a wonderful vacation!" As the image of Dash taking a day in at a spa sank in, the others all joined her in laugher.

Unable to help herself, Pinkie jumped into the momentary lull. "That's almost as unlikely as Applejack going to the twins for "The Full Package" makeover." AJ's response was all they needed to burst out in fill laughter.

Once the majority of the laughter had started to die down, Dash twisting to face Dusk once more. Having a hard time keeping herself under control. “I… Dusk. I know I’ve caused you quite a headache as of late. Why would you want-”

Leaning forward, Dusk cupped Dash’s free hand, smiling up to her and squeezing her hand. “Dash, you make life interesting. You’ve got almost as much energy as Pinkie, and a competitive spirit that’s invigorating. I am no good with these things, but after what you and Pinkie said yesterday, I would like to ask you to go out on a date with me.”

Realizing what Dusk was saying, Dash looked over at Pinkie where she still sat on Fluttershy’s lap upon the carpet. Her voice was hardly able to lift above a whisper. “Did… he ask you too?” When Pinkie gave her a massive, and enthusiastic nod, Dash looked up at AJ and Rarity. “I… I know you three have formed your own little herd. I don’t want to become some third wheel and make things uncomfo---”

Applejack snorted with delight at Dash’s attempt to give them any excuse to let her off. Leaning in, she gave the younger mare a light punch in the shoulder, giving a coy smile. “Oh come on, you know we talked over it and made sure we were all okay with it. Just go out for the date, you goof. If nothing else you’ll get to watch the ‘bolts up close, get a free dinner and maybe even get to know a friend a little better. If things go well, maybe you’ll admit your feelings for him.”

Rubbing her arm and looking back to Rarity before returning to look at Dusk, Dash had trouble looking up into his eyes and rubbed her knees together, before nodding softly. “A… Alright. I’ll take you to the Wonderbolts, Dusk. But you better not embarrass me in front of them, I’ll toss you off the tallest tower in Canterlot if you do!”

Holding out his hand to Dash, Dusk laughed sharply. “It’s a deal. Just remember to wait for Princess Celestia to leave the castle, or she might be a tad annoyed, using her balcony just because you didn’t like a birthday gift.”

* * *

Pinkie excelled at having and supporting a real wild party, and Dash's birthday had to be a real humdinger. It was late when she noticed it. As much as Dash laughed and smiled, there was something to the mare’s behavior that screamed uncomfortable to Pinkie. Pouting internally, her investigation was launched.

It was around an hour after midnight when she finally got a proper clue. Nurse Redheart had come after her shift and a shower, allowing Scootaloo to stay a while later than otherwise. When at last Nurse Redheart had her fill of the dance party, Scootaloo rushed past Pinkie Pie and gave Rainbow Dash a sudden strong hug on the dance floor, holding her mentor around the hips.

"Sorry, Dash, but Redheart's got a shift in the morning! I hope you had a great birthday!" While the mare walked the foal to the door, Dusk and AJ joined them in preparing to leave. That meant since Fluttershy, Rarity and Sweetie Belle had already left, the party was probably over. While she started to move closer to join them, the noise of the party was too loud, preventing her from making out what Dusk was whispering in Dash’s ear. But, the way she shivered and at the same time went stiff as he stepped in close and gave her cheek a kiss sent off a dozen red lights in Pinkie's mind.

"Has Dash never even had a coltfriend? Has she never kissed a stallion?" As realization dawned, so to did a sinful grin, stretching from ear to ear. "Oh, Fiddlesticks! If I'd only realized earlier, I could have had Dusk or Rarity prepare me properly. Oh well,improvisation time!"

Sidling her way through the thinning crowd, Pinkie kept up a casual nature, acting natural and mixing with other ponies as she waited for a chance to catch Dash alone. With so many leaving at once, it gave her plenty of time to prepare for the conversation to come.

Letting the door swing close, Dash at last gave a gentle sigh. With the last of the party-goers gone, it was really only her and four mares who were busy cleaning up. "Well, Pinkie is still around here somewhere. I'd better say goodnight to her and go crash."

Even as the thought sank in, the sudden pressure of a hug wrapping around her ribs from behind came about. Standing up on her tiptoes, Pinkie nipped suddenly at the tip of Dash’s earlobe, her voice low and lustful. "Dashie, I know everypony’s already given you birthday presents, but I was thinking of a second present we could both enjoy..."

Something in the way Pinkie let her voice drop off made Dash’s spine tingle with a low thrill. Leaning back against her strong friend’s arms, Dash felt the last lingering roar of her dying heat flare up at Pinkie’s affectionate assault on her earlobe. It was hard to say no to the bubbly mare, and after what happened with Gilda? The thought of finding something else to keep her mind busy was doubly tempting. "Alright, Pinkie. You wanna come back to my place then? Don't want'a disturb the Cakes, right?"

Giggling, Pinkie leaned in, gently kissing Dash on the cheek from the side and giving her a warm nod. "You go grab your presents. I'll give the key to town hall to the cleanup mares, and catch up with you at your place, kay?"

Before Dash could second guess her or get in another word, the mare was off bolting over to chat with the mares on cleanup duty. Shaking her head and laughing to herself, she turned to head for the pile of gifts by the door. "Pinkie, you're so random!"

* * *

With the labor board mares to clean up after her party, Pinkie was off at a run, rushing to her room at the Cake’s bakery. Moving with as much stealth as she had mastered, she slinked into her bedroom, pulling her toy chest from under the bed. A silver key unlocked the heavy oak box's iron lock, and peering inside, Pinkie found all three pieces of equipment waiting for her, exactly where she had left them. Delicate fingers opened a silk bag, and the soft sound of her fingertips dragging over the rubber inside made her hips shift and grind against one another while she suppressed a moan of delight. Whispering into the bag, she couldn't suppress her joy oozing into her words. "It's your big night, Jill! I get to introduce you to my bestest best friend, Rainbow Dash! Won't that be fun?"

* * *

Dash hadn't bothered to rush home, knowing that Pinkie clearly had some plans and probably needed some time to prepare. With the help of one of the labor board mares, Dash loaded a few boxes into a spare cart, and strolled home, letting the cool autumn breeze filter through her feathers, splaying her wings wide open to their fullest extent, enjoying the way it helped drive off the flushed heat in her cheeks. "Maybe Rarity is right. A few drinks and I feel so warm and fuzzy."

Approaching the house Ponyville had provided her, the shock of seeing Pinkie Pie standing at her door and rocking back and forth on her heels made Dash’s jaw drop. “How did you beat me Pinkie?? Your place is… way…” Slowly letting her voice drift off, Dash shook her head and smiled to the other mare, flashing her key from her pocket. “Go on in, Pinkie. I’ll just hit the shower, ‘K?”

Unable to suppress an ear-to-ear grin, Pinkie stepped in and gave Dash’s ass an aggressive squeeze. Batting her eyelashes in the best mimic of Rarity’s come hither style. “Why, my darling Rainbow Dash! Saying something like that really makes a humble, innocent mare like me worried for my celibate lifestyle!”

Pressing back into Pinkie’s hand, Dash couldn’t resist letting her enjoyment escape as a low and lewd moan. Her well-groomed tail lashing to playfully swat at that aggressively groping grip, she at last pulled away and dragged the small cart into her house, already planning to leave it for the morning. Winking back over her shoulder, she left the other mare to make up her mind, heading straight to the bathroom.

After reaching into the shower and twisting on the hot water, Dash took a step back, looking into the mirror while she peeled off her shirt, and the clinging sports bra beneath. Her nipples still ached from the recent addition of her own birthday present, her erect nipples were still puffy from the fresh piercings, yet already she loved the way the tiny steel studs stood out against her bright pink areola. “It’s a good thing that piercer in Canterlot never asked for ID. Two or so months early, but now? They look great!”

Bending down and sticking her ass out toward the door, just in case Pinkie passed by, Dash took her time in slowly peeling off her shorts and panties. Even as the cool air hit her wet folds, she couldn't help herself, the tips of her fingers plunged into the walls of her own folds and began to twist and thrust inside her wet depths. Her exploring fingers quickly got that dimming coo of her own heat cranked back up to a full-out roar of lustful need. Realizing that if she went on any longer, she probably end up making enough noise to make Pinkie jealous, Dash forced herself to stop, standing up and stepping into the rush of hot water.

Turning to look up into the downpour of warm water, the sound of the shower curtain being pulled open again made her laugh, but not bother to open her eyes again. “Well, hello there Pinkie! It’s always nice to ha-VVVVEEEE!!!!” The sudden pressure of hands cupping her ass and spreading it wide, combined with the probing thrust of Pinkie’s tongue into her ass was a wonderful shock. Pressed forward against the wall of the shower, and using it to brace her body, she thrust her ass back into those strong fingers. Pulling her tail to the side and giving the mare more access, Dash turned her head to look down at the mare behind her, she realized that Pinkie was kneeling on the floor, her knees pulled tightly together.

Pinkie continued to probe into the depths of Dash’s ass, her grip on both ass cheeks lifting and spreading them open while she teased the sensitive hole, testing just how far she could torment the pegasus. As Dash grew more and more worked up, she reflexively folded and flexed her wings in response to the pressure from Pinkie’s tongue. Having her fill of opening rounds, Pinkie reached out of the shower, fingers wrapping around the slick rubber of her already oiled secondary toy. Standing up and letting the shower’s rich water soak into her hair and flatten the fluffy mass across her cheeks. With her long straight hair framing her eyes, she leaned in, nipping at Dash’s ear while she panted to catch her breath. “Dashie!~~~ I brought two of my friends along to play. Wanna say hello to lil Jackie before Jill comes to visit?”

Still gasping to catch her breath while she turned her gaze back over her shoulder to look at the short, thick black rubber toy in Pinkie’s fist. As the realization dawned that it was a buttplug, Dash couldn’t resist the swelling heat between her thighs, twisting her knees in together and grinding her thighs against one another in anticipation. “I’d love to say hello to her, PinkiEEE!” The earth mare didn’t delay or wait, instead she aggressively thrusted the thick plug’s tip into the soaking entrance of Dash’s tailhole.

The sounds of Dash’s pleasure as the thick rubber bulb entered the ring of her ass made Pinkie a little jealous, yet so happy at the same time. Leaning in and giving a nip to the small of Dash’s back near her cutie mark, Pinkie began to slowly rotate the plug around while pushing it in as slowly as she could, feeding it in inch by inch, until the thick base of the rubber toy’s four inches was flush with the moaning mare’s ass cheeks. Standing slowly up while her hands slipped around Dash’s hips until her palms cupped her belly, a trail of soft kisses were planted across the curve of Dash’s left shoulder. Lifting her head up, she nipped at that sensitive earlobe again, her voice cooing. “You got your nipples pierced Dashie? They are so cute! Are they still really sensitive? Can I play with them?”

It had taken everything Dash had to hold herself together as Pinkie ‘introduced’ her to lil Jackie. With the thick bulb of black plastic firmly lodged in place, Dash found herself adapting, still panting for breath but finding her center again. Lifting her head slowly to press her body back into Pinkie’s touch, Dash pulled away and twisted around, cupping Pinkie’s head and farming the straight pink locks of her lover’s hair in her touch and pulling her chin up so she could plant a kiss to her lips, dropping her jaw and suckling in Pinkie’s lip, tormenting over the trapped flesh and raking teeth back and forth across it’s surface.

Happy to see how well Dash was adapting to her toy, Pinkie pushed into the kiss, and released her knees, allowing Jill to say hello to Dash’s belly. The gentle slap of lubricated rubber impacting the mare’s belly made Pinkie moan into Dash’s lips and shift her weight, adjusting her hips to get the ‘thumb’ side of the strap-on to a more comfortable spot inside her own sex. As Dash looked down while gasping, her eyes opening wide, Pinkie giggled, and picked up one of Dash’s hands, guiding it down between their bodies until the pegasus’ fingers were wrapped around the slick and oily member. “Say hello to Jill, Dashie! She’s a mare’s best friend!~ You’ll find she is shaped just like a stallion’s cock, from veins to balls. Isn’t she the best!!?”

Dash was simply overwhelmed by the phallic rubber mass against her belly. Darting her eyes up to Pinkie’s own, she struggled to find words to piece together some kind of response to the sight before her eyes. Stroking slowly back and forth across the slick shaft, only one experience she had ever had shot to the front of her mind. Picturing Dusk’s cock, she slowly sunk to her knees and swallowed once, before leaning in, and planting a soft kiss to the tip. Giggling nervously to herself, Dash shook her head before looking up into Pinkie’s eyes. “I… I’ve never been with a stallion before. You did all this, just to make me feel more comfortable, Pinkie?”

She Moaned as Dash’s soft kiss added pressure to the strap-on’s thumb and caused it to shift and wiggle around inside her sex’s folds, teasing her in return. Wrapping her hands around the back of Dash’s head, scratching her fingers though the short but wild locks of the mares hair and pulling her head back in towards the rubber cock. “It’s my pleasure to be your stallion, Dashie! I can’t wait to hear the sounds you make when Jill gets to say hello properly!”

Enjoying the way Pinkie’s fingers teased through her hair and the pressure of Jackie in her ass, Dash leaned in at Pinkie’s request, spreading her lips and letting her tongue drag across the slick underside of Jill’s black flesh, drifting ever lower across the thick vein that ran from the tip to base, her right hand cupping up the weight of the fake ball sack and milking them with massaging strokes between her playful fingers. The way Pinkie shifted, moaned and ground into Dash’s hand made her grin harder. “I think I’ll be good friends with Jill;she’s such a dirty, dirty girl!”

Pinkie grinned, playful fingers slipping form Dash’s hair and down to her left ear, giving the tip of the lobe a squeeze and pull. “Then maybe you should teach her a lesson, Dashie! She loves the feeling of your tongue and fingers. Can’t you feel her shiver and wiggle as you stroke her?”

Blushing, Dash let her lips spread open, and slowly accepted the tip of the black shaft into her lips, absorbing the thick phallus slowly, but just as she was starting to get comfortable to the pressure of the flesh in her lips, the sudden buck and thrust of Pinkie’s hips drove it past the first two inches she had already accepted, driving the length deeper into her mouth until the tip impacted with the back of her throat. Gagging on the sudden pressure, Dash felt suddenly light-headed and slapped her hands onto Pinkie’s hips, gripping down and twisting her nails into her friend’s flesh, and the leather straps that kept the strapon in place.

Moaning at Dash’s nails raking across her flesh, Pinkie shivered a little, but paused, giving her a minute to get used to the pressure and catch her breath. As Dash’s breathing calmed again, Pinkie curled her nails around to scratch tenderly over the edge of her jawline, offering the mare a warm smile. “Mmmm… Maybe we should get out of the shower, Dash?”

Letting the artificial rubbery flesh pop out of her mouth and turning her head up as Pinkie scratched tenderly over her jawline, Dash grinned warmly up at her, and gave a nod. “Sure. But can Jackie stay? I don’t want her getting cold.”

Unable to restrain a snort of laughter, Pinkie nodded enthusiastically while shutting off the taps and bending over Dash’s head in the process. With her tits hanging over Dash’s head, her thin gold hoop piercings swayed a little. That was all the encouragement Dash needed, as she leaned up and gave both a teasing twist and tug, showing her experience from last time, when Pinkie showed them off to Dash. As a surge of pleasure roared through her nipples form Dash’s tender play with her piercings, Pinkie grinned down to her. “Maybe I should have bought you a matching pair? That way we could be nipple piercing twins!”

Still amazed by Pinkie’s hoops, Dash shook her head, standing up and cupping her friend close, nibbling at her lower lip while the last of the water ran out of the shower. “Nah, maybe someday as a toy, but your birthday gift tonight was the best. Introducing me to Jill was the nicest thing you’ve done for me, Pinkie.”

Blushing, but pushing up into Dash’s body, Pinkie gave her another lingering kiss, while Jill returned to grinding lustfully against the slightly taller pegasus mare’s nethers, begging for her chance to join the party. As their aggressive, passionate kiss ended, Pinkie gave Dash’s ass a teasing slap, grinning and nodding. “Let’s go to your bed. Jackie’s had her turn, Jill should get a chance to say hello to your cute ass!”

* * *

Dash’s bedroom was a mess, indicative of her lifestyle. Clean clothing still sat in the basket it had been delivered in, while dirty clothing was piled wherever she had thrown it off. Unmade, her bedsheets were fresh, but only because the mare she hired to do laundry was insistent on changing the sheets for her every week. Glad she had cleaned up before Gilda’s arrival, Dash still felt guilty for leading Pinkie into such a mess. All thoughts of that nature died the second Pinkie stepped up behind her and gripped the still-extruding base of the plug, and with slow care, pushed Dash to lay face down on the bed, while at the same time, began to wiggle and twist at Jackie’s base, pulling it out at a painfully slow rate, forcing Dash to lay face down, and lift her ass while a low hissing sound followed by a pop, as well as the release of pressure, let her knew the still very-well-oiled toy had at last escaped, her last thought before the roaring pleasure of an overwhelming orgasm blew away whatever other thoughts might have been on her mind.

Standing over Dash’s prone body, Pinkie placed Jackie on the bedside table, oily tip up. Giggling to herself, she scooted over and pulled out the bottle of lube from her travel bag, starting to softly whistle to herself while she worked. First came a fresh coat of oil for Jill, as Dash’s attention in the shower had thinned out the clear lube. Then, moving with athletic ease, Pinkie vaulted onto the bed just behind Dash’s upturned ass, the bottle of cold lube hovering over the other mare’s tail hole. With her eyes glazed over and her jaw slack, Pinkie realized that she had probably gone a little too quickly for Dash, and had pushed her into a blissful orgasm. Giggling again, she paused and lightly teased at the rainbow hues of Dash’s tail. "Don't pass out on me now, Dashie!"

As the blissful tides of her orgasm washed away, Dash forced herself to blink a few times, bringing Pinkie Pie into focus again. The realization that Pinkie had more in mind ran right over the opposing realization that she was face down on her bed with her butt thrust into the air. Groaning at the empty feeling in her ass, Dash flicked her tail across her hip, giving Pinkie full access again. Wiggling her hips and swaying her ass, Dash picked up a hint of Pinkie’s giggles, pouting as she looked back at the other mare. "Please, Pinkie! Don't make me beg!"

Giving Rainbow Dash a firm nod, Pinkie gave the bottle a squeeze, squirting a thick layer of sloppy clear gel across Dash's ass cheeks, allowing it to pile up. The cold goo had an instant effect, spreading goosebumps over the mares toned flesh. With both hands cupping up Dash’s cute ass, Pinkie began to squeeze and rub the lube around her cheeks and into the hole. As her massaging play got more intense, Dash responded by beginning to moan and groan, flexing her ass and pushing back into her hands.

Sure that things were now well prepared, Pinkie shifted her weight to her knees and adjusted them until Jill's fat tip aligned with Dash’s asshole. With one hand on Dash’s hip for support, Pinkie took a firm grip of the shaft, and aligned the slick head with Dash’s drenched tailhole. Bending her knees, the initial gooey squelch sounded as rubber thrust painstakingly slowly between those tight cheeks. As she continued to rub her hips forward, Dash rocked her hips backwards, adjusting her weight and shifting her legs to better support the mare plunging that rubber cock into her sensitive ass.

Straining to stay careful and tender, Dash’s rocking hips sent the strap-on’s thumb grinding against Pinkie's slick cunt walls. Leaning forward, Pinkie braced her weight by gripping the headboard's reinforced metal frame. It was only when she felt the pressure of the fake balls rubbing against her thighs and Dash's ass, that Pinkie realized that Dash had taken in all eight inches of Jill’s dense rubber. Giggling again, a bit unable to resist the swelling heat between her thighs, Pinkie leaned down, before whispering into Dash’s ear. "Greedy! I haven't even gotten that close with Jill yet!"

Unable to help herself, Dash shook her head, her unsuppressed snickering interrupted only by her reply. "Maybe..." Dash giggle-snorted, face down into her pillow. "Maybe Jill just likes me better!"

Pinkie gasped but quickly joined in with Dash. However, with both of them relaxed, Pinkie took a firm hold of the headboard, and began rocking her hips, aggressively grinding against Dash and causing the strap-on to twist, run, and thrust back and forth between Dash’s ass cheeks.

Moaning out and feeling greedy, Dash twisted her torso, lifting her chest up just enough to let her hands slide under her body, cupping her breasts and the still tender nipple studs. Experimenting at first, Dash squeezed the tender pink nubs in rhythm with Pinkie’s thrusts. As the gaping need in her cunt grew more and more demanding, Dash found herself forced to abandon her right breast, that hand was needed far more badly elsewhere.

Sinking three fingers up to their second knuckle, Dash began thrusting and grinding those digits in time with Pinkie’s affectionate thrusting. With her tongue lolling out of her mouth and her hips bucking backwards, pressing against that hard rubber phallus. As the groaning pleasure of a second climax peaked in her, Dash's wings reflexively shot open, spreading as widely as they could manage. From behind her, the sound of Pinkie’s thrusts halted and a harsh, needy moan escaped the earth mare’s slack jaw, before collapsing forward, curling her body on top of Dash’s sweaty back.

For a while, both mares lay gasping and moaning atop of one another. As she at last began to regain her breath, Pinkie shifted her head to the side and leaned over until she found the curve of Dash’s throat, letting her lips part while she sunk her teeth down into Dash’s flesh. When Dash groaned and shifted in response, Pinkie giggled, slipping her hands around Dash’s chest until she found those nipple piercings, rolling them gently between her squeezing fingers. Exhausted, Dash attempted to groan again, shaking her head. “No more, a mare needs her sleep!”

Shaking her head and giving the small piercings another short series of teasing rolls between her deft thumb and forefingers. At last satisfied, Pinkie leaned up whispering softly into Dash’s ear. “Nuh uh uh! You never let me play with them earlier. I’ll get my chance now, cause these little studs are so cute~!”

Relishing in Pinkie’s attention, Dash gave a little giggle, relenting to Pinkie’s playful fingers. Letting her eyes slide closed, she gave a few small moans of delight, shifting her head and adjusting her pillow to get a little more comfortable. “Pinkie, you win, just go easy on me. You’ve way too much stamina and I can’t keep up with you forever!”

As Dash relaxed and let her eyes slip closed, Pinkie relented on her tormenting fingers, lowering her body to rest against the mare’s back, dragging her fingers lazily over Dash’s wings and across her ribcage. “My pleasure, Dashie!” Leaning in close, she gave Dash one last peck on the cheek, the two mares sharing a small laugh.

* * *

Standing alone on the arrival platform at Ponyville train station, the sharp bite of the fall wind was a stark reminder that the mare was still wearing the thin and silky blue dress from Dash's birthday party. But how could she have refused Pinkie Pie's unique invitation? Besides, its timing was perfect and it gave her a chance to eat and drink properly while still maintaining her surveillance. With Dusk confirmed to be safely in bed and both a mare and the baby dragon guarding him, she hadn’t had time to go home and change, in a rush to meet the train as it was. And right on time, Canterlot's midnight express roared into Ponyville. 3:00am sharp.

Unsurprisingly, like most nights except for Derpy collecting the postal drop, there was nopony else around. As the train roared away without stopping, the soft sound of an impact upon the paving stones at her side was the only clue anypony was around. Turning from the tracks she waved goodbye to the disinterested mail mare, who was sleepily lifting the postal bag from the mail hook before flying home for bed.

It was only as she walked the silent streets alone that her shadowed companion spoke up. "Report, Agent 12. They hardly had the time to fill me in on your cover identity, and the situation reports you've been filing took most of the trip."

Without breaking her stride, Agent 12 answered her superior, never once shifting her gaze from the easy walking path. "Situation is currently unchanged. He asked the fourth mare for a date to watch the Wonderbolts. Will be an easy assignment for someone in Canterlot's wing. Unless Night Mother decides to supervise the event. No sightings of any mares with hair matching the suspect. Any updates on a possible identity we can go on?"

The shadows that enveloped the figure were so fragile, it made anything more then slow movement risky to the fragile web. Even now, she whispered her reply. "Three. But we are focused on one, she is the most likely, knows your target personally, and the princess identified the hair as possibly hers. I will provide you her dossier but you need to burn it after reading. And prepare all your tranq drugs. If half of what's in the breakdown of her known powers is true, she is too powerful a mage to fight and too smart of a tactician to ambush. The current plan is to takedown on sight. Tartarus already has a cell for her. No names though, for now just know her by her codename, the Infinite Witch."

Something about the whole situation began to worry Agent 12. Stopping before her boarding house door, she looked to the shadow figure, her voice whispering but concern couldn't be hidden from her tone. "And what should I call you by, ma'am?"

Before the shadowy mare could answer, Bonbon flung open her door,a panicked voice calling out to her border. "Oh, dear! You didn’t have to walk home alone without a decent jacket on a night like tonight, Minuette!" Turning she looked to the other mare her jaw dropping. "Oh! Is that why you had to go to the train station? Well hurry inside and warm up, dears. And don't worry, I've a spare room your marefriend can use."

The panic of realizing Bonbon's interruption had broken Minuette’s superior’s shadow spell was replaced by an easy lie she had been building up carefully since arriving in town. It was just a shock to have to waste a cover this good this quickly. "See? I told you she wouldn’t mind, cousin! Now come inside, it's cold!" Turning back to Bonbon she smiled and offered a quick nod. "Thank you so much for being so understanding! This is my cousin, the one I've been telling you about, the one with an abusive stallion and no family? Bonbon, meet my cousin, Lyra."

Author's Note

And another Interlude is live! Huge thanks to Flamerz, Frankie and ShadowThunder for their help on this one. Can't wait to see what you all think! Until than? I'm off to bed. See you all in Chapter 7: Boast Busters

Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 1

Laying in the dark, the morning after Dash’s birthday, Dusk felt the pressure of Rarity’s head on his chest, and the gentle, repetitive pressure of her calm breathing as she slept. As quietly as he could manage, Dusk lifted his hand and began to stroke his fingers through her silky hair. Relishing in the calm void, Dusk avoided touching his magic, avoided reaching out, and reminded himself of the shallow scar running nearly the length of his horn.

The soft sound of Barb’s knuckles rapping upon his bedroom door pulled the stallion from his muted doze. Drawing a blanket across Rarity’s bare back, Dusk spoke up, just loud enough to be heard by the dragoness' keen ears. "I am up, Barb. You can come in, but Rarity is still asleep."

The sound of the latch turning was heard, and the door sliding open was done with great care. Barb had already discovered the rough nature of Rarity when awoken too early in the morning. Yet today, for some reason that sharp line of dawn sunlight cut through Dusk's calm center, destroying the peaceful void he had been suspended in. Roaring back as harshly as the day before, the pain was disorienting.

None the wiser, Barb crossed the room and stepped up to Dusk’s side of the bed, looking worriedly up at the bare-chested stallion. "You’re up? Sorry, it's just that you never sleep in this late, so I was kinda worried..."

Lifting a hand, Dusk cupped the dragoness' head, curving his nails in to scratch through her spines and over her scales. The rough and leathery texture of her hide was distracting, but the soothing pressure helped a little. Keeping his voice to a low whisper, Dusk offered her a smile. "It is okay, Barb. I was just enjoying the quiet of the predawn. If you haven't already made something, I will be down in ten, fifteen minutes. But first, a shower."

Quietly trilling at Dusk's scratching fingers affectionate attention, the tiny dragoness gave him a nod, smiling warmly up at him. "I'll chill a few grapefruit for you two."

The dragoness turned away and scampered out the door, the meaning of her words not sinking in, until Dusk felt Rarity’s hand slide under the blankets and stroke across his ribcage, her voice a soft mumble. "With a name like Dusk, I never expected you to be a morning person. Now you're forcing me to adapt."

Laughing gently at her pouty lip, Dusk leaned in, and planted a firm kiss to cover the trembling mare’s pouting mouth with his own. As they relaxed in one another’s arms for a minute, the soft stroke of Rarity’s finger drifted the course of his horn. "Dusk, I know this is probably a bad time, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

As the stallion peeked up, Rarity’s soft touch continued, avoiding too much pressure on his horn while still keeping up contact. A soothing trick if done well. Leaning in against her bare frame, Dusk gave her a nod. "Go ahead, if it's within my power, I'll do it."

Grinning widely up to him, Rarity leaned in, and gave his cheek a soft kiss. Releasing a quiet sigh against his face she lowered her head to rest on his chest again. "Sweetie Belle's teacher, Miss Cheerilee, asked me to give a basic course on magic for the school foals. Nothing fancy, but not exactly my... er... speed? So to speak. With the way you handle your magic, I just thought-"

Dusk gave her a nod, his eyes brimming with sudden inspiration. "Teach? A class of foals? I would love to!" He paused, squinting at her for a moment. "Are you sure Cheerilee won't mind?"

Laughing, Rarity gently smacked his chest. "Are you kidding? She said she would have asked you, but was worried about troubling you. Now... about that shower."

* * *

Dusk shut the book and settled it back down upon the desk, looking over the classroom, offering them all a smile. “Now, as many of you may know, every clan has their own magic. In the earth pony’s, it manifests as incredible strength, stamina, and an innate connection with the land. Great earth ponies can farm a desert, like the new town of Appaloosa, where a clan of earth pony farmers are making a orchard from nothing but sand and their own dedication.” It was monday afternoon, but Dusk had prepared quickly for this thrilling little task.

Clicking the button on the slide projector, Dusk allowed the foals a good look at the pictures from a recent update on the town’s situation given to Princess Celestia. Giving them twenty seconds or so to admire the dull valley with its two natural springs, Dusk advanced to the next slide, revealing the view of the valley today, with a small grove of apple trees growing around each spring. “Most earth ponys don’t even fully understand this magic, it simply bleeds from them as they work the land, bringing life to the unlivable. Next,” Dusk called out, clicking the button again, revealing a slide of Ponyville’s weather team dealing with storm clouds that had strayed out from the Everfree Forest. “This is a sight you all probably remember. One of your fellow school colts took this picture of Rainbow Dash and her weather team last week, fending off a storm. Manipulating the weather is a far more active job than the earth pony’s growing power, but in exchange, the pegasus clan can also stand on clouds, and brew up a storm if needed. All very impressive, right?”

Allowing the next few slides of different examples of the pegasus to stay on screen for a minute all together, Dusk looked over the kids, most of whom were occupied by the show. The fact that Scootaloo cried out a muffled ‘Its Rainbow Dash!’ when he clicked through the slides made him laugh a little himself; how could he resist? Moving on, Dusk brought up the next slide, not shocked by the gasp given by the foals in the room. “Now before we continue with the three clans of Equestria, let’s talk about the so-called ‘lost’ clans. First is the Zebra.” The slide on the screen had been a long debate with Miss Cheerilee, in the end, Dusk had convinced her the ‘traditional cultural dress’ may be revealing, but anything else would be a lie. A proud Zebra mare stood in the long sivanna grass, wind blowing her hair and her long tan skirt, hanging between her legs past her knees and wrapping a thin band around her hips. A matching thin bra wrap covered her breasts, with her long wild hair hanging down half over her eyes and blowing in the wind.

“Unlike the other ‘lost’ clans, the zebra are still a powerful, thriving population. However, after the Windigo migration, they found a new homeland far to the west in a much warmer climate. Their magic is an interesting middle ground between the flexible and adaptable powers of the unicorn clan, and the nature magic of the earth clan. They can touch any plant and know its use in medicine instantly. Almost all of our major advancements in drugs and health care have come thanks to the rediscovery of the lost zebra tribes.”

The rich sound of the projector slipping slides again, this time the confused sounds from the students were far louder, and a lot more shocked. The new slide was of the last living pair of crystal pony’s, an elderly brother and sister pair who had gone childless, probably a side effect of so many years of inbreeding. Even as old as they were, their odd crystal sheen was as plain as day, almost acting like a tiny mirror like reflection to the light sources in the room. “This pair was the last of a line of the only extinct tribe, the crystal ponies. Their magic is complex and misunderstood, but in truth, each member of their tribe acted as a power source for their Queen, who channeled the empire’s magic through a relic known as the Crystal Heart. Sadly, just as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna discovered their powerful magic, the Queen of the Crystal Empire was betrayed and murdered by her son, and in a battle with The Princesses, the empire as a whole was wiped out from the world, when the dark lord refused to give a single inch of ground.” Shaking his head, Dusk offered a sigh, his fingers clicking over to the last slide for this presentation.

The photo of Silken Flight and Princess Luna had been snapped by that same keen colt, and Dusk was now sure he knew the kid would have his cutie mark any day now when he realized his talent for photography. “And thus, we arrive at the last of the ‘lost’ clans. The bat pegasi are considered near-extinct, but as the night time counterpart of pegasus ponies, the bat pegasi have a keen echo sense in addition to weather magic. They are slower flyers than their daytime kin, but make up for it with this extra sense. Short of a silence spell, it is impossible to sneak around a bat pony, their senses are that sharp.”

Clicking over to one extra slide he had included, Dusk raised his voice with soft respect. The image of both Princesses standing together in full regalia had only been printed in the last few weeks, but already it was making the rounds among more religious families. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were the only Alicorns in Equestrias history, until the birth of Princess Cadence. It was argued for years that she was simply a mutation, with the combination of a pegasus’ wings, and a unicorn’s horn. At one time, there were even rumors that she had been born a pegasus, who was tormented by a mare by the name of Prismia, inundated by the sin of envy, who used her as an experiment in recreating an Alicorn’s immortality. But as she matured and found her talent, she also proved she has a earth pony’s strength. With all doubt removed, Princess Cadence proves that the Alicorn’s might someday become a tribe of their own, but for now, the three Princesses are alone in our world.”

The sound of a few of the more religious foal’s in the room whispering prayers to the princess as Dusk shut off the projector. Stepping up to stand before the class while Cheerilee turned the lights on again, Dusk looked across the class. “Now, I skipped over my own people, because our magic is the most controllable, while also being the most dependent of our cutie marks. For example, here in town we have people like Rarity, whose talent lies in a keen fashion sense, yet her magic allows her some skill with most light, telekinesis, and energy spells. Sadly, other’s are not so strong, and magic that doesn’t directly relate to their cutie mark are beyond their capacity.”

As Dusk paused for a moment to let this concept sink in, one of the fillies lifted her hand, Sweetie Belle’s voice quiet and worried. “And what about your talent, Dusk? Cause Rarity says there isn’t any magic you can’t use, even her gem-finding spell.”

Laughing a little, Dusk pulled open his shirt’s collar a little, revealing his own cutie mark on the curve of his throat. “My cutie mark represents my connection to magic, Sweetie Belle. Rather than be limited by any one focus, my magic allows me to learn and expand on any magic I’ve seen. But it’s exhausting to cast a spell without really knowing how it works. Copying dragon magic that Barb uses every day without even thinking nearly put me into a coma.”

Another filly, one Dusk didn’t recognize with gray hair raised her hand, answering him in a polite, serious tone. “And what if a mare’s talent is copying someone else’s magic? Would that be as draining as yours?”

Shocked at the insightful concept, Dusk shook his head, but smiled to the mare. “Never heard of such a talent, but I’m sure it would be disorienting. Think of it: the endless compulsion to do things that come naturally to others, yet not something you have any interest in.”

* * *

Dusk smiled down to Sweetie Belle, offering the filly his hand to hold as they walked out of the school. Grinning brightly up at him, the filly gripped his hand and stood tall, walking at his side while offering him a beaming smile. “Dusk… Rarity told me about your horn. Does it really hurt that badly? She says its giving you trouble with your magic…” The girls voice trailed off as she realized she might be pushing things a little too far, blushing and looking down. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

Dusk winced as he realized just how much his trauma must be effecting Rarity, for her to talk to her little sister so frankly about the matter. Scooping down and lifting the filly up, Dusk settled her on his shoulder, supporting her in place with a hand on her back. “It’s getting better, Sweetie Belle. Don’t get too worried, I have found that small magic, like what I had you practise in class today, doesn’t bother me. I think I just need a few weeks off, things have simply been crazy as of late.”

Relaxing in his arms, and resting against his head, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but lift a finger and stroke the scar on his horn, gasping at how deep the scar really ran. “Okay, Dusk… But if it starts hurting again a bunch more, tell me. Momma showed me how to apply oil to sooth grandpa’s horn pain.”

Laughing gently, Dusk nodded, holding out his free hand to the young filly to shake. “Alright, Sweetie, we have a deal.” The rising noise of a crowd in town square picked up Dusk’s attention. Turning to walk towards the gathering crowd, he grinned to the filly. “Let’s stop and see what is going on here before heading home. I’m sure Rarity will understand.” When she returned his grin and nod, Dusk turned into the center of town.

* * *

“Who will be next? Whose talent will the Great and Powerful Trixie outdo? For 25 bits, you to can challenge Trixie’s powerful magic, her fabulous ability has never been suppressed by any rival!” Dusk froze on the far edge of the town square, his grip on Sweetie Belle’s knees tightened in shock. Standing proud upon the stage was a mare he hadn’t seen since she had challenged her master’s exam just after the last Winter Wrap Up.

Frozen in shock, Dusk could only quietly mumble to himself, watching as some random mare took to the stage set up in town square, handing over a small sack of bits to the unicorn. “Beatrix…?”

Sweetie Belle fell silent herself as she realized something was bothering Dusk, looking back and forth between the stallion whose shoulders she sat on, and the mare upon the stage. “Dusk… is something wro-” The sudden whoosh of wind pulled the filly’s attention back to the stage, to witness the show that had so many of the townsponies fascinated. Downdraft had performed her rapid backflip and landing, with the accompanying blast of wind with the power of her impact. Already, everypony was laughing and cheering, all attention turned to the showmare on the stage, everyone wondering how she could replicate a pegasus’ talent.

Scoffing, the mare threw her long hair over her shoulder, and stood up to her full height. Holding her arms out at shoulder level, the glow of pale magenta magic poured out and formed into wispy wings, intangible yet finely detailed, with feathers shifting slightly in the breeze. In three swift flicks of her ‘wings’, she shot into the air, spiraling in place and then backflipping, before shooting down to the stage once more. The burst of wind from her impact nearly blew Downdraft from the stage, and a dozen mares in the crowd lost their hats. Even as the magically created wings dissipated, the clapping started up again, the roar of the crowd, impressed by such a show of skill, was deafening.

Sweetie Belle was shocked, her fingers shifting to grip on Dusk’s hair for to help balance her while she leaned forward, shaking her head. “That magic, Dusk! It was strong! Like when Nightmare Moon was attacking the guards, right? How’d she do that??!”

Dusk’s eyes were no longer on the stage, they had picked up the movement of two mares he knew from school. Two mares who shouldn’t be here, together. Who shouldn’t have even known one another. The fact that Minuette was carrying a longbow strapped over her shoulders as she crossed behind the distracted crowd was even more worrying. “Sweetie Belle, hold on tight. We need to go. Now.”

Her eyes wide, the filly looked around, trying to spot what had the stallion so worried, her eyes shot wide while she shivered, sensing his fear. “But… why Dusk? What’s going on?”

Shaking his head and turning, Dusk moved as fast as he could while still holding the filly balanced upon his shoulders. He had no time to put her down, and couldn’t dare risk leaving Rarity’s little sister behind, not when two mares suddenly appeared from thin air, moving through the crowd wielding weapons. Not when Beatrix had just cast a spell in seconds that he knew he couldn’t have copied without ten minutes of serious preparation.

* * *

Halfway across the open town square, Lyra suddenly froze, tackled Minuette and thrust her into the tight alleyway between two business buildings. A hand over the other mare’s mouth, she shook her head, whispering into her ear. “That shockwave. It blew off our shadow spell. Who knows who might have seen us. Set up here.” She paused, looking back over her shoulder at the mare on the stage, shaking her head. “Do you have your ring?”

Minuette stopped her attempt to argue over the situation and pulled the horn ring from her cloak’s pocket, letting the older mare see it for a moment. Pocketing it again, she took Lyra’s words seriously, pulling her longbow from her shoulder and quickly re-stringing the bow. Using Lyra’s body and the narrow alleyway for cover, she pulled off her cloak, using two daggers to pin it to the wall of the store at her side. The dozen wooden arrows hidden in the cloak had no bolts attached, and with deft hands, Minuette drew one arrow, gripping it in her teeth. Flexing her arms and cracking her neck, she stood on her tiptoes, looking over Lyra’s shoulder to get a sense of their distance from the stage and the crowd that was in the way. Still speaking quietly despite the roar of the crowd, she kept her mind blank. “About forty, forty-three meters? Crowd of say, a hundred and ninety or so?”

Lyra leaned forward, extending her arms to lift her cloak to form a better shield for Minuette’s actions, while also letting her peer around the town center, answering back only a little louder. “Make it forty-seven if you’re staying back that far. And probably closer to two-hundred-and-four total.” Pulling her hands back into her cloak, she drew three more horn rings free, sliding one down her own green horn. As the metal came into contact with her horn, the mare had to rest her weight for a moment against the wall of the building, panting for breath. Looking back up at her assistant, she leveled a glare. “We have no clue how far her power extends. If I fail and you have to engage her, put on the horn ring. It’s disorienting, but it should keep her from using your powers, or reading you.” Forcing herself to stand up again, Lyra stepped to the mouth of the alleyway again, palming the two spare horn rings and focusing her glare across the crowded square, she took one step forward, while dropping her cloak on the dirt behind her. “When I get to the edge of the stage, take your shot. I doubt you’ll get a second.”

* * *

Trixie turned, smiling as the new mare stepped up onto the stage. Waving as some of her friends cheered, Rarity blew them a playful kiss before stepping up to Trixie’s side. “Darling! You’ve done fantastically already. I really do think you should come meet my stallion, he will simply love to get to know how you manage such magic! His name is-”

Laughing, Trixie shook her head, “Trixie could care less about some bumbling backwater stallio-” Suddenly cutting herself off, Trixie’s eyes went wide and she stepped up to Rarity, gripping the older mare by the shoulders while her voice went frantic. “He is here? At the school? We need to see him! N-” The sound of a bowstring twanging with the violent release of a single arrow split the air in the square. At nearly the same time, a tall unicorn mare leapt to the stage in a single bound, charging across the planks from the other side. Trixie’s grip on Rarity’s body never faltered, instead, in the moments between the arrow being loosed from its bow, and its impact with a suddenly erected magenta version of Shining Armor’s shield spell, she had pulled the older mare closer to her body, almost hugging her close.

Attempting silence wasn’t needed, as Lyra was far from a subtle sight, dressed in mithril-studded leather armor, she rushed across the stage, attempting to close the gap as fast as she might manage. Even then, she was too slow. Trixie turned, and, dropping the shield spell, she lifted a foot, slamming it violently down upon the stage between them. The rumble of wood was followed with a violent splintering sound, collapsing the wood under the charging spy’s feet and sending her sprawling flat on her face. Scrambling to stand up, the sound of a second twang split the now-silent air, followed almost instantly by a third and fourth. This time, Trixie needed no preparation, the orb of a shield spell was replaced by a flat shield that shifted flawlessly into place, blocking every shot from the distant alleyway.

Lyra was scrambling to her feet, the horn rings popped around her fingers to give her hands nearly full range of motion. Twin daggers drawn from her hip-sheaths, she leapt back onto the stage, her voice crying out an order. “In the name of Princess Celestia, let the mare go and stand down, Infinite Witch. We have orders to take you peacefully if possible, but if you continue to resist-”

Laughing now, while blood ran freely from her nose, Trixie drew the magenta shield spell from it’s duty of blocking bolts, throwing it through the air with a lazy sweep of her hand. Moving swiftly, the flattened circle of magic slammed into Lyra’s chest, collapsing around her wrists and ankles. Finding herself unable to move, Lyra’s eyes went wide, her head shaking in fear. “How!??”

“Hmph, did you REALLY think such a pitiful means of attack could reach Trixie? Don’t make her laugh!” The sudden noise of the crowd being forced apart behind her wasn’t enough to make Trixie look back over her shoulder, instead a second flattened version of the shield spell suddenly formed right in front of Minuette’s path to the stage, collapsing over her wrists and ankles as well, dropping her flat on her face. “Trixie didn’t want this.” The mare began, her mood dropping as she continued. “She had a plan. It was a good one too! Why couldn’t you just be quiet and let her talk to the stallion!?” Near weeping, Trixie finally let go of Rarity, a violent cough into her balled fist was matched with a momentary glow of the spells restraining both spies. Turning to glare at Rarity, rather than them, she crossed arms over her chest, squeezing her own ribs while refusing to unball her fists. “Where is the stallion? We must find him.”

* * *

Dusk kicked open the library door. He knew he should have gone back, but he couldn’t, not with Sweetie Belle cradled in his arms. He had been forced to stop long enough to do that much, the filly was too heavy to run full out while carrying her on his shoulders. “BARB! LETTER! NOW!” settling the filly down and locking his door behind him, Dusk frantically looked around for a moment, before casting his magic out, and ripping a bookshelf from the hallway wall, throwing it against the door. Before his reactive use of magic dawned on him, the pain shot through his horn, dropping him to his knees. Blind and swimming in the pain, Dusk panted for breath, struggling to prop his body up on his open palms while the world around him slipped in and out of focus, often lingering in that darkness for several seconds at a time.

It was the weight of a damp cloth wrapped around his horn that finally dulled the pain enough to focus again. Looking up, he realized that the filly had cradled his head in her lap and was holding Barb’s soaked dish cloth to his horn. She was even saying something… no not saying, singing, but in his delirious state, Dusk could hardly make out the words.

The sound of footsteps roaring down the steps revealed Barb, and the bottle of black pain medication. She didn’t bother finding the cotton swabs, instead thrusting his horn into the bottle directly. Only as the black goo soaked into his horn, did his hearing return, and the roaring pain dulled into background noise. “-as all that noise from town center, Sweetie Belle??”

Before the filly could answer, Dusk slipped his hands around her hips, pushing her to stand up. “Go to the basement, lock the door, and stay there until Rarity comes. Quickly, I can’t risk you getting hurt.”

Shocked, and looking back over her shoulder, Sweetie did as instructed, hesitatingly looking back over her shoulder several times. As the latch fell into place, Dusk gripped Barb’s apron, pulling the dragoness down to his eye level. “Letter to the princess. Why are Luna’s agents attacking Beatrix? Why is Beatrix in Ponyville? Why is Lyra in town? Why!?” The sound of a second explosive wave of magic might have been silent to any other pony, but as the distant fight continued, Dusk could feel every sudden flare-up of magic. As if every unicorn in Ponyville were casting the same spell at the same time, and channeling it all together. The excessive flow drew even at his magic, leaving him light-headed as he curled his knees up against his chest, attempting to dry the pain-wracked, heavy tears from his cheeks.

Dusk felt the magic calm, and yet felt no reassurance from that. Drawing his body up, while supporting the drooling bottle of black ooze with one hand, he forced himself to step up, and walk up the staircase, leaning his body’s full weight upon the railing. With sticky black goo running down his forehead and across his cheeks, Dusk staggered to his balcony. Looking across Ponyville, he could sense it, a powerful presence was moving across town, heading directly towards him. No choices left, Dusk summoned up his magic, licking black goo from his lips, while panting for breath. He had never seen Armor try a shield spell this large, but he had to try. He had to protect Barb and Sweetie Belle.

* * *

Rainbow Dash froze in mid-sentence, turning from her father to stare back towards Ponyville. “Wha-?”

Blitz shook his head, placing his coffee cup on the table between them. “What? Is something wrong?”

Bolting to her feet and rushing to the window, Dash threw it open, staring out in the direction of her new home. “Didn’t you feel that? It was magic. Like… Like when Dusk and Shining Armor were using their shield spells. I… I think I’m needed back in Ponyville, dad…”

The worrying manner of his daughter’s behavior instantly set Blitz’s nerves on edge. Stepping to her side and shutting the window, he gripped her shoulders, leveling his gaze on her. “If your dinner is going to be interrupted, I’m coming with you.” When she started to offer him protests, the stallion shook his head. “You might be an important woman now, but you’re still my little girl. I won’t let you go into danger, alone and blind.”

Blushing at his words, Dash gave him a nod, moving to collect her things before rushing to the door, already flexing out her wings while her nerves burned at this brief delay. When Blitz returned, she realized why he had taken so long. Carrying two light lances, he offered her the thinner, longer mithril weapon. “Your mother’s. Yours now. The Wonderbolts are not always a display team. You know how to use it? Properly?”

Awed, Dash slowly nodded to him, accepting the featherweight lance and adjusting to its balance. “It’s been a few months… but I think I can adjust. But Dad, mithril lances? Is THIS where you spent all your retirement money?”

The stallion gave her a shrug, his voice soft. “After your mo-” He paused swallowing back his own pain. “After the doctors couldn’t do anything more for her, the ‘bolts gave me our lances as a retirement gift. Now let’s go, your town’s in trouble, right?”

Due to it’s wandering nature, Cloudsdale often drifted close to Canterlot, yet even from here, high in the sky over the capital, the sudden flare-up of magic in Ponyville was visible to the naked eye. Flares mixed brilliant magenta and pale raspberry tainted the night’s sky in the east, in contrast to the setting sun in the west. A shiver of fear rippled down Dash’s spine as she felt that familiar magic a few seconds later. “Yes, something is very wrong.”

Author's Note

Going for shorter parts this time to get the story out faster! Thanks to Flamers, Frankie, ShadowThunder, and my new idea man, Barry C.

As always, feedback is appreciated!

Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 2

It was worse now, worse than it had ever been. Even in Canterlot, even in school. She had always been able to sort through the noise and find what she needed. Now they were all in chaos, and the only solid line of thought she could sort out from the raging noise were the cries for a saviour. The need for rescue. Most pleaded to the goddess, but didn't they understand she was just going to come after them if they showed they were just like those that had come after her? She found some comfort in the voices that plead for the stallion’s help. It was all she had wanted! Now she was forced to reach out further than she had ever done before, seeking out more to help her, instead of hunting for a way to block them out. The barrier somehow prevented her from touching him now. He had been there a moment before, then suddenly, he was gone. She still chased after the ghostly echoes of his voice, but they all came from outside her reach. No matter! She had to break through his barrier. Canterlot wasn't so far away, surely if she could expand herself that far, she might find enough voices to break down his wall with the raw noise of their screaming.

* * *

Dusk’s shield spell had held up, against all odds, and the blinding pain that had overwhelmed Dusk before was somehow dimming, allowing him the time to be shocked at how far he had been able to extend Shining Armor’s shield spell, eclipsing the whole of the tree house library, and so far, holding together against the pressure from outside. With a slow sigh, the stallion turned away from the balcony, taking a single step back into the house.

A sudden burst of pressure against the bubble tore his attention back to the spell, bending the bubble inwards at a single point, the front door. A sudden shriek told Dusk more than he wanted to know. Fighting the twisting pain radiating from his horn, Dusk leapt over the railing, and half-fell, half-ran down the last few steps to the main floor.

Beatrix Lulamoon, no Trixie, stood encased in a distended bubble of Dusk’s shield spell, encased in the glowing magic and panting for breath. In her arms, Barb squirmed and wiggled, her arms and legs bound together with brilliant glowing magenta magic restraining her movement. Snapping her gaze to Dusk, the mare leveled her gaze, and for a moment, Dusk felt as if she was looking through him. Her voice was distant and whispering as she held her glare upon him. “The stallion. At last! The great and powerful Trixie knew she would find you here if she searched hard enough. Why did everything have to be so hard? Trixie didn’t want any of this.”

The sight of little Barb tied up and squirming was too much for Dusk. Falling to his knees, the stallion lifted a hand towards the mare, fingers grasping at thin air while tears run freely down his cheeks. “Please… Just, don’t hurt her.”

Realizing she had the dragon still trapped in her arms, the mare shook her head, a dribble of the blood pouring freely from her nose splattering against the shield wall that separated them. “Trixie will take the dragoness, insurance she will not be attacked again. She has put up enough with your Princess and her betrayal of Trixie. Trixie will return to talk with you again when she has properly rested.” Turning away from the broken stallion, Trixie put the still-fighting dragoness upon her shoulder, walking back out of the bubble. In his sorrow, Dusk had no strength to watch her steal away his dear little sister, or he might have seen her half-collapse against the doorframe, suppressing a bloody cough into her hand.

* * *

"No, Shining Armor. And that's my final word on it. I've made too many mistakes in handling Trixie, I will not allow an armed attack on Ponyville, it will only make everything worse."

Frustrated, the guard captain turned to glare up into the Princess' eyes. Even then, his iron nerves were fraying under the powerful goddess' judging gaze. Despite himself, Armor tried again. "Your majesty, he is my only brother. We all know how far you went to save Princess Luna; can you deny me the same chance to help my sister?"

The goddess winced at his question, but would not relent. Placing both her hands flat upon the table between them, she leveled her gaze at the stallion. But sympathy was in her voice, even if her eyes were hard. "The mare is too dangerous to attack, and with Barb and Dusk separated, we have only one chance. Silken Flight, you need to smuggle a message to Dusk. Find a messenger, any messenger, but they can not know of any of this. Dusk is our only chance to show reason to the mare, I only wish I'd seen this sooner."

Silken Flight turned to look up to the princess, her voice very calm compared to the highly stressed ponies she shared the room with. "And still no word from your sister or Princess Cadence? If anyone could show the mare sympa-"

Shining Armor snorted, shaking his head in disgust. "She assaults two of your spies. She kidnaps my brother and infact the whole town he is in. She shuts down the train line because it passes too close to her town. And the only demand she let Barb send us is a single word. "Quiet". If the mare hears voices, send her the name of that nurse. Cadence said she was good at helping the flightless pegasus filly, Scootaloo I believe Dusk called her."

Both mares had shared a cross look at Shining Armor's interruption, yet as he turned from anger to thoughtful commentary, Princess Celestia couldn’t help but smile. "And that is why I invited you to this conference. I will reply to Barb’s latest letter immediately. Maybe if the nurse can give her the quiet she wants, we can get access to Dusk. Maybe he can get through to her how much I regret everything that’s happened until now."

Shining Armor shook his head, turning to storm from the room. "She kidnaps my little sister to use as a messenger pigeon. Just another black mark on her name."

Celestia noticeably winced as Shining Armor left, and Silken Flight never missed little signs like that. "Your majesty, is it safe to let him go storming around that frustrated? I know he has served you well on the past, but can’t you give him something to keep him busy?"

Shaking her head, the princess gave the mare a smile. "Shining’s just torn. Princess Cadence will return any hour now, even as far to the north as they had to travel, she can't be much longer. Once she is back he will calm, and then if Dusk fails to bring peace to the poor mare, Cadence is sure to be able to. I only hope she doesn't hurt anypony else in the meantime."

* * *

The train station was silent, save for the soft scribble of Barb’s quill over a sheet of parchment. For a while, Lyra had wondered if Trixie had forgotten the rest of them. The shocking part had been how little security she put into keeping them captive. Another slow circle of the parcel cage showed the exact same flaws as the last lap. For a long time as she watched the other six mares locked in the steel cage, she wondered why Trixie had made the decision to pick those mares specifically. "Applejack and Rarity make sense. They were right there when we attacked, and both are important to Dusk. Poor Barb got in her way when she tried to break into Dusk's house. And Minuette was helping me. But why take the mail mare and her daughter? They are the quiet type, maybe that has something to do with it? She was screaming such incoherent madness at Barb in response to Princess Celestia's letters."

"Why are you silent? Why doesn't your voice scream for Trixie’s attention like the others!?" In her distracted musing, Lyra had missed Trixie’s return, the mare’s eyes were wide and haunted, while she leaned into the bars of the parcel lockup and stared unblinkingly at Lyra. "Your partner says it’s because of the ring you wear. If it makes your voice silent, tell Trixie where she can find more. The quiet is disturbing, but Trixie can't stand the noise of so many voices screaming all at once."

Lyra almost laughed at the question. The demand was nearly a mirror to what they had been told was planned for her. "Trixie, the ring does make things quiet. Maybe if you put it on, you'd fin-"

Nearly sobbing, Trixie peddled back a few feet from the imprisoned mare. "Trixie remembers what the Princess planned for her. The metal cage in Tartarus. Trixie doesn't want the silence forever, just some quiet so she can sleep for once." Shaking her head while her lower lip trembled uncontrollably, Trixie stepped forward, cautiously, as if she thought the caged mare was a snake who might suddenly strike her. "What is the silence like? Does it hurt not to hear the voices around all time time?"

Lyra wasn’t sure how much of what the mare said was raw lunacy, and how much of Minuette’s briefing Trixie had been able to collect. "If only she had listened to me and put on her damn horn ring." Taking a step towards the bars and the manic mare on the other side, she felt almost guilty as Trixie again pulled away from her, almost like a beaten animal, afraid of the monster she thought haunted her every step. "I can’t use my magic. That's the real price of silence. Supposedly it also suppresses your cutie mark, but since my talent is music, it's never bothered me." She watched the mare slowly approach the cage. Trixie stared up at Lyra with bloodshot eyes and gripped the bars.

"If... suppose if the nurse mare who helped the stallion is unable to help Trixie... how could Trixie trust you not to take advantage of her weakness should she put on one of those rings?"

Lyra felt it now. An opening. Even this moment of weakness was a chance. Slipping her fingers into the leather folds of her armor, she offered the frantic mage a small silk pouch, the weight of an extra horn ring hidden inside. "If you feel you can't trust me Trixie, take this. It's a horn ring like mine. No locks on it. If Nurse Redheart can't help you find some quiet, flee into the Everfree Forest and put on this ring. None will dare follow you into that forest, and with this ring, maybe you’ll finally get some sleep."

Lyra didn't know how long Trixie stared at that pouch and the ring hidden within, accessing the offer like a viper was inside the pouch. She at last spoke up, her voice serious. "Take off your ring. Let Trixie hear your voice and know the truth."

Fear ran through Lyra’s veins. The insane mare was right. All she needed to do was slip the ring off for a second, and they would be finished. Carefully, Lyra wrapped her free hand around the silver ring on her green horn, pulling in slowly up, until it made no more contact with her horn. "Just focus on the truth. She can only read surface thoughts, and the truth is this ring is safe. It's safe Trixie. Trixie I promise, its safe."

Grinning almost like a child, Trixie snatched the sealed pouch from Lyra’s fingers, examining it with wonder dancing in her eyes. Lyra let the horn ring slide back into place, breathing a sigh of relief. "Trixie thanks you, Heartstrings. It has been so long since Trixie saw you at the school… But then, Trixie doesn’t remember really caring for anyone back at the school; they were all so loud, so many voices, so angry all the time...” Her voice drifted off, lost trying to sort between half memories, attempting to separate her own from all the others who had insisted in flooding her mind.

“Yeah, that’s the way children are, most speaking without ever really thinking.” Trying to keep Trixie calm, Lyra hunted, searching for any new inroads, some way past Trixie’s insanity. Hunting for some answer, some way to help understand her captor further.

But it was Trixie who ended this stalemate, or rather, the sudden arrival of a new threat. “Who is it now? When she already has four hundred voices, why must two more come clattering in!?” Her attention torn away, Trixie ran from the train box, leaving her captives alone again.

Rarity turned slowly to look at Lyra, her eyes red with worry. "Lyra,what is wrong with her? Why is she always complaining about us making so much noise? We haven't said anything in an hour and still she acts as if we were screaming. Is she having some kind of breakdown?" The sudden crash of an impact against the wall of the train yard ended this attempt at conversation and revealed the arrival of Rainbow Dash. It had only been a few minutes since Trixie left, yet the pegasus mare rushed to the gated cage, rushing the locked door in a single, smooth burst of speed, crushing the simple metal lock in that blow. Rushing inside, her breath was a swift pant as she moved straight to Rarity and Applejack, speaking with a rapid-fire commentary along the way. “We gotta go! Right now, girls! Anyone hurt? She reacts nearly as fast as I can fly! I doubt dad will be able to keep her out of here for more than a minute or two!”

Rarity was quickly on her feet, and, rushing to Derpy’s side, she pulled the mare to her feet, smiling down to the filly at her side. Derpy still winced at the sight of Dash’s assault on the lock, mumbling softly to herself. “I could’a told you where the key was, Dashie… They make me pay for all the breakage these days, no matter how many people sign witness statements.”

Rolling her eyes, Dash rushed to Derpy’s side as well, using a soft grip on Dinky’s hands and tossing the filly across her own shoulders. “Look, I’ll pay for it, no problem. Let’s GO!” Yet even as she rushed the filly outside the cage, the sight of Lyra and Minuette sitting right where they had been the whole time made her pause. Passing the foal to AJ and turning back to step back in, she waved to the mares, her voice more worried, quieter now. “Um, girls? LET’S GO!!!”

When Minuette started to stand, Lyra gave a single sharp gesture, ordering her to sit back down. “Get the filly and her mother to safety. We will remain. If you can somehow get word to Dusk, tell him…” Her voice slowly trailed off, worried for a moment. She couldn’t say too much, couldn’t give too much information, or Trixie might figure out the real meaning behind it faster than Dusk could manage to keep up. As the sound of an explosion echoed in the air high above the train yard, Dash visibly winced, and Lyra rushed her final response. “Tell Dusk: ‘A solo act can be stronger than any duo, but how long can one sing without another's echo?’”

With this sudden cryptic message delivered, Dash bolted after the retreating mares, stopping only long enough to snatch back up her lance, adjusting to its weight almost effortlessly. When they had been alone for a few minutes, Minuette made a small gesture, her voice speaking frankly, yet quietly. “You are safe from her, Lyra. She remembers you as her elder in school. And your ring keeps her out of your mind. But I’m open ground for her; why do you want me to stay?”

“Because you are Princess Luna’s agent. You know two-thirds of Trixie’s history. And you are open for her to read. With all of that put together, staying gives us another chip to convince her we really are willing to try and talk. Put your presence together with Barb’s lette-” The sudden realization that Barb still sat on a stack between them struck down like a hammer. Frantic, Lyra leapt up and rushed to the dragoness’ side, attempting to force the small girl to stand and flee. “Barb, GO! We need to be here, but you don’t, you-”

The dragoness shook her head a single time, crossing her arms over thin chest. “I had to read and write those letters. I want to get back to Dusk as quickly as I can, but something horrible is happening in the mind of that mare! Let me stay, I might be able to help, somehow.”

Lyra winced, yet realized that the young dragon had a point. And Trixie had never once shown any threat to her. In fact, had Trixie never even complained about Barb’s voice… “Could the mare be unable to touch the dragon? It’s possible, she is quite different from a mare.” Backing off, Lyra instinctively stroked her fingers through the spikes of Barb’s spines, murmuring softly. “Alright. But if she gets unbalanced, get behind me, or go for cover. I promise I’ll do everything I can to get you home safely.”

Trixie burst in the already-ajar door, storming in cloaked in that same thick aura of bold magenta magic. The enraged mare rushed across the short distance between her entrance and the cage, yet when she was halfway across the room, she quickly realized that even with the cage door open, three sat in silence waiting for her arrival. Boiling over in hate, yet confused by the calm silence sitting before her, she stopped short and glared into the cage, ignoring Barb and Minuette again to focus alone on Lyra. “She stays. Trixie thinks you're crazy. The dragon stays. She also thinks the dragon is crazy too. Why?!!”

Slowly shaking her head, Lyra pointed to a seeping wet spot on Trixie’s right side. “Because we wish the solution that requires no more blood to be spilt. The nurse will come if you ask for her. If you want, I’ll even fetch her for you. You need peace, quiet, and some sleep. You need time to recover properly.”

Trixie's rage wilted, collapsing under the weight of Lyra’s simple, calm, and polite concern. Broken, the mare fell to sit upon a box outside the cage, nodding a little. “Then… Trixie says go. But the quiet dragon stays. She is the only one Trixie can trust to translate your princess’ words. If we can agree to that, you may go.” Broken and nearly defeated, Trixie put her head down and pulled her hat down across her eyes, ignoring her ‘prisoners’.

* * *

Sweetie Belle hid in the basement just like Dusk had ordered her. But as the hours stretched on, the filly found that the silence was the worst part. Inspecting dusty old tomes left behind by the library’s old keeper, she realized that there was a point of boredom that surpassed even her limits, and had thus plowed into the dry text, simply to pass the time. Now she knew five things for certain: that Applebloom’s family was the settlers of Ponyville; that Apples could be baked over 93 ways; that Ponyville keeps records of every foal’s birth and as accurate a listing of their parents as possible; that Dusk hadn't read that scroll yet; and that she was feeling really guilty for burning that scroll to a crisp.

Guilt burned in her heart, for some time after, watching as the last cinders of the dusty scroll collapsed into ash in her hands. To distract herself, Sweetie Belle returned to looking through the other scrolls and books for anything to do, simply while waiting for Dusk to come back down. After a while, she realized her cheeks were damp and red. Just as she lifted her hand to wipe away those faint streaks of moisture, the distant sound of another pony crying caught her attention. Panicked, Sweetie Belle froze in place, straining her ears for any sign or signal that might suggest who it was that was crying. But the noise only became softer, forcing her to hesitantly place a foot upon the staircase, wincing at the noise the old wooden staircase made.

When nothing happened, the filly swallowed once, and took another step up the stairs. As the growing silence grew too creepy for her to ignore, Sweetie Belle rushed to the top step and placed her head to the door. Holding her breath, Sweetie leaned in, flattening her head to the wall and straining to hear better, the realization that she could make something out on the other side of the wall was suspenseful. "It's... It's... breathing? But deep and slowly. Like when Rarity and the other mares do that weird stretching pose exercise thing. But who'd-?" Before Sweetie Belle could finish the thought, she had an answer. Opening the basement bolt was a stretch, but her horn's soft glow was strong enough to do the work for her.

As the door slipped open on well-oiled hinges, the first thing that struck Sweetie was the darkness. A glance out the window showed her just how late it must be, the dull red glow of a distant sunset shone on the storage room's east window. Turning slowly around, a worrying thought started to creep up on the filly. Looking out the west window on the far end of the kitchen, she realized what that had to be. "Since when does the sun set in the east AND the west at the same time!??" Stepping quietly to the hallway door, Sweetie Belle at last found the source of the breathing.

Dusk Shine sat cross legged in the hallway, his horn still trapped in the clear jar of that black fluid Barb had thrown on his hom hours ago, thick streaks of the ooze had squelched free of the jar, into his hair and across his face. But even in his meditative state, it wasn't the goo that caught her attention, but the two thin damp lines running down across his cheeks. His eyes were still closed and he continued that deep and slow breathing, ignoring her approaching steps.

Kneeling at Dusk’s side, the filly reached out with a single shaky hand, curling her fingers around the stallion’s lax hand and squeezing down. "Dusk? What happened? Why are you sitting here? And where is Barb?"

The stallion's limp hand never shifted, and the only sign that the stallion had heard her words was the slight smoothing of his breathing. Whimpering a little, Sweetie leaned in against his side, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Dusk. It's ok. I'm here, and I'll keep you company for as long as you need it."

For a while, maybe only a few minutes, the stallion's ragged breathing continued, pulling sharp breaths between his lips. Just as his breathing began to calm, the sound of muffled voices just outside the treehouse pulled Sweetie's attention away from Dusk.

Crawling on all fours and avoiding the open front door, Sweetie attempted to stay on the shadow of the doorway, peering outside and looking for any hint of who might be talking. Only now did the filly find an answer to why the sun was setting on both sides of the house, Dusk was still supporting the shield spell, all these hours later. The magic made the light of the setting sun reflect at odd angles and made it hard to see anything through the shield. But the voices on the other side answered that for her. "Sweetie Belle! Oh, thank Celestia you're alright! Where is Dusk!" Fluttershy's normally soft voice was excited, yet worried.

The sound of the friendly pegasus speaking to her despite her attempt to hide was a momentary shock, but she quickly shuffled forward and stood up, straining to see through the shield's light warping effects. "Fluttershy!!? Are you alone? It’s been hours since I saw momma, Dusk isn't answering me, and Barb’s missing! I don't wanna be alone in the basement any longer!"

Dropping to her knees by the edge of the shield spell, the sound of other voices rushing over to gather around Fluttershy was hard to make out, until a single strong voice spoke up over the others. "Sweetie Belle, deary, please calm down and take a deep breath. Momma will be here for you, but we need to get past Dusk's shield. Can you explain to Fluttershy what's wrong with Dusk? Maybe she can help him and then we all can come keep you company with momma, ok?"

Sweetie Belle knew that voice had to be Rarity’s, and the towering shadow that moved in beside Rarity had to be Applejack. The two figures started a swift but unintelligible whispering argument, but Sweetie realized she couldn't pay them anymore attention. She wanted her momma and that meant being strong for a few more minutes. "He has that black goo all over his face and hair, and he is meditating or something. Oh! And the jar of goo is still hanging on his horn. Does that help any, Fluttershy?"

Looking back and forth from the tiny filly on the other side of the shield and the continued argument between AJ and Rarity, Fluttershy ruffled her feathers and had to bite down on her own lip for a moment while worrying about what to tell the filly, but she was the only mare around with any medical knowledge. “Um… Sweetie, if you can find a big cloth or towel, and a small one, then I think you can help Dusk. Just wrap the small cloth around your horn so none of the black goo gets on it, ok? Then pull that jar off Dusk’s horn, and wet the big towel, then use it to clean up all the black goo you can. He has probably overdosed on that pain medication.”

Dash stepped forward, looking down through the shield at the filly, grinning warmly. “You can do it kid. And when you’re done with that, I’ve got a top secret message for Dusk.” When the others turned to look at her, Dash lifted her hands and waved defensively. “What?... What?! That Lyra chick thought I was her best chance of getting a message to Dusk!”

Twisting around to look from one adult to another, Sweetie Belle forced the tide of panic down and turned back to Fluttershy. "O-Okay, I think I remember where Barb keeps the dishcloths. Is- Is it safe for me to touch?"

Smiling down at the filly on the other side of the shield, Fluttershy offered the girl her best words of comfort. "Oh, no, no. It's ok, Sweetie. It's just a muscle relaxant, so it might make you a little woozy and lightheaded is all."

That ended Rarity’s distracted conversation with AJ. Turning back to the filly, she placed both hands on the bubble of magic. "The towels are on the closet outside the bathroom, Sweetie Belle dearest. And please... wrap your hair up around your horn like we do at the spa."

Applejack’s strong arm wrapped around the older mare’s shoulders, speaking softly to her while the filly returned to the house. "Don’t worry too much, sugar. Sweetie is a smart girl, she can take care of an easy job like this herself."

Sweetie Belle heard Rarity's advice and almost had to giggle at the idea of dolling her hair up that way, yet she was right, it was a good way to protect her horn. Dashing up the flight of stairs, she found the towels and made quick work of wrapping up her horn protectively. Shoving three smaller towels into the sink, she doused them in warm water, a fourth larger towel was thrown over her shoulder, her plan already forming.

Dusk still lay at the base of the staircase, breathing in that odd low and eerie way. Sweetie settled two of the smaller towels on his damp cheeks, layering one over the other to protect his eyes. The heavier cloth she wrapped around the jar on his head, sealing the top off and preventing any more from gushing free across his face. With a sloppy pop it slipped off his horn, and the filly tossed the bundled towel around the jar before tossing it aside.

With her last clean towel, the filly began cleaning the goop free of the stallion's horn, shaking the thickening blobs of goo off over the bundled towel. As she made progress and Dusk's purple ivory horn was revealed, the goop she was fighting her way through had grown thicker and dry, almost akin to mud.

Realizing that the thickening goo had begun to coat her hands and arms, Sweetie Belle ran into the nearby kitchen, scraping the goo down the skin and grabbing a clean dish towel. Returning to the hallway, Sweetie Belle was shocked to see Dusk’s right hand lazily pawing at the cloths over his eyes. Rushing to his side she gripped his wrist sushing him gently. "Hold still, Dusk. I'm just cleaning up the last bit. Don't want any in your eyes, right?"

For a while, the stallion fell silent, allowing the filly to remove the last of the dark, muddy goo from his horn. When she swore under her breath, he reached out. Better focused now, he could grip her on the small of her back. "What's the matter Sweetie? You can trust me."

Wincing, the filly put her hands down in her lap, blushing when he caught her bad language. "The goo got into your scar, Dusk. Now its all dry and hard. I- I don't know if I can get it out."

Smiling down at the mare, Dusk drew his hands back, folding them on his chest. "Then don't worry about that. Have you ever had a really good nap, Sweetie? Like a sleep so good you felt like a new pony when you got up?"

Worried at how relaxed the stallion was behaving, Sweetie pulled the towels from his eyes, looking into them to see if something was wrong with him. Hesitating as those powerful eyes gazed back at her, she felt herself blushing. ""Please Dusk, can't you lower the shield spell? I wanna go home to momma and your friends are worried about you."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie Belle, let me just..." Forcing his eyes to focus, Dusk let his voice drop off. He was shocked at how comfortable and easily the magic answered as he reached out and collapsed the shield spell. Looking back to the filly, he lifted a hand and tossed the towel wrapped around her hair. "There, better? I haven't felt this good since..."

Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack rushed into the hallway, the middle mare rushing to her little sister, while the other two came quickly to kneel at Dusk’s side. Cradled up in Rarity’s arms, Sweetie Belle finally relaxed for the first time in hours. Cuddling close, she whispered up to her older sister. “He is awake and talking. But seems kinda out of it. Like that time grandpa got drunk on cider and-” Rarity’s hand planted over Sweetie’s mouth ending her attempt to recount an old family story.

Stepping around Rarity and Sweetie, Dash knelt down beside the stallion, taking up his hand and looking into his eyes. “Dusk, I got a message for you from that tall unicorn with the green horn, Lyra. Are you alright for it? I think it’s a code.”

Squeezing Applejack’s hand as she held his own tightly, Dusk looked away from Fluttershy’s inspecting fingers, to gaze up to Dash and nod. “I feel a little scatterbrained, but I’ve never felt better. I think the overdose of that medicine really helped relieve the pain in my horn. Go ahead. What was the message?”

Flashing back to the train yard, Dash repeated the phrase, hoping she remembered it properly. “A solo act makes a strong duo, but how long can one sing without their brother's echo?”

Wincing, Applejack looked back up at Dash "Are- are you sure that was the code Dash?"

Defensively crossing her arms over her chest, unable to hide a blush. "Well um... I'm sure it was. Cause it's like some kind of secret code, right?"

Dusk squinted as he stared up at the mare, his fingers squeezing in response to AJ's strong grip. "I will think about it, Dash. Thanks."

While Applejack rolled her eyes, Dash proudly puffed her chest out. "No problem, Dusk! You should have seen me and Blitz! He may be old, but he hasn't slowed down one bit!"

Rarity groaned, pulling Sweetie Belle in closer. "Don't pass the part where you left Barb behind, darling."

Cut off and stammering, Dash attempted to say face. "Well I- I thought she was with you two and Derpy and her filly." Blushing, Dash looked down again.

Fluttershy looked up from her work on Dusk, smiling to her younger friend. "Don't worry Dash, I think you were really brave to go in and rescue them. I know I'd never have had that kind of courage."

Giggling, Pinkie threw an arm around Dash’s hips, hugging her friend in close. "You're doing fine Dashie! We all know you did your best."

Lifting his hands, Dusk tried to settle this before anypony got too heated. "Dash, you did great. We need to figure out Lyra’s riddle, and what's wrong with Trixie. Maybe we can still find some way out of all this."

Wincing a little, Fluttershy drew her hands back from Dusk’s face, her inspection of his horn done. "Dusk, I think the medicine has had a very strange reaction with your horn. It's dried off and hardened into a resin, like a stopper to fill on the gouge in your horn. We really need to get you to Doctor Horse or Nurse Redheart as soon as possible."

Author's Note

Alright! Part 2 of 3 is complete! I've been loving getting this chapter out after having been planing idea's for it since the day I put a single sentience down of the prologue. It's been a real joy seeing people's reactions to my version of Trixie and the mistakes the world has made. Can't wait to see how part 3 turns out and the final fate of Trixie? Same with me!

Once again, a big thank you goes out to Frankie, Flamerz and ShadowThunder! And to all of you for reading, plus double to those that comment :rainbowkiss:

Chapter 7: Boast Busters - Part 3

Trixie couldn't suppress a wince as the nurse pulled her tweezers free. The shard of wood had burst free from some rooftop when she had thrown bolts of force at the older pegasus stallion. He had taunted her and flown faster, staying well out of her reach. Working with expert hands, the nurse switched out tweezers for a needle, pouring liquid alcohol into the bloody wound before switching to stitching. The alcohol burned at the bloody scar, but Trixie had long since stopped caring, her attention was wandering across the voices around town. The stallion was still missing, but she had felt his shield drop. Something was still protecting him, hiding him from her. But she could feel the others, their joy and worries, their love and their fear. But if he had found a way to disappear from her vision, why didn’t he share his shield with the mares?

Redheart had never had so quiet and calm a patient under her hands. No sedative, yet she took the stitching in silence. Stepping away from the improvised surgery table, Lyra’s sudden presence at her side mopping sweat from her brow was a welcome relief. Peeling her stained gloves off, she stepped back in beside Trixie, exploring the injured mare’s bruised rib cage while avoiding the freshly sealed stitching. When Trixie shuddered once more under her fingers’ dance, Redheart felt compelled to offer her aid again. "Are you sure about not taking the sedative? I applaud your resilience, but you don’t have to act so tough. Every mare has a limit."

Turning her head only enough to focus upon the nurse, Trixie shook her head. "Trixie tried drinking and drugs in hopes of dulling the voices. All they do is make it impossible to separate herself from the endless din. Pain reminds Trixie she is her own mare. It lets Trixie remember she is alive, not part of a droning crowd."

Redheart saw something out of the corner of her eye, snapping her focus over to Lyra. Was it a momentary flare of compassion? Crossing her arms she tried to recall the hurried words Lyra had used to urge her here from behind her desk. “A mare with an uncontrollable talent, her mind flooded with voices. Mistakes had been made and now people were hurt and scared, but if someone was to take the first step in showing the others that she is nothing to be afraid of, then maybe it would open their hearts enough, so they could forgive her transgressions.” All of Lyra’s words tumbled back, yet looking at the mare who lay before her appeared the fragile one, not the terror who had invaded town as people had been whispering. Stepping over to her medical bag, Redheart pulled out her thin supply of antipsychotics and antidepressants, her hands flattened upon the tabletop, turning her attention back to Trixie. “If you won’t let me give you something for pain. Can I at least offer you something that might quiet the voices?”

Trixie left her head flat on the makeshift operating table, her eyes slipping closed while she lifted one hand out to the nurse. “Trixie can trust you, Nurse. Your voice is quiet, but strong. She can tell you mean no ill intent.”

Redheart’s eyes danced over the collection of medication she had on hand. “This is a crapshoot at best. Do I go broad and generic, hope to help her in the short term, but risk scaring her away with the side effects? I wish I had a tenth of Princess Cadence’s experience, or her skill with the mind. The body I can understand, but the mind? I may as well try to hold a moonbeam.” Finally, there was no choice left. Breaking open six of the packs, she placed the small assortment into the young mare’s hand. “Thank you for your trust, Trixie. I can only hope you’ll find some peace.”

Trixie palmed the medication, not bothering to inspect them. She had seen them all through the nurse's eyes. She already had a list of the intended effects, and the detailed side effects the nurse knew she was risking. One at a time, Trixie silently slipped one after another into her mouth, swallowing, keeping her breath low and even. At last, she spoke out, her hand slipping to stroke the nurse’s fingers. “We are so far from salvation, but Trixie can see your intent is good nonetheless. She will catch her breath, then Trixie needs to go see the stallion. So much violence, and Trixie is at the center of it all. She knows how many are waiting for you at the clinic, please try to forgive her for those there that are her fault.”

Redheart’s heart caught in her throat for a moment, and her eyes shot back to Lyra. The unicorn had understated the strength of Trixie’s talent. Wrapping both of her hands around the mare’s own, Redheart stepped in close, leaning down and whispering to the young mare’s ear. “Dusk is proud, but loves learning. Appeal to his need to know more.” Lightly placing a kiss on the girl’s cheek, she released her hands before standing up again, nodding to Lyra. “I am going to head back to the clinic now, unless you or Minuette need attention?” Lyra’s single nod was all she needed.

As Redheart turned to walk away, it was the sudden sound of Trixie’s voice lifting sent a chill of foreboding down her spine. “Lyra, please go with her. Take Minuette with you, the night grows cold and Trixie wants some quiet before she has to deal with the stallion and his mares.”

Lyra was shocked, stepping forward and taking up the hand that Redheart had only just let go of. Looking down on the mare that refused to look back up at her. “Trixie, I… Are you sure you are safe to be alone?”

Smiling despite herself, yet never bothering to open her eyes or shift her weight around, Trixie squeezed her hand in return. “Do not worry about it, Lyra. Trixie is never alone, even when she asks for silence.”

When the three mares had left, Trixie turned to lay on her back, a hand over her eyes while her breathing leveled out. The soft sound of claws dragging through the dirt floor pulled her attention back, focused upon the small dragoness who stood by her 'bed'. Wincing at the gap in her memory, Trixie gave Barb a quiet smile. "You too, noble dragon." As Barb reared back, surprised by Trixie’s words, the mare pressed on. "You have written enough. Go home to the stallion. Tell him Trixie is to come see him once she has had a few minutes of peace and quiet." For a moment Trixie’s voice trailed off, returning in a soft whisper. "And thank you for being so soft spoken. You are so much easier to be around than those noisy mares."

Barb lifted a hand stroking the silken hair of the mare once, smiling quietly. "I hope Dusk can help you, Trixie. I believe in you too." Turning away, Barb began a lonely walk home.

* * *

It was nearly five minutes later, the soft sound of scrabbling footsteps on the rooftop told Trixie they were finally making their move. “Good. They had taken up enough of Trixie’s night. She was never going to get the silence she wanted, but at least this could be dealt with without getting Lyra in the middle.” Laying still on her back while on the bloody operating table, Trixie waited, leaving the ajar train station door to her back. “Let him come, he might be the stallion’s blood, but he is overconfident in his stallions. He doesn’t understand, I just wish to be alone, to have five minutes of peace and to speak with his brother.”

Through the darkness, she felt the first of their minds turn to look her over, noting her only as an outline in the dark. They were glad the other mares had gone, they thought it left her without hostages. Two of the stallions, both Pegasi, crept in closer, their leader was smart enough, giving them the tools they needed to take her down... were she any normal unicorn.

* * *

“I’ve got five ponies on a special express. They are two hours from Ponyville. Another five pegasi are in flight, all ordered to intercept Shining Armor at their top speed. These are mostly raw recruits though, Princess. I don’t know if they can get him to take them seriously with or without the letter you wro-” Silken Flight’s voice dropped off, her attention turning to join Princess Celestia’s watching the northern sky. Standing high above Canterlot, the balcony of Princess Celestia’s lookout gave a view unsurpassed in all of Equestria, save Cloudsdale itself. She could see it now. It was distant, but the twin specks that had captivated Princess Celestia’s attention since the setting of the sun had grown close enough that Silken could pick them out as well. Not long now until their arrival, maybe five minutes? Ten at the most. If it wasn’t for the secret nature of their return, this day might have been one of celebration, two princesses returning home after so long and far a trip. Instead, they returned after dark, in secret instead of in pride.

Princess Celestia broke the silence, "I love that boy and I know he is worried about his brother and sister." But as she let her voice fall off, returning to speak up again, her tone ice cold. "Yet, he ignored my orders and has charged in without a moment's thought as to what his interference could cause. We only needed a few more hours, and now he has taken the cards out of my hands... and possibly Dusk’s.” For a moment she paused, letting the breeze blow through her thin white dress. “Is it wrong that I almost wish he might accidentally hit some hidden weakness she has? I am sure Dusk can do this, but I’d rather save him the grief of dealing with her growing madness…”

Silken Flight considered speaking up, but before any cogent reply could be drummed up, the powerful sound of wingbeats cascading through the night sky broke her train of thought. Luna and Cadence still wore their heavy winter gear: thick wool lined jackets, stained by the icy frost that had survived their long flight. Landing together, both mares pulled the heavy rubber-framed goggles away from their eyes, Luna stepping forward, her eyes steely, but her voice strong. “It’s like I told you, sister. The Wolf of The North has awakened, and we cannot enter his lands. Not yet. The wall is weakening though. Soon.”

Cadence stepped forward in turn, she had been searching, hunting for the missing fifth member of their meeting. Her eyes turned to Silken Flight, her voice parched from exhaustion, yet worry sung far stronger. “Whe… where is Shining Armor?”

Wincing, Silken Flight lifted her gaze, looking up at the towering Alicorn. “There was an incident in Ponyville. We-”

The youngest alicorn didn't stick around long enough to hear the rest of Silken's explanation. Despite her exhaustion, Cadence leaped back into the air and made a beeline for Ponyville. Though she was no expert flier, using her magic to aid in her flight would get her to her destination in no time.

Silken Flight turned, bolting to follow after the retreating glow of Princess Cadence, two steps from the edge of the balcony, Luna’s voice cut her short. “Stop, Silken Flight.” with so much speed built up, Silk needed to beat her wings to stop herself from launching off the end of the balcony. As she returned to the princess’ side, Luna drew a wing around the bat mare, affectionately stroking her jaw. “Cadence has proven herself to be a smart mare with many skills. If our sister is not rushing to stop the mare, we will trust the situation is one she can handle.”

Flight winced, but gave a nod, unable to suppress the spreading warmth of a dark blush at Princess Luna’s affection. “I understand Princess… I- it’s… It’s good to have you back, Princess Luna.”

Luna paused, her open palm cupping the smaller mare’s ribcage while holding her close. “Let us talk. We want to know everything…” Looking up to her sister, Luna offered a quiet smile. “We take it Dusk has his hands full with some kind of mess?”

Princess Celestia winced, shaking her head a little. “It’s bad, dear sister. I’m sorry, but things have gone poorly, and only gotten worse.” When Luna stopped her suggestive heavy petting to the young bat mare, Celestia dipped her head in her own shame. “I’ve made mistakes, or rushed to judgement, all while trying desperately to rescue you. One of those mistakes has returned: her name is Trixie.”

* * *

Dusk sat up, lifting his head from AJ’s chest, the sudden arrival of Lyra and Redheart pulled him from the dull droning sound of Applejack’s breathing. Stepping quickly over from his chair in the waiting room, Dusk gripped at the memory he was hunting for. “‘A solo act makes a strong duo, but how long can one sing without their brother's echo?’ Is that supposed to mean something? I’ve been going over it in my head for an hour or two, ever since Dash told me it.”

Lyra was shocked to see Dusk in the clinic when she walked in with Redheart. Seeing the stallion, she realized that she was so busy obsessing over Trixie, that she forgotten her primary reason for trying to capture the blue unicorn in the first place...to try to keep Dusk safe. She refocused as Dusk recalled the riddle that she gave Rainbow Dash... it was apparent that the mare had messed it up. "What? That's nothing like the message I told Rainbow Dash to tell you.”

Redheart knew Dusk well enough to know he hadn’t come here alone, her eyes hunting for the scar on his horn. The thin, black and gritty substance filling the scar drew her attention instantly, her eyes going wide. “Dusk? What happened to your horn? Why is the scar turning black?” Pushing past the tall unicorn mare, Redheart snatched up Dusk’s wrist, her fingers going for his pulse, while her eyes remained focused on the scar and the discolored growth.

Lyra let Redheart push past her, but hunted for what it must be that had brought this confusion between them. “No, Dusk. That wasn’t my message at all. The riddle was ‘A solo act can be stronger than any duo, but how long can one sing without another's echo?’ I… I didn’t think it could have been confused so easily.”

Allowing Redheart to poke and prod him, Dusk’s mind opened up to the proper riddle, throwing together the clues and focusing on Trixie’s place in the secret. “A solo act? She means me alone. Stronger than any duo? How is that possible. One voice is never louder than two working together. Skip it. How long can one sing without another’s echo? That part must be the key. Well, if two ponies were to sing the same song together in perfect harmony, one could catch their breath while the other continued the song, thus preventing anyone from noticing that the other had dropped off, but what meaning does-”

Lyra’s sudden grip on his shoulder pulled Dusk from his train of thought, refocusing him on her and Redheart’s continued inspection of his horn. Looking him square in the eyes, Dusk found Lyra’s voice extremely serious. “Dusk, you need to go to the trainyard. Trixie is there alone. She seems to be more comfortable, more reasonable when she is alone or in very small groups. Don’t think about the riddle, Dusk. Wait until you get into her company, you’ll see. She isn’t a bad mare, but you need to end this before anypony else gets hurt.”

Staring down the mare, Dusk gave a slow nod. “I promise, Lyra. If it is in my power, I’ll bring her back quietly.” Turning to face Nurse Redheart, Dusk offered her a grin. “Can I go now? Or do you need time for further inspections of my horn?”

Crossing her arms, Redheart shook her head. “Just… Keep things low key, Dusk. That hardened goo might have stopped the pain and headaches, but it’s not going to hold up to sudden stress. The medication was never meant to be used in this way, and I’d really rather avoid making you a research subject on that matter.”

Leaning in and giving her forehead a soft kiss, Dusk smiled warmly down to her. “As much as I am enjoying the unexpected side effect, I agree. Research can come after Ponyville’s out of danger.” Turning to AJ and Rarity as they stood by his side, Dusk put on a stern face. “I want to go alone. Lyra said small groups keep Beatrix… Trixie calm? What group is smaller than one?”

Rarity nearly leapt forward, anxious to stop Dusk, but Applejack’s strong hand on her shoulder stopped her, the taller mare’s voice calm. “Dusk may be right, sugar. But let’s have Dash on standby. She would be the best choice to rush in and snatch him away if something went wrong.”

Rarity winced at AJ’s words, but turned in her arms, looking back at Rainbow Dash, still laying across half the couch and taking up all the space with her lazy stance. By now of course, all her attention was clearly riveted on Dusk, Lyra and the other mares, no matter how casual she tried to appear. Rarity didn’t try to hide her worry, but gave a small nod. “Alright! Alright! You’ve made your point. But Dash, please, look out for him?”

Bounding from her place on the couch and stretching out her spine by extending her arms over her head and bending her torso backwards. “It would be my pleasure to be Dusk’s backup! Let’s go, Dusk!” Crossing over the room to Dusk’s side, Dash gave Rarity a toothy grin, poking herself in the chest. “Don’t worry, now that I know the layout of the warehouse, nopony will lay a hand on Dusk. I’m so fast, I’ll be in and out before you can say ‘Awesome!’”

Sudden realization dawned on Lyra, and she turned, half bolting out the door before stopping short, her voice excited yet panicked. “Wait, I forgot there is one more thing I can do for you. Before you go out, Dusk, meet me at the town square!”

Dusk turned to Dash while Lyra bolted away, the mare simply offered to share a shrug with him, clearly unsure what had dawned on the older unicorn. “Then let’s go, Dash. No reason to drag this out any further.”

The scene of Lyra’s fight with Trixie was where Dusk and Dash finally found the mare, scrambling on all fours and sorting blindly through the wreckage of the stage that had been Trixie’s performance area. Clearing his throat, Dusk approached, his voice soft but serious. “Lyra? What is it you’re hunting for? I’m sure we could help if you told us.”

Throwing aside another stack of boards, Lyra laughed in glee, scooping up a glittering silver ring. “I knew it! It’s still here!” In her joy, the mare eyed the silver horn ring for a moment, admiring the fine craftsmanship in the torches set up to light town hall. At last, she gave a sigh, turning to face the stallion. “Dusk, I gave Trixie a horn ring like this, but it’s unlocked. This one, this is one of the Tartarus grade rings I was supplied with to aid in capturing Trixie. I don’t even have the key for this one, so please... only use it if she refuses to come peacefully. I don’t know her well, but I can tell that she is tormented by everything she has done so far.”

Shocked, Dusk took a half step back, his eyes on the elegant engraving on the ring, so different from the crude cheap metal band that Gilda had violently thrust onto his horn. He almost balked, his voice soft, worried. “Lyra, I had a ring forced on my horn recently, by a griffon. It left a permanent scar that gives me blinding pain. If it-”

Cutting him off, the mare stepped in close, and forced the ring into his hands, her voice very serious. “If it wasn’t for the medication you were receiving from Nurse Redheart and Dr. Horse, you’d probably be bedridden at best, becoming permanently drunk to fend off the pain is the most common solution many choose. Tartarus is a jail, Dusk. But Princess Celestia is against torture of any kind. These rings are not like the cheap scrap Gilda used on you. I promise it won’t harm her horn, just suppress her magic.”

Dusk was torn, forced to swallow back revulsion at the memories of that painful silver band cutting into his horn and cutting off his magic. But the ruins of the stage around them brought him back, and the guilt in Dash’s eyes as he looked to her for an answer said it all. “I will take it Lyra. But…damn you for even suggesting it.” The mare gave no reply, simply tightening his hand around the ring and nodding once in silence, her own lip trembling.

* * *

Dusk’s walk to the trainyard was in silence, doing his best to ignore the sound of Rainbow Dash’s incessant questions. With his eyes kept level and his mind forced to remain blank. “She had a reason to tell me to avoid thinking about the solution. Whatever it is, it has something to do with Trixie.”

“Alright, Dusk. I guess this is where I split off.” Stopping short at Dash’s sudden change of tone to something far more serious than her previous casual chatter, Dusk looked over into Dash’s eyes. The mare continued, her hand gesturing around to indicate the buildings surrounding the train yard. “I’ll take to the air and scout out the yard, see if I can’t find a few good vantage points through the second story. They don’t got windows up there, see? Let’s them keep the place cooler in the summer months. Makes the place damn cold in the winter, but nobody but Derpy goes in there much for the winter months.”

Shocked at Dash’s swift shift from silly blathering to sudden seriousness, Dusk got another glimpse into the real reason why the mare had been given the chance to lead Ponyville’s weather team, her ability to access, and find solutions so quickly. “Thank you, Dash. If you had not been able to come, I know Applejack would have insisted in backing me up. And as tough as she is, I know she has not recovered fully from harvest.”

A half smirk formed on Dash’s lips, and the mare offered Dusk a shrug. “Natch. Fact is, I still half-expected her to follow us anyway. Expect a long lecture when you get home, one way or another. She’s the overly protective one. I’ve seen her damn near twist Mac’s ear off for doing all the normal things any healthy young stallion does.” When Dusk’s eyebrow arched, Dash snorted, shaking her head. “Save it. Mac’s got no herd, not that I couldn’t name a dozen mares around town who’d jump if he asked.”

Dusk flashed back to harvest work with Big Mac on the farm, and didn’t doubt Dash’s suggestion; the stallion probably did have his pick of the mares. But now wasn’t time for such thoughts. Pushing them aside, Dusk gave Dash one last nod before turning away, walking alone towards the open door of the train station. He made it halfway across before a sudden burst of energy formed, blowing through the silent night like a hammer cracking down on an anvil. The ringing echoes in Dusk’s mind brought back a sudden flare of pain, and tiny black flakes of powder crumbled free of the plug in his horn. Dusk knew something was going horribly wrong, right before his eyes.

As Dusk’s stride turned into a blind sprint, the second burst of power radiated out, blowing open the wall of the massive storage shed before him. The sight revealed spread a sudden cold chill rushing through his veins, while blind rage replaced the measured train of thought he had been forming. Beaten and bloody, Shining Armor and several other royal guards lay encased in a shield spell. The single mare standing over them shook with rage while a thin streak of blood ran from her nose, pooling upon her lip.

Without thought, Dusk struck. The burst of power shooting forth as a solid fist, focused to drive away the mare from his wounded brother. The tidal wave of energy slapped into the mare’s side and threw her across the warehouse, yet as the burst faded away, Trixie remained standing, encased in her own shield. The only sign of Dusk’s titanic effort was the imprint in the warehouses dirt floor, showing he had pushed her back only three feet. Sweating profusely at the sudden exertion, Dusk wiped his brow, more of that crumbling black powder from the degrading plug in his horn sticking to his hand.

Trixie lowered her shields, shocked and forced to take a step back. "The stallion! At last!" But even as her mind reeled in joy, the enraged look in his cold eyes sent a chill down her spine. Her eyes darted to the guards and she knew why. Speaking in as calm a tone as she could muster, Trixie took one step forward. "Dusk Shine, she didn't mean any of this! Your dragoness is fine! Trixie sent her to join you!" But even as she spoke, whispers began trickling in. His voice was still so muted, yet she now heard half-thoughts.

"Kill! (for my brother?) Defend! (My friends?) Defeat! (revenge?)." Trixie gripped her head and covered her ears, not wanting to hear any more, “Please... why can't... why won't you..." As her anger built in a frightening reflection of the noise flooding in and pounding her senses, forming an echo she strained to restrain, her willpower slipping with every passing second, until it broke. "JUST BE QUIET!?" Reflexively, almost unwittingly, she lashed out in return, screaming for the voices to be silent and blindly throwing out a burst of pure magical energy. Yet, Dusk’s response was instant, channeling the unfocused blow, throwing it into the wall at his side. Even as Trixie got a grip on the voices and pushed them down again, it was too late.

A rainbow streak, moving so quickly, Trixie could hardly process the fact it was a mare flying past her shot into the warehouse, snatching up two of the unicorn guards without pausing, before bolting out of sight. A single determined voice echoed from that blaze of speed. "Dusk can keep her distracted and protect himself. AJ might wanna skin me, but I gotta get these guys out safe."

The pressure was building, and Trixie found it harder and harder to hear herself over the growing uproar. Emotionally ravished by the outpouring minds that surrounded her, a whisper of logic floated before her. Latching onto that voice with every fragment of power she had, Trixie ripped at it, begging for its level rationalism to calm the roaring tide she was drowning in. Dusk’s voice was an even tone, echoing the same words in her head and ears. "Enough of this,Trixie. If you insist on a fight, let us move out of town, before any more innocents are harmed!" Something whispered in her head that wasn't carried on by his words, but his voice had faded again while he wiped a hand across the scarred line on his horn.

Trixie was so desperate for a moment of sanity and calm, she hardly realized that the words were tumbling from her lips. "Accepted, Dusk Shine! Meet Trixie by the cottage near the forest. The mare Fluttershy isn't home, so the edge of the Everfree Forest will be a perfect place!" As her mind caught up with her lips she realized what she had said, but feared the result of backing down, even for a moment. Instead she gave a snort of dismissal. Opening the mind of the unicorn guard captain, she stole the stallion’s knowledge of teleportation. Before the stallion could respond, she was gone.

* * *

Dusk was panting for breath as he tried to keep his balance against Rainbow Dash. The mare had been swooping in for another pass through the warehouse when Trixie had vanished. Now she caught his weight, her eyes wide. "Dusk! You saw how strong she is! How can you hope to challenge her in a brawl?"

Unable help himself, Dusk lingered in Dash’s grip, enjoying the mare’s supportive hold on his shoulders. The roaring pressure he felt pounding on his horn was different from the pain he had felt before, yet somehow... it was reassuring in a way he couldn’t phrase. It felt right. Forcing himself to stand up, Dusk took a grip of Dash’s arms and held her still, looking her square in the eyes. "Dash, listen to me. I don’t have time to say this twice, so get serious, fast!" Even while Dash started to form a defensive look, Dusk pushed on. "I figured out Lyra’s riddle. I can’t tell you or she will know, but trust me. You need to collect everypony in town and start moving them as far from here as possible. But only to the south or east. Away from the Everfree Forest, no matter what."

Dash fidgeted, torn between wanting to pry for more details while his firm tone tugged at her sense of duty. As she unfolded her wings and began to fly away, she looked back down at him, biting her lip. "And you?"

Dusk chuckled, winking playful up at her. "Give it an hour. By then, we will know if I was right or not."

Turning over, Dash flew to the last two guards standing watch with Shining Armor. The brothers leveled a look at one another, but after a moment of silence, Armor gave his men a nod. "You heard my brother. We help organize a complete retreat of Ponyville’s population. This mare knows the town far better than we do, and was put in charge by a representative of her majesty, so move it!" Bruised but resilient, Armor turned, heading for one part of town he knew needed the most help, the clinic.

* * *

Dusk had no more time to think. Any more delays and Trixie might grow suspicious. Hand wiping across his forehead again, he found more of that thin black powder collecting. The plug was breaking down, probably because it couldn't stand the stress of so much magic. "It doesn't matter, I can handle the headaches and Trixie at the same time... if I got the riddle right." After concentrating, Dusk remembered the teleportation spell. It was a strain, but he didn't have any time to spare. Pulling together his magic, he formed the pattern allowing the magic to follow its course and...

Trixie sat on the small wooden bridge over Fluttershy’s stream. The silence was astounding, as if she were all alone. Some animals were in the house, and a rabbit was standing guard at the door, but their voices were barely even whispers. So quiet, she could easily ignore them. It was just her, alone.

The sudden impact of Dusk’s arrival rebounded like a thunderclap, echoing through her mind. Startled, she flinched back, pulling up a shield spell, staggering back from the noise Dusk had brought with him.

Dusk’s head roared in a sudden burst of pressure. Just after the teleportation spell had started, his headache roared back to life. Blind to everything except the pain, Dusk clawed at his horn, at the plug of hardened resin that filled the gap. Blinded, he sensed Trixie’s presence only by the sudden formation of her magic just in front of him. Needing a second to catch up, Dusk first conjured a thin burst of light and smoke, blinding the air between them, and scrambled back on unsteady legs.

As he tripped and stumbled over a tree root, his fingernails finally found purchase and pulled free the plug, and with it, the pressure. As his vision slowly started to return, he could hear Trixie’s voice, a near perfect, panicked mimic for the thoughts in his head. "’Keep her busy, keep her off balance, keep the secret, suppress the pain.’ I can hear you now, Dusk! Why do you have to BE SO LOUD!"

He knew it! Now to focus, to keep her busy and to buy some time. Slipping behind the tree that had tripped him, Dusk shouted back. "Because, Trixie, I have to end today's insanity! And apparently, I'm the only reason you came here in the first place! So talk! Tell me everything!"

Trixie almost roared with laughter, making Dusk worry he had underestimated her. Twisting his words she spat them back. "’So talk?’ Your Princess did not wish to talk to Trixie! She wanted Trixie jailed for being too different. But not you, stallion! You’re different too, but she listens to you, she admires your work. Trixie has read her so many times before, but when Trixie failed her practical magic exam, they came for her! Like some criminal!"

Dusk could hear the mare's sobbing, but the power of her shield hadn’t wavered. He needed to keep his mind off the time, keep her busy. Before he realized it, his voice was calling back to the mare. "The practical exam? How could you have failed that, Trixie? Your magic is more than strong enough!"

"The isolation! Trixie never felt so alone before. For a moment, it was heaven. But, Trixie reached for the examiner’s magic and realized he was shielded from her. They were all behind a wall that didn't let her hear them, or draw on their magic. And when she fled?!! Her family threw her out, they refused to even hear her side. How could Trixie trust anypony when her father thought such vile things! And mother? Mother was in a panic that the neighbors might see Trixie. Not a care about her. Trixie was alone, she lost everything!" The mare’s hoarse sobbing began, and the shield spell wavered.

Dusk saw his opening and snatched it. Stepping out from around the tree, he held out a hand, offering Lyra’s ring. "Then end this, Trixie. Take the ring and come peacefully. I’m sure that together, we can answer any questions or concerns Princess Celestia has."

Trixie flinched back, attempting to pull her shield back together. Her eyes locked on the silver band. "You don't know that for sure! Trixie can see that. You just hope you can explain. You hope that your princess won't just lock Trixie up!" Her panic continued to build uncontrollably as she realized the magic was not responding to her call. "Dusk! How??"

Dusk smiled, his voice soft spoken to try to soothe the frantic mare. "A duet. Your magic is an echo of those around you, right? It's how you were able to copy Shining Armor’s shield spell so easily. That is how you teleported here when we never studied that in school. But you can't do it for long. It gets worn out, right?"

Sobbing openly again, the mare nodded at his words, her eyes wide with surprise. "You know it! But who- Lyra?!! But that mare was only wishing the best for Trixie! She pulled the ring off just so she could check..."

Dusk took one slow step forward, holding the ring out for the mare. "Please, Trixie. I will do everything in my power to make it safe for you."

The mare looked at the ring for a second, unable to suppress a rush of emotions. That same memory of Princess Celestia flooded back. Memories of Tartarus and the cell awaiting her. Turning, Trixie bolted towards Ponyville, screaming the one thing she knew for sure in her heart. "No, Never a prisoner!"

Alone, and watching the retreating mare's path for town he already started pacing her stride in his mind, knowing he had a few minutes. The sound of a joking voice called from the doorway of Fluttershy's cottage. "Do you ever have a quiet night, Dusk?"

Rubbing sweat from his brow, Dusk’s knuckles scraped across the open scar on his horn. Instead of pain, he was shocked to realize the surface was nearly smooth to the touch, save one thin line where the deepest part of the scar had been. Shocked, Dusk smiled back towards the bunny, shaking his head. “Angel, I do not think life has ever been this hectic.”

* * *

Trixie felt blind as she ran headlong back into Ponyville, there was nothing but silence surrounding her, save for Dusk’s level tone as he followed her into town. "Where has everypony gone?!! There must be somepony, left in town! Trixie just...Trixie just has to get away!"

Passing by an endless collection of houses she could no longer identify, a single set of footsteps followed her through the town. As her panic continued to rise, Trixie found herself standing before the shattered remains of the stage. Lyra sat on a broken log, her hands silently crossed over her knee. As Trixie froze in her tracks, Lyra gestured to the log beside her. "Wanna sit? You need to calm down and think things through, Trixie. Life can be good, you don't have to keep running."

Dusk’s footsteps halted behind her, his voice was quiet, calm. "Lyra’s right, Trixie. It doesn't have to be this way."

Her heart in her throat, Trixie slowly turned around, looking into Dusk's calm watching eyes. As she panted for breath, he had hardly broken a sweat following her back into town. The damned horn ring was in his hand, gleaming in the moonlight. Shaking, she slowly lifted her hand, reaching out for the ring-

* * *

Dash stood on top of the roof of the caboose, her fingers twitching as she shifted her grip across the pole of her lance. The suggestion to load the injured dozen into a spare train car and have a few dozen of the spare earth ponies pull them down the tracks had been a brief brilliant insight. Now Dash was worried, things had gotten so quiet. And they only had a ten, maybe twenty minutes lead on whatever it was Dusk feared. From behind her, the sound of a stallion clearing his throat caught her attention, but even as Shining Armor spoke up, she refused to pull her gaze from the slowly retreating town. "You're worried about him. You shouldn't be, Dusk is smart as hell, he would never walk into a situation without two backup plans and half a dozen escape plans. It was always his biggest weakness, really, he needs to learn to follow an impulse or gut feeling every once and a while. I think I failed him as an older brother in that regard."

Dash winced at Armor’s words, tightening her grip and grinding her thumbs across the metal at the base of the lance head. "I'm the total opposite of your brother, Armor. Every bone in my body is screaming for me to fly in and rescue him. Or attack her, or something. Anything. Anything but standing here watching the empty streets of Ponyville fade into the distance."

Armor placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, his voice soft. "I know. Everything in me screamed to act. I did. It's the first time I've ever directly disobeyed Princess Celestia, and now I feel nothing but a fool for acting so rashly. If it hadn't been for my attack on Trixie, Dusk might have ended this all without a fight. That is why we wait. Why you have to stand watch while he ends this."

Looking back at the stallion for the first time, Dash finally admitted to something. "You might not be as much of an egghead as your brother, but you're just as good at making me feel like a fool."

Scratching her finger tip up across the lance's head, she discovered a tiny detail she had missed before. Engraved just below the widest part of the lance head were the words: "Dear Sister, let this lance protect you when I can not."

Even as Armor laughed at her words, they both felt something massive and unmeasurably powerful soar high over their heads. His eyes shooting wide open, Armor’s whole position altered, his tone now stiff and serious. "Dash. Go. Fly. Now!" When she turned to stare up at him, he grabbed her shoulders shaking her once, sharply. "I know what I said about thinking harder. But you felt that. That was Cadence... Please, you have to go! Warn her before she makes the same mistake as I did!"

Realizing the deep and fearful undertones in the stallion’s words, Dash gave a firm nod, pulling from his grip and launching into flight. "Armor is right. The last thing we need is a Princess getting into this fight."

* * *

then a sudden shadow shot overhead, casting a momentary shade upon the moon. Furiously bolting towards the three unicorns in town square, the immeasurable power of the approaching figure was matched only by its speed.

Turning sharply in place, Trixie’s hand snapped back, and looked back to Dusk, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and rage. “Dusk!! You promised a chance, you promised Trixie! Now the Princess comes to collect Trixie personally! Why can’t you keep to your word?!!”

Dusk was shocked, he couldn’t believe the powerful magic streaming off the approaching goddess. He had never seen Princess Celestia use so much magic so publicly, she was normally so willing to trust him to handle problems. Had things really gone so far? Turning back to face the once more panicking Trixie, Dusk tried to smooth things over. “Trixie, calm down. We can talk to the Princess now. We can end all of this so much faster now. Please, trust me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but her arrival will make it many times easier for us to end it all quickly.”

Trixie pivoted in place, her eyes wild with fear. Locking onto Lyra, Trixie bolted across the short distance to Lyra’s side, drawing up the older mare’s hands and looking into her eyes. Her voice hardly above a whisper, Trixie refused to look back at Dusk’s attempt to soothe the situation. “You offered Trixie a final solution. Trixie thinks now is the time to take it. Will you forgive her?”

Lyra’s eyes shot wide open, and she started shaking her head, trying to pull her fingers from Trixie’s grip, while her other hand cupped the terrorized mare’s chin. Yet, just as her fingers lifted Trixie’s jaw, the blazing trail of power suddenly halted at the edge of Ponyville, intercepted by a much smaller flyer. Lyra’s voice was trying to force a calming tone, but before she could finish, it was all over. “Dear Celestia, no Trixie, please! We can have this all over so quic-”

Trixie could still just remember the pattern for teleportation, Dusk’s mind and Armor’s had both held that secret. Yet, she was cut off from both for magic to power it. Even her desperate plan to grip Lyra’s hands to try and draw power from her magic directly turned out to be yet another failure. But when Celestia stopped at the edge of town, Trixie finally found her open mind to power her magic. Stretching out, she connected with the princess, and blindly, she channeled the magic, teleporting herself away into the depths of the Everfree Forest.

* * *

As Trixie faded away from sight, Dusk fell to his knees, collapsing until his face rested flat upon the ground. Panting for breath, Dusk balled his hand into a fist, and started punching the ground, only realizing he was shouting when Lyra’s hand cupped his shoulder. “NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Celestia damn it, Trixie! We were so close. We were so, damn, close.”

Squeezing Dusk’s shoulder, Lyra shook her head, her voice still worried, but she had a single hope left. “Dusk, if she puts on the ring I gave her, we still have a chance. It’s an unlocked magic binding ring, but if you’ve got enough strength left, we can try looking for where her teleportation spell ends. Maybe you could even follow her path. You’d be alone, and she is probably somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest, but it would give us one last chance…”

Dusk looked up, realizing only just now, that Lyra had removed the ring from her horn, and was offering him both her hands to help him stand up again. Shaking his head, Dusk looked back down into the dirt. “I, I have no more answers for her, Lyra. When Princess Celestia decided to come here and end this-”

From behind Dusk, a very different voice spoke out. Unexpected, it made the stallion twist around to look over his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Dusk. Rainbow Dash came to stop me, but I… I guess I was already too close to town. It’s all my fault.” Cadence stood at the edge of the town hall, with Dash at her side. Both mare’s were panting for breath, and as Dusk’s brain kicked back into motion, he realized Cadence was wearing some heavy winter flight gear.

Dusk forced himself to stand, taking Lyra’s hands and turning to look up to Cadence. For a moment, his mind hunted for some solution, some answer. His voice was soft, and he shook his head. “No Cadence, I think… I think you might be able to help! You can still sense a pony by their emotions, right? Well, Trixie was very emotionally devastated when she thought you were Princess Celestia. If you can find her, I have enough magic left to teleport a good distance. Maybe… Maybe I can catch up with her. Even if she is deep inside the Everfree Forest.”

This time, it was Dash’s turn to interrupt, rushing to Dusk’s side, her lance still clutched in her straining fingers. Her eyes wide, she stepped between Dusk and Cadence. “Are you nuts?! Don't you remember the last time we went into the Everfree Forest?! It took all six of us to safely get through to the Castle of the Two Sisters! You can’t go there alone!”

Shaking his head, Dusk slipped his hand over Dash’s own on the pole of her lance, squeezing her hand tightly. “Then… Just like before. Can you give me an hour? You’ve got good eyes, surely you can hunt me down, even in the Everfree Forest.”

Dash was flustered by Dusk’s words, and felt herself blushing as his fingers gripped her hand. Shaking her head a little, Dash admitted her worry. “Dusk, I might be good, but I can’t take on the whole Everfree alone. Maybe if I went and collected my whole weather team, we could stand a chance to scout it out and find you, but Rarity and AJ would kill me if-”

Grinning, Dusk lightly punched Dash in the shoulder. “Fantastic! Then go, now! Collect your whole weather team. Collect every pegasus you can, and then come save me. But give me that hour to find Trixie, to give her this one last chance.”

Cadence stepped forward as Dash slowly peeled back, stretching out and flexing her wings. “Do it, Dash. I will come with you as well. I might not be able to keep up with you flying, but I can make up for it by helping you find Dusk faster.”

Relaxing a little at Cadence’s promise, Dash gave a small sigh and a little nod. “Alright, I'll get the weather team and give you some time. And Cadence, thanks for making sure Rarity and AJ don't skin me alive.”

Even as Dash took off, the princess turned back to Dusk, leveling her own glare. “You’d better promise me I won’t regret this, Dusk. I agree with Dash, sending you alone into the Everfree Forest makes me very nervous.”

Dusk smiled, cupping up Cadence’s strong hand in his own, smiling up to her. “I promise it’s worth the risk, Cadence. Trixie has been scared, alone, and running for longer than I could imagine. Any chance to bring her peace of mind is worth any risk to me.”

Laughing a little to herself, Cadence lifted her free hand to stroke a thumb across Dusk’s jawline, nodding warmly. “Alright, you win, Dusk. And you make me proud. She is just as panicked as you said, but I can sense her, nearly twenty kilometers to the north, just a little to the east. I think I can make a beacon, if you can reach your magic that far out. Follow it, and maybe you can find her.”

Leaning into the mare’s comforting touch, Dusk blushed, but gave her a soft nod. “Thank you, Cadence. I will try to make you proud.” Swallowing, Dusk stepped away from her, only to find Lyra shoving a small leather pouch into his hand. “Wha-?”

Offering the stallion a shrug, Lyra shook her head. “It’s a standard field agent first aid kit. It’s got some basic medicine, some rubbing alcohol, and a small pouch of Black Lotus.” When Cadence winced, Lyra shook her head. “It’s the Everfree Forest, Princess. We can’t have Dusk passing out from exhaustion, right?”

For a moment, Cadence looked ready to argue the point, but at last she relented, shaking her head. “Princess Luna convinced me to try some during our recent trip. I can understand just how strong it is. But Dusk, please! If you take it, come see me afterwards. The side effects of Lotus can break even the strongest pony. It’s too addictive, Dusk.”

Looking from one mare to the other, Dusk shook his head, slowly accepting the bag and strapping the pouch around his hips. “I’m not that tired yet, I promise, I’ll do everything I can to bring her back.” Reaching out, he could feel the glowing beacon of Cadence’s magic, deep inside the Everfree Forest. It was a stretch, but with that light to guide him, he could reach out, and just… barely… reach.

As Dusk faded from sight, Cadence turned to Lyra, her eyes dark and serious. “Alright. Report, and make it short. I want to find Shining and make sure he is okay before Dash tries to head into the Everfree without me. And when we get back to Canterlot, I’m going to have a word with Princess Luna and Silken Flight. How can they hand out something so addictive to every field agent? Do they want to burn you all out and end up with an army of addicts?”

Lyra shook her head, sitting back down on the shattered wood of the broken stage, looking up to the youngest princess. “I lied, princess. Silken Flight only gave me that single Lotus petal because she thought we might be able to use it to overwhelm Trixie. Or drug her. The hallucinations surely would have made it easier to capture her.”

Cadence sighed, shaking her head. “Alright. I give. It was a good idea. But Dusk will never forgive you for that lie.”

Lyra shrugged, shaking her head. “Let’s go find your stallion, princess, we can talk on the way. It’s been too long since we were in school together.”

* * *

Dusk knew he had missed his mark. It was too far to jump in a single burst. Leaning in against a tree, Dusk panted for breath, his hand already slipping into the pouch at his hip, hunting blindly inside for something to eat, something to drink. He needed something, anything. When had he eaten last? Despite the cold fall breeze, Dusk felt he was sweating so heavily. His fingers found something, something he didn’t want. The single petal was in a clear plastic pouch, sealed tight. For a moment, Dusk held it up to the moonlight, staring at the powerful drug. “Illegal, addictive, and highly hallucinogenic, and yet Princess Luna had approved its use?”

Shaking his head, Dusk thrust that hand back into the pouch. Turning slowly, he reached his mind out, finding that he wasn’t that far from Cadence’s beacon- wait… was it moving closer? Pushing free of the tree he had been resting against, Dusk started to walk, quietly, carefully, keeping the trees between himself and the powerful presence of magic he could sense. A few minutes later, Dusk felt water flowing against his boots. Parched, his lips demanded that he pause, dropping to his knees, Dusk cupped both hands beneath the slow flowing water of a tiny hidden spring. Gulping at the rich, pure and cold water, Dusk felt replenished, rejuvenated even. A handfull was thrown over his face, to wash away the dry sweat that had built up upon his brow.

Just as he started to stand up, the sudden cracking of a branch behind him pulled Dusk’s attention back over his shoulder. Looking back, Dusk felt the blood drain from his body. Towering nearly three stories over his head, the powerful, titanic blue bear, the infantile Ursa Minor, stood watching Dusk, growling from the depths of its throat.

* * *

Trixie heard the scream of powerful magic ripping through the forest nearby. Shocked by the riptide of so much magic in such an isolated part of the forest, she knew only one stallion who could have ever pulled so much magic together. “Dusk Shine…” She never even realized the words had slipped from her lips until she was running blindly towards the stallion’s magic. Her fingers ripping the ring from her horn, throwing it away into the bushes.

With the ring gone, she could feel everything. The stallion was in a panic, throwing everything he had to try scare of a… a... Her mind hunted for the words. Dusk’s mind was too panicked, she couldn’t pull together the thoughts to answer what it was that he was fighting. As she crashed through a line of trees, the sight before her made her heart still in her throat. Dusk was pinned against a steep rise and the beast itself. The magic of his attempt to drive off the giant beast had leveled the trees for twenty feet, leaving an artificial clearing. Trixie couldn’t even picture just how massive the beast that stood before her really was, it wasn’t a dragon, yet its presence was just as frightening. As the bear lifted its claw, Trixie’s hand was forced. Pulling from Dusk’s magic, she formed a heavy ball of energy and threw it square into the towering bear’s mouth, trying to blow the beast off balance.

With its face inches from Dusk’s chest, the bear suddenly reared back, roaring out in shock. Twisting his head around, Dusk realized he knew exactly who it was, and where his saviour had come from. Turning to face the mare, Dusk shook his head, his voice straining with exhaustion. “Just run, Trixie! We can’t take it. It’s an Ursa, just run before-”

“Hmph! If you think for a second that the Great and Powerful Trixie will cower from the likes of a mere cub, then you are more foolish than Trixie thought!!” Reaching out, Trixie watched the Ursa turn to face her, it’s paw swinging forward to slap her away. Prepared for this, Trixie wrapped herself in a shield, letting the behemoth’s blow be absorbed by the protective shell.

Realizing her simple solution, Dusk drew on his magic, slapping the Ursa upon its flank. The beast instantly roared in shock at being assaulted from behind. Spinning around, the bear attempted to knock him from his feet in another violent blow. This time however, Dusk copied Trixie’s idea, Shining Armor’s shield spell was so easy to cast, it would easily abso-

As Dusk’s spell crumpled, he flew across the clearing. Trixie felt the strain, and knew he had pushed his magic too far. Throwing another copy of the shield over the stallion, Trixie bolted to his side, while the Ursa turned slowly to watch where Dusk landed. Kneeling at the stallion’s side, she cupped his head, fingers stroking through his hair. “You damned fool! Trixie was gone! You didn’t have to follow her! Your obligation to her was over, but now you’ve gotten hurt because of your strange fixation! Why!?”

Smiling a little as he looked over her shoulder at the Ursa, Dusk pulled a small thin clear plastic envelope free. Pushing it into her hand, Dusk shook his head. “Because, Trixie, I could never leave a fellow pony behind, especially one of the few who ever understood what it was like to be so isolated... Trixie... I’m sorry. I just wanted to try and show you… that we could find an answer. Maybe, this is it.”

The stallion's mind was so quiet, so calm as he pushed the thin drug pouch into her hand, there was a weight to his thoughts. A deep sense of guilt. But she could tell he felt whatever the pouch was, might really be their only hope. Ripping the plastic apart, Trixie pushed the dried black petal between her lips, biting down and gasping in shock as a bolt of energy shot through her mind. It was just like when she touched the Princess, this sense that the magic she had access to had simply no bound. No limits. Nothing that restricted it or prevented her from doing anything! Anything at all. Casually, she pulled apart every thought in the stallion’s mind, hunting for the magic that healed. Finding so little, she gave a serene wave of her hand. The flow of power blasted back the Ursa forty feet, driving it back into a bald rise in the earth, and ten feet further. Cupping Dusk’s jaw, she poured forth the soft touch of what little healing spells he knew, flooding the stallion with it until she felt he could hold no more of the green glowing power.

She was laughing. When had she started laughing? And why couldn’t she stop? Trixie giggled with joy, lost in delight at the odd colors she could see flowing through her hands. Was it her own blood? Was she able to see inside herself? Such power from so tiny a plant!

“Can see you now!”

What was that? What had Trixie just heard? Something so distant, so soft and yet, it had called for her attention. Panicked, she twisted around, hunting for the source. A roar pulled her back into herself, and her eyes found the charging Ursa was only inches from trampling over her. Time was moving so slowly, the environs whisper-quiet, she felt the brush of its claws as they cut through the air beside her jaw. Rage roared in the depths of her heart. The Ursa had interrupted her! She would have no more of it. Why should she? It was no more a threat to her than a worm was to a god. Lifting both hands, she focused, placing them before the bear’s maw. Drawing a single drop of the bottomless well that had opened up to her, Trixie threw that power into the bear’s face, throwing it away until she could no longer sense the beast’s presence. Giggling again, Trixie slowly stood, her fingers stroking her jaw, the tingling sensation almost made her heart burst with joy. But then, she sensed something. Turning around, she looked to the sky and screamed.

* * *

Dusk could hardly believe what had happened. In seconds, Trixie went from crying to laughter, and then screaming in fear. She had seen something in the sky that had frightened her, and then blindly ran into the forest again. Sitting up slowly, Dusk started to rub his stiff neck with one hand, shocked at how well Trixie’s healing magic had managed to quell the pain from the Ursa Minor’s blow. Reaching his magic out, Dusk could not sense a hint of the infant's presence, and for a moment, he was worried what might have happened to the beast. “Princess Celestia says nopony, not even Starswirl himself, has ever beaten an Ursa. I suppose Trixie was not bragging. She really is the Great and Powerful-.”

A sudden impact threw apart the trees over Dusk’s head. Dash’s arrival wasn’t subtle, and twisting around, she inspected the ruins of Dusk’s newly formed clearing. Rushing to his side, she called up to the sky. “It’s clear! You can come down now, Cadence!”

Even as Dusk let Dash’s fingers begin inspecting the wet blood from the wounds that Trixie had already healed, a glance to the sky revealed she wasn’t alone. Twenty? Thirty pegasi formed a circle in the air above, while Princess Cadence flew down, landing at Dash’s side and rushing to Dusk, her voice waning with pain. “Dusk, you bloody fool! What did you do? Was that really an Ursa?!!”

As her fingers joined Dash’s in inspecting the bloody mess that was Dusk’s torn shirt and drenched ribcage, Dusk shook his head. “I think it was a Minor, Cadence. And Trixie drove it off… In fact, I think she just picked it up and threw it away. Ly-” Dusk had to stop, panting for breath at his own shock. “Lyra was right. That Black Lotus really did something to Trixie. I felt her combing through every memory, every lesson I’ve ever had. She found that time you taught me how to heal papercuts, and somehow made it work.”

Dash poured her water flask over Dusk’s chest, using the scraps of his shirt to wipe away the blood and water, shaking her head. “Dusk, if that spell was meant to heal papercuts, how in Tartarus did she fix broken ribs?”

Unable to offer more than a shrug, Dusk looked up to Cadence, his voice sad and tired. “If you two are done making your hands bloody, can we go home? Today had been forever… and we have lost Trixie again. I don’t think there is any chance of me convincing myself of trying to find her for a while,, let alone either of you.”

Cadence smiled gently, her blood coated fingers stroking through the stallion’s hair. “Alright, Dusk. You’re finally talking some sense. Dash, can your team handle carrying him?”

Dash snorted, standing up and shoving two fingers into her lips, whistling hard to call down a few of the gathered pegasi. “If they can’t, Princess, trust me, they’ll be flying laps for days for letting us down.”

* * *

Dusk must have passed out some time during the flight home. It must have been from the cold and how wet he felt. He could only remember Dash and Cadence talking the whole time and Cadence wrapping him in her winter jacket when they realized he was shivering from the cold.

It was Nurse Redheart’s soft touch to Dusk’s temple that brought him around. Dusk’s eyes were heavy, yet he could recognize his bedroom, and the feel of his silk sheets. “Wha- Why not the clinic?”

Nurse Redheart snorted, shaking her head. “Because we just got everypony settled back in after you made us flee town. And you aren’t hurt, a little frostbitten, but not hurt. Whatever it was Trixie used to heal you, it did wonders. From all the blood, I’d have sworn something eviscerated your damn-fool ass.”

From the doorway, Rarity’s voice called in a soft whisper. “If he isn’t hurt, why did you make me leave the room?”

Rolling her eyes, Redheart looked back over her shoulder at Rarity. “Because, I wanted to clean him up and make sure he was ok before you covered him with kisses and got in my way. You can come in now, so can AJ. I’m done here for tonight. But keep him warm and make sure he gets something good to eat for the next few days. It’s clear that he hasn’t been eating properly again.”

As Redheart stood up and slipped away from Dusk’s bed, Rarity bolted across the room, hopping up onto the massive bed, wrapping Dusk’s neck in her arms, and coated his face with soft kisses, just like the nurse had predicted. Laughing quietly to himself, Dusk let his arms slide around the tiny mare’s hips, hugging her tightly close, and resting his head against her shoulder. His voice was a whisper into her ear, lips dancing against her earlobe. “I’m sorry, Rarity. I know these last few weeks have been crazy. I just wanted to give Trixie every chance that I could.”

From the doorway, AJ laughed openly, stepping through and shaking her head. “From what I’ve heard, you sure gave her more than enough chances. I’m just glad you came back to us in one piece, Dusk. Now let’s try and keep you that way for a while, please sugarcube?”

Looking up to Applejack, Dusk gave a soft nod. “Is Barb okay? I don’t remember much of the flight back, but-”

Rarity silenced the stallion with a gentle kiss, letting it linger, while her fingers stroked through his hair. “She is fine, Dusk. She came home and told us about Trixie. Just as we were starting to plan to come check up on her, Dash arrived calling for an evacuation of town. We kept her with us for most of the night, but she was so tired, I made her go to bed.”

Reassured by Rarity’s words, Dusk lifted a hand out to offer out one hand for Applejack. As the mare slipped in close and sat down on the other side of the bed, beside him, their fingers twined together, squeezing one another. Dusk gave Rarity’s cheek another soft kiss before turning, smiling up to the towering Applejack. “Then everypony I care for is safe. And that makes me happy. For that reason, I agree, AJ. Let’s hope things are finally quiet for a few days.”

Rarity smiled, her fingers stroking tenderly through the stallion’s hair, shifting until she lay down against the stallion’s side and curled into his chest. With her eyes half closed, she let herself ask the question that needed an answer. “Dusk… just what happened to Trixie? Princess Cadence and Dash didn’t really know much, just that you gave her the Black Lotus, and that she suddenly fled in fear? Cadence says she lost track of her hours ago. Said she just disappeared.”

Dusk shook his head, wrapping an arm around the small mare’s hips, kissing her softly on the cheek. “I’ve never taken Black Lotus, but from everything Princess Celestia taught me about drugs, it remains the most dangerous. It lets a unicorn pull magic from everything in the world around us. Every tree, every plant, every blade of grass. Every worm and every gnat. They all become a battery a unicorn can draw magic from. I can only speculate in that frame of mind, Princess Cadence’s arrival must have been like seeing the sun rise at midnight.”

Applejack gasped, shaking her head, her free hand joining the first and squeezing down on the stallion’s hand. “I can only imagine. I still can’t look at Fluttershy’s herb garden, just the sight of that small supply of Dawn Blossom she grows makes my mouth dry with need.”

Dusk gave a soft nod, guilt swelling up as he squeezed AJ’s hand in return. “I know AJ… I’m sorry things had to go that far, but my magic failed and Trixie was about to get mauled by the Ursa. I had to give her the Lotus, or we both were probably going to being that baby’s teething ring.

Rarity shook her head, shushing him down gently back into silence. “It’s ok, Dusk, it really is. You made the right choice, anything else might not have been enough. Though we will have to have words with Dash and Princess Cadence for letting you go into the Everfree Forest alone.”

Here Applejack laughed, releasing the stallion’s hand and shaking a finger in his face. “Rarity is right. You clearly have some very irrational tendencies. I’d say we oughta have some serious words with both those mares. Clearly, we can’t trust them to keep an eye on our foolish stallion.”

As all three relaxed a little, Dusk felt himself drifting off again. Shaking his head, he smiled up to both mares. “I’m sorry, I really am. I did not want to make you worry. Don’t take it out on them, please.”

The mares paused, looking into one another’s eyes, before giving a small nod. “Oh Dusk, you’re far too soft a target. I don’t care anymore, now that all the insanity is over, I’m just glad you are back and safe. Let’s leave it at that, okay?” Dusk gave a soft nod, and let himself slip off into sleep.

* * *

Gasping for breath, Trixie continued her headlong rush through the forest,snapping branches as she forced her way blindly between trees. Eventually she realized she was still sobbing, and forced herself to stop. "How far now? Is there any distance that might at last ensure some measure of freedom? Can't sense any hint of Dusk, or The Ursa... maybe Trixie is finally... alone?"

"Freedom"

Somewhere, something so infinitesimally small whispered to her. So tiny and weak, for a while she swore it was her imagination. She washed the dried on blood from her nose and chin with the slow-flowing water of a nearby stream.

"Freedom"

Trixie froze in place, water rushing through her clasped hands inches away from her parched lips. Jumping around, she pointed an accusing finger behind her, her voice unable to hide the quaking fear. "Trixie heard you that time! Come out, stalker, and reveal yourself to her!"

Silence prevailed for a time, and it began to dawn on Trixie that there was nopony around. Slowly, she took a few steps back into the depths of the stream, letting the chilly water soothe her aching calves.

"FREEDOM!!!"

The tiny voice whispered from an impossible distance away, but Trixie had a grip upon it now. For just a moment, she strained to follow that tiny whisper back to its source, yet as she felt her grip wane, she pulled back, focusing on the few details she could find. "You’re alone... somewhere impossible. The frozen north? Past the mountains and still farther. What do you want from Trixie?"

Silence followed, and for a while, Trixie began to second guess herself to question if she had imagined it all. Then, as soft as before, the voice returned.

"Freedom, and peace of mind."

* * *

“You’re really far too soft on him, sister. We’d have made him spend a few weeks in the mine if nothing else. Tartarus’ staff could use proof that even the Captain of the Royal Guard isn’t immune to the power of your command.”

Princess Celestia shook her head, stepping back from the open night sky, returning to the small chamber inside the towering outlook. While Luna followed her, Celestia poured the thin wispy black tea into two glasses, offering her sister a small shrug. “I know, I’m sorry sister. But for years now, Shining Armor has given everything I’ve ever asked of him, and never questioned me. I can’t be too rough on so young a stallion with such loyalty. Besides, you don’t know how much he hates public speeches, and even a simple ceremony like opening Ponyville’s new hospital will remind him of his place.”

Taking up the cup Celestia had poured for her, Luna sipped, and gave a quiet sigh. “Alright. And the interview? I understand why you want him to interview Gilda. But him? It’s been, what? Fifteen hundred years? Why now?”

Celestia drained her cup, and returned it to the platter on the table. “Because Armor needs to see, first hand, the real danger we are dealing with. That is the rest of Shining Armor’s punishment. For so many years, I’ve cared for the world without showing real danger to any of my people. Maybe if I let Armor see the demon we built Tartarus to contain, he will better understand why we need to handle things like the wolf with the greatest of care.”

Luna offered a shrug to her sister, putting her own cup down to join her sister’s. “And Dusk? I’ve been torn by every report Silk has given me. He did such a poor job of handling the whole Gilda situation. So many ponies were hurt because he took too soft a hand to deal with the situation. Yet that same soft hand is probably the only reason things with Trixie didn’t result in any deaths. I have other plans to test him again, but they all need time to set up.”

Celestia looked to the pile of paperwork upon her desk, slowly curling a lip up in a small smile. “There is one thing I might suggest. Two dragons, both younger adults, are moving dangerously close to our territory. It will still be some days, if not weeks, before we are sure they have chosen a new cave to settle in. But If I sent Cloudsdale to deal with the older dragon, it would make a good excuse to test the Elements of Harmony out on the younger. Might that provide worthwhile results?”

Luna winced, watching her sister closely now. “You have a point sister, but to risk the elements on a dragon? Are you sure they can handle something that old and powerful?”

Celestia gave a soft nod, grinning to her younger sister. “I think you underestimate them. I think they can do it, without using the elements at all.”

Author's Note

And with that, I bring Trixie's first appearance to an end. I hope you all like what I've done with the universe and with Trixie's place in the world.

A lot of these idea's are a HUGE part of why I started this series and were I plan to go with the story. I have to give Frankie a massive thank you, for helping me finalize parts of my ideas for Trixie and how to handle her powers.

Thank you to ShadowThunder for your great suggestions to help shape Trixie up into the fine tragic figure she has become.

And Thank you Flamerz, for being the helpful, silly, creative assistant!

See you all next time in Interlude 6: Captain of the Royal Guard

And as always, please try to avoid spoilers in the comments! Remember that you can use the spoiler tag.

Interlude 6 - Royal Captain of Celestia’s Guard, Shining Armor

The disappointing results of his mission to Ponyville still tasted bitter on Shining Armor’s lips. He had returned to Canterlot, expecting Princess Celestia to immediately debrief him, perhaps even dismiss him. Instead, Silken Flight was waiting for him alone, a handwritten note from Princess Celestia to prove her orders came direct. He was to take the rest of the night off, and spend it with Princess Cadence, providing she cared to have his company.

And Shining Armor was grateful for Cadence’s company that night. It had been too long since Luna had taken her to explore the north, to hunt for signs of something they only called 'the wolf'. He must have laid awake for half the night, tracing the lines in her neck with his idle fingers, relishing in her warm body and close contact beneath his sheets.

When he awoke, it was to her fingers tracing the lines of a still fresh bruise on his chest, where Trixie had throw him into the wall, or one of his soldiers. The fight had collapsed into chaos so quickly, he almost couldn’t recall how quickly she had pulled his ambush apart. But that was the past, and his one love was softly cooing a lullaby. "And hush now, my little pony. Let go your fretful dreams. The Princess' and their consorts watch over yee. By day, by night, in dreams or any fright~. Start Swirl brings truth to light, Luna drives away the horrors of the night. Celestia guides the dawn, and leads us ever on~."

Smiling up at the mare, Shining Armor twisted around in her arms, soft planting a kiss on her throat. But something in her song nagged at his mind, and he looked up into her enchanting eyes. "I know challenging things like nursery rhymes is more Dusk’s territory, but it says the Princess' had consorts, yet only Starswirl is named. Who was Princess Celestia's?"

Blushing at his kiss, Cadence wrapped her wings around the stallion’s body under the sheets, pulling his body closer to her own and shaking her head. "I'm no historian, Shining. Celestia has told me about a few of her past consorts. Probably to help me understand why she rarely makes them publicly known, why she keeps her children mostly private and secret."

Armor snuggled in closer to the mare's strong arms, shaking his head. "Except Blueblood."

Cadence laughed gently, shaking her head. "Well, Blueblood is Blueblood. I don’t think even Princess Celestia has dealt with quite so... unique a stallion as him."

Snorting with laughter and hardly attempting to suppress it, Armor let his voice drop to a low tone, nearly mumbling in prayer. "And Celestia help us, I hope no one else will ever have to!"

Leaning in, Cadence dragged her lips in a series of tender kisses over the right side of his jaw. In the distance, the university bell began to ring six am, causing the alicorn to pause in her affection to her stallion. Lingering on his eyes, she asked the question they both knew was coming. "Should we go together? She is usually the most alert first thing after sunrise... but, she is also more irritable."

Letting his eyes linger on her own, Shining Armor lifted a hand to stroke his thumb across the line of her jaw. “You’d come with me? And risk her anger?”

Leaning into his touch, Cadence cupped his hand to her cheek, but her eyes went fierce. “Of course, if I had to, I’d fight her for you. You should know that Armor.”

For a moment, Armor had no words. Yet as she held him close and stroked his hand across her cheek, he found the words that fit. “I love you Cadence.”

* * *

Lyra groaned as Minuette’s hands began to work, the oil and liniment from Lyra’s medical pack added a strong and lingering mint scent to the air, and Minuette’s fingers worked that soothing oil into the kinks in her shoulders. Shuffling her quill across the letter on her desk, Lyra couldn’t help but wince a little, enjoying the younger mare’s soothing attention.

A sudden knocking at the door caused both to freeze up, staring at one another as a soft voice spoke through the door. “Minuette? Lyra? I know its early, but I couldn’t sleep and got some pastries from the Cake’s Bakery.”

Twisting around in place and searching around the room, Lyra’s eyes caught the heavy lilac bathrobe hanging from a hook on the wall. Holding a finger to her lips to silence Minuette from answering, she stood up, peeling her legs out of the sweat stained leather armor, throwing it to her assistant before rushing to pull on the bathrobe. “It’s not too early. Please, just let me put on a robe. Minuette was just helping me put on some ointment on my back.”

Catching up quickly, Minuette shoved the armor studded leather pants under the bed, along with the matching jacket. While Lyra rushed to pull on the robe to cover her naked body, Minuette had changed into a simple white pair of shorts and a tight and clingy t-shirt. Taking the extra few seconds she had while Lyra pulled on the robe, Minuette collected Lyra’s field bag, as well as the rest of their gear, quickly moving to toss it all beneath her bed. Giving Lyra a nod as the older mare turned to check with her to insure they were ready, Minuette spoke up, making sure to be just a little too loud, so Bonbon would hear. “I’m sure she was just concerned, it’s okay for you to stay a few days, cousin.”

As Minuette moved to open the door, Lyra returned to her chair, smiling to herself, but suppressing it. “I forgot my cover story. Thank you for the reminder, Minuette.” As her eye turned to the letters upon the desk, they suddenly took on a whole new meaning. Resorting the pile so no important information was visible, Lyra’s pen began to scribble upon the page, while her free hand dragged its nail just below her eyes, to redden her cheeks and cause her eyes to water a little.

Stepping through the door, Bonbon had placed the freshly baked treats, which were still steaming hot, onto a platter, some of the rich fruit filling spilt from a split in one of the strawberry danishes. Smiling to the mares, Bonbon would shake her head, her voice whisper-quiet. “I’m really sorry girls, I know things in town haven't been very quiet.” Placing the platter of pastries on the desk beside Lyra, the mint scent of the ointment was almost strong enough to overwhelm the aroma coming from the baked goods. Wincing a little, Bonbon put a hand on Lyra’s own, her voice whisper-quiet. “Dear, if you ever need to talk in private, please let me know. I know about stallions.”

Lyra couldn’t totally suppress a wince. “Why do they always use that as the first cover story to be established? It’s effective in suppressing most questions, but it creates so many misconceptions.” Turning in place on her chair and smiling to the watchful landlady, Lyra shook her head. “No no, it’s quite okay, really. I was just trying to write a letter to his mother. We were such good friends, see. And I wanted to try to tell her, personally.”

Bonbon had seen Lyra’s attempt to suppress her wince, and gave a little sigh, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, dear. I understand though. While I wasn’t so close with my stallion’s family, his sister worked at the clinic I went to when he-“ Bonbon went quiet, and shook her head, catching her breath. “I’m sorry, you don’t need to hear more painful stories right now. Have some pastries, and let the liniment do its work. If Minuette hasn’t told you already, Ponyville’s Spa is run by two sisters who are very good at respecting privacy.”

Minuette smiled, stepped forward, and snatched up one of the flakey pastries and took a small nibble before speaking up. “I took advantage of a few hours of quiet the other night, we have a private room booked for just before noon today. But thanks, Bonbon, it was exactly what I was thinking as well.”

Placing the platter of pastries on the desk beside Lyra, Bonbon gave the mares a warm smile. "Well, eat up then girls! Fiddle Faddle said her roof was leaking, so I'm off to the labor board. I'm sure somepony with a little skill with a hammer will be free now that harvest is over!"

Lyra cocked her head over her shoulder, looking at the soft smile of the landlady. Shaking her head, she had to ask. "This early? Even in Canterlot, most of the labor board offices don't open to the public until seven bells at the earliest."

Giggling a little, Bonbon shook her head. "Oh no, Ginger Gold has a box on her door so you can drop notes off before she gets up. I'll be back in about ten minutes. Do take care, and if you need me, I'm right downstairs."

* * *

Dusk lowered his pen, folding up the letter he had been writing and slipping it into his outbox. Barb would find it when she got up, and send it off to Princess Luna. Dusk already had more important matters on his mind, most of all, Lyra’s sudden appearance in Ponyville. “She was in most of Shining’s classes at Starswirl U. I’d hardly know her otherwise, so why here, why now? There must be a reason. A story behind why she showed up so suddenly, with military grade anti-magic rings. I can’t wonder any longer, I need answers. Now.”

Looking out the library window, Dusk could see the first hints of sunrise in the distance. “Must be six in the morning or so. The fact that AJ is still asleep suggests it is still a little early. No clue where Lyra is staying, but she was with Minuette before Trixie attacked, so I’ll start there.” It took Dusk no time to find the library’s latest copy of the residential records submitted to city hall. Flipping through the thin booklet, Dusk froze, his eyes lingering at the information listed. “It makes sense. Bonbon. She rents rooms out in her house, and the neighbouring one she owns, but that’s mostly just to keep herself busy. She travels to Canterlot a lot, has some job there, something to do with making movies, which means anyone renting from her gets a lot of privacy, and can come and go without anypony really paying much attention.” Just as Dusk was about to slam the book closed, another detail pulled his mind back, making him pause to reread the dates. “Two months to the day. She moved to Ponyville two months to the day after Princess Luna returned.” Slamming the book closed, Dusk knew where he was going. No more wondering, it was time for answers.

* * *

Shining Armor again lifted a hand to tug at his collar, his dress suit was always just a little too tight around his throat. Cadence immediately stepped in and pushed his hands out of the way, her fingers cupping the collar of his suit jacket and tugging it around a little before flattening down the ruffles with two dragging strokes of her open palms. “Stop fidgeting, Shining, and you really need to stop putting off getting your dress uniform properly tailored.”

Holding still as Cadence straightened up his clothing, Shining gave his answer in an even tone while admiring the mare’s pristine, lacey pink dress. “I might occasionally need a suit for important public meetings, but its hardly a major part of my work. No reason to waste time or money on suits I’ll never need. Besides, you look far better in fancy clothing than I ever will.”

Leaning in close, letting her lips linger on his cheek, Cadence cooed to the stallion. “But, I like how you look in a good suit. And a properly tailored one? Mmmmm, I just can’t wait to see that.”

Blushing at the suggestive sounds the mare cooed into his ear, Shining gave her a soft hug around the hips. “Then I’ll make an appointment. For you, Cadence, I’d do anything.” Just as Shining leaned in to place a soft kiss to the mare’s lips, a throat cleared across the room. Wincing, Armor looked over, realizing Silken stood across the room, watching them. Leaning up just a little, he gave Cadence a soft kiss, not the deep and lingering one he longed for. Drawing back and turning to look to the spy, he gave her a nod. “I take it they are ready?”

Rolling her eyes and tapping her foot, Silken Flight crossed her arms over her own chest. “Oh, no not really. They just sent me here to watch you two make kissy faces for fun.”

Grinning, Cadence shook her head and leaned in, planting another light kiss to the shorter stallion’s cheek. “See! She does think I’m cute. I told you so.” When Silk started to lift a hand and respond, Cadence burst out in soft laughter, unable to hold up her act. “Oh relax, Silkie! I know you’re heart belongs to another princess, but it’s cute to see how badly you hide it!”

Shocked at Cadence’s spontaneous invention of a nickname for her, Silken Flight took a step back and tried to hide a dark blush at the younger mare’s piercing deduction of her feelings. Shaking her head and trying to wave her hands dismissively, Silk pressed for them to change the subject. “Rather than waste the Princess’ time with talk about who was making kissy faces at whom, let’s get in there so Princess Celestia can toss Shining out the window, okay?”

Accepting Cadence’s hand into his own as he stepped towards the open door, Shining Armor gave her finger’s a strong squeeze. “Thanks, Silk. Lead on.” Of course, Shining could have guessed where Celestia and Luna waited for him. It was early enough, so they were both still in Celestia’s lookout, sharing a morning tea after the extreme effort of sunrise.

A scowl crossed over Celestia’s lips as Shining and Cadence entered, her evening tea replaced with heavy, black morning coffee, the steam radiating off it in a torrent of wisps. Cupping both hands around the bottom of the cup, she gave Cadence a single nod before speaking up. “First of all, welcome back, granddaughter. My sister has told me all about your trip, we will talk about it more when we’ve dealt with the headstrong colt.” Silencing herself with a long pull from the thick ceramic cup, her eyes only now acknowledged Shining’s presence.

Stepping forward and drooping to kneel, Shining expected something harsh, the dismissive hello to Cadence making it clear he had earned her fire. Kneeling, and without meeting her gaze, he spoke up, his voice attempting apologetic while aiming for an even tone. “Princess, I know my headlong rush to my brother’s aid ended up doing little to help the situation, but I ask for some measure of mercy, knowing the pain of loss as strongly as you do, you must understand why I did something so foolish.”

It was Luna who answered, Celestia’s eyes were still weary with signs of a poor sleep. Leaning forward and tapping the tip of the stallion’s horn, her voice was softer than Celestia’s, but only just. “We have talked, and have considered your actions. You are right, sir knight, but our sister warned you why you could not help and you went anyways. Mine sister has used up too much mercy as of late on others who did not learn their lessons well.”

Lowering her cup to rest on its platter, Celestia let her fingers stroke Shining’s hair, her voice kept to a nearly indifferent tone. “As you’ve duties to fulfil, we have decided not to get in your way. You are the Captain of my guard, and as such, I trust your judgement… but it would seem to a fault. You’ve avoided two of your duties, and we mean to use them to correct your behavior. First, a proper speech and presentation is needed for the population of Ponyville. Since it was your troops who were injured the most during Nightmare Moon’s attack, and who received so much help from the denizens of Ponyville, I have decided it is only appropriate for you to show your gratitude.”

Shining couldn’t hide the exhale of relief as he realized she clearly planning to keep him around. Somewhere, a part of him still didn’t really believe it totally. A public speech? He hated them, but Princess Celestia was right: he owed the people of Ponyville, they had opened their homes to his men and cared for them, even while Nightmare Moon still attacked their town. “Appropriate, Princess. I-”

Luna cut him off, pushing a thin ledger into his face. “We are also dissatisfied with your reports on your prison population. We know you only spend a day a month accessing your charges, but the fact that so many have yet to be reviewed by you personally disappoints us. We have selected two for you to interview. Silken Flight will accompany you, to learn herself and hopefully add to what you may gather from them. One is the newest member of your life wing, the griffon Gilda.”

Accepting the book and flipping to the first bookmark, Shining was met with a face he had already seen. He had been planning a visit for her very shortly, but the Trixie situation had delayed that trip. Flipping to the second bookmark, Shining looked up to the Princess, unable to hide how he he began to sweat. “But this other one, he-”

Luna shook her head, her voice very serious. “He is real. You will find no reports on his crime. No lists of his sentence. No details of his life. But he is waiting, and you will be the first warden to interview him. The ‘Demon of Tartarus’ is real, and you’ll have the honor of being the first warden to even see him face to face.”

* * *

Dusk’s knock at the door was light, rapid, and even. He had even made the excuse of stopping at the Cake’s, but when they told him off-handedly that Bonbon had been in, he knew he needed a different excuse. Their selection of chocolate molds had been limited. Except for birthdays, they didn't have many occasions for them to keep them in stock. With Pinkie Pie’s help, Dusk had turned the tables on that headache, by managing to use birthday letter molds to make a somewhat suitable welcoming basket. Letters, in a rich mixture of dark, milk and white chocolates, now decorated a platter, spelling out the simple message: “PoNyville welcomeS aNy gueSt!” Dusk had made sure the small N and S molds disappeared just after they started, much to Pinkie’s frustration. The message was subtle, anypony who saw it would just assume the batch was rushed.

As Bonbon opened the door, her eyes shot from Dusk to the basket, and back again. “Oh… dear. You see, Dusk, it’s just. Well. She-”

From the stairwell, Minuette spoke up, her voice kept low, but welcoming, not worried. “It’s okay, Bonbon. He is a friend from school. Lyra and his brother used to date years ago. It might even cheer her up to see a friendly face.”

“I knew it! Anypony who knew Shining, who knew Cadence, would have known that they had been dating for ages. Minuette, you played your cards too openly, does this mean you’ve been replaced?” Dusk shut his mind off, and gave the mare on the staircase a nod, his voice kept quiet. “I’d heard about poor Lyra suddenly appearing in town the other night and knew something must have gone wrong. I know it’s early, but-”

Bonbon’s posture changed in a second, from defensive house mother, to welcoming host. Stepping aside and waving him in, she was suddenly close to his side, her voice both frantic and delighted. “Oh, thank you, Dusk! The poor mare really could use a friend. I- I don’t mean to speak ill of a stallion, but the bruising on her back? I hope the princess sends the guard after him.”

As her words helped Dusk form a picture of Lyra’s cover story, Dusk looked to Minuette who was visibly wilting as Bonbon carried on with such personal information so quickly, she cut in to end the embarrassment. “It’s really okay, Bonbon. I’ll take him up. We can catch up before the spa opens.”

Bonbon backed away, but looked up to the mare on the staircase, her voice serious. “Just remember. When I rented you the room, it was for one mare plus one guest. If you choose to have more over, you keep it quiet, and leave your door open! We can’t have ponies talk!”

Waving to Bonbon as Dusk followed her upstairs, Minuette offered him a small shrug before ushering him into her room. Taking the basket from him and speaking a little too loudly in case her landlady was listening, she gushed praise over the chocolates. “Such a kind idea, Dusk. Really!”

Lyra turned in her chair, her arms folded defensively across her chest while she watched him. The soft hue of her robe didn’t add to the intimidation factor, but for a moment, Dusk was impressed. For all that she was sitting down and watching him, the mare did look like an iron wall. Her gates barred to his questions and presence. Speaking in a soft enough tone to avoid Bonbon overhearing them, Dusk stressed his words in just the right places. “I’m sorry to hear you took the worst of the last few days, Lyra. I hear she did a real number on your back.”

Without missing a beat, Lyra responded, her eyes showing no hint of confusion at his words, no opening. “He was a bastard, Dusk. Nowhere near as good to me as your brother. I really should have stayed with Shining, such a kind stallion. But he only had eyes for Princess Cadence.”

Minuette appeared torn, turning from Dusk to Lyra before pulling a spare chair from her closet and offering it to Dusk. “Please, do sit down. No reason to be uncomfortable while we talk, right?”

Relaxing into the chair at Lyra’s side, Dusk offered a smile to the older mare, his voice lowered to a near whisper. “Funny, I don’t remember you and Shining ever having dated at SSU. Was it before I started there? I mean, there were a few months before I got moved from the youth prep school to SSU after Armor started his own classes, mostly directed towards his military training of course.”

Lyra’s eyes flared for a moment; he was getting to her, he could tell. “Of course, Dusk. I know you were so young at the time, but trust me, Shining was a proper gentleman. Now please, tell me why you’re up so early for a visit?”

Dusk leaned back, his shoulders lifting in a small shrug. “Nothing really, just wanted to check up on you and make sure you were okay. I was about to send some letters to Princess Celestia on the topic of the strange things that have been going on in town. People coming into town on the mail train, a former classmate of mine suddenly showing up in town hoping for my help, only to be attacked by two other mares from my school. That kind of thing. You wouldn’t have anything to add that might shape my letter, would you?”

“Ahh.. I understand now. What do you say, Minuette? Do we have anything we should tell Dusk?” Turning to look to her junior, Lyra continued to stonewall Dusk, offering the stallion no extra information, no opportunity to learn anything new.

Wide-eyed at the conversation before her, Minuette began to realize how far out of her depth she really was. Deferring to Lyra’s judgement, she gave Dusk the smallest smile she could manage and shook her head. "As my cousin says, Dusk. It's a shame some classmates of yours can't get along. I'm sure they must have had some reason. Hopefully you can find a comfortable answer. Princess Celestia always was good at explaining complex situations with relative ease."

Shaking his head, Dusk stood up again, stopping only long enough to offer the mare his hand to shake. "Then, until Princess Celestia replies to my letter, consider your time in Ponyville limited. I do not enjoy ponies sneaking around behind my back. And I hate lies and half truths even more."

The sound of footsteps on the staircase broke the tense moment, and just as Bonbon rounded the corner to pass by Minuette’s room, Lyra took Dusk's offered hand, holding it and smiling up at him. "Thank you so much for coming, Dusk. It's so good to have a friend from school return. You really don't have to write the Princess just for my sake."

As Bonbon looked through the open door and smiled at them before turning to walk away, Dusk realized what she was really saying. Stepping in close to the taller unicorn, Dusk gave her the lightest touch of his horn to her own. "I promise, Lyra. I will get to the truth. No matter who I must ask. Because no pony deserves what happened to her. To be treated so poorly? No mare, no mare at all, ever deserves to be treated like that."

As he started to walk down the hall to the staircase, it was Minuette's soft voice that made him pause. "Dusk, we never meant for this to happen."

Stopping on the staircase, he gave the younger mare a smile. "I'm sorry your visit to Ponyville has gone so poorly. Maybe if things with your cousin get cleared up, we can finally invite you over for dinner. I'm sure Rarity and Applejack would enjoy getting a look into my school years." Turning away and leaving the house, Dusk headed home, the letter already forming in his mind.

* * *

"Take a note, Bronze Feather. I need to make an appointment with a tailor as soon as possible."

Even as Armor tugged at his dress suit's collar, Silken Flight couldn’t suppress her own titter of laughter. To her credit, his squire, Bronze Feather kept her face straight, a quill dancing across the page in her ledger. "Of course, sir. Should we have extra time before your appointment at the new hospital in Ponyville? We could stop and ask your brother's mare, ummm I think his letter named her Rarity? She apparently runs her own private clothing shop, maybe she can at least fix this suit jacket's collar?"

Armor laughed gently, shaking his head. "I don’t know, I remember his letter. The other mare is Applejack, a giant earth mare who runs her family farm. And I'd feel just as intrusive asking her for a bushel of fruit, let alone asking his new marefriend to do an emergency alteration to my suit jacket. I can live with it, now please, Bronze. Update me on the latest reports from Tartarus."

Silk was bored by the numbers and figures and the facts that they spent the next hour pouring over, but she kept an ear focused on their conversation. Her mercenary days had taught her hard lessons, and an army marched on its belly. Sitting up in her seat, she had to pick more of the details apart. Interrupting Armor, she inserted her way into the conversation."You keep talking about 'mining duty' and ‘short-timers’. With so few even knowing the location of Tartarus, I've never gotten the full picture. Care to help a lady out?"

There was a moment where Shining Armor almost thrilled. For all her spies’ talents, she still hadn't managed to sneak a peek into Tartarus. Leaning back in his chair, Shining gave his squire a nod. "Go ahead. Silken Flight might as well know everything you know, at the very least."

Embarrassed to be put on the spot, the young mare, hardly more than a filly, really, by Silk’s judgement, stammered for a moment before getting her footing. "O... of course, sir. Tartarus is a universal prison for all of Equestria. If a pony commits a crime, any crime, and is judged to be guilty, they are sent to Tartarus to serve out their sentence. The majority of the ponies in Tartarus are short-timers. Ponies who have committed minor offenses, assault, theft, and the like. Those assigned to Tartarus for a period of less than ten years can volunteer to work up to five days a week in Tartarus' gem mine. Every day in the mine counts as a week off their sentence, and any gems found take off additional time from everypony working that shift’s time. Plus, two hundred and forty or so years ago, Princess Celestia declared that any pony who works the mines will receive a stipend when they are released from Tartarus at the end of their sentence. It currently stands at six and a half bits per day worked in the mine."

Silk shifted her weight, looking from the filly to Shining Armor. "So ponies who commit crimes, small crimes, but crimes none the less, get paid when they leave?"

Shining Armor gave her a shrug. "Yeah, Princess Celestia explained it to me once: 'The mine teaches them the value of hard work. Once they finish their sentence and leave the jail, they are given a small monthly stipend to make the transition to normal life a little easier.' Or something like that. I'll admit it mostly works. The majority of our short-timers never commit a second crime. Only around two percent of our yearly turnover end up returning."

Looking back out the window of the chariot, Silk pressed on. "And the long-timers? The lifers?"

Bronze swallowed, shaking her head. "Most of the non violent long-timers are required to work in the mine two days a week, the two days the short-timers are given off. The violent ones are caged and evaluated on a case-by-case basis by three different psychiatrists. The lifers are mostly caged for life, given around three hours of sunlight a day before being returned to their cell."

Lifting an eyebrow, Silk looked back to the girl. "And the death row wing? In the battlefield, we don't always have the choice, the luxury of taking prisoners."

Shining stepped in, shaking his head. "Princess Celestia has long refused the death sentence. She feels it's a waste. Period."

Silken Flight gave a shrug, turning back to the window again. "Makes sense. Just don't expect it to happen in the real world."

Shining Armor gave a shrug. "We both have had to fight, often other ponies’ battles. I can respect where Princess Celestia is coming from, and whenever possible, I'll try my best to respect her wishes."

Shining’s words had caught her attention, drawn her back to the stallion's eyes. She watched him in silence for a moment before smiling. "But if you'd have been there instead of Rainbow Dash and my agents..."

Armor released a slow breath, controlling his response with an iron grip. Revealing as little of his emotions as possible. "If I had been there, we probably would be going in for one interview, not two."

Passing through a cloudbank, Silk broke the silence. "Looks like we have finally arrived.”

* * *

Dusk had only one thing on his mind as he stormed back into his library. Quill already freed from its inkwell, Dusk began to write before he even found his way into his chair.

“Dear Princess Celestia,...”

As Dusk paused, a thought returned to nag at his mind. “She had to have condoned it. Lyra admitted she was an agent for Silken Flight. Just how much of this was a test she planned for me?” Swallowing, forcing that sense of doubt away, Dusk lifted his quill again.

“I find myself forced to question what happened yesterday in Ponyville. Beatrix Lulamoon came to Ponyville, seeking my assistance, panicked and fleeing from, as she put it ‘Your plan to throw her into a cell in Tartarus’. I know you always have a reason behind your actions, but please, I need to know what Beatrix did. Why she was to be jailed? Why did two of Silken Flight’s agents assault her in the middle of town?”

Dusk let his quill hover. His mind roamed over a thousand additional questions that begged to be asked. But he knew Princess Celestia. She had her reasons, she would never tell him everything. Not if she wanted him to learn a lesson.

“Forgive me for questioning your actions, my grace, but I had few mares at school who I might have called a friend. Beatrix is gone now, and Sunset Shimmer has been missing for nearly five years. I just want to know why this was necessary. I will always be your faithful student, but some kind of answer, any kind, would bring me peace of mind.

As always,

Dusk Shine”

As Dusk looked over the finished letter, drops of the ink dribbled across the edge of the page. Only as he looked at those drops did he realize his hand was shaking, and his eyes had begun to run with tears. Aggressively slamming the quill back into its inkwell, Dusk wiped his cheeks dry, he almost felt dirty, signing a letter to the Princess so differently. But he needed an answer. He needed her to take this seriously.

From the doorway, Fluttershy’s soft voice lifted, calling gently. “Um... hello? Is anyone up? I thought I heard someone breathing hard, but I didn’t want to intrude…”

Quickly folding the letter in half and shoving it into his outbox, Dusk tried to compose himself as quietly as he could. He must have left the front door open, because now Fluttershy had wandered in. Standing up and walking to meet her at the door, Dusk gave the mare a small wave. “Hello, Fluttershy. Sorry, I was just writing a letter, I didn’t realize I must have left the door open. What are you doing, wandering town this early in the day?”

Fluttershy blushed, shaking her head. “Oh, no, not at all. Rarity and Applejack sent Barb to bring me a letter this morning. So I figured I’d come over, since nopony has an appointment for their pets at my clinic today.”

Something in the quiet warm smile Fluttershy always wore touched Dusk’s heart. The stallion grinned, while he leaned into the doorframe at his side. “Well, why don’t you come inside, I am sure I can find some daisies or the like for breakfast. To tell the truth, I have not had anything to eat yet, myself.”

Shaking her head, Fluttershy took a half step back, looking down and rubbing the knuckles of her right hand across the back of her other hand. “Oh, well. I don’t want to be a bother, Dusk. Besides, if they aren’t up-”

From the staircase, Rarity spoke up, her voice almost cooing down to the pair at the doorway. “No, please stay, Fluttershy. Dusk has an open schedule for today, and I know you were saying you needed some help picking flowers sometime this week. Isn’t that just perfect?! A rare and peaceful day for Dusk to help you go flower picking. Besides, there isn’t that much time left before the weather turns and you won't be able to pick flowers until Winter Wrap Up.”

Even as Dusk looked up the staircase towards Rarity, it dawned on him, he was being set up. Shaking his head, he flashed a soft smile to the blushing pegasus. “I have a feeling it will go easier on us both if we just agree with her. Rarity has a talent for setups like this.”

Slowly nodding, Fluttershy stepped inside and returned Dusk’s grin, speaking up just loud enough for Rarity to hear at the top of the stairs. “You’re right! The last time she asked me to go to the spa, we ended up on a double date with two stallions who ‘just happened’ to be visiting the spa at the time.” Together they laughed, while Rarity watched them from the top of the staircase, grinning quietly to herself.

* * *

The heavy iron door creaked open, and three guards with blunted lances stepped through the outer door, watching the griffon shift in the dim light of her inner cage. Shining Armor stepped through that first doorway, looking over the iron walled chamber, and through the bars to the towering woman whose piercing yellow eyes followed his every movement. Lifting a hand, he waved the guards off, his voice level. “She doesn’t have any missing forks? Knives? Spoons, or plates? Then it’s fine. I don’t think she’s crazy enough to try clawing my eyes out through the bars.”

Reluctant, the three guards slowly lowered the wooden weapons, muttering to themselves and backing out of the outer cell. As space opened up, Silken Flight and Bronze Wing stepped in, the younger mare carrying a small writing desk with her. Perching on the bench behind the massive iron door, Bronze began to type, while at the same time reading from a report pinned to her desk. “Prisoner #1441347. Gilda; griffon. She had to be moved to this heavier cell when she was caught ripping the bars off a normal pen. Due to assaulting the guards who were assigned to her sunlight walk on her first day here, she gets six now instead of the normal four. And two minimum are unicorns, to ensure she can’t just break her wing restraints and harm more guards by dropping them.”

Gilda spit on the floor at Armor’s feet, her eyes unblinking and transfixed on the stallion. “You look a lot like him. Taller. A few more scars. Must have done some kinda fighting to become the warden of this hell hole. Why bring two mares in, though? Do I get to have the little one for a pet if I’m good?”

Bronze froze up for a moment, those piercing yellow eyes trapping her for just a moment. Armor snapped his fingers, his voice breaking her free of her transfixed daze. “Continue your report, squire.”

Shaken from her trance, Bronze looked back to the page before her, focusing on that to ignore the griffon’s powerful presence. “Of course, sorry sir. She continues to complain that our regimented diet is a starvation diet for a griffon. Currently, I’ve asked for someone to quietly look into it, but-”

Gilda threw herself at the bars, hissing from the base of her throat. “It’s a starvation diet! Only six ounces of meat a day!? No griffon can live off so little!”

Bronze continued, ignoring Gilda’s attempt to cut in. “- since we haven’t had a griffon in Tartarus for some time, we might have to ask the Princess, or Ambassador Velvet.”

Slowly nodding, Armor gave a quiet inspection of Gilda’s cell, and the condition she had left it in. “Beginning my notes, the prisoner is still hostile to all authority figures. Have the psychiatrists’ guard doubled to make sure she cannot threaten to harm them in any way. For now, double her meat portion, but only at dinner time, until you get feedback on the situation. Feel free to write for Ambassador Velvet’s input, but don’t bother sending it by express, it’s clear with all the energy she has, we aren’t starving her, even if it is a thin diet by her standards.” Pausing, Armor looked to Silk, his tone turning more casual, letting Bronze know she didn’t need to record this part, word for word. “Silk, did you notice how she has left her bedding intact? That she hasn’t tried to throw her toiletries at us yet? You can tell this is a measure of her sanity, she wants to be able to sleep and take a crap comfortably.”

Brought into focus, Gilda leaned into the bars, licking her lips as she inspected Silk from head to toe. “Ohhh, a bat! Rarely see your type on this side of the border. You know we let some of your cousins set up a colony inside the empire, don’t ya? Way more comfortable to live free than, you know, being just another slave to the murderer of the Night of the Red Sun.”

If Gilda’s attempt to set Silk off balance had any impact, she showed no sign of it. Leaning forward, she let her keen eyes inspect the griffon’s cell. “But her feather brush is missing, meaning she has probably traded it, or is carving it into a shiv. In either case, you’ll probably want to toss her cell and find it, or whatever she traded it for.”

Shining hadn’t seen that yet, and shot his gaze from Gilda to the very tidy collection of simple items the prisoner was given. A simple hand gesture told Bronze to quote that, word for word, and his tone returned to a more serious level. “Do you have anything you’d like to admit before the guards are forced to chain you to the wall and rip apart your cell to find whatever you’ve done with that brush?”

Frustrated at the lack of any kind of response to her jabs from Armor and Silk, Gilda stomped her foot on the ground, shaking her head. “It’s strapped to the back of the toilet. The ambassador taught me to hide my more valuable items. So other prisoners or corrupt guards can’t steal them from me. If you want, I’ll get it and show you I haven’t made a damn shiv. Your guards are good enough, I don’t want them tossing my cell more often than they gotta, my jaw still aches”

Armor leaned back against the doorframe of the cell, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head. “Alright, Gilda, you want to be candid, let’s be candid.You’re currently accused of seven major crimes, and a further five minor. I’m here to assess if we should bother giving you a trail, how many of your crimes are worth charging you with, and what chance you have of being reformed. Considering your record already, I won’t waste my breath offering you the chance of getting moved into the short-timers’ cell block, but if you want to talk to us, maybe I’ll be able to convince the psychiatrists you can at least make it as a long-timer. Give it ten? Twenty years of hard work, and maybe Princess Celestia will look at your record, if you can keep it clean, and she might take pity and exile you back to the empire. Now, does that interest you? Or do we just lock the door and throw away the key?”

For a moment, Gilda’s hands wrapped around the bars of her cell, squeezing down at the thick iron while she strained to suppress a growl of rage. As her breathing slowed, and her emotions came back under her own control, Gilda looked back up to the stallion, her voice level, but bitter. “Let me ask you one question first: is any of that not bullshit?”

* * *

As Dusk’s last sip of water cleared his throat of the remainder of his breakfast, the sound of rapid knocking pulled his attention back to the main hallway. Just as he started to push his chair back to stand, Applejack’s voice called from the front door. “Dash?!! Why are you up so early!”

Now worried, Dusk nodded to Rarity and Fluttershy, walking past both of them and stepping out into the hallway, already trying to piece together what must have called Dash to rise so early in the day. Before he made it halfway down the hallway, Dash came rushing up that same hall, forcing herself to skid to a halt before slamming face-first into Dusk’s chest. Grappling his open shirt, Dash looked up into his eyes. “Dusk, you know that clearing you and Trixie made in the Everfree? It’s growing a whole field of Black Lotus! I mean, like, mature flowers are already blooming! My weather team is FREAKED! We never had to deal with Lotus before, the Everfree is already crazy enough!”

Dusk leaned back, relaxing a little at last. Something easy to fix, at last! Thank Celestia! “Don’t worry, Dash. That is normal enough. Black Lotus grows very quickly in the presence of strong magic. I’ll put together some special tinder that the royal guard uses to burn any crops of Black Lotus that bloom up.”

Shocked, Dash took a step back, looking over to AJ and back to Dusk, in disbelief. “Dusk, you want me to set fire to the Everfree?? Don’t you realize how crazy that sounds!? We’d NEVER be able to control a blaze that remote, and I wouldn’t want to risk my team having to spend that much time out in the middle of such a dangerous place!!!”

Dusk shook his head, placing both hands on Dash’s shoulders, his voice lifting to try and soothe her worries, and stop her panicking. “Dash, Dash! Calm down! This stuff is very specifically made. You could dump this on AJ’s thickest, driest grove, and you’d never manage to light a spark. Trust me, all you’ll have to do is scatter this over the clearing of Lotus flowers, and watch as the fire spreads through the crop.” About to step away from Dash, Dusk was about to step away from Dash, when he noticed AJ scowling at him. It then dawned on him, that she took his comment way too seriously, forcing him to wave his hands defensively at the agitated mare. “Not that I’d ever advise dumping ANYTHING on AJ’s grove without double or triple checking for her permission!”

At last relaxing, Dash leaned back, only to end up resting her back against AJ’s crossed arms. Looking up to her taller friend, Dash quickly caught up with Dusk’s pointed comment, snapping her head back to Dusk and nodding heavily. “Of course! Never even considered it for a second! I swear!”

As AJ relaxed, Dusk turned to wave for Dash to follow him back to the kitchen, his key for the basement laboratory pulled from an inner pouch of his shirt. “Come on, Dash, I’ll mix up a batch if you help me throw this together quick enough, I can still go flower picking with Fluttershy.”

As they passed through the kitchen, Dash snorted, her voice a little too loud. “What, you’re going on a date with Fluttershy? How nice! So wha-"

The sudden cry of shock from Fluttershy on the other side of the kitchen pulled Dash’s attention back across the kitchen, to the two mares sitting together at the table. As it dawned on Dash, Dusk paused, twisting the key in the lock to the basement door, before speaking up quietly. “No. We are going flower picking. Fluttershy needs help collecting some herbs for her medicine supply.” Once he had stared Dash in the eyes for long enough, he turned to look to Fluttershy, offering the bashful mare a smile. “Right, Fluttershy?”

Reassured by Dusk’s serious tone, and the way Dash dropped the topic when he stared her down, Flutters sat back a little, giving him a small smile and a nod. “Uh huh, I need to stock up badly before winter comes! Do you know how hard it is collecting roots and herbs once the snow starts falling?”

Dash gave Fluttershy a nod, now very aware of the glare that Rarity was giving her. “Of course I do, Fluttershy! You asked me to help you just before last Winter Wrap Up, remember? Man, that was a damn mess!” Waving goodbye to Fluttershy, Dash turned and took Dusk's arm, quickly moving down the stairs while making a mental note to herself. “Watch what you say at Dusk’s place, there are WAY too many other mares around every corner!”

Thankfully, Dusk had all the supplies he needed to put together the Lotus blight on hand, and with Dash’s help, he would make up a five pound batch of the grey powder. Leaving a small pile of the pitch on a tin tray, Dusk lit a match, letting it hover over the dusty mixture. “The best part of this is that it is very fire resistant. But…” Dusk unlocked a small drawer on his laboratory desk, pulling out the empty pouch that Lyra’s Black Lotus petal had been in. Using a pair of tongs, Dusk lifted a tiny chunk of the powder to rub against the outside lip of the bag. Instantly, the mixture of powder and a nearly clear oil that had coated the inside of the pouch resulted in blue-green flames that licked every dribble of that nearly clear oil. Spreading quickly, it burned out just as fast in only three seconds. Lifting the pouch, Dusk let Dash inspect it, grinning at the mare. “And like that, it’s gone. Very safe, only spreads where Lotus oil has collected, and it doesn’t burn hot enough to set anything but Lotus on fire.”

Shocked that an open flame got no response, yet the slightest contact with the clear oil light up and burned out so quickly, Dash could give only one answer. “Man, Dusk you make all this science gibberish awesome! Can you do the same thing with other fire stuff? Cause we could totally use a safe fire resistant torch of some kind. Carrying metallic lanterns during a thunderstorm is WAY unsafe, ya know?”

Dusk shook his head, giving a sigh. “Sadly, there really isn’t a lot of choice when it comes to other things you can make a lantern from. Most metals are too attractive to the electricity in a storm, and most other materials are too flammable, they can’t handle the heat of a strong flame. I’ll try looking into it, Dash, But I can’t promise any miracles.”

Sealing the lid on the jar, Dash looked at the grey powder, giving Dusk a shrug. “Nah, you’ve done a fantastic job on this already. I’m sure if anypony can figure out a safe torch, you’ll manage it. I’d better go deal with that Lotus field, before anything from the Everfree Forest tries giving them a taste.”

Sudden joy spawned in Dusk’s eyes, and the stallion turned, grabbing Dash’s wrist, stopping her from leaving just yet. “Dash, before you sprinkle this, do me a favor? Look to see if you can find a Blue Lotus flower. They are really rare, but are way safer to handle than the Black Lotus. I’d like to give one to Fluttershy, I think it would make her happy.”

Laughing gently, Dash stepped in, lightly nudging Dusk in the ribs. “So it is a date?”

Shaking his head, Dusk gave Dash a shrug. “It’s a setup by Rarity and AJ. If I had to guess, they probably hope to make Fluttershy a little more comfortable spending time alone with me. She is a sweet girl, but painfully shy.”

Dash gigglesnorts, lightly punching Dusk in the shoulder. “I’ll take a look for you, Dusk. Fluttershy was a friend back at Cloudsdale, I’d love to see her happy.”

* * *

Shining Armor slammed the ledger closed, wincing with frustration. "Alright, Gilda. Enough going around in circles. You admit that you planned to kidnap Dusk and Rainbow Dash," He paused, then gave in as it was clear the griffon intended to interrupt him once again. "As war trophies, I'm sure your emperor might have been impressed... if you'd have successfully completed the act. We also have Rainbow Dash's confession, that adds three cases of sexual assault on top of your other crimes. At this point, I really only see two options. We take your case to Princess Celestia for judgement. With the depth of your crimes, I doubt she would offer any mercy: a guaranteed life sentence."

Gilda gave a snort of derision, arms crossing over her chest, while her lip curled up. "Right, and since you dweebs are too scared to give me a chance through trial by combat-"

"Because we don't believe in trial by combat, your other choice is simple: accept a 25 year conditional sentence based on good behavior. Two days a week in the mine, and regular positive reviews from your psychiatrists. One of my guards will deliver you a copy of my notes on your case. You've lots of time to consider the matter."

As Shining Armor turned to walk away, Silken Flight spoke up for the first time in more than an hour. "Of course, she does have a third option. Princess Luna has authorized me to present her a last chance at a pardon."

Shocked, momentarily enraged by the suggestion that Princess Luna might just let Gilda off, Armor was left stammering while he watched Gilda lean back and assess the mercenary. Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she finally broke the silence to address the offer. "Oh, right. I'm SO sure that Princess Luna wants to give me my freedom, no questions asked."

Stepping in close to Silk, Shining Armor attempted his best to control his emotions, and keep to a whisper. "Why was I never informed about this third option? And how can you offer freedom to this mon-" Shining Armor cut himself off, forcing himself calm, to quiet down his angry tone. "How can they offer freedom to some griffon who crippled my brother?"

Leveling a silent glare at Shining to silence the stallion, Silk stepped around him and leaned into the bars. "Be careful, Gilda. This is a limited-time offer. You're only getting this offer because I know your uncle. I remember his first name, and the reputation he had before the new emperor chose to make him the focus of his resentment. If you're half as smart as your uncle, then you already know what we want. The question is, will you do it?"

Gilda spit into the corner of her cell, shaking her head in distaste. "If he was any kind of warrior today, he would've taken a dagger and gutted the bastard for taking his name. But to spy for your Princess? They may have disowned me because I'm inconvenient right now, but the ambassador raised me. I'll rot before I betray my homeland."

Lifting her shoulders in a half-shrug,Silken Flight began to walk away, her voice kept to a mild tone. "Then rot. The offer stands and you can dwell on it while going over Shining's offer. And trust me, you'll be hard pressed to find a fourth option."

Furious, Armor followed Silk from the cell, with Bronze scrambling to keep up. As she rounded the corner of the cell block, Silk stopped, her piercing gaze inspecting the stallion’s barely-contained rage. Calmly placing her hands on her hips, she gave Armor a nod. "Alright, now you may feel free to fume and spit in futile rage."

Instead, Armor turned to his squire, his voice nearly as quiet as a whisper. "In your experience, is the offer she made to Gilda worth it?"

Stunned to be called into the middle of their conversation, Bronze Feather stammered for a moment, her wide eyes attempting to stare at both simultaneously. "I- bu- that is..." As she realised she did have an opinion, she swallowed back the lump in her throat, and continued. "As much as I fear saying it, yes sir. I think Princess Luna and Silken Flight are right. We get so little real information from the Griffon Empire, we'd be blind if they started trying to build up a new raiding army, even worse if they decided to invade. A spy in the ambassador’s house would be invaluable, even if Gilda was the worst possible choice."

Armor's breath had continued to slow, to even out and calm as he listened to the mare. As much as he wished to argue any of her points, in the end, he simply gave the girl a single nod. "You are a lot smarter, and more even tempered than your young age suggests." Turning to face Silk again, he gave her a lingering glare. "I dislike the idea. Immensely. I have a number of reasons that tell me she would only betray us and use it as leverage to get in good with the ambassador and the emperor. But you are also right. We are blind and mostly deaf to the current emperor’s true intent. A spy in their ranks could prove invaluable."

Silk shrugged, unphased by the stallion’s doubt. "Understandable. Our own list of concerns was nearly as long. We have already begun preparing a few countermeasures to keep abreast of the situation should it ever become an option. Now let’s finish here, if i see you fight with that collar one more time, I'll adjust the damn collar for you by cutting it off."

* * *

The breeze whipped through the open field, causing the wild long grass to bend and twist in the wind. Dusk moved to turn up the collar of his fall trench coat, before his eyes settled on Fluttershy, her pink ponytail hanging down her back across the thin yellow windbreaker that went down to her knees. With a flower basket resting on her right arm over her elbow, Fluttershy picked at the yellow lilies that had grown together with a wild patch of morning dew. Stepping to her side and kneeling beside her patch of flowers, Dusk let a finger inspect the Morning Dew's petals. "No good, right? The white spots near the stem show the chill has gotten to them, right?"

Grinning, Fluttershy gave him a nod, wrapping a thin silk cloth around the lilies, before tying them off with a thin silk ribbon. "Uh huh. It's a shame because I only have a small space in my greenhouse for herbs, so I don't have much space to grow things like Dew. Maybe next year, I'll get Harry and Angel to build a bigger greenhouse..." Fading off into thought, Fluttershy contemplated what to do about her greenhouse.

Charmed by the way talking about herbs distracted Fluttershy from her usually private nature, not to mention the small but thoughtful smile she wore while deep in thought. Shaking his head, Dusk leaned in, shifting around a few of the petals. "If you want, Fluttershy, I could take a look at the plans for your greenhouse expansion. With the right rigging, you could add a few hanging planters to add on one-third more space without reducing the light the lower shelf receives."

Delighted, Fluttershy grinned openly up to him, nodding enthusiastically. "Hanging planters! Of course, such a simple idea and it would greatly expand the types of plants I can grow for the critters! You'd never know it, but Angel gets a little grumpy if we run out of carrots in the winter."

Dusk suppressed a fit of outright laughter, if only for her sake, giving the mare a nod. "I'm sure he doesn't mean it, Fluttershy. It's probably just the bad weather dragging at his heels."

Pouting a little to herself, Fluttershy rambled on. "Not to mention how sleepy Harry the Bear gets. The poor fellow ends up sleeping the whole winter away in the cave he built in my root cellar."

* * *

Shining Armor's hand was drenched with sweat. The ancient pathway into old Tartarus, the original jail, had been carved in haste, even his inexperienced eye could tell from the rough tool marks in the stone. In places a natural underground hot spring had been pieced, resulting in small streams of boiling water cascading into the darkness. The atmosphere was damp, and mold tormented the nose. Worse had been the key. Shining Armor had seen it before, inside the iron box that rested inside the warden’s safe. He had never opened that box before, he never even expected the key to be made of solid mithril as thick as his gauntlet. And the letter. Four signatures he had never expected to see together on any page but a history book.

"Dearest Warden. Thine duty is the most dire we have ever set before any of our servants. Should all four of we who hath signed below fall for any reason, be it old age, illness or regicide, we charge thee: this key must be melted down, and the prison known as Tartarus must be buried in melted iron or the strongest ore thee can procure! And we beg thee! Do not approach the door! Do not look through the portal! And for thine soul’s sake, never open the lock, or all life in Equestria shall surely end.

Together we sign, Princess Luna and mine consort, Starswirl the Bearded. Princess Celestia, and mine consort Cielan"

"Shining. Are you going to unlock the gate, or do we stand here and sweat?" The sweltering heat was destroying Silken Flight’s normally greatly restrained mood, even her wings had wilted, spread wide and reflexively flapping to try and stir up some kind of cooling breeze.

Lifting the massive mithril key, Shining aligned the key with the seven notches in the gate door. As he leaned against the heavy gate and prepared to struggle to force the lock to open, the sudden ease of the keys movement inside its lock. Shocked at the ease, Armor could find only one answer. "The whole lock must be made of pure mithril. The wall covering it is rusted, pitted and corroded iron, but the mithril lock works as good as new, it even feels freshly oiled." Shifting his weight into the gate, Armor leaned his body against it, forcing the straining hinge to swing the gate open.

The staircase continued down, stretching past the light that glowed from his horn. Past here, the stairs were no longer maintained, and most were coated in a thick layer of oozing green moss. The dank reek of rot engulfed them all as they continued into the pit.

* * *

Dash turned, her goggles cutting the breeze that howled through the sky over the Everfree Forest, but the cool breeze made her glad for the warmth of her wool-lined flight jacket. Giving a nod to Cloudchaser and Thunderlane, she found herself forced to yell to be heard over the wind. “Remember, keep your eyes open for anything that moves! I’m going down and delivering the stuff Dusk gave me. Remember, use your whistles, this wind will drown you out if you try just yelling.”

Nervous, Cloudchaser twisted around, pulling her whistle from inside her heavy flight jacket and placing it to her lips to give the brass whistle a test. Reassured by the rich shrill noise it raised, she looked back to Dash, her wing-beats forcing her to repeat herself when she was thrown out of position by the wind’s roaring force. “Dash, you sure this stuff is safe?? You saw what happened when Dusk let Trixie eat a single petal! Shouldn’t one of us risk going down instead?”

Grinning, Dash shook her head and thumped a fist against her chest. “Are you kidding? I’m WAY faster compared to you two, so if I go down, there is way less risk of something going wrong if I’m the one who has to flee, right?!”

Turning to Thunderlane, Cloudchaser expected to see some kind of support, instead the stallion was already watching over the forest below them. When she grabbed his arm, he gave her a small grunt before shaking his head and answering. “Dash is right. I might agree with you that she shouldn’t be the one risking her head, but she is the boss, and there is no way we could keep up with her if something comes chasing us. Let’s just get this over with, things are quiet and I want to get home before that becomes a problem, all right?”

Dash gave the stallion a salute before twisting around and adjusting her goggles, her own eyes inspecting the clearing and the collection of budding flowers that had filled it overnight. What had Dusk said before she left? “Black Lotus eats the ambient magic, plants in the Everfree Forest will bloom and grow very quickly.” Shaking her head, Dash adjusted the bottle before dive-bombing her way into the middle of the clearing.

Kneeling, Dash let her fingers stroke the buds of one of the Lotus flowers that were growing at her feet. Smiling a little to herself, it took her a moment to realize that already, dozens of the buds had spontaneously flowered in the short time since she had landed. “Freaking weird. All this trouble from some little flowers...”

Standing up again, Dash gave the lid of the jar a single easy twist, the thin wax seal popping instantly. Taking a slow breath Dash winced as the strong acrid smell filled her nose. “Ugh, I’ll definitely be glad when this is over with.” Turning slowly, she began to shake the jar with light rocking motions of her wrist, causing small wisps of the powder to sprinkle free, drifting in the calm air thanks to the trees that stood guard around the clearing, collecting on the small flowers collected at her ankles.

The effect was instant, as quickly as the powder came into contact with the flowers, it burst into flame. Dash quickly found herself forced to start hovering, the flames licking at her feet warm enough to make her uncomfortable, and the trail of fumes choked her lungs as she accidentally breathed in the plumes of the black smoke. Hovering in place and beating her wings to keep the smoke away, Dash grinned as a patch thinned out, revealing a small patch of ash where three flowers had been growing seconds ago. "Alright Dusk! Man, this stuff works like a charm."

Slowly walking around the clear circle she had created, Dash laid down another wider circle. Looking over the thin grass that had been growing in the clearing, Dash could see small brown spots and hints of heat damage where the first batch had burned. Finished with her lap, she moved to take off right away, wanting to avoid another mouthful of fumes, wanting to watch the sky this time. Thunderlane gave her a nod before returning to his watch, while Cloudchaser fidgeted with her whistle, never looking away from her half of the forest.

Dropping low again, Dash prepared to finish the rest of the clearing with a single lap of the outer ring of the clearing to finish the rest of the plants off. Halfway around, Dash's eyes caught sight of a single Lotus flower that stood out from the rest that had been growing in the clearing. With crystal blue petals, it stood out in contrast to the nearly black petals that the others bloomed. "I'll be damned! I guess Dusk is gonna get his gift for Fluttershy." Making sure to avoid hitting the area around that sapphire hued lotus, Dash finished her lap,and flew up to join her lookouts. "Just one last patch, everything clear?"

Forced to lean in and shout in Thunderlane's ear to be heard, Dash laughed when he jumped in shock, realizing he must have been watching the woods too closely and missed her approach. Flustered and stammering, he gave her a dumb nod before yelling back. "Something was moving through the south for a while, but it ran off."

When Dash turned to ask the other mare, Cloudchaser gave her a thumbs up, before turning away again. Dive-bombing back to the last patch of flowers, Dash hooked the lid in place to avoid a spill, setting the jar to the side. Slipping her hand around the base of the blue lotus flower, Dash plucked it out at the root, and stuffed it inside her fluffy flight jacket. Two sets of whistles blowing sudden sharp blasts set Dash’s skin on edge, and without thinking, she bolted back into the air, leaving the jar and five lotus flowers behind.

Circling around, she rose to join Thunderlane and Cloudchaser, her eyes hunting for what had set them off. The way the trees to the south bent and twisted made it clear, Thunderlane's 'something' had turned around and was rushing towards the clearing. Judging its pace, Dash cursed herself under her breath, she had no time to fetch Dusk’s jar. In seconds, the creature charged through the clearing beneath them, and the sharp sound of shattering glass echoed in the shockingly still air.

Defeated, Dash hung her head. In stunned silence, they watched the misshapen beast trudge deceptively quickly back into the woods. It was Cloudchaser who spoke up first. "Should we go just pluck the rest? There couldn't have been more than three or four left..."

About to answer, Dash froze, shocked as she realized something was coming from the same direction the titan had fled. The path this creature beat through the woods was far smaller, closer to the movement of a pony. Putting a hand on Chaser's shoulder to silence her, Dash watched as a cloaked figure stepped into the clearing. He, it... the cloaked shape left its hood up and knelt in the last patch of lotus flowers, a bone knife cutting each bloom off before wrapping it in an oiled leather cloth, a silent process repeated with all five plants. Harvesting finished, she? It? Took a cloth bag from inside the folds of the heavy cloak, and to Dash’s shock, sprinkled some more of that same grey powder onto the exposed roots, causing them to burst into flames.

Looking up, Dash locked eyes with the cloaked figure, then Thunderlane's voice bellowed out. "Dash! It's coming back this way!!" Breaking her focus, Dash looked to the trail the returning beast. Twisting to look back down, all Dash caught was the sudden flick of a grey and black striped tail before the cloaked pony disappeared back into the woods.

Flying higher to give the roaming titan more space, Thunderlane addressed Dash with a simple question. "What do you think, boss? Time for a rescue mission?"

Cloudchaser's gasp of shock wasn't required, but it was the final straw, Dash turned away, looking towards town. "For a pony harvesting illegal drugs in the Everfree Forest? I want to, but we can’t risk it. She clearly doesn't want to be found, I just pray to Celestia, it's nopony we know."

For a moment, Thunderlane looked to the woods, and Dash worried she might have to force him to give it up. Looking back at her and the near panicked Cloudchaser, he relented. "Alright, Dash. You're right, can't risk more lives for somepony who doesn't want to be found. Come on, Cloudchaser. You and your sister still owe me dinner for taking your shifts last week."

Still hanging onto her last frayed nerves, Cloudchaser started blindly at the stallion for a minute before shaking her head a little, her jaw falling slack. “I… well, yeah. We did promise, but, after all this? Seriously?”

Thunderlane gave a shrug, heading off towards town. “Just ‘cause I can’t cook, doesn’t mean I don’t need to eat, besides I can’t eat out every day, it gets expensive.”

* * *

Shining twisted the key in the final lock, attempting to ignore Bronze Feather's awed murmurs. The final gate had been a shock to discover, made of pure mithril ore; not even refined metal! The gate stood nine feet tall and eight feet wide, plugging the thinning tunnel. And its value was nearly immeasurable. Speaking up from her calculations, Bronze voice nearly drooled with greed. "Sir... this gate... the ore here might likely double the amount of mithril in all of Equestria..."

Silk broke the silence, shaking her head. "What I wouldn't give for even simple chain mail, let alone a suit of real armor."

Shining didn't care about the metal. He was worried about what Princess Celestia and Luna had gone so far to contain. Shoving open the door, the glow of his magic poured light over the chamber inside, illuminating most of the room, before falling dead. A iron gate split room roughly in half, and in the shadows on the far side, he could just make out the sound of a figure breath the fresh air with relish. Four sets of iron chains glowed with the power of four different magical auras. To his shock, Shining Armor could recognize two of the auras. Extending his light spell to drive away more of the darkness, his eyes following the trails of metal and magic to a set of manacles that held a fifth glow, worlds dimmer than the others. "The gold and purple magic are Princess Celestia and Luna's respectively, leaving the silver with black nodes and the yellow to be their old consorts, Starswirl and Cielan... so whose magic could last so long to still power a spell this long-"

Something was wrong. No matter how much power he poured into the light spell, something absorbed the light. No, not the light, the magic he used to power the light. The shadowed figure suddenly took several deep breaths, before speaking up in a lazy gravelly tone. "Pony... stallion... a unicorn. Mid-twenties, yet well seasoned. And two mares for dessert as well, oh my! Have the Princesses finally sent me a meal?"

Drawing his magic back, Shining lowered the light and took a step forward. The only fixture in the room, a single stool, upon which rested a thick tome, its spine bound in mithril. Ignoring some primal sense of fear demanding he flee, he shifted his gaze to the shadowy figure that dwelt in darkness, alone, nearly a mile below the surface, Shining forced himself to speak up. "I am Shining Armor, warden of Tartarus, head of the royal guard. Princess Celestia has charged me with one task today: Demon of Tartarus, will you confess your crimes against the people of Equestria?"

There was silence for a moment, then the shadowy figure snickered. This grew into a chuckle, before bursting out in outright laughter, the chilling noise sent a chilling ripple up his spine. Standing up and takIng one step forward into the light, the sound of a hoof impacting the stonework rang out. The outline cast by Shining's glowing horn lay across the wall, twin horns of ivory glittered in the light. A malicious, yet calm voice bellowed forth. "My crimes, boy? I've never committed any crime. Only your princesses’ seduction of my spineless brother saved your species from your rightful extinction. Know this CAPTAIN of the guard: One day, I will be free. And on that day, I will find you, and I will make you my first meal since that unicorn whorse gave her life to shackle my hands! And if not you? Your children. Or their children. You kind will never be safe, captain. Someday, I will be free."

Bronze Feather was writing. It was all she could do, keep busy and try not to look into those shadows. Her quill shook, and her knees nearly buckled at the raw hate that poured forth from the caged man. The sudden, soft pressure of Silken Flight’s grip on her shoulder forced her to blink, and look away from the demon, smiling up to the spymaster. “I… th-”

But Silk shook her head, stepping past the girl, stepping forward to stand at Armor’s side. Looking up at the monster, she spoke with authority. “If we have to, we will drown you here for another thousand years, demon. However long it takes for you to break.”

The Demon of Tartarus reared up and kicked out with both legs to smash at the bars of his prison, revealing the chains binding his legs no longer bound him to the wall, the shattered ends making a terrible cacophony of noise as metal hit metal. "Two of your guardians are dead, mare! How much longer can the last two manage to hold me back?!!"

* * *

Fluttershy smiled up at Dusk, as she adjusted the weight of her basket off her elbow so she could accept his hand to stand back up. Even though she blushed a little, she still looked more comfortable than she had after Dash’s comments about them going for a date. “Thank you, Dusk. It’s getting late. Maybe we should head back to town? I think our baskets are more than full enough. Besides, this bouquet of flowers is getting heavy, and we should get the lilies into some water for Rarity and Applejack before they start to wilt.”

Glad to see how much her attitude had improved as they had talked over the day, Dusk looked up to the sky, examining the lowering sun. “You may be right, these days we lose the light so quickly. Besides, Shining is coming to open the new hospital today, we might as well head back to town.”

Slipping her basket to her left arm and moving to link her right arm with his own, Fluttershy offered the stallion a nod. “Then we should go. If we hurry before they make plans for dinner, we can use the cinnamon root to make some buns for dessert! Um… if you like them, that is.”

Linking arms with Fluttershy, Dusk enjoyed the feeling of her weight leaning against his side, even with the soft fall breeze blowing against them, he simply smiled down to the cheerful mare, walking from the edge of the Everfree while they retraced their steps back towards the main ‘road’ into town. A sudden harsh gust shot overhead, and when he looked up, he couldn’t help but smile. “Look at that, Fluttershy! Dash and some of the weather team are on their way back.”

When Fluttershy looked up, and offered a wave to the returning flyers, Rainbow Dash split off from the formation, twisting around and spiraling down in broad, lazy circles until she was able to land at their side. Swiftly saluting while she offered a cocky grin. “Hey there, herb hunters! I was cleaning up that ugly mess of lotus flowers and found this. Kinda different from the others, right?”

As Dash pulled the soft, sapphire blue flower from the inside of her jacket, Fluttershy’s eyes went wide, and she rushed forward, her fingers tracing a petal. “It’s so beautiful, Dash! Did you have somepony in mind to give it to?”

Looking over Fluttershy’s shoulder to Dusk, she looked apologetic for a moment, before pushing the blue lotus into her friend’s hands. “Take it. I’m no flower expert, but I figured you might like it.”

Dusk couldn’t help but enjoy the way Fluttershy was suddenly torn between accepting a gift and admiring the rare flower. Lifting it gently from Dash’s hands, she stroked her fingers over the fragile petals and smiled up to the taller mare. “Thank you so much, Rainbow Dash! I love it! To think, a sapphire lotus, even rarer than the black. Nothing magical, but it’s so beautiful!” Wrapping her free arm around Dash to hug her, she planted a light kiss to her cheek.

Shocked at Fluttershy’s affectionate attention, Dash shook her head and gave a shrug. “No problem, Fluttershy. Mind if I walk back with you two?”

Dusk laughed, stepping up beside Dash and holding out his free arm. “Tell you what, what if you tell us about the fun you had in the Everfree. We had a quiet day picking flowers, but maybe you had a little more fun?”

Dash grinned, breaking the hug with Fluttershy and linking arms with both Dusk and Shy, before she laughed boastfully. “You’d never believe it. Somepony was sneaking around the Everfree Forest, trying to harvest some of those Black Lotus flowers!” And so, Dusk and Fluttershy listened to Dash's embellished tale of her time in Everfree, with flourishes and dramatic arm gestures included.

* * *

Shining Armor rushed past some guards, ignoring their salutes, as he returned from the old dungeon. Using his magic, he pulled the key to the warden’s office from his dress suit, thrusting it into the iron door lock, while a cold sweat ran down his back. Throwing the door open and charging inside, he rushed to the safe, returning the heavy mithril key to its resting place after tossing everything else out of the deep iron safe. While waiting for Bronze and Silk to catch up, the stallion unbuckled the top three buttons of his collar, before raking a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. As soon as one of the mares was in sight, he pointed to the pile of books, his voice clearly showing the stress he was trying to repress. “The demon, please, look for anything talking of him. Any hint of another name he might be known as. Any record of where he came from. Any clue about what he did to get in here. Anything!” Turning away from the mares, he lifted the heavy tome he had found just outside The Demon’s cell, his fingers tracing the mithril binding as he moved back to his chair, and opened the book, looking through the pages while turning them with great care, the paper was brittle and incredibly fragile.

Pushing through the pile of paperwork Shining had tossed to the floor, Silk selected a random worn book and began to flip through it while speaking her mind. “His kick. The way he moves. What species is he even? Four hoofed legs? And why couldn't your light magic spread through the rest of the room so we could see him properly?”

Bronze took to sorting the loose papers, organizing the mess before trying to join them in research. As one of the guards peaked into the room, she shot a glance up, her voice sharp. “The Captain needs a drink. Get us a pitcher of water, and something with fruit.” She paused, thinking for a moment before calling out before the guard got too far out of the door. “And a bottle of whiskey.”

Shining froze, his eyes locked upon the text on his page. Only when he felt the silence press down on the room did his attention return to the questions Silk raised. “Wha-? Oh. I’m sorry, Silk. Princess Celestia told me stories as a child, I just assume they were foalstories, he is a Haurk? Something like that. What little I could see resembles the tales she told me. Think a minotaur, but four legs.” Drawn back to the book, the stallion fell silent again.

Watching him as she talked, Bronze returned the pile of papers to the safe once checking over the pile to make sure there was nothing of importance being overlooked. “My lord, I know today has already been chaotic, but what about ‘the ritual’?”

Armor winced, and lifting to pinch his brow by his eyes. For a second, he considered just skipping it today. Yet even as the thought entered his mind, he pictured the mare’s sad, innocent, and confused smile, and he knew he couldn’t. A guard entered carrying a tray with a pitcher of water and a bottle of whiskey. Pushing back his chair, he took a glass from the pitcher of water, chugging back at the cool and refreshing liquid, stopping only when he decided to peel off his suit jacket, pouring the rest of the glass over his face before turning to the small closet and removing the spare shirt he kept there. Turning back to the mares, he chugged back a mouthful of the whiskey, before buttoning up his shirt. “Alright, I’ll deal with this, you two keep looking.”

As Shining Armor left the room, Silk looked to the younger mare, her voice kept low. “What ritual?”

Bronze shook her head, smiling to the spymaster. “There is a mare prisoner here, I don’t know the full details, but the old warden’s always made note of visiting her before leaving.”

Silk furrowed her brow, already seeing several issues with the explanation. “Wait, I know Shining took over as captain of the guard only a few years ago. How old is this mare? How long has she been here? And why is she here in the first place?”

Bronze gave a shrug, shaking her head. “I… I don’t know, sorry. I’ve never talked to her. She doesn’t look terribly old, maybe twenty?” Silk shook her head, returning to her research while taking a glass of the water. “See why I wanted to sneak an agent in here? So many questions.”

* * *

Rarity sipped at the bubbly white wine, releasing a low sigh of delight. With the hot and bubbly water of the spa bath soaking up to her neck, she leaned back, until her body lay against Applejack’s chest.

Releasing a content sigh, AJ slipped both hands around Rarity’s hips, hugging her close and nibbling at the tip of her ear. “Mmmm. You were right, sugarcube. I do feel a lot better now.”

“But of course, Applejack! You worry too much about the little things; the farm is in good shape, Dusk is relaxing, on our orders, and Fluttershy is getting out and talking to people instead of hiding in her cottage. I’ve even hired the Cakes to make some dinner. They already made some treats for the new opening of the hospital, but I figured we should have something for him to eat in case he hadn’t had a chance to eat properly.”

Applejack shook her head, giving a Rarity a glare. “We could have made sandwiches, Rarity. No reason to spend more money on something simple like that.”

Twisting around in AJ’s arms, Rarity looked up into the other mare’s eyes, pouting deeply. “But, if we did that, we wouldn’t have a chance to come here and bathe together. Wouldn’t that be a shame?”

For a moment, Applejack attempted to continue glaring at the older mare who was propped up against her. Releasing a small sigh, she cupped up the other mare’s jaw and gave her a soft kiss. “Alright, ya got a point. This is nice, but, I’d rather have done it myself.”

Happy to lean into the kiss, Rarity curled up against Applejack again, closing her eyes and murmuring in joy. “When we are done soaking, is there anything we should do before heading back to Dusk’s?”

Settling back as she focused on Rarity’s breathing, Applejack considered for a while, before giving a nod. “Yes. Let’s go borrow one of the massage rooms. You can make it up to me by helping me with the knot in my back.”

“Oh my, it would be my pleasure, Applejack.” Softly giggling, Rarity let her fingers fondly brush back Applejack’s hair into a ponytail, while brushing away any knots. “Whenever you’re ready, it would be my pleasure, darling.”

* * *

The chariot roared through the sky, the lighter load, due to Shining being the only passenger, making it faster. Shining had continued to read the heavy tome, yet page after page the manual appeared to be endlessly identical. A pony was named, and then identified, and their family history was detailed. Then in the end, a single simple line was given: Killed by Tirek. “Tirek. Even that demon has a name.”

Outside, Silk had peeled off from the formation to head back to Canterlot. But Bronze was doing her best, struggling to keep up with the pace the wing of pegasi nearly ten years her elder, even though they were weighed down by pulling the chariot.

Flipping to the back of the book, Shining found the final entry, the last victim. “Polaris. Daughter of Princess Luna and Starswirl the Bearded. Mother of …” Shining Armor froze, and realization dawning on him. “Luna had a daughter, and a granddaughter? No stallion is named, but there is a foal listed. Does Princess Celestia know what has happened to Luna’s descendents? Dare I even ask?” Shaking his head, Shining flipped to the final details, tracing his finger across the line. “Lost her life in defying The Demon of Tartarus.”

Shutting the heavy tome, Shining shoved it across the chair and shook his head. “A name. That massive book and all I found was a name. Maybe a historian would like the book to draw lines between the dead and their descendants, but I give up.” As he sat in silence trying to stop his mind from racing around, a slow smile curved his lips into a grin. “Dusk. Brother, have I got a job for you.”

* * *

It took time for Shining Armor to get privacy. First, there was lunch. Then came smalltalk with the mares. Dash saved him in the end. She wanted to report to him directly about the Black Lotus smuggler in the Everfree Forest. Using that as an excuse to escape the more festive grouping, Shining Armor, along with his brother, Rainbow Dash, and Bronze Feather, headed back to the library. Shining Armor leaned back against Dusk’s desk in the library, offering a nod to the mare while Bronze Feather lifted her notebook, the older stallion continued to question the mare. “So, any other details. Just black and gray hair? Nothing else?”

Dash winced, shaking her head when all eyes turned back to her, leaving her staring at her feet and struggling to think of any other detail. “Well, I think her eyes were green, but she had her hood up, and it was dark ‘cause she was standing at the edge of the clearing, right? The cloak was kind of a faded tan color. But otherwise? I… I don’t know. If I had to guess, I’d say she was an earth mare. Cause, you know, she was tall enough and had no wings or horn.”

Dusk shook his head, closing his own note book and looking up. “Well then she is not from Ponyville, Dash. Nopony in town has tail hair matching that coloration. Are there any other farms outside of town that might not be on the books? Maybe some hint of ponies who don’t want to be found?”

Dash shook her head, tapping a foot on the floor before her. “I… No. Sorry, Dusk. There was a family who was hiding just north of town before you came here, but when it was announced the summer Sun Celebration was coming to town, they came to town and bought up a lot of supplies before moving way to the south.”

Armor gave a nod in agreement. “She is right. I remember hearing about it. It’s rare that some small families of ponies will decide to go live off by themselves, but it’s still rare. Besides, a black marketer would need contacts. Connections to help them move the drug.”

Dusk gave a sigh and fidgeted with the quill on his desk. “Alright, alright. I guess all we can do is keep watching for more signs. Thanks for reporting all this to us, Dash.”

Shining gave a glance to mare, trying to decide if the time was right. As she blushed and murmured to his brother, he knew it was time to push on, stepping forward and offering a hand to the mare. “Agreed. My brother is right, we will watch for any signs of somepony selling more.” As Dash shook his hand, he nodded to Bronze Feather, who opened the door for Dash. “Now, if you can tell the others, I’d like a chance to talk with Dusk for a few minutes.”

Dash was happy to shake Armor’s hand, flashing a grin up to the towering stallion. “No problem, just a sec though.” Releasing his hand, and slipping over to Dusk, she cupped his chin and leaned in, planting a heavy kiss on his lips while her fingers raked aggressively through his hair. With everypony shocked into silence, Dash let this linger, breaking off the kiss and nuzzling his cheek, before she cooed into his ear. “Thanks for letting me steal all the credit with Fluttershy, I owe you.”

When Bronze locked the door behind Dash, Dusk stiffened, his gaze snapping back to his older brother. “Shining…”

The stallion paused a moment, shaking his head, and gestured to his assistant, his voice hardly above a whisper. “Dusk, this is very private. I haven't even cleared it with Princess Celestia yet.” The mithril-spined tome was placed on the desk before Dusk, its fragile pages and musty smell instantly capturing his attention. Leaning in closer to his brother, Shining lowered his voice to a considerably softer tone. “We found this in the oldest cell of Tartarus. There is no record in all of the warden’s journals for who he was, or what he did. But reading this, I found a name. Tirek. Can you help me, brother? Any clues you can gather might prove priceless.”

The gravity of Armor’s words were not lost to Dusk. He gave his brother a nod, and smiled up to the older stallion. “Of course. I understand exactly what you’re saying. Keep it quiet. Keep it private. Can I keep this book for now, for reference?”

Shining Armor gave his brother a nod, his hand resting on the younger stallion’s shoulder. “I would be very grateful, Dusk. Any hints about who could do everything listed in this book could be invaluable. I’d rather see another monster like this one coming ahead of time. Just in case.” When Dusk looked up, Armor shook his head, giving a sigh. “It gives no details here. Just his crimes.” The brothers shook hands, their agreement finalized: Dusk would hunt for answers to soothe his brother’s worried mind. Looking around Dusk’s office, Shining Armor gestured around the room. “With all your work for Princess Celestia, don’t you need some more help? I could leave Bronze Feather to assist you if you need help?”

Dusk laughed, shaking his head. “I will be fine, Armor. I have five mares I can ask for help, and Barb to boot. I finally understand you and Cadence, how you find such strength in one another.” He leaned in, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I love them, Shining. And the strength they give me makes me feel so strong.”

* * *

The crowd poured around Shining as he walked through the gathered ponies. The fact that nearly the entire population of Ponyville and its local farms had showed up made him worry, the thick crowd rumbling in conversation. Yet as he stepped into the crowded path that had just barely been left for him to follow to the podium, mares he had never met turned, and cheered his name, stallions gave him a nod, a salute, or even asked for a handshake. And foals of all ages rushed up, cheering and crowding around his ankles. At last, Shining Armor was seeing a hint of what the Princess must feel. “What have I done to earn this? I failed in a fight against Nightmare Moon. Surely they should be more grateful to Dusk and the Elements. They accomplished something.”

As if she read his mind, Rarity leaned in, patting his hand with her own free hand. Walking with arms linked with her stallion’s brother, she leaned up, whispering into his ear, more shouting than anything else, to be heard over the crowd. “Ever since you ordered your men to help them escape city hall, all some ponies have talked about is your dedication to the people.”

Armor was embarrassed. First she fixed the collar of his jacket, and cleaned the sweat that had soaked its fabric. Then she insisted he not walk alone through the crowded street to the the stage set up before the new hospital, soothing his frayed nerves with her calm and smiling disposition. Looking down into her eyes, he shook his head, but couldn’t hide a smile for the mare. “I did nothing, my men were the ones who did the real work.”

Uncrossing her arms from his as they reached the stage, she gave him a look. “And who was the one who led those men?” Fingers straightening his collar and smoothing down his hair, she gave him a nod. “Now go say hello. You don’t need to be long or fancy, just say thanks for their reception, and open the hospital.”

Armor smiled, and leaned in giving her a hug before heading up onto the stage. “Dusk has good taste. She is almost as good at making me feel both like a foal and like everything is within my grasp as Cadence is.” As he walked across the stage, the crowd grew noisy again, roaring with delight as they cheered him on.

He paused beside the podium, while a unicorn mare with thick shades leaned in close, yelling into his ear while holding a hand between them and the speaker. “You dealt with mics before? Good. Then remember, anything you say, even under your breath, will echo across the crowd.”

Shining leaned forward, hovering over the mic while he watched the cheering crowd. After a minute, he lifted a hand, waving to the crowd. Almost instantly, a hush spread over the gathered ponies, and he spoke into the mic. “Hello, Ponyville. How can I thank you all for such a warm welcome?” He paused, laughing a little along with the crowd. “Thank you, Ponyville. You’ve opened your doors for me and made me feel welcome. I only hope I can be as good of company to you all.”

“I have come here to thank you all. With all the horrible things that has happened to your city, you have all pressed on and restored your homes so quickly after such a disaster. Be proud of your own families, of your hard work, and of such a productive harvest.” As he let his voice fall off, Shining looked into the happy crowd. “Mares and Stallions. Fillies and Colts. Families. These are the people The Demon wants to kill. Princess, was this what you wanted me to see? To realize.”

Turning to the mayor, Shining Armor took the heavy scissors from the mayor, turning and cutting the ribbon from the doors of the new hospital. A rich cheer of joy erupted, echoing forth from the crowd, and Shining couldn’t help but smile. “I will protect you all from The Demon, I promise.”

* * *

Shining Armor dropped to a knee, touching hands to the ground and bending forward until his horn pointed towards the floor. In silence, he waited, while upon their twin thrones, Celestia and Luna finished a near whispered conversation. At last, Celestia gave a small nod to her sister, turned to the knight and spoke. “Welcome back, my dear captain. You have had a long and busy day. There was no call to report back so quickly.”

Lifting his head, and nodding to the princesses, Shining shook his head, his eyes level and voice calm. “I’m afraid it couldn’t wait, Princess Celestia. Today was a lesson, it opened my eyes and showed me more… more of life than I’d known I was missing.”

When Celestia waved for him to continue, he rose, and gestured at Bronze Feather. The young mare forcefully swallowed, and walked to the base of the dais where the princesses sat on their twin thrones. Kneeling and offering the report she had been working on all day, she averted her eyes, shivering with nerves in the presence of her goddesses, even after the events of the day.

Luna was shaky as she stepped up and walked to Shining Armor’s side. While her sister started to read Bronze’s report, she leaned in and knelt down at his side, to whisper into his ear without meeting his gaze. “When you spoke with the beast… were the cuffs still in one piece? The ones on his wrists…”

Armor realized there was more here than the princess was saying, and turned his head to stare straight forward again, focusing on the base of Celestia’s throne. Speaking out of the side of his mouth, the stallion nodded once. “They were, princess.”

For a moment, she breathed a sigh, shaking her head. “Thank you, Shining. We… we are sorry we sent you into his cell. Is the final chain still binding him in good shape?” Able to at last relax, she sat back on the stone steps, looking into his eyes. Her own were red, a single tear had escaped despite her best efforts.

Shocked, but at the same time, glad that he could offer some good news, Armor shook his head before answering. “Not only was it in good shape, but the second chain on his other arm was also in fine shape.”

There was a gasp from Luna, before she pulled back, almost crawling back up the stairs to find comfort in Celestia’s company upon the dais proper, lightly holding her sister around the neck. They shared a long look, before Celestia spoke up, looking back to the stallion. “You are sure of this, Shining Armor?” She paused, then shook her head, fingers flipping the paperwork several pages forward, turning her gaze to scan quickly while she spoke. “No, no. I believe you. But that can only mean that-”

Luna had recovered, shaking her head and placing a hand on her older sister’s shoulder. The act cut off her line of thought, and Luna picked it up again. “Cielan always had the strangest talent with magic, even Starswirl struggled to keep up with him when something caught his attention. To think, all these years, and his spell has not faded.” Waving to the stallion she spoke up again. “Forgive me. I interrupted your report. Please continue.”

Shining Armor stepped forward, looking from one princess to the other, before speaking up. “Gilda went about as I expected, your majesty. She was uncooperative, but did not attempt any further violence. Silken Flight can provide her own assessment of Princess Luna’s offer and how well it went over. If you asked for my view, I’d state only that I feel it is ill-advised, but likely the best chance we have of getting a spy so close, so quickly.” He stepped to the side, gesturing for the silent mare to take her turn.

Silk had been sharpening one of her daggers. Suddenly being thrust into the spotlight, she fumbled a little with it before she could sheathe it. She then pulled her own scribbled notebook from a pocket hidden inside the knife belt. Stepping up, she gave it to them straight. “Expect a year, maybe two before Gilda cracks from being penned up, no flight, and minimal sunlight. Finding a sympathetic guard mare to put in the cell beside her, pretending to be a fellow prisoner, to try and help speed up the process. I…” For a moment, she allowed her voice to drift off, before stepping forward, looking up to the princesses. “I witnessed far more in the Demon’s cell than I expected. Is there any way to replace the two lost chains now that Princess Luna is back?”

Luna shook her head, stepping down the staircase and stroking a hand idly across Silk’s jaw. “We have considered it. Currently, only very few unicorns could handle the raw power the spell demands. Perhaps, in time, Dusk, Shining, Lyra, maybe a half dozen others have been added to the list. But, most would not be able to handle the stress, or even make the spell last longer than their own lifetime.”

As Silk nearly melted at Luna’s touch, Armor shook his head and stepped forward, taking over again when it was clear Silk was very distracted. “Currently, my advice would be to consider drowning the old Tartarus jail. The demon is powerful. And spiteful as well. Even now, he continues to fight every day against the chains you’ve bound him in.”

Celestia gave the stallion a nod, closing the report and setting it aside. “And Ponyville? How was your brother? How was the new hospital?”

Armor had to laugh, shaking his head. “Dusk is one of the most adaptable, resilient stallions, I’ve ever known. I swear nothing will stop him once he has an objective in mind. Without spoiling his innocence, I asked for his assistance with the Demon of Tartarus. He started looking into history for references, and before I returned, he was able to find references to four books that might provide more knowledge.”

Just as Luna and Celestia turned to answer him, Cadence stepped into the room, smiling warmly and rushing up to his side, hugging him gently around the hips. “Welcome back, darling!”

The royal sisters stopped for a moment, looking to one another in silence. Luna gave a nod, stepping away from Silk and looking out the open window. “Time for our tea, Cadence. I was wondering if you might mind if Silk joined us? I trust her sense of discretion.” When Cadence gave a nod, she turned to her sister. “I think we are done here, right dear sister?”

For a moment, Celestia looked to Armor, and then back to Luna. Sitting back on her throne, she gave a nod. “I believe so. I will talk with Armor for a few minutes more. Enjoy, mares. I will head to my study should you need me again.”

After the other mares left to the garden, Armor felt his eyes linger on Cadence, even when he was forced to watch her through the massive picture windows. Celestia spoke with quiet authority, her words pulling his attention back into the throne room. “Was… Was the Mare well?”

Shining Armor shook his head, offering her a shrug. “As with every month, your majesty. She is well, she told me about the books she has been reading, and she drew me a picture of her taking Cerberus for a walk. I was worried for a while, but the guards promise they haven't let her out.”

Princess Celestia froze for a moment, leaning forward, her voice a soft whisper. “Can… that is, if you still have it, may I see it?”

Armor walked slowly up to Celestia’s side, a folded piece of paper placed into the princess's hand, while he spoke with very carefully selected words. “She is doing very well. Healthy, and inquisitive. But she remains respectful of the guards, and doesn’t argue with them either.”

Celestia unfolded the paper, and for a moment looked upon the page, drawing a ragged breath between lips that had only just parted. After staring at it for five seconds, her horn suddenly flared up, and flame burst forth, evaporating the page to dust. Wiping a single tear from her cheek, she spoke softly. “Thank you, warden. Please feel free to return to your usual duties.”

Shining Armor began to turn away, but Dusk’s words returned, forcing him to pause in the middle of his stride “Dusk was right, She gives me strength.” Slowly twisting around in place, he looked back to the princess as she sipped at her tea. Taking a slow breath to calm his nerves, Shining called for her attention. "Princess Celestia, can I ask you a question on a more personal matter?"

Amused by the sudden about face from serious business to personal affairs, Celestia offered the stallion the wave of her hand, beckoning him to speak on. "Anything, Shining. I am always here for you."

Unable to help himself, Shining Armor found his nervous fingers tugging at the new collar of his dress uniform, nerves bringing back the habit. Forcing his hand back to his side, he took a single step forward, gazing out at the open windows to Princess Celestia's private garden. To Princess Luna and Cadence, who were outside having tea with a very flustered Silken Flight. "It's about your granddaughter. It's about me and Cadence. Princess Cadence, I mean, sorry."

Celestia couldn’t restrain a titter of laughter that escaped from beneath her hand. Shaking her head and quickly pouring herself a cup of tea, she lifted the cup to hide the wide grin she wore, more for the sake of the nervous stallion, than herself. "Of course, I've met her once or twice."

Flustered, Armor turned back to face the princess, shaking his head and struggling to get the conversation back on track. "I- its- I'd like to ask for your blessing to marry Cadence."

"Why, Shining! You know I'm not her mother. The mare is free to make her own choices in life." Suppressing a grin behind one hand, she couldn’t help but press the stallion for more. "But, I have to ask, Shining, why ask for my blessing?"

Smiling, Shining Armor gave the princess a half bow, shaking his head gently. "Because, Princess Celestia. Today you showed me... you showed me Tirek, who you've protected us from for so many centuries. But you also showed me life and joy, the innocent, grateful people of Ponyville, and so much more. I choose life and joy over fear and pain."

Settling her teacup back upon its platter, Celestia gave Shining Armor a long look before at last nodding. "Then, with all my heart, you have my blessing. I doubt Cadence could ever do any better."

Author's Note

As always, my most massive thanks to my editors for helping me put together this new chapter! Can't wait to hear what you guys think, and I'll be watching your comments! Remember to use the spoiler tags! :rainbowlaugh:

Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 1

My Faithful Student, Dusk Shine,

This letter shall be brief, but know that I take your questions seriously. Find enclosed all I have been able to acquire and document about the mare, Beatrix Lulamoon. I can only hope it offers you some insight into the reasons behind my initial protective response to her presence, and some clue that might help us track her down and prove we wish her no harm. I must go now, Cloudsdale prepares to deal with two aggressive feral dragons who are attempting to set up hordes in our land.

Princess Celestia."

Dusk's fingers shook a little as he lowered the letter, looking at the notebook that had come in the same delivery, leaving poor Barb curled up half in Rarity’s lap with mild but persistent indigestion. The mare was quietly oiling the dragoness' back scales to help take her mind off her upset stomach. It was her voice that made Dusk look up from the letter, and away from the notebook, the question asked with a tone attempting to hide her worry. "Do certain packages often cause your stomach to ache? Or is it just too much? I'm sure if we told Princess Celestia, she wouldn't overwork your magic so much that it makes you ill, Barb."

Happily groaning at the back massage, and the oil that was making her rough scales smooth and removing the knots from her shoulders, Barb had to suppress a burp, and shook her head. "It's something to do with sending certain metals. Tasty kinds like gold and silver don’t bug me, and usually even junkier metals like lead and aluminum aren't bad. But, every once in a while, they just give me a grumpy tummy. Especially if it’s rusty. Thanks for the attention, Rarity."

Meeting Dusk’s gaze, Rarity's own spoke volumes about this not being over. Dusk shook his head, leaning forward to stroke the dragoness' spines, reassuring her that he was still watching. "We figured that out a few years ago, but I guess when Princess Celestia is too busy or distracted, like she is now with these marauding dragons, she forgets to double check for such metals. I'll try to find a way to politely remind her about that when I reply."

That did it, Dusk could see the small ways that Rarity relaxed, while still doting over the young dragon. Turning his focus back to the notebook, Dusk swallowed back his fears and flipped to the first page.

"Observation reports of student 'Beatrix Lulamoon' prior to her 15th birthday are few and far between. She was primarily notable for being a 'D' grade student, up until this time. There have been a few incidents of fighting with other students, but nothing to a degree worth investigating. With her recent challenge of the third and fourth year exams in the last three weeks, I have investigated the library’s records and found she has recently switched study groups. Five days before her birthday, December 17th, she is recorded joining the fourth year study class lead by Moon Dancer, despite being only half way through her third year courses. While she continues to join their group on occasion, she has signed in with other study groups, making no effort to appear with anyone regularly. She has also made no attempts to access the library’s sealed section, but I will endeavor to keep a personal eye on her activities inside my halls.

Your loyal librarian,

Night Light."

Dusk felt his throat running dry as he read, but he resisted the urge, the distraction. His father’s report. In his father's handwriting. Six months before he had ever met Trixie. For a moment, he wondered if there were reports like this about him. Then the image of Lyra, refusing to give him a straight answer returned. "Of course they had such reports on me. I was the youngest to ever be accepted into Starswirl University. They probably have records going back..." He realized just how far back that really was, yet his lips twisted into a small grin. "Whoever reported on me must have had quite the boring job. After all, I was quiet and mostly devoted to my study until Sunset Shimmer showed up. And even that wasn't for nearly ten years after my cutie mark. At least Barb would have made for some interesting reports."

Dusk slowly flipped to the next page in the notebook, his eyes reading over the new note. Written in a different hand, this was more like a list of small details that had worried the writer:

-Has few/no friends in school, yet also little to no run-ins with bullying elements.

-Despite repeated and various study groups, she spends the least amount of time in study, yet has shown growth surpassing any displayed by Dusk and Sunset Shimmer.

-Has proven to be able to respond to any question pressed upon her in classroom testing, even on topics not yet covered by said class.

-Has recently requested entrance into the most advanced placement classes, and aced the entrance exams.

-Extreme display of quick study and growing knowledge. Recommend for Princess Celestia’s private lessons. Dusk could use the extra company.

Again, Dusk wondered at the handwriting, his eye following the curve of the C and the loop of the E in Princess Celestia’s name. He was sure he knew this writer, but it had been years, and he struggled to place it. Then as he thought about the final note, it dawned on him. “Fairweather, the teacher for the advanced courses in magic theory. She had always encouraged me to spend time with other students, not just Sunset Shimmer. She had been the one who encouraged Princess Celestia to push me into joining the school’s Athletics Program as well. She had the slightest little tick when she wrote, putting extra curls on her letters.” It all made sense to Dusk now. No wonder Trixie had joined their private study class. That level of growth, her mastery of concepts in so little time. She must have appeared to be a blessed child finally realizing her gift.

As Dusk read on, a picture shaped. All the notes, letters and comments added new voices to the picture, new eyes to the situation. And the growing image was clear, even as Dusk forced himself to separate his brief history with Trixie from the story weaved before his eyes. The picture was of a mare, a bit of an outsider, yet one who craved attention. A little arrogant, yet talented with magic, and a rising star. And then one of the final notes, clearly a nail in the coffin. It was Trixie’s test results from her final exam. The note scribbled at the bottom was from yet another teacher, one who had a very shaky hand.

“Princess, is this some kind of joke? I have watched her in class, and she has never had so much trouble with magic. I can still hear her frustrated sobs as she stood alone in the isolation cell, hardly able to cast her second year spells. My heart goes out to the mare, but how can somepony who achieved a flawless score on the written exam fail the practical?”

The second-to-last note made Dusk’s heart jump into his throat. It was a report from two Canterlot guard officers who had witnessed a mare resembling Trixie fleeing from a noble’s house, later revealed to be her parents’ own home. And the last report where they had admitted to throwing her out and refusing to acknowledge her as their child when they were later interviewed by guards searching for her… it was all he could do not to shudder in revulsion.

Dusk knew it all now. It made so much sense. Already, he could feel his hands instinctively drawing up a quill and parchment. He would try to fill in the blanks as best he could. It was the least he could do for Trixie. His pen worked swiftly, and when Rarity returned to his study with a daisy salad, he put the drying letter aside, while he smiled up at the mare and wrapped his hands around her hips. “We have an answer now. It’s a sad one, but I’ve found it.”

Smiling down at him, and accepting his hug, Rarity slipped into his lap and started brushing his hair with strokes of her fingers. Reading carefully, Rarity scanned the letter for the princess, and she looked back to him, restraining a frown. “But no answers as to where she has gone now? Such a shame, if we could track her down, she-”

Dusk swallowed a mouthful, shaking his head a little and resting it on her shoulder, his own voice worn. “If her talent extends as far as I believe, she might be the greatest ally we’d ever have: bright and adaptable; able to copy anything we showed her once. But we’ve lost her trust, and lost any track of her. I can only hope the princesses will take my final recommendation seriously: To let me handle her, should she ever return.”

Rarity smoothed his hair back and nodded, resting her head to his own and giving him a nod. “I wish I had a better answer, Dusk. But you’re right. I can’t even imagine the fear she must be feeling even now, alone and far away from everypony who has ever cared for her.” She fell silent, and shook her head. “But then, considering the situation with her family…”

Dusk gave a sigh and nodded, holding the mare close. “Exactly.”

* * *

Lyra cupped the teacup in both hands, letting the rich scent of her carefully selected blend of herbs waft into her nose. The smell alone opened her sinuses and lifted a heaviness from her shoulders. As she took her first sip, Bonbon slipped a package onto the kitchen table, her voice light and playful. "Glad you've finally come out of your room! I picked up these chocolate filled biscuits last time I was in Canterlot, care to share them with me?"

For a moment, Lyra was sure she had said no already. She could have sworn the words passed her lips, yet as she grabbed a second teacup from the shelf and joined her at the table, gently holding one of Lyra’s hands in her own, she realized different words were escaping from her lips. "Of course you can, it's your kitchen after all. Besides, I love chocolate cream-filled biscuits." Before Lyra could piece together the inconsistency between her words and deeds, Bonbon sat down beside her and poured herself a cup of the still steaming hot tea.

Peeling open the package, Bonbon took one of the crumbly biscuits from the tray, chewing gently before she took a sip from her cup. Shocked at the strength of the tea Lyra was casually sipping, she looked up to the taller mare. "Oh my! And here I thought you were just having a calming afternoon tea. What's in this!??"

Grinning unabashedly to her host, Lyra gave a shrug. "I guess I'm just used to stronger stuff. It's a blend my athletics trainer back at SSU brewed up. Good for soothing stressed muscles and driving off fatigue."

Intrigued by the hint of background to her visitor’s life, Bonbon leaned in, sipping again at her tea before finishing off her first biscuit. When her mouth was clear she spoke up again. "Oh! I think I know what you mean. When I'm recording longer parts, we use a similar blend to help keep our voices from cracking. You'd never realize how draining it can be recording lines, hour after hour." Another sip swallowed, she offered the mare a grin. "So, an athlete? Makes sense. As tall and strong as you are, I'd imagine you could put on quite a display in competition."

Lyra found herself flustered, even blushing, as Bonbon rested a hand on top of her own. Looking down into the mare’s eyes, she wondered if she saw something more calling to her from those eyes. Unable to hide from the conversation before her, Lyra gave Bonbon a shrug, and a nod. "Ahh. Never had a chance to talk with somepony who works in movies, but it’s funny how sometimes things work out that way. So similar a drink, for quite different uses." A growing sense of discomfort in her loins made Lyra look again to her host, her knees rubbing against one another as she tried to distract her body from the attractive mare who smiled up at her. "I admit, I did a lot of classes with those who were training to be part of the royal guard. But I'm feeling pretty out of shape these days, without a proper coach or spotter for support. Not even a decent gym. Kinda makes a mare feel out of sorts."

Bonbon leaned forward, a hand stroking over Lyra's kneecap, draining Lyra of all her resistance with that distracting need. "Now, now! I can be great company. I've never coached a mare before, but I'd be happy to spot you. And the twins maintain a decent little gym in the spa, so if you want to work out, just ask!"

Breaking her eye contact with Bonbon to try and distract herself from the growing feeling of lust she couldn’t properly hide. She was glad for the strong scent of the tea, and the table helping to hide her bodies powerful response. "I... well, yes. I'd really like to get out and work out. I've been feeling so pent up as of late. The spa, you say? Maybe I'll go there this afternoon again and ask." She swallowed back a knot in her throat, before lifting Bonbon's invading hand from her knee, squeezing it greatfully. "Thanks! Maybe when I start exercising again, you'll be free to keep me company."

Somehow slipping from Lyra’s grip, Bonbon hopped half into her lap, and hugged her tightly around her neck. "Never a problem! I like helpi..n..g... oh-"

Flustered at her discovery, Bonbon's voice fell off, and drifted away. That was the part that hurt the most: the look of confusion, almost always followed by embarrassment or disgust. Just as embarrassed at getting caught so easily, Lyra pulled out of hir chair and adjusted hir skirt down as far as it would go, while rushing from the house. Shi had been caught again. Why did hir hormones have to go so wild when a cute mare gave hir any affection. It wasn't even hir heat, that had ended a few weeks ago. Standing alone in silence against a random house off the main streets, Lyra found hirself sobbing; shi just wanted somepony who understood. Somepony that knew who shi really was. Minuette was out of the question. Not just because she was running her tobacco stand, nor because of the fight they had that morning, the memory still leaving a bitter taste in hir mouth. Shi was Minuette's superior, and couldn't go running to the half-trained mare for support, whatever their sexual relationship. The memory of hir trip to the spa with Minuette returned. The twins had walked in on hir in the baths, and never even blinked an eye. That was the kind of understanding shi needed right now. Checking for hir coin purse, Lyra turned, heading for the spa.

* * *

Dusk was gasping for breath as Dash turned away, running off towards city hall, her happy voice still teasing him. "Well, Dusk! I'm off to check the weather schedule for the next two weeks. Gotta keep things on schedule. Then it's back to training. I am going to win my first Running of the Leaves! Go catch a break, I'll get you in shape some other day!"

Sore everywhere, Dusk still wasn't fully sure what Rainbow Dash had been thinking. Instead of the usual jog they went for, Dash had come prepared for war, and keeping up with the new pace she had set was a totally different challenge now that she was in competitive mode, even worse than when Gilda had been with them. Every joint in his body ached, and he was suddenly very happy that Applejack was so busy with work on the farm today. Cider brewing season, she had said, was Big Mac's job. However, she felt guilty for being so busy so much lately and wanted to make things up to her brother.

Now Dusk was free, and he knew exactly what he wanted now. The spa was open, and a soak in one of their natural sprIngs sounded like a perfect fit. Besides, he could use an easier workout today. With AJ busy, that meant he could have a lighter workout in the spa, rather than chopping firewood or whatever core AJ would have come up with to challenge him again today.

The wafting of warm air in his face as he pushed the spa door open told Dusk he had made the right choice. Aloe leaned against the counter, her slender frame hidden under one of the bulky spa robes. The white and fluffy wool looked luxurious, and was made only doubly so on the mare behind the counter. If the mare had lived in Canterlot, she probably would have been a model. As she was one of the two madams who ran Ponyville's only brothel, she looked radiant, her light aqua blue hair tied back into a heavy ponytail with a single white ribbon to hold it together.

Quick to look up when he stepped through the door, Aloe arched an eyebrow, clearly inspecting his sweat-soaked hair and clothing. An expert hostess, she was around the counter and offering him water from the chilled tankard kept behind the desk. "Why hello, Dusk. We've never had the pleasure of your company alone. Are your mares catching up, or are you here for some... private relaxation?"

Shocked at her earnest tone and the suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows, somehow perfectly matched by her hips’ sway, even with the bulky robe covering her body, Dusk accepted the water and took several deep sips to sooth his parched throat before finally answering her. "Not today, Aloe, as inviting as the offer is. I have plenty of that kind of company at home. I'm only here to use your weight room, and maybe a bath afterwards. Rainbow Dash is training for the Running of the Leaves, and I'm clearly never going to survive as her jogging buddy."

Putting her arms around his own and nodding to one of the three mares who waited behind a curtain watching for a stallion in need of company, Aloe turned her full and sensual lips into a deep pout, gazing up at him while leading the way back to the gym. "Oh, but Dusk! You can't let those two occupy all of your free time. A potent stallion with good breeding like yourself should be sharing his seed with other mares in need of a real stallion. Maybe Lotus was right: We should offer Rarity a stud fee the next time we go into heat. You don't mind, do you?"

Dusk might have been laughing with the mare, if it wasn't for the fact she wasn't the first to ask him since coming to Ponyville about a studding fee. The practice was common enough in smaller towns, he remembered that from sociology courses at SSU. It kept the gene pool healthy and strong if a visiting stallion or even a newcomer to town shared his seed, and there were plenty of fillyfooler couples who wanted a child of their own. In an odd way, it made sense. The stud price removed any question of parentage outside of extreme circumstances, and it kept a stallion from taking on more mares than his herd could support, avoiding excessive rivalries or bitter feuds. Mostly.

"I will not say that's never going to happen, Aloe. But I am happy, and I don't need the money. Besides, stud price or no stud price, I'm not ready to be a father."

The mare’s pouting was far more realistic this time as she rest her cheek to his bicep. "I know, Dusk. But a mare has to try. Ponyville has almost no eligible bachelors left, and you’d make a fantastic stud. You probably tested a 30? 40% chance of siring a colt, right?"

Dusk shook his head. "I never got tested. It wasn’t something I ever spared time to think about."

Shocked for a moment, Aloe pulled herself back together quickly, speaking her thoughts as she mentally caught up with him. "As Princess Celestia's chosen student, you were probably constantly bogged down with a mix of duty and studies. Thus little free time for a marefriend." When he gave her a nod she pressed on. "Still, should you ever want to know, we'd be happy to help collect the sample. The new hospital acquisitioned the potency machine we had been using. Now that they aren't restricted to their old facilities, they have the space for that kind of 'healthcare'." Laughing playfully up to him, Aloe stopped, rapping her knuckles on the door of the spa's small gym. "Sister? Dusk was looking to use the weight room, care for the company?"

From the other side of the door, an identical voice giggle at the implication of why Aloe had knocked before entering and called back. "Oh please, sis. In the gym? That's jus-..." Lotus' voice fell off and silence prevailed for nearly a minute.

The door was suddenly pulled open and a sweat-soaked Lyra looked down to Dusk. "I came here for privacy, Dusk. Can you promise none of your family’s damn inquisitive questions?"

Shocked, and a little taken back by the gruff nature and presence of the older unicorn mare, Dusk instantly had a thousand questions rush to his lips... and he clamped them off just as quickly. With a single easy nod of his head he untangled himself from Aloe's arms and stepped up to the door. "By my word, I will ask only one question now and none after." He felt her glare digging into his eyes, but at last she slowly nodded. "Have you received a letter from the Princess yet? With the dragons keeping them busy, I have a feeling it might delay your mail."

Lyra was quiet for a moment, then pushed open the door and turned her back to Dusk, walking back into the gym. His real question was clear and she answered him in a restrained tone. "No mail. No word at all. It's why I came here. Now be quiet and we will get along, all right?"

Watching the mare as she returned to the workout mats where Lotus stood with two pairs of jump ropes, watching them both, Dusk couldn’t dismiss the questions her mood created. Walking with Aloe to the small weight room, he forced his mind back to the weight routine AJ had made him memorize for when she wasn't available. As Aloe started to select a few dumbbells, he realized she had planned to stay. "I don’t plan a very heavy routine, you don’t have to stay and watch."

Laughing playfully, Aloe removed her robe and revealed her naked form to him. Without a hint of shame, she walked over to her gym bag by the door. After getting dressed in a light pair of jogging shorts and an even thinner T-shirt she pulled from her bag, she smiled at him and responded. "And miss the show? Please, we rarely get stallions in the gym who weren't sent here for physiotherapy by Redheart or her staff."

Still a little shocked at the sight of Aloe’s naked nethers and smooth back, Dusk attempted to distract himself by forcing his body to settle into AJ’s routine. Dusk selected weights and began with arm curls, all the while stretching his lower body. He already knew he would be stiff from running with Rainbow Dash, but any way to keep his tired muscles from screaming at him right now was worth it. Aloe fell in at his side, copying his workout, but as an earth mare, she had taken up thirty pounders, compared to Dusk’s twenties.

* * *

Minuette’s hands were sore from the blowing cold, but a good salesmare didn’t wear gloves, it ruined her ability to display sale items. She might not be a professional, but her relatives really did run a shop, and she had been taught years ago to properly help out from even a very young age. Her cover story wouldn’t last any longer, autumn had come, and classes at SSU were starting up again. “Not to mention, ‘Summer job selling tobacco for her uncle’ sounds silly now.”

A voice from behind made her jump, even as she realized it was only Bonbon, her landlady. “Minuette! Minuette. I need to talk to you, right now.”

Bonbon had approached her from the thin aisle between booths in the marketplace, her too-thin fall coat hadn’t been zipped up against the chill, not that it appeared that Bonbon had noticed. A smile stapled on, Minuette gave her a wave and motioned for her to join her in the stall, the tent’s walls offering some resistance to the wind. “Of course, of course Bonbon! Come on in, nopony is around in this chill weather anyways. What’s the matter? Why aren’t you properly dressed? Did something happen with one of your movies?”

Bonbon leaned in close once inside the tent, her voice dropping low and her wild eyes didn’t hide her … fear? Worry? Minuette couldn’t tell. “Minuette it’s- I-” Several times, Bonbon attempted to say the words. To ask the mare. And yet it all felt so rude, so inappropriate to talk about, even with so few other ponies around. Besides, the tent walls were only thin canvas, and the wind wasn’t blowing that hard, anypony could overhear her if they tried. Starting again, she leaned in closer, until she was nearly whispering into the younger mare’s ear. “It’s your cousin. She- we- Well, she left the house in quite a rush after I walked in on her changing, if you understand.”

There was a moment of silence as Minuette was at a loss for words, and then slowly reached out, squeezing Bonbon’s wrist. “You didn’t say anything to anypony else about this?”

Bonbon squeaked a little at Minuette’s firm grip, but tried to ignore the pain, and shook her head. “Nopony. It… it would have been rude. I wanted to apologize to her. To make sure she understands I didn’t mean any offense. Most of all, after what must have happened when her stallion found out. But…”

Minuette was quiet for another minute as she thought. There really was only two places Lyra would go. Relaxing her grip on Bonbon’s wrist and moving to shut down her booth, Minuette talked as she worked. “She might have gone to the train station. With her magic, she could have hopped one of the express trains out of town without waiting for one that stopped. I’ll go there. If I don’t find her, then I’ll come find you at the twin’s spa.”

Confused, but having found at least some answer, Bonbon gave a nod. “The spa? Why there?”

Minuette gave a shrug. “It’s the stress. All that has happened lately, and now she hasn’t gotten a single letter of reply from anypony in Canterlot. It’s got to be driving her up the wall. She use to work out in the gym in Canterlot to help deal with stress. That’s our best bet.”

With an answer in hand, Bonbon didn’t wait for Minuette to finish packing up her booth. Turning to run off to the spa, she paused for just one moment, she needed to ask the younger mare a question. “Is she really your cousin? Or just a friend who needed somepony who understood her?”

Minuette saw bad lies about to crumble before her, and gave a sigh. A truthful answer was sometimes easier. “She’s more than just a friend, Bonbon. But that isn’t important right now. Go on. We can talk more later.”

* * *

"Twenty-two!" Dusk didn’t remember when he had started competing with Lyra, yet now as they lay on twin benches, each bench pressing bars with heavier and heavier weights on the end, while the twins Aloe and Lotus egged them both on even further. Dusk's breathing was ragged, his arms felt like lead and he hadn’t felt more exhausted the whole time he was running with Dash, but he couldn’t hide the exhilaration, the laughter, or the grin.

Lyra wasn’t smiling. Shi was in it to win and kept a straight face even when Lotus toweled hir forehead dry and pushed the straw from a water bottle into hir lips. Swallowing a mouthful and panting for breath, shi called back to Dusk, hir voice revealing just a hint of pride. "Twenty-nine. Keep up or give up."

Sucking air between his clenched teeth, Dusk gave his final push, lifting the bar and counting with each reputation. "Twenty-three... Twenty-four... Twenty-five!"

Distracted by the weight of the bar in hir hands, Lyra never noticed that somepony new had entered the gym until Lotus' hands disappeared from her spotter position. Suddenly, Bonbon stood over hir, having replaced the spa mare, when shi was distracted. Freezing halfway through hir next rep, Lyra’s jaw went slack, and fear roared in hir mind. "Wha-"

Bonbon leaned in, her hands catching the barbell when Lyra nearly managed to drop it. Smiling down to the mare, she tried to cheer her into continuing. "Come on, Lyra! You can't let him win, right?"

Still half-frozen between shock and anger, it was hir screaming muscles that won Lyra over. As Bonbon helped hir quickly move the bar back to its starting position, Lyra hunted for any clue what game the mare was playing at in Bonbon's face. Yet despite hir best efforts, all shi saw was an easy smile and the determination that shone in those cheerful eyes. "Ignore. Push on. Continue. She will reveal her real intent. They always do." Returning to the challenge, Lyra did another rep, hir voice firm, almost challenging Bonbon with hir fierce tone."Forty!"

The groan from Dusk as he struggled to complete another rep might have been words, but it was more a throaty gurgling noise. Forcing the bar back up and dropping the weight to the rest bar, only with Aloe's help, Dusk collapsed, his limbs splayed out and his breath a wheezing hiss. When he couldn’t manage to declare his final number, Aloe and Lotus called out together at once. "Forty-three!"

Lyra found Bonbon calling hir reps out for hir, and soon hir straining arms began to strain with the effort. Blinded by hir own sweat, Lyra joined Bonbon in calling out the final count, before lowering the bar to its rest. "Fifty."

Dusk had recovered somewhat during this downtime, with assistance from the twins with a splash of water or two in his face and a much smaller sip of water to refresh his strained throat. Supported by the twins' hands, who were already getting a little too friendly with his soaked hair and strained chest muscles, he gave Lyra a nod. "You win, you win! Dear Celestia, just stop before my arms fall off. Aloe, send me her bill. Send me her bill for the month." Giving Lyra a friendly nod, he felt surrender was the best answer. "I remember you spent so much time with Shining and those who were training with the guards. I never knew that you had trained this hard. I've been under Applejack's thumb for three months now, and you make me feel like I was still recovering from Nightmare Moon." When she only glared at his charity, Dusk threw away the towel he had been using to dry his face with at Lotus, who had started trying to fondle his pecs. "Look, Lyra, I'm trying to say we can be friends. Or at the very least, we can be friendly rivals, right?"

Lyra suppressed a throaty growl, and was about to turn hir head to look away from Dusk, when Bonbon wrapped her arms around Lyra's neck and gave Dusk a nod. "She is happy to accept your good-natured gesture. Thanks, Dusk. Now we are off to one of the hot baths before she gets more wound up. As stiff as she is now, she might turn to stone at this rate!"

* * *

Lyra was shocked at how shi had somehow been guided by Bonbon. The mare talked softly, but kept the topic light and polite, focusing mainly on how well Lyra had done and what good shape shi was in. And her comments on Lyra’s body were considerate and avoided the elephant in the room. It was only when the door of the private bath was locked that the fog thinned out and hir brain kicked back into gear. Crossing hir arms over hir chest and leveling a glare at the mare, shi cleared hir throat. “Just… just stop, Bonbon. Why? Why are you here? Why are you smiling? Why did you step in and interrupt me while I was crushing Dusk… And why... why... why haven't you said a single damn word about what I know you really want to ask!?”

Quiet and calm, Bonbon stepped up to the hooks on the wall, her thin gym shirt and shorts peeled off, before one of the heavier woolen robes was pulled on, and the rope tied over her belly. When she turned back, and saw the glare aimed at her, Bonbon shook her head. “First, I am here because you have had a bad time. I hate to see a friend having a bad time. Second, I’m smiling because it makes me happy to try and help friends out. Those two should cover the rest of the questions. Oh and on that last one? Because it’s none of my damn business. Friend or not, your body is yours. Now, are you going to get into the bath, or do I have to toss you in?”

Lyra stood with arms crossed over hir chest the whole time, yet as Bonbon’s friendly threat came up, shi realized the mare was serious. And smaller than hir or not, Lyra knew that she could carry through with that threat. Turning her head away and stripping in the middle of the room, Lyra left the special leather reinforced groin protector in place, climbing into the bath and glaring back at the earth mare. “Alright. I’m in the bath. And you’re still here. And we’re not friends. Is that a good start?”

Bonbon opened the icebox in the wall, and removed a heavy clay tankard of water. She paused, looking back over to the taller mare, a question nagging her. “Water or Wine? It’s Dusk’s treat, and they carry some decent wine here. And why do you get to decide we aren’t friends? I see a mare who’s had far worse problems than I’ve ever had, and I see she needs a friend. So I’m making you mine and that’s that.”

Lyra had to give Bonbon all the marks for determination. Shi was running out of ways to say ‘bugger off’. Fingers working quietly under the water, shi removed the uncomfortable, restraining belt. Lifting hir hips, she slipped the hated thing out of the water, laying it on the edge of the tub. The hot water did help, sore muscles and a headache were both melting away under the roaring heat. “Just… Fine! The wine.”

Bonbon grinned and gave a thin bell cord near the icebox a pull. When the other side of the chest opened and a mare smiled in at her, she placed her order quickly. “The house white, please. And some cheese. And the heating back massage oils. You know, the number nine.”

Whatever her order was, Lyra watched as it was passed through the icebox only a minute or two later. The tray had two wine glasses, with a matching tankard, a small plate with a thin selection of cheese, already cubed, and a small bronze cup with a sealed lid. Now shi was full of more questions, but could already guess one. “I take it the labor board always has requests for healthy, attractive young mares to work at the spa? Both the front of the house and the back, right?”

Bonbon wasn’t ashamed of her past, but she still blushed a little, placing the tray on the edge of the baths on the other side of Lyra, away from the leather ‘belt’. Sitting on the edge of the bath behind Lyra, she shrugged before answering. “It’s not a bad life. The clinic gave you a much more detailed checkup first. You had to go over your sexual history next, with a unicorn present to make sure you weren’t lying. After that, they made you get weekly checkups, but they paid better than anyone else, and your job, nine times out of ten, was simply to give a lonely pony some company. A mare in heat who needed relief, or a stallion who wanted company without attachments. Most mares don’t stick around for long though, as good as the pay is.”

Lyra stood up in the bath, turning to face Bonbon, hir flaccid shaft hanging before the older mare’s face. “And me?”

Bonbon again simply shrugged, pouring the white wine into a glass and handing it up to Lyra while quietly inspecting the mare’s unique features for a moment, the whole time looking only mildly interested. “And you are Lyra. Now sit down and drink your wine. I’m not here to ogle at what Celestia gave you, unless you’re really itching to have number nine poured on your junk. And just so you know, number nine is the kind that doesn’t wash off in the water.”

Lyra couldn’t help hirself. Shi had to smile. And sit down. Shi had made the mistake once, and only once, of using rubbing oil as lubricant when shi masturbated. The heat and tingle in such a sensitive location had been fun at first but... Up to hir shoulders in the water again, shi took the offered wine glass, sipping from it while watching Bonbon’s calm and friendly smile. At last she gave in, and lowered part of her guard. “Alright, Bonbon. With threats like that, I think we can be friends.”

Bonbon broke out in warm laughter, and put a hand out, shaking Lyra’s own when shi accepted it. “Friends it is, Lyra.”

* * *

Dusk rolled over in bed, the sense of magic permeated the air, its nagging presence had roused him from a bitter sleep. Even after the twins had gone and found Rarity, his body ached from overwork, arms and legs in competition to claim the title. Barb's steps on the staircase ended the debate. This much magic this late meant a letter from the princess. "An urgent one, if I had to guess."

Throwing off his thin bedsheet, Dusk wished AJ or Rarity had stayed over, but each mare had other matters that had kept them away, the company would have been appreciated. Now he limped his way to his bedroom door, all the while buttoning the first shirt he had been able to snatch up, a lazy gesture of his fingers lighting the candles about his room. Just barely able to hide a groan, he reached out and twisted the handle, leaving a blurry-eyed Barb knocking on thin air. Placing a hand on her head and scratching lightly at her scales, he spoke up. “Let me see the note.”

Still half-asleep, Barb shoved the coiled letter up into his hand before she pushed past him and climbed up into his bed, curling up in his blanket and using her tail as a pillow. For a moment, Dusk watched the sleepy dragoness and shook his head with fondness as she started to snore with a soft whistling tone. Then his gaze turned back to the letter, and his heart leapt into his throat. The paper was black. This was not a note. It was an order. A royal order.

Carefully snapping open the wax seal, Dusk rolled the paper open and read the letter quickly. His breath was released in a single exhausted sigh and he let his head fall forward to rest against the doorframe. “A third dragon has moved into the mountains north of Ponyville. With Cloudsdale and the Wonderbolts' main unit occupied far away, I charge you, Dusk Shine, and the Elements of Harmony, by any means necessary, to protect Ponyville and Canterlot. Drive the dragon from our land before it attempts to lay a claim, or it will begin attacking anypony in its range.”

Dusk’s fingers went limp. The paper fell free of his hand and he thumped his fist into the doorframe. “A dragon? Just… just drive off a dragon?!”

Raising his fist for a second blow, Dusk paused, his eyes went wide and he dropped to his knees, snatching up the paper . He read the line again, and in his mind opened a door to a new line of thought. “The Elements of Harmony. By any means. So this is our first official taste of battle.”

Author's Note

Our adventure continues!

First I'd like to welcome aboard Duelist, a new per-reader/editor to help shoulder the burden around a little. Along with Flamerz and Frankie, this has made things move quite smoothly.

Second, yes the use of shi/hir are on purpose. It's terminology for transgendered characters, so please try to be respectful, or at least not rude to one another in the comments.

Thanks for reading my friends, and I can't wait to see what you all think of my latest efforts!

Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 2

Dusk’s old habits were uncontrollable. Thus, Barb found him in the library, a pile of books stacked in a semicircle on the desk, while he scribbled the best notes that could be collected from the six sources, attempting with some success to handle all at once. Barb knew that look, she knew it all too well. "I think I passed out for two or three hours. And look at him, madly rushing through so many books at once. Probably hasn’t eaten again." She gave a sleepy grunt and turned, marching back into the kitchen. "Food first, then figure out what today’s obsession is."

Forced to light candles to see properly in the predawn, Barb moved quickly to begin breakfast. It was a shock to her when Dusk's arms wrapped around her shoulders and hugged her tightly close. Stammering a little in embarrassment she leaned into his arms. "Why’re you being so affectionate, Dusk? Has something bad happened?"

Giving a sigh and standing back up, Dusk released the darling little dragoness and shook his head. "It's just the reading Princess Celestia gave me. The topic of dragons is normally a happy one, but these books don't do a good job of reassuring me." Taking stiff steps, Dusk returned to the library, calling back to the little dragoness. "After breakfast, I need to go round up the others. Princess Celestia's orders are specific, and I'll need everypony’s help if we are to manage this right." Dusk's words confused Barb, and worried her even more. It had just been a letter, she had been tired and hadn't bothered to read it. What could the princess have possibly said? Not knowing made Barb tense and her scales tightened up.

Tossing the french toast and daisy sandwich onto a plate and pouring a thin layer of syrup on top, Barb followed Dusk into the library, pushing fork and knife into his hands and glaring at him over crossed arms until he started eating. Only then did she leave him be, heading alone up to the shower, her handy scale brush tucked under an arm. "This is bad. Dusk hasn't been this worked up since... Nightmare Moon."

A steaming hot shower taken to the limit that the hot water boiler could manage and a good scrubbing with her scale brush had removed the worst of the dried scales on her lower back. Wearing her fluffy bathrobe, Barb started down the staircase before a sudden, familiar pressure formed in the back of her throat. "Another letter??! This is going from bad to worse."

The dragoness cleared her throat after projecting the summoning flame. Barb noticed there were two seals on this letter. One was Princess Cadence's, which was surprising enough, but the second seal was the Wonderbolts’ emblem. Barb didn't wait this time, a sharp claw was slipped under the wax and broke it open, unfolding the paper and reading, while she hopped down the slightly too tall steps and rushed back into the library.

"By order of her royal majesty, Princess Celestia, The Wonderbolts' second wing will be escorting Squire Bronze Feather to Ponyville, to deliver the Elements of Harmony to their respective bearers. Squire Bronze Feather is also charged with escorting the bearers and assisting them as best she can, until the Wonderbolts can return and offer their assistance."

Now Barb understood why Dusk was on edge. Something so dangerous, they needed the elements? AND they couldn't leave the Wonderbolts to keep watch over Dusk? Ignoring the chill that ran down her spine, Barb looked up from the letter and realized that Dusk’s chair sat empty, the stallion already gone. "Oh, Dusk. Please be careful." Turning around again she rushed to his empty seat and hopped up, now determined to fight her way through her own blurry vision and the mess of books on his desk. She needed to find that first letter, now!

* * *

Even this early in the predawn twilight, Dusk was glad to be greeted by Big Mac as he approached the open gate leading in to Sweet Apple Acres. As stiff as he felt, the walk to the farm had been chilly, and went a long way to easing some of the ache out of his legs. Dusk returned Big Mac’s wave and stopped to lean up against the frame of the gateway, his weight wasn’t enough to counter the pressure of Mac’s own towering body put to the wood, but as the older stallion pushed a tiny, thick walled ceramic mug into Dusk’s hand, his voice sounded as worn as Dusk’s body. “Y’ur up this early, and got that look in your eyes. This is Apple Scrubble. Sip it, and when yer done coughing, we can talk.”

Dusk was no big drinker, but when Big Mac warned that a drink was strong, Dusk knew to take him seriously. Cupping up the small mug in both hands, he took a careful sip of the surprisingly thick, apple-scented mush. Even with all the care he had taken, Dusk felt a burning sensation down his throat that flooded his lungs. Whatever Mac's scrubble was, Dusk’s veins burst aflame... but his head had never felt clearer. Bent over and coughing violently, Dusk shook his head, climbing back up the frame of the gate with both hands to help him stand back up, leaning into it and forcing his eyes to focus on Mac again. With lips that still felt slightly numb, Dusk questioned “Scrubbbleh?”

Mac took the cup back, taking a small sip of his own, wincing, if only just slightly, though Dusk wondered if it was only so he wouldn’t feel so bad. Sitting the cup back down to rest on the frame of the gate, Mac gave a shrug. “If you collect the little bits of apple that collects at the top of the brewing vats, put it all together and keep the fermentin’ process going, you get Scrubble. It’s a little thick, has no shelf life, and burns like Celestia’s sun at the height of summer, but it also clears the head and the lungs in a small dose, and in a large, encourages a deep and restful sleep.” Grinning to himself, Mac shrugged. “But I’d not encourage that, as the headache from a hangover of this stuff would probably make life a lot more than simply unpleasant. Now what’s up, Dusk?”

Still feeling the burning heat in his lungs and the spreading warmth that had only just reached his fingertips and toes, Dusk let Mac know the truth. "It's Princess Celestia. She is already dealing with two marauding dragons to the far east of Fillydelphia, now a third has snuck into the mountains north of Ponyville. If it sets up a hoard there, that brings both Ponyville, and worse, Canterlot into its likely territory and hunting grounds."

Big Mac was the calm type, but even with only a few months experience around Ponyville, Dusk had learned the signs that showed the stallion’s real reaction to a situation. The faint tightening of Mac’s jaw, and that one wrinkle below his eye, both were sure signs the stallion was worried. "So? What does the Princess want you to do?"

"She has requested that the Elements of Harmony deal with the dragon by any means necessary." Dusk already hated himself for having to deliver this message. He was already preparing himself for what he'd have to say if-

"She’s my sister, Dusk. She ain't the only one I have, but she's still my family. You better be damn sure it's worth the risk before sticking your neck out. Now get going. She'll need no encouragement." Dusk had chosen to speak with Mac first because of all they had lost in the past. He had expected the stronger stallion to be far more defensive of his sister, instead the earth stallion had been so… so reasonable! Shaking his head, Dusk stepped past the older stallion, and walked in silence to the farm house. That was when Mac’s voice whispered out again. “Please take care of her, ‘Bloom couldn’t handle it.”

Like a nail of guilt driven into his heart, Dusk gave a tiny nod and continued up the walk, watching the farmhouse for any movement. Applejack was visible through the kitchen window, already working on breakfast for her family. “But Mac was right. AJ has family who depends on her. Sure, Pinkie talked about her family ‘back home’, Dash has a father, Rarity has her parents and… sister. And Fluttershy must have parents somewhere, not to mention her patients, even the ones who don’t really need her help anymore. But AJ lost her parents as a foal, and had raised her little sister since she was old enough to care for her. Forgive me Apple Bloom, I promise I’ll do everything I can to bring your sister back, no matter what.””

Just as Dusk stepped onto the porch and tried to pull open the porch door, Apple Bloom burst through it, running in the other direction, two pieces of toast in her mouth and her school bag thrown over a shoulder. This early in the morning, and in such a rush, made Dusk question the girl’s motivations, but that answer came all too quickly as Applejack hollered after her little sister’s retreating back. “Twist ain't gonna go to school without you, Apple Bloom! ‘Sides! The sun is hardly even up!” But of course, the incorrigible filly wasn’t about to be stopped by such facts, and ran headlong into town still eating her breakfast as she ran.

Stepping aside so the filly could bolt past him, Dusk took the last few steps up onto the deck. Applejack had seen him coming and slipped an arm around his hips, drawing him in close and resting her jaw against his cheek while drawing in a small whiff of his scent. A frown crossed her lips and she pulled back, lifting his head and began to inspect him. “Sugarcube? You need a shower and probably some sleep. What’s got y’all up so early?”

Dusk let her inspect his red eyes before pulling back and drawing her hands into his own. “AJ, we have trouble. Princess Celestia sent me a black letter, a royal order. It’s- it’s a Dragon.”

Applejack’s grip on his own hands tightened up as soon as he mentioned the black letter, and she was grimacing before he even finished. Worry was clear in her eyes, even before she could vocalize it. “No wonder, Dusk. And if you’re here, that means...” She cut herself off, and swallowed a lump in her throat before she continued. “She asked for us, didn’t she? Dusk, you can’t! Rarity-”

This time, Dusk cut her off by softly squeezing her hands and speaking up to stop her from finishing. “Applejack, no. If she wants to tell me her secret, it’s her choice. But until then, let her keep it. I would rather she make that choice.”

For too long, Applejack was torn between her loyalty to her lovers and her own morals. In the end, she released a sigh, nodding. “Alright, Dusk. I’m in. With your brains, I’m sure we can put together a good plan and send this dragon back home.”

Dusk was glad for her support, and her silence on the issue that still hung over their relationship. He guided her to the porch swing, motioned for her to sit down, and sat next to her, leaning against her taller figure. “Thank you, Applejack. But, now I have to ask for a favor. I will go talk to Rarity next, but if you could speak to Pinkie and Dash for me? Then we all can go to Fluttershy together.”

Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and pulling his head into her chest, AJ hushed him and held him close. “Of course, Dusk. It’s fine, I’ll get the girls and meet you outside Fluttershy’s cottage. Just take a few minutes and catch your breath, okay?” She got no answer, as the stallion had drifted off in her arms already. With fingers fondly stroking his dark blue locks, she hummed quietly to herself to pass the time. “Let him rest an hour, maybe two. He’s been up all night preparing already, even before asking for help. Probably would have gone alone, if he figured out a solution that didn’t require our help.”

* * *

Dusk hadn’t realized he was so tired until he awoke to Applejack’s light kiss on his lips. The pressure was pleasant, yet as he straightened up, he was now sure it was at least an hour after dawn, maybe two. Panic flooded him, and if it wasn’t for her strong grip, Dusk might have bolted away, his schedule thrown out the window. Able only to pull away from the kiss and twisting around in slight shock and panic, looking into her eyes. “I- Wha? How long?”

Applejack smiled, pressing a still steaming apple fritter into his hands and pushing it up towards his mouth. “It’s later than it was, but that don’t matter, sugarcube. You needed the sleep, or you’d end up running into half the trees in my orchard on your way back to town. Now eat up, Granny Smith reheated some leftovers for ya.” When his eyes asked the question why, since his mouth couldn’t with the dense, heavily-spiced-with-cinnamon-and-brown-sugar breakfast nearly forced between his lips, she answered. “I let you sleep ‘cause Dash probably still won’t be up yet, but at least now she’ll have gotten about as much sleep as you have.”

With his question answered, and with a logic he couldn’t argue, Dusk returned to his meal, finishing it in silence and enjoying the way she continued to brush at his hair. When he cleaned the last of the crumbs from his lips, Dusk turned his gaze up to look at her, and offered a shrug. “Alright, you win that argument. Besides, that was probably the best fritter I’ve ever had.”

Pushing him to stand up, Applejack did as well, her fingers straightening his clothing and brushing his lips for any crumbs. Nodding with satisfaction, she gave him a playful slap on the ass. “Now go speak with Rarity. I’ll get Pinkie and something hot, with plenty of caffeine for Dash.”

Halfway through a yawn, Dusk jumped at the slap, and shook his head at her, giving her the evil eye. “You let me sleep, then abuse me after feeding me a good meal? Sometimes, I think you just tease me to see what I’ll put up with.” When she winked playfully at him, he shook his head, linking arms with her and leading off towards town. At the very least, they could walk together.

* * *

Dusk knocked on Rarity’s kitchen door, rather than using his key. Today wasn’t a day for letting himself in, it was a far more serious day. As the lock turned and the door swung in, Rarity peeked out, and then perked up, swinging the door open and stepping forward, to sweep him up into a strong hug. “Dusk! But why are you over so early this morning? And why didn’t you come in?”

Dusk held Rarity for a minute in silence, letting her talk and enjoying her warmth, and the nice way her softer figure framed against his own body. But it couldn’t last, and he pulled back, shaking his head. “It’s bad news, Rarity. The Princess sent me a black letter, roy-”

But Rarity cut him off, her eyes wide with fear and pain. “Dusk, no. You can’t leave us. Not now, not so soon. We need you here, you’ve made all of our lives so much better.”

Here at least, Dusk was glad to be able to reassure her, if only a little. “No, no, Rarity. It isn’t like that. She sent orders for us all. The Elements of Harmony as a whole have been charged with driving off a dragon that is moving into the mountain range near us and Canterlot. But I-”

Here, Rarity caught up with Dusk and pulled out of his arms, crossing her own and glaring up at him. “And you wanted to leave me behind? But I take it you are going to take AJ and the others?”

Dusk winced at how quickly she responded to his words and cut through his buildup to the end of the conversation. Dusk shook his head, pushing on and catching up with her headlong rush. “I spent the night researching solutions, Rarity. You’re only required for one solution, the last resort, The Elements themselves. So why put you at risk when I’ve got nearly a handful of other solutions that don’t put you at risk. After all, Sweetie Be-”

Rarity again cut him off, stepping in close to him and glaring up into his eyes. “Dusk, I love you, and it’s sweet that you want to protect me. But if Princess Celestia asked for us all to go, we should all go. Besides, I’ve been practising Shining Armor’s shield spell. I can help protect somepony else now, not just myself. Besides, everypony has someone they want to protect. I want to protect you and AJ. Don’t try to cut me out Dusk, I’ll come. Because keeping you alive will keep Sweetie Belle safe. My parents safe. Ponyville and Canterlot safe.”

Dusk surrendered the argument to her and dropped his own, slipping his hands around her shoulders and pulling her in close. “Alright, alright, Rarity. I give in. Your point is valid. I just wanted to protect you somehow. Some way.”

Rarity held him in return, and let her stiff back relax as she curled her head into his neck and nuzzled in close. “And that is sweet of you. Even if it was foalish. Besides, Princess Celestia probably ordered us all to go with you, didn’t she? Contriving an excuse to ignore her orders can get you in trouble.”

* * *

Dusk could see Dash sitting watch upon a tree halfway up the walk to Fluttershy’s place. A thick ceramic cup clutched in both hands and her eyes nearly slitted shut, Dusk began to wonder if she was even awake at all, as she never moved as he approached. On the ground beneath her, Applejack and Pinkie Pie talked, the taller mare leaning against the tree while Pinkie stood talking with excitement to the short hare, Angel.

As Dusk and Rarity approached with linked arms, AJ stiffened up, a hard question in her eyes for a moment. But as they approached, Dash called out from up in the tree, still not moving from her spot up high. “A full wing of pegasi incoming, boss, about a half hour out. All of them but one is wearing the Wonderbolts’ armor. I think I can identify Fleetfoot and Fire Streak leading them, that must make this the whole second wing! That’s so awesome!”

Time. Time was an issue now. Dusk stepped up beside Applejack and called up to Dash, first. “We had better talk to Fluttershy, in case they come here, Dash. They’ll probably panic the poor mare if she isn’t prepared for their arrival.”

Everypony agreed with this, and together they turned, walking towards the small bridge that crossed the creek to Fluttershy’s cottage. Dash fell out of the tree, still cupping her hot coffee in both hands. Not bothering to stand up, she winged her way over to AJ’s shoulder, and landed on the much more powerful mare’s shoulders, straddling her neck. A harsh yawn split her lips and she hugged herself against AJ’s head. “It’s so damn early ! They must have left Cloudsdale last night.”

Dusk shook his head, and drew alongside Applejack. “No, Dash. They are coming from Canterlot, not Cloudsdale. Cloudsdale is over far more to the east, to help protect Fillydelphia from the other dragons. What they are doing here… Backup maybe?”

That made everypony go silent, save for the noise of Pinkie’s odd skipping walk. At last, breaking the silence, AJ gave Dusk a nudge. “Do we approach her with the full truth of it? Or do we ease her in?”

Dusk stepped ahead of the others to cross the small bridge over Fluttershy’s creek. “Rarity and I will try to handle it. Angel, does she have a busy day?”

At last acknowledged, the short bunny walked up to Dusk’s side, a dark glare given to the tall stallion. “She had a surgery this morning, so no, she canceled the rest of her day. She gets very weepy after a surgery.”

Dusk nodded, and took up Rarity’s elbow again. “Makes sense. She is so attached to her patients. I can’t imagine how she manages to handle the surgical knife…”

Angel continued to glare at him, shaking his head. “Without a sniffle. But afterwards, she gets emotional and isn’t to be disturbed.”

Rarity let two fingers reach out and massage the bunny’s ear, her voice very calm and sure. “Sometimes, if it goes badly, she comes to me, Angel. Trust me, we will be gentle.” Recrossing her arms over her chest, Rarity turned back to face Fluttershy’s door and lightly knocked on the wood.

From inside, Dusk could hear a soft sniffle, and snort, the sound of Fluttershy blowing her nose, and preparing for whoever was outside. From inside, her very soft voice called out. “...a second.”

Rarity spoke up now, calling through the door in a soft, but strong tone. “Dear, you don’t need to clean yourself up. We need to talk. And it’s important.” When silence was the only answer she got, Rarity lowered her tone, slightly more stern and forceful. “Fluttershy. Come open the door, pet.”

Dusk could swear he heard a squeak and whimper on the other side of the door. But then the lock turned and the door slipped open a crack, and no more. Fluttershy’s face was hardly visible through the crack, and her cheeks were red from tears. “I… um… yes?”

Rarity shook her head and reached out, lightly stroking fingers across the curve of Fluttershy's just barely visible jaw. “Dear, there is trouble, and we need your help. Please come outside.”

There was a long moment of silence as Fluttershy leaned into Rarity’s hand and cooed softly for a while. The words from the older mare had been heard, but Dusk and Rarity could tell that she wasn’t going to run, not just yet, so they gave her the time. At last, the sound of the door chain being unlatched was followed by the door being opened properly. Stepping out and holding her right elbow with her left hand, Fluttershy looked around for a moment, before stepping in against Rarity and wrapping her arms around Rarity’s hips before closing her eyes again. “I… I’m sorry. I had a bad surgery this morning. Can’t this wait for another day? Please?”

Rarity wrapped the taller mare in a hug, but was already talking gently, her lips whispering into Fluttershy’s ear. At last, Fluttershy began to nod, and looked up, her huge, sad and pained eyes watched Dusk, before she spoke, holding a hand out to him. “I should have known something was going to go wrong today. But as painful as it was for the little dear, the surgery was a success. What- what’s wrong, Dusk?”

Dusk stepped in now, taking up Fluttershy’s offered hand and squeezing it for a moment, before speaking. “Princess Celestia has sent us an order, Fluttershy. A dragon is attempting to set up a nest in the mountains between us and Canterlot.”

Fluttershy went white, and her grip on Dusk’s hand, and the other on Rarity’s hips, went limp. Her voice was far stronger now, her shock as clear as day. “A dragon??!”

Dusk had expected this, and squeezed again at Fluttershy’s hand, trying to spur some life back into the frightened mare. “Yes. A younger one, likely only six or seven hundred years old. I have already made plans to drive it off safely. But your help is needed for this, your talent with animals is priceless here. Fluttershy, can I count on you?”

Still frozen in panic and perhaps, shock as well, Fluttershy shook her head, her lower lip quivering. “But, I- A dragon? Even a young one? Are you sure?”

Rarity squeezed Fluttershy in a hug before cupping her chin. “Yes dear. But you’re strong, and we will all be there to keep you safe. See? So don’t worry, no dragon will touch you. I promise.”

Fluttershy looked back and forth from one to the other, her lip quivering and her eyes wide with terror. But as each watched her, she realized she was going to have to answer. Slowly returning the squeeze of pressure Dusk’s hand was putting on her own, she stood up again, and gave a tiny nod. “Y- yes. I’ll come. If I can help protect other ponies, I have to. Even if it is a dragon.”

The fear evident in her voice went over Dusk’s head. He smiled, and leaned in to lightly kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you, Fluttershy. You don’t know how much easier you’ve made this on us all. I think together, we should be able to talk it down without having to resort to the more aggressive methods. I’d rather send it away by reminding it of our peace treaties, rather than having to smoke it out.”

Blinded by her fear, Fluttershy simply nodded to the stallion, a pale blush creeping over her cheeks as she realized he had kissed her. As Rarity continued to soothe her, they turned and began to walk back towards town. From her place straddling Applejack’s shoulders, Dash suddenly spoke up. “Guess you were right, Dusk. The ‘Bolts are landing at city hall. And they got something with them. A big gilded chest of some kind.”

It was Dusk’s turn to worry now. A gilded chest, Celestia had told him about it. A shrine for the Elements of Harmony. No wonder the Wonderbolts had been sent to make this delivery. Forcing himself to press on, he gave a smile. “I think that is our last resort being delivered. I can only pray to Celestia we never have to use it.”

* * *

As Dusk’s group approached city hall, it was Dash’s description of the distant figures that made up the majority of the conversation. When Dusk tired of her ongoing breakdown of Fire Streak’s flight statistics, he reached up and lightly gripped her ankle, his voice low. “Who is the non-bolt, Dash? You’ve talked about everypony except for her.” In the distance, he could only see that she wore armor of the Royal Guard. Beyond that, it was hard to make out much more.

“- and Blaze and Spitfire are his herd sisters, but from different mares! Can you-” She let her voice trail off and listened to Dusk’s question before she gave a sigh. “Oh, her? I couldn’t say. Not a trainee. About the right age, but she’s wearing some variant of royal guard armor, light and thinner for a pegasus. She has bronze-hued feathers, with copper tips, and hair of the same color. Oh! That’s weird, she has Shining Armor’s cutie mark as a pip or some kind of medal on her mail.”

Dusk snapped his fingers, smirking. “That has to be Bronze Feather, Shining’s squire. Didn’t you meet her when they were here last week?” When he got a blank stare and a shake of the head in return, Dusk sighed. “Oh, right, right. It’s almost time for The Running of the Leaves. She is probably here with the Elements, since Shining Armor is probably guarding Canterlot, and Princess Celestia and Luna are likely together in Cloudsdale.”

Finally waking up properly, Rainbow Dash suddenly leapt off of Applejack’s shoulders, cartwheeling backwards before taking to proper flight. Pulling off the heavy hooded sweater she had been wearing to block out the morning chill, she revealed that she was wearing her usual jogging outfit underneath. Limbering up by stretching in midair, Dash gave Dusk a light nudge. "So, you said you knew a few of the Wonderbolts. Introduce me to somepony."

Dusk wasn't shocked at Dash’s swift shift from dozing to full throttle, but as she brought him into the matter, it dawned on him why she was so excited. The Second Wing of the Wonderbolts might not be as famous, yet she was already watching them with nothing but childish glee in her eyes. Lifting his voice to make sure she heard the serious tone in his words, Dusk tried to forewarn the mare. "I've met a few in this wing, Dash. But they are clearly here on some very important matters. Try to keep it together."

Breaking through her eager delight, Dash felt Dusk’s words hit her like a lead weight. With a sigh and a groan, she lowered back to ground level, and began to pout. "Fine, fine. But only if you promise to introduce me to Fleetfoot at the very least!"

The look she was giving him almost reminded Dusk of a willful foal. Rolling his eyes, he sighed before answering her. "I'll likely introduce you to all of them. But Dash, please remember they are here on her majesty's business."

As a group, they approached the waiting crowd. The sudden arrival of the Wonderbolts had caused quite a lot of excitement in town, and yet Dusk’s arrival had the chatting ponies parting to open a broad path. With Rarity on his left and Fluttershy on her left, gripping her hand for support, and Rainbow Dash attempting to subtly strut her stuff on the far left, then Applejack on his right with Pinkie bounding along beside her, they didn't really make the same kind of impressive impact as the more uniformly dressed Wonderbolts, all standing at attention.

As he stepped towards Bronze Feather where she stood at attention between Fleetfoot and Fire Streak, the line of Wonderbolts all chorused together a single "Sir!", before they launched into the air as one. Spreading out, the ambient magic in their flight suits trailed blue and yellow streaks in their wake. Dusk realised by the way they constantly moved that they were acting as lookouts. Rotating between one of sixteen compass points and the three who relaxed upon the roof of city hall while always trailing that aura in their wake made it appear like a dance or show for those watching.

Left with only the two leaders and his brother’s squire, Dusk could feel Dash go from wonder to glee as she pointed out different small tricks individual 'Bolts carried out while switching from watch duty to resting. Ignoring her and pressing on, Dusk gave a salute to the senior ‘Bolts before speaking up. "Forgive me for not preparing a better reception. With news of the dragon approaching, I've been gathering the other Elements and making plans. What brings you to our town during a crisis like this?"

Fleetfoot and Fire Streak shared a look before shrugging. Fleetfoot then stepped forward and stood at attention. "We sent a letter via Princess Cadence, but you haven't received it?" Dusk shook his head, prompting her to continue. "The Princess charged us with delivering the Elements of Harmony safely to you, before we go and join the first wing in driving off these invading dragons."

Fire Streak stepped in next, gesturing to the heavy gold chest. "The situation to the east is going poorly. Both dragons have refused to acknowledge our peace treaties with their elders. And those same treaties prevent Princess Celestia or Luna from directly interfering until somepony is in harm’s way."

Dusk groaned, recalling a long week where he had read over an old transcript of the ancient treaties. "It's the clause that goes something like: We, the eldest, agree to refrain from any interference in disputes between the children of our people, save to protect their lives."

Seven blank faces stared back at Dusk's quotation, until Bronze Feather forced her way between the two older pegasi, and saluted Dusk. "Yes, ambassador. You're quoting the same passage Princess Cadence, Silken Flight and Lord Shining Armor were debating the last two days. By the phrasing, it also suggests Cadence might also fall under the law..." She shut up as it became clear that everypony had fallen silent and stared at her due to how she had addressed Dusk.

Rarity recovered first, stepping in and asking what was on everypony's mind. "Ambassador? Dusk?"

Bronze was trying to keep from growing flustered under the questioning eyes of eight ponies. She removed a thick sheaf of scrolls from an iron sleeve. "Temporary, yes." When that wasn't enough, she put on a brave face and pressed forward. "Dragons like titles. Even younger dragons. So to help you, Princess Celestia has named you as temporary ambassador to the dragon’s land, as magistrate of Ponyville, oh, and as a judge as well. She also states in one of these letters that your first doctorate thesis on adapting talents has been accepted by three professors at Starswirl University, making you a Doctor of Magical theory as well."

Dusk couldn’t dismiss this anymore, it was clearly all too much and behind his tired eyes only one thought managed to stand out. The last one. "That wasn’t my doctorate! It was just some paper I wrote last winter break to pass the time!"

Applejack’s level-headed approach saved the situation. Putting one hand on Dusk’s shoulder and taking the sheaf of papers with the other, her voice taking on the tone she used when giving orders at the farm, if a little softer. "The chest, Dusk."

Finding some ground in AJ's powerful touch and strong voice, Dusk let her push attention forward. He could sort all the other questions out later, when he had time to read through that heavy pile Applejack was already handing off to Pinkie. Dusk stepped forward and the pegasi parted for him, opening the path to the golden chest.

A knot of magic in the lock called to his hazy mind, driving away the distractions of the outside world, until it was just him and the spell keeping the chest locked. In his mind’s eye, he let his fingers caress the fine lines of the magic spell, impressed with the artistry put into so disposable a spell. He almost felt guilty as he reached for the knot, to smash such beauty made him a monster, didn’t it?

“But then, why smash it?” Dusk didn’t realize he had asked himself that question, until he really started looking at the spell knot. “I could open it, if I pulled at this loop, and pushed it back through that twist…” He was already working even as he processed the concept of the magical knot. It really was more of a lock than the simpler knots he had studied, but the idea of making it more complex like this made more sense. It was a permanent lock that you could reuse over and over again, and if somepony else broke it, you’d know right away.

The soft click of the golden chest unlocking its physical lock, not just the magic one, echoed across the quiet gathering. With eyes alight with glee, Dusk pushed back the wood and gold lid, and gazed inside, at the fantastic collection of jewelry he knew too well. The Elements of Harmony lay on red velvet pillows, lightly tied down by nearly-clear white wires to prevent them from being hurt when the chest was delivered. Inside lay the six golden relics, and with fingers tracing the line of one of the chokers, Dusk realized, as his fingers drifted over the face of the ruby stone, he could hear the low echo of Dash’s voice somewhere in the back of his mind. “Why’s everypony so quiet? How come Dusk is fiddling with the chest for so long? Ugh! I’m so bored! I bet if I challenged Fleetfoot to a race, I could lap her twice!”

As soon as he pulled his fingers back, the voice fell off again. Slipping his fingers to untwine the wires, Dusk pulled Dash’s Element free of the velvet pillow, turning around and taking a step towards the youngest member of their group. Avoiding contact with that stone again, Dusk unclasped the gold choker and reached forward to slide it around the mare’s throat. With his head full of that black haze, Dusk pushed it aside again, looking deep into Rainbow Dash’s eyes as he closed the clasp and spoke softly, the only words that felt proper right now. “Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Wing Captain Fleetfoot, and 2nd Lieutenant Fire Streak of the Wonderbolts’ Second Wing.”

Dash shot up, suddenly standing at attention and saluting the two Wonderbolts with a stiff arm. In return, they both shifted into a salute as well. It was Fleetfoot who broke the silence that hung between the three of them, as she called out. “It is our honor to meet you, Element Rainbow Dash. Considering you exist outside the ranks of the military system, could you break your salute first? Just feels wrong, to consider myself above somepony as important as you.”

As the three broke off and started to chat, Dusk took each of the other chokers in turn, delivering them one at a time to the other mares in something of a ceremony. The darkness of exhaustion continued to try and knock its way in, but the older voice, the voice of duty, helped him push it away yet again. As he finished the line, he turned, nodding to the gathered mares, only now realizing that Mayor Mare had been standing nearby. Her voice was strong as she spoke over the gathered, but hushed crowd. “Ponyville is grateful to have so many heroes living within her boundaries. Thank you all, Elements of Harmony. Anything you need for this mission will be provided, and with Celestia’s blessing, may you be successful.”

* * *

Somehow, they had returned to Dusk’s treehouse. There was still so much to be done, so much to be prepared before they could set out, and now time was wasting. Somepony had delivered him a cup of hot coffee when he had yawned, and now it was doing its work, the hateful black liquid had warmed his insides and cleared his mind. The Wonderbolts were gone now, and yet even as they entered the library, he could just barely hear as Bronze Feather addressed Rainbow Dash in the background. “So then together, we take turns in flying patrol laps, the three of us cycling 'round in turns, right?”

Dash was nodding in agreement with everything Bronze said, until that last point, where she shook her head. “Three? Oh! No, no. Just me and you. Fluttershy’s no good at patrol flights, trust me, we’re better off if it’s just the two of us.”

With the coffee pushing back the darkness, Dusk guided the others to the mess on his desk in the library, but came up short. Barb was sitting in his chair, and drawing on the detailed map he had picked out of the countryside leading up to the mountains where the dragon had been sighted. “Barb?!”

The tiny dragoness twisted to look up, blushing a little and pointing to a pile of letters she had received since Dusk had left. “Princess Cadence has been sending reports from the Wonderbolts' cadets, they have been scouting out the path you picked out, they even sent a warning about Diamond Dogs on the west side of the valley. I- I figured I’d update the map for you, Dusk.”

There it was, that keen innocence of mind that pulled at his attention to the dear dragoness. Stepping up to her side and wrapping her in his arms, he hugged her close. “You have done very well, my Number One Assistant.” He half snickered as he let his nails stroke the scales of her back, releasing a quiet sigh. As he turned to look over the map, the black letter from Celestia caught his eye, poking out from under the stack of other pages. “Barb?” He asked with quiet care.

The dragoness lifted an arm, and wiped her snout across her wrist, as if blowing her nose before looking up at Dusk. “You’re going to do something really, really, really dangerous, right, Dusk? Well, I spent most of the morning mad and sad. I… I might have broken a few plates. Then the first report from the cadets came in, and it talked about a landslide. I-I‘m still mad at you, Dusk, and scared too. Why must Princess Celestia always send you to fix these problems? Why can’t she do something herself?” For a moment, the dragoness looked ready to burst into tears, but she gathered herself back together, and looked up to Dusk again. “But, I want you safe. So I’ll be scared later. For now, I wanted to keep you safe.”

The little dragoness refused to meet his eyes, and Dusk gave an exhausted sigh before releasing his hug. “You are right, Barb. After I return, I’ll try to make it up to you.” The dragoness gave a little snort followed by a sniffle, and jumped out of his chair, heading into the kitchen. Dusk glanced over the hundreds of little notes that had been scribbled over the map in the dragoness’ keen scribbling, proud of her small but smart notes. Dusk pushed that aside and looked up again to the gathered mares. “Sorry, let’s keep this brief, it has been a long day.”

Dusk gestured to the pile of books that had stacked up on the desk while the mares found different places to sit or lean, Applejack slipped behind him, her fingers directing him into the chair while she worked her thumbs into his shoulderblades. “My research led me to a few solutions that might drive the dragon from our lands. The first is the cause of Bronze’s new sheaf of paperwork, that pile of new titles might just be enough to convince the dragon to flee. Then comes Fluttershy. Her skill with animals works with Barb, so she might be able to convince him to take the peaceful way out.”

The whimper and cry from Fluttershy was soothed out by Rarity’s calming grip on her shoulder, and soft whisper into her ear. Dusk paused for a moment to let her calm, and he gave a soft nod. “Third is the traditional method of the Wonderbolts. It’s a herbal brew that smokes up thick and gets into the dragon’s lungs, it will drive it mad, but send it running. It’s cruel, but sometimes, it is the only way to get a dragon to leave. Fourth is Dash’s speed and Applejack’s strength. Dash challenges the dragon to a race, or finds a way to goad it into chasing her, then Applejack collapses the cave mouth while it’s away, leaving it no choice but to move on. And last…”

As one, all six lifted a hand to stroke fingers across their respective Element, each lost in thought for a moment. Dusk looked up again and smiled. “Gather the supplies we talked about on our walk, then get a good night’s rest. We leave in the morning at first light.”

* * *

It was… midnight? Maybe two in the morning at best?... Dusk couldn’t remember anymore. He only knew that he was awake, and he wasn’t going back to sleep. He had promised his lovers before they left, that he would sleep. And he had, if only for a few hours. Now, as he rose again from his bed, he felt the stiff thickness of his worn out muscles. Crossing to the small writing desk in his bedroom, Dusk let his fingers drift over the quill, and he found something he could focus upon. Lyra was still such a mystery, but Bronze Feather wasn’t.

As Dusk thought about each mare in turn, the exhaustion was driven back, and for a while, his mind was free of the chaotic stress that haunted him. The worry and fears for his friends, and the mares he loved, couldn’t be dismissed so quickly, but he might drive those thoughts away, if he kept himself busy. He would spend the night researching, and writing, and by morning he had one letter for Princess Luna… and another for himself, he still had too many questions left about the spy. That work in progress was slipped into his current study journal, to be brought along on this trip. In the end, he returned to his bed, collapsing into the blankets and curling up, to sleep again for another hour or two, awakening only at Barb’s voice. “Dusk, are you awake? The others are here.”

Author's Note

Not an epic swing chapter, but I hope it helps show the growing relationships of the mane six, and adds more details to the Wonderbolts in the process.

Please note that because I posted this at the same time as the linked profiles, they might not show up proper if you loaded the chapter right after I uploaded it. A quick reload or a trip to my blog should fix it though.

Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 3

One mighty paw lifted and gently placed its weight upon the head of the curled-up mare, lightly stroking through her long pink hair in an attempt to offer comfort to the sniffling woman. Silence, beyond her quiet whimpers and sniffles, permeated the root cellar, but Harry the Bear liked the quiet. However, the bear knew it was only a matter of time before Angel noticed she was missing, and the bunny got loud when he was annoyed. “Better to call him down. He might try to comfort her... in his way.”

One massive paw lifted free of Fluttershy’s back, and gave a light tug on the bellcord. Normally they rang the bell upstairs, and the cord made his chime when they wanted his attention. But the same worked in reverse, and in the distance, he could hear the chime by the basement door ring at his small tugs.

Angel wasn't one for being quiet when called down the stairs. As short as he was, the bunny stomped down the staircase, yelling the whole time. "I'm busy, Harry! Fluttershy gave me this list of things she needs packed and now she’s suddenly gone and dis-" Realizing he had an audience for his ranting, Angel cut himself off and walked across the bare dirt cellar to Harry's side. Crossing his arms and staring down at the weeping mare, he gave a half-hearted sigh. "Fluttershy, you said you needed to pack, and now I find you curled up down here? Surgery or no, if you aren't up to helping pack, why don't you go to bed? It’s going to be a long hike, so you might as well get some rest, right?"

Lifting her head from the bear's chest, Fluttershy turned her teary eyes to the young rabbit, her free arm wrapping around his neck, pulling him into her lap and squeezing him against her heavy bosom. "Oh! Angel! It isn’t the surgery! They want us to go drive off a... a... a Dragon!" Torn with tears of raw terror, she returned to burying her face into Harry's fur, her hold on Angel unrelenting.

Shocked, but choking for air, Angel was forced to contend between the massive weight of Fluttershy's heaving chest, and her nearly unbreakable grip around his neck. He kicked with both feet trying to push off of Harry's body. After he managed to get into something of a serviceable position that allowed him to breathe again by pressing both hands onto the mare’s chest, he cried out. "Fluttershy, you're crushing me!"

As realization dawned on her, Fluttershy was first shocked and started to darkly blush before she quickly let go of Angel, quickly switching gears into a more attentive and concerned mindset, pushing away her embarrassment at where Angel’s hands were pushing against. With one careful hand, she soothed the bunny's ruffled fur, cooing softly with concern. "I... Oh, I'm sorry Angel. I was just so scared. I'd really hate myself if you ever got hurt!" Leaning in and planting a light kiss to his cheek, she moved her other arm from his throat to inspect it to comfort her own concerns. "Oh, dear. Well, I don't think it will bruise, but I want you to take it easy for a few days. Harry! You can help him run the clinic while I'm away, right??"

With ponderous care, Harry inspected the mare and bunny in his lap. Giving it some thought, he gave a slow nod, before speaking. "So, you will go?"

Releasing Angel once she was sure he was fine, Fluttershy looked up to the bear and stroked his cheek with her open palm. "I have to! I can't leave Rarity and Dusk and all the others facing a dragon! Even if just the thought of one makes my knees knock-"

While Angel quickly ran for freedom, Harry gave Fluttershy a very careful hug. "Then I will help. Little rabbit handles small things, I, big. We can hold together until you return. Promise."

Glad for the support and comfortable in the giant bear's hug, Fluttershy relaxed, if only a little. "Thank you both, really!"

Still rubbing his throat with care, Angel shot a glare at the mare. "And if all else fails, you could probably take it in a wrestling match."

* * *

Dusk walked down the line of gathered mares, inspecting each girl’s packages and trying to hide the fact the hot black coffee he was drinking had as much to do with his current upright posture as the supposed sleep he hadn’t taken.

Rarity's bags caught Dusk’s eye, forcing him to stop and look over the pile of eight bags she hovered over. Feeling the weight of his gaze, she turned, shaking her head. “I- I couldn’t decide on just what to bring. It’s a dragon living in the mountains, you see, so-”

Just as Dusk stepped forward to hush her, Applejack laughed and gave her a light shove on the shoulder. “It’s okay, sugarcube. You’ve got a few hours to figure it all out, and we can leave the rest in the cart when the road runs out.”

Shocked at Applejack’s clear thinking, Dusk had to pause, and give it to the mare. Turning back to face Rarity, he grinned. “See? AJ is right. Toss it all in, and worry about sorting through the important parts as we go.” In his own mind, Dusk couldn’t dismiss the fact he had been planning to simply make her leave things behind, despite the fact AJ’s applecart stood but a few feet away.

Bronze Feather’s voice cut through a gap in the conversation, forcing Dusk to turn to face her. “Excuse me, Ambassador Dusk? If Rainbow Dash doesn’t have a set of flight armor, I have a spare chainmail set with me.”

Dusk gave a shrug, looking next at Dash, who stood at attention in the flight suit Rarity had given her for her birthday. The high-quality aerial suit was only reinforced silk with wool lining. “It is a good idea, Dash. And it’s an excuse for you to get use to the weight of armored flight.”

Dash walked away from her two sacks, her eyes inspecting the light plate armor that the pegasus soldier wore. “I- well, I have flown with a load before, but not with armor restricting my movement. Maybe something light, like a chainmail vest?”

Bronze gave a nod, and opened the clasps of her heavy military backpack. Of them all, she was clearly the most prepared for this trip, with a single major pack designed to be carried on a long march, with two smaller bags attached to the bottom for extra storage. The only flaw of the setup Dusk could see was that it would prevent her from flying with the pack on her back, and when marching, the hanging bags would hit her in the thigh as they marched. The sound of metal rubbing against metal pulled him back from his attempts to figure out a smooth solution to both situations, and back to watching Bronze hand the polished metal shirt to Dash.

“So, I just put this on? Doesn’t the metal rub a bit roughly with your flight suit?” Dash’s worried look almost made Dusk snicker. It was clear she wasn’t so much concerned about ruining her flight suit, but the simply uncomfortable nature of the metal shirt.

The question made Bronze realize she had forgotten something. Returning to her pack, she removed a thick cotton shirt, offering it to Dash while holding the armor for her. “Put this on first, we always wear some padding below the chain to prevent chafing. It’s a bit warm, but once you get high enough, the breeze makes it manageable.”

Watching as Dash pulled on the large shirt, then the armor vest, Dusk’s eyes began to pick up the straps and clasps used to keep the armor in place in flight. As realization dawned, he stepped in, even as Bronze knelt down, to help Dash with the same straps. Nodding to the soldier, Dusk spoke up. “Shining Armor didn’t ask for my help with this much, but a few times, I helped him put on his own gear. This seems the same, just with extra straps and buckles to keep it from getting loose in flight.”

Giving him a grin, Bronze nodded. “Just so, ambassador. The only two that are critical are the straps under the legs, as the armor is prone to sliding forward during sudden changing of pace during flight.” Then came helping Dash slide her wings back through the slits in the armor and shirt, and binding those holes closed around the muscle of her wing base, that was a lot different, but Dusk caught up quickly, assisting with the straps towards the end. When it was completed, Dash stood, still proudly wearing her new flight suit, but now with the protective dull cotton and heavy metal chain on top.

Looking over herself, Dash shook her head a little. “Aww, man the Wonderbolts never look this lame! Do they have blue-colored armor or something to blend with their uniforms?”

Surprised, Dusk looked to Bronze, not really aware of the answer to that question himself. Bronze stood back, appraising the fit of some of the locks and buckles, before realizing Dash had asked a question. Stepping in to test a strap, she at last answered. “It’s more complicated than that. The ‘Bolts have display uniforms, like what you saw them wearing when they brought me to town. They’re mostly reinforced with silk and designed to allow for maximum movement and show. But when they go into the field, they have heavier suits, with the same outer layer of blue silk, but with chain mail sewn between the layers. Some of the strongest Wonderbolt flyers will even go with very thin mithril plates between the layers, but even that consists of only small plates, not a full suit. Just enough to protect their chest, throat, lower back, maybe between the wings. Really, from what I’ve seen in the armor in for repairs, the whole problem with the Wonderbolts’ armor is that it’s an attempt to find a compromise between protection and movement, as their speed is the ‘Bolts’ best defense.”

As Dash shifted the new weight across her shoulders in an attempt to get more comfortable in the armor, she tried a few stretches while listening intently to Bronze before speaking up again. “You know, this isn’t too bad. Sure, it’s another fifteen or so pounds, but I can get use to it. We did training in flying with weapons and leather armor at flight school back in Cloudsdale, you know.”

Bronze Feather laughed, stepping in to test one more strap and tighten it another few inches. “You should have grown up in Canterlot. Our flight school focused more on the Royal Guard’s armor. So we trained in plate mail from the age of twelve or so. Having a full set of flight mail weighing forty or fifty pounds strapped on and trying to learn how to dodge when somepony is throwing wooden spears at you was hard!” Turning back to her pack and resealing it, Bronze tossed it into AJ’s cart to rest among the other packages of food and the tents. Turning back to Dusk and Dash, she offered a smile. “Do you want to go try it out while the others get prepared? The last of the ‘Bolt cadets should be passing over town soon, we can meet up with them while you adjust to the weight.”

Turning to Dusk for permission, Dash gave a grin as she nodded and leapt into the air, her wings beating in an attempt to take flight… and for a moment she hung there, attempting to gain height as she adjusted to the weight across her chest. Together, she and Bronze would circle around and lift themselves higher into the air, before at last taking off into the the sky and heading to the northeast. As Dusk turned to look over the other mares, he pulled out his checklist again, lifting his voice. “Alright! So, before we take off, let’s just go over the checklist of supplies everypony should have, one last time, just to make sure.”

The combined groan of the gathered ponies was the last Dash heard as she soared ever higher. She really felt like a lead weight had been attached to her chest, and unlike when she carried something while flying, the weight was ever shifting, even with all the straps. Adjusting her grip upon the pole of her lance, Dash drew her arms up against her chest, while adjusting her grip to streamline her body, trying to test her body to the limit, and push for ever more speed. “I can do it. It isn’t easy, but I can almost reach my top speed. It’s even easier when I dive, but pulling out of a dive is so hard. It feels like my wings are going to snap when I go too fast.”

Pausing to look back over her shoulder at the trailing figure of Bronze Feather, the real shock of the situation dawned on her. While she had been testing her wings, testing the weight, Bronze had flown in a straight line, and had been nearly keeping pace with her. Pulling back and up, Dash turned in, until she flew level with Bronze, yelling to be heard over the wind of their flight. “So you practice flying in armor a lot, I take it, right? But with that plate, you must feel sluggish. But I’m guessing it makes it easier to dodge with a short dive or twist to the side, right?”

Looking up to the slightly younger mare, Bronze gave a nod, pointing to Dash’s lance. “It’s just like how you can use the weight of your lance to help pull your body into an unpredictable flight pattern, just by throwing the lance from one hand to another, giving you an easy advantage over somepony trying to attack you. I can’t do spirals, or recover from dives like you can. My armor is too heavy, it’d probably snap my wings if I tried it. But with care, I can dive bomb far harder than you can. If we need to pick somepony up, you’d be the better choice, I take too long to regain speed.”

Dash laughed, shaking her head. “After Nightmare Moon returned, we ended up having a ledge break off under our feet. With Fluttershy’s help, we avoided anypony getting hurt, but I get what you're saying. I was far faster than Fluttershy in flight, so I beat her in trying to catch Dusk.”

For a while, both returned to watching the land pass below as they flew, but a distant dot pulled Dash’s attention back to the sky. It was… “A cadet? Well, she said more were on patrol.” Turning to look at Bronze, Dash saw only focused on the mare’s eyes, while the still figure awaited their approach. While the Cadet waited for their arrival, Dash picked out small quirks in her movement, the wrinkles in her uniform, and the way she hovered. All of it suggested that she must have been pulling an all nighter.

Just as Dash began to slow down, the Cadet snapped a salute, if somewhat exhaustedly, before speaking up. “Final collection of reports for the ambassador. The next class of cadets will arrive tonight to perform new patrols.”

While Dash attempted to copy the mare’s salute, Bronze Feather reached out, and accepted the shoulder satchel that rattled with the collected scrolls contained inside. Bolting the stack to her armor, she returned the salute. “Thank you, cadet. Are you flying all the way back to Cloudsdale today? You look haggard.”

Blushing, and attempting to stand taller, she looked to the two younger mares. “I’m fine. But we are on orders to wait in Canterlot, to take over patrols at dawn tomorrow. With the two main Wonderbolt wings occupied, we have been assigned to give you all the assistance we can. Senior Cadet Surprise will lead the wing doing patrols tonight while Senior Cadet Misty Fly is leading our wing come dawn.”

Dash gave a shrug when it was clear that the Cadet has ran out of things to say, and smiled to the mare. “Maybe you should head back then. It’s getting late enough, and Canterlot has got to be nearly a three-hour flight, if you’re as tired as you look. Thanks for the news, and we’ll let Dusk know you’re watching out for us.”

Dismissed, and happy for it, the Cadet saluted again, before turning and flying off towards Canterlot. Turning to Dash, Bronze gave her a nudge in the ribs, through her new armor. “Good enough test flight? If so, let’s head back. The ambassador and the others will probably already be on the road by now.”

Dash drooped, and shook her head. “You’re right. I feel like we’ve been up here for a few hours. Carrying an extra twenty pounds really gets exhausting after a while.”

* * *

Lyra shifted hir weight, looking around Derpy’s storage barn. “Derpy was right, nopony comes to visit her here at the trainyard. It’s nice and quiet, maybe I have a chance to clear my head.” Alone in the wide storage barn, Lyra opened the clasps on the case of hir favorite harp, fingers tracing across the polished oak frame. The next few minutes were spent adjusting the strings, tightening them and testing the sound until they sung just right.

Letting hir fingers drift across the strings, the silvery tones of hir descending cords sang out, filling the air. Continuing hir aggressive dance of fingers across the strings of hir harp, shi let the music flood the massive barn and drown out all thought, all memory, all worries and fears.

Bent over hir instrument, the sudden memory of a single face kept returning to hir thoughts, a constant distraction that resisted hir attempt to clear hir head. “Bonbon? Why do you keep following me around? First it was breakfast and my laundry, then fresh flowers when I return from watching Dusk’s departure? You promise you're not flirting, yet I can feel your eyes are always on me, every second when I’m in your home.”

Leaning back on the box shi had perched upon, Lyra let hir fingers fall from the strings, and hir eyes looked off into the distance, not at the far wall, but past it. “Princess Luna and Silk’s orders. That’s when everything went wrong. They told me this mission was for Dusk’s safety, but why haven’t they replied to any of my reports? I’ve supplied details about all of their movements, not to mention Dusk’s daily routine. Yesterday, I sent off an update on Rarity’s routine, maybe a few more days, and I’ll complete Applejack’s. Not that she changes much up, but ‘worked on the farm’ doesn’t make a good report.”

“As for the other mares..? Well, Pinkie Pie’s… I think I saw a bit too much, but at least she spends all her time planning parties and baking treats. How can a mare eat that much and not get full?? Dash? Well, at least I won’t have to worry about Rainbow’s report. All she does is nap, train, or teach Scootaloo. Oh, and she eats out three meals a day. Can’t she cook at all? Can’t discern much about Fluttershy, that’s true enough. But that’s because she mainly stays indoors, or works around her little garden. And that bunny refuses to let me visit without an injured pet in need of care.”

As hir fingers continued to dance across the strings, Lyra felt hir mind drift to more pleasant thoughts. “And Bonbon? She does laundry, cleans up the public kitchen, and reads scripts while drinking jasmine tea. It leaves a really nice smell that lingers in her hai-”

The sound of somepony opening the barn door pulled Lyra from hir drifting thoughts, while Derpy paused to brush her hair from her eyes with two fingers, before noticing she wasn’t alone. “Oh! Sorry, Lyra! I know I promised you could use the barn for your private music practise. I’ll just pick up the package for Mrs. Cake and leave you in peace!”

Lyra needed only a moment to look over the mare to realize her work shirt was rumpled, and she had forgotten her mail cap. Unable to help hirself, Lyra began to laugh, and sat hir harp down upon the crate, before hopping up and nodding to the mailmare. “Then let me help you find it. It’s the least I can do to thank you for the privacy and use of your shed. Oh, by the way, you left your hat behind.”

Derpy winced, hands shooting to her head again to feel around for her missing mail cap. “What?!! Oh, darn it! Amethyst just finished stitching the logo back on for me and everything!” Pouting and stomping a foot, Derpy let her shoulders droop and walked over to the mail cage, followed by Lyra, who leaned in and gently straightened a few of Derpy’s long blond locks, moving to hook some of her hair behind her ears. Flushed with embarrassment, but happy for the attention, she grinned up to Lyra. “Oh! Thanks! Dinky offered to help me brush my hair, but she didn’t finish her school work, so I made her do that instead.”

Lyra laughed softly and stepped back to let Derpy fiddle with the new lock on the cage. “So, did Dash pay for that herself? After all the excitement as of late, I’m surprised you two had the time to worry about something as simple as a lock.”

Derpy twisted the key, and the lock at last popped open. “I was so worried! She showed up after everypony had fled town to help Dusk, and I was just standing guard here to make sure the mail wasn’t stolen. When she asked me to join the search team hunting for Dusk in the woods, I said I couldn’t, ‘cause the lock was broken! She looked really annoyed for a minute, and then flew off. Then five minutes later, she returned with Princess Cadence! And Cadence put a magic lock on the door and promised only I could unlock it, and all I had to do was touch it! So when things calmed down, I picked this new lock up, and it really worked! Just like the princess promised.”

Lyra was impressed. Shi watched as Derpy shuffled around boxes, still hunting for whatever package she needed to deliver. “The princess herself? That must have been a real honor. And you didn’t accidentally break something?”

Unable to hide her blush, Derpy wilted under Lyra’s keen scrutiny. “I… I kinda tripped, and broke her first lock spell. But it was Dash’s fault! She kept trying to make me rush out to go look for Dusk!”

Silently, Lyra added a mental note for hir report on Derpy. The mare had a heart of gold, and never broke any of her packages, or lost any of the mail. But with a streak of bad luck this long? There had to be some root cause.

Accepting a box handed back to hir by Derpy, Lyra leaned back into the desk, and found hir mind wandering back again. "A sweet smile and a soft voice, never asking penetrating questions, not to mention the smell of jasmine. A mare could get used to that kind of company."

Derpy’s sudden exclamation of joy snapped Lyra back again, and shi accepted the second package from the mail mare who turned back, locking up the cage. Grinning to Lyra, Derpy accepted the two boxes back before speaking up. "This time it wasn't even my mistake! The Cakes ordered a new baking coil for one of their fancy little cake baking ovens. You know, the ones that have the sweet-tasting frosting on top of it and baked into the middle?" When Lyra nodded, the enthusiastic blonde pegasus continued. "Well the company in Canterlot took their order, but forgot to send the mounting bracket! And the coil is very sensitive, so what with Pinkie Pie and everything, they felt it safer to store it in the lockup here until the bracket arrived! It's nice somepony trusts me despite my reputation." Pouting a little but keeping her chin up, she walked for the barn door, glad to have Lyra’s company.

A sudden knock on the door caught both mares by surprise and drew their stride to a halt. Just as Derpy shuffled her packages around to reach for the door and clear her throat, it was pushed open from the outside, and a skinny mare with a white horn and electric blue hair leaned in. She wore fuchsia sunglasses pushed all the way up to her nose and were square with her face. Flashing white teeth while snapping her fingers as she wheeled around the mail sack from the morning train, keeping it hovering in place with her magic. It was only when she spoke that her exhaustion showed through all her glamour. "Yo, Derpy! They dropped the mail off while I was getting my gear unloaded at the train. Figured the least I could do was deliver it here since you keep my special base in the lockup! Say, who’s-" Only for a moment as she turned to look at Lyra did she pause in her smooth flow of words. Despite the glasses, Lyra saw recognition in her eyes, and then she was talking again, as if she hadn't paused at all. "- this stunning giantess? New assistant in training? Rare for the mail to hire a unicorn in this small of a town."

Shocked by Vinyl’s sudden appearance, not to mention her swift flowing voice, Derpy threw her arms out to accept the mail sack, totally forgetting the packages in her hands.
Lyra was just as stunned to see an old face, even if it was one she had trouble recognizing through the heavy shades and skillfully-applied makeup, not to mention the wild new hairdo. But Lyra saw the packages falling from Derpy’s distracted hands, and swiftly wrapped them in a bubble of her magic, catching the fragile coil before it hit the ground. Returning the packages to Derpy and waving off the mare’s flustered mumbles of thanks, Lyra turned back to the newcomer. "It's a pleasure to finally get to meet you, DJ-Pon3. I used to go to all your shows in Canterlot! Oh, and my name’s Lyra. Not Derpy’s assistant, not yet at least."

Vinyl's arched brow extended up above the rim of those unpierceable glasses, and she gave a grin, one hand reaching out to shake Lyra’s hand. The presence of a note exchanging hands was done quietly, and with Derpy distracted with so much in her arms, it was totally missed. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fan, but you'll have to forgive me. It's far too bright out, and a bed, as well as my mare’s loving embrace, await me at home."

Derpy waved excitedly to the retreating mare, calling out to her retreating back. "Octavia and Amethyst are planning dinner for tonight! If you're up by then, you should come with her! Dinky loves your stories!" When all she got was a noncommittal wave of a hand over her head as a response, Derpy turned to Lyra and giggled. "Vinyl and Octavia are the best of neighbors! Hired Amethyst to do their laundry and such! They often thank us by treating us to dinner when they’re both in town! Except on their date night, of course!"

Lyra’s hand burned as she ached to open the note, but knew she couldn’t while Derpy was around. Fighting to keep herself calm, she gave Derpy a serious look before gesturing to the late morning sun. "I think you had better get going, Derpy. The Cakes will probably be delighted to finally have their new baking coil."

Gasping to herself and looking to the sun, Derpy muffled a soft curse that Lyra could have sworn was something cute and silly along the lines of "Oh! Muffins!" Adjusting her load she gave a small nod to Lyra. "You're so right! And thanks again for saving their packages!" Turning away and rushing off, she left Lyra at last alone.

The letter had a single seal, Silk had only just picked one, and Lyra still wondered if it had been chosen as a joke. A thin rapier and a brutal spiked mace crossed over a ragged pair of batwings, their leather torn and patched in places. Lyra broke the seal and read her first set of orders since she was dispatched. It only took a second.

"Agents Lyra and Minuette are to be recalled for immediate review following the ambassador’s return to Ponyville."

* * *

Dusk attempted to adjust his body between the sacks in the apple cart, every bump on the road caused him to thump against one rockhard sack or another. It had been Applejack’s insistence when she caught him trying to stifle a yawn. Now he lay with his head against Rarity's knee, while her fingers stroked his hair.

The sudden arrival of Rainbow Dash and Bronze Feather was loud, and a little more violent than Dash had been prepared for. "It's the damn armor! I thought I was getting used to it, and then I tried to land."

Pinkie was the first one to arrive at her side, bending in and nudging Dash in the side. "Dashie? Does it hurt half as much as it looks? ‘Cause it looks like you nearly managed to catch your balance after the second cartwheel!"

Deep in her own shame, Dash ignored Pinkie’s attempt to inspect her bruised ribs and help her stand up. Bronze Feather's arrival ended that, forcefully hauling her back to her feet, and brushing the worst of the dirt and grass from her face and hair. In her own way, Bronze looked both proud and embarrassed. "You did great, just gotta slow down a little sooner during a landing. It's my fault, I'm used to training foals used to wearing heavier armor than that."

Realizing that Bronze was trying to take some of the blame was almost funny. Dash couldn't help it, she snickered, and at last let Pinkie Pie in closer, giving into the mare’s need to give her a hug. The effort of resisting the need to laugh was outright straining, and it was good to see Bronze Feather returning her grin. "Nah, it's my fault. I've crashed enough times, I should have seen that coming from a mile away. Sorry about grinding so much dirt into your shiny metal armor."

Bronze cuffed Dash’s good shoulder, avoiding the one that had taken the worst of the impact with the ground. "Nah, don't be sorry. If Applejack doesn't mind, you can learn how to clean armor properly while sitting on the tailgate of the cart."

Dash’s smile died in that instant as she looked down at the ground-in dirt and grass that littered the chainmail. Pinkie’s light kiss to her cheek before cutting into the conversation didn't make the situation any more pleasant. "Don't worry, Bronze Feather! It's nearly my turn to take over pulling the cart, and I don't mind at all!"

Dusk used this situation as an excuse to sit up properly, taking the pressure off his stiff back, even if Rarity gave him a look. "Are you okay, Dash?" When she gave him a stiff grin and a thumbs up, he pointed to the sack bolted to Bronze Feather's armor. "More reports from the cadets?"

As if some magic bubble had been popped, Bronze Feather's smile died, and she snapped to attention, leaving Dash in Pinkie’s arms and quickly marched to his side. Snapping him a salute, she spoke with a more serious tone. "Yes, ambassador. The cadet also wished to inform you that Senior Cadets Misty Fly and Surprise will be leading two wings of Wonderbolt cadets to offer you eyes in the sky, and any assistance they can manage."

"Just... please, just call me Dusk. The titles are just for fluff, and I don't do well with titles." Dusk cut off his groan of annoyance when he realized one of the names Bronze had mentioned. Adjusting to face Bronze Feather as she approached, he reached out to take the sack of scrolls and began to untie the string that held the pouch closed. Dusk hunted for a hint in Bronze’s eyes. "You are sure you said Senior Cadet Surprise? Not one of the others? Say... 'Sun Rise' or 'Stormrise'?" When she shook her head, Dusk chuckled a little to himself, remembering. "She made Senior Cadet again? That's a bit of a shocker. I figured she was probably permanently demoted after 'the banana cream pie' incident. Were you there for that, Bronze Feather?"

Bronze Feather managed to keep her face stoic, attempting not to crack a smile, but Dusk caught the lines forming around the edges of her mouth, and at last she respected his request. "Fortunately, I was away at the time. Shining Armor had been put in charge of investigating who had trashed the Wonderbolt Cadet's dorm,-" Dusk could hear the very carefully measured tone in her next few words, practiced to perfection. "- an event that, I only know of due to my participation in the investigation. The fact feathers matching my own were found at the dorm is completely inconsequential." Again, Dusk caught that momentary quirk of her lip, the suppressed laughter trying to boil up.

For a moment, they stared at one another, like two actors reading from a script, before Rainbow Dash cut in without concerns for the fact she had no lines in this scene. "Wait, what? Somepony trashed the 'Bolts’ training dorm? How come I never heard about that? I'd like to clobber any knucklehead who'd show such disrespect to the Wonderbolts!"

Thankfully, Dusk and Bronze Feather's script included lines for just this situation. Of course it did, Princess Celestia had written it with great care, and after a few thousand years of juggling the balls that kept the political factions united, she had become quite the master. Dusk spoke up first. "If I remember the details of my brother’s report, nopony did. It was the result of some recruits attempting an unauthorized storm stunt on the nearby training field."

Bronze took up her side of the script, reinforcing Dusk’s words before Rainbow Dash started attempting to question the story. "Exactly amba- err Dusk. The cadets were properly punished. As were a few of the Royal Guard pegasus recruits who had been visiting the training field at the time and participated on the ill-advised stunt."

For a moment, everypony watched Dash’s reaction to the admittedly thin lie. Then, she shook her head, dismissing the story and pressing in on the topic that interested her more. "And the banana pie thing? What happened to get Surprise demoted?"

Dusk couldn’t help himself, he had to extend Dash a bone. She was a friend, after all. "Well, Surprise was visiting a friend who was a member of the guards, and was bringing him a banana cream pie. But when she arrived, Princess Celestia was reviewing the Royal Guard, since Shining Armor was out of town at the time. Well, poor Surprise got so excited when she saw her friend, she started to wave, forgetting he was in formation and couldn't wave back. Well, she got so excited, trying to catch his attention that she started to wave harder, and well-"

Dash’s amusement at Dusk’s story had melted away as he went on, and she crossed her arms over her muddy chest. "Surprise accidently hit Princess Celestia with a banana cream pie while trying to take revenge on the royal guards for trashing her dorm, didn’t she?"

Bronze Feather couldn’t stop herself from snorting, and most of the other mares were hiding laughter behind a hand, except for Pinkie Pie, who had collapsed to the grass, and was convulsing with unsuppressed giggles and snorts of laughter, not to mention the hint of drool at the edge of her mouth. Applejack as the exception, she simply waited, still holding the cart harness she had been preparing to strap onto the other earth mare before this story had driven her into a fit of laughter, but even she was grinning. Dusk gave in, nodding. "Unofficially, yes. Officially, she dropped it by accident. Either way, she is quite fortunate that Princess Celestia loves banana cream pie."

At last Dash joined the group's laughter, giving in to the humor of the image this conjectured up. "Alright, I get it. The cover story is to save face and avoid more infighting between the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts. But who started it? And why single Surprise out for punishment specifically?"

Bronze Feather swallowed, pushing aside her own laughter. "I wasn't there, but apparently it was because she was the only one who threw their pie. All the others stopped the attack when they saw Princess Celestia giving her guards a stern dressing down. Plus, the rest had the good sense to flee, Surprise was laughing too hard."

Dusk at last came to Surprise's defense. "I'll admit, when Princess Celestia requisitioned my shower since it was located so close to the parade grounds, I swear I heard her laughing before leaving to get some of her handmaidens and a replacement dress."

Pinkie at last recovered enough of her self control to speak up, though she was still snorting, and kept stopping to catch her breath. “That’s-” A giggle. “That’s cousin Surprise!” Now a gasp. “She’s a giant barrel-” Next a snort. “of laughs!”

Now Pinkie had everypony’s attention, but Applejack, who was dragging her back to standing with one firm grip on her collar, lashing the cart’s harness across her shoulders. When she was tied in place, AJ at last spoke up. “How’s about you use some of that wild energy to help make up for this long break, and tell us your story while we walk.”

Happy to be of help, Pinkie lifted her hands to grip the harness, to occupy her hands while she started to force the cart into rolling again. Gleeful, she called out over her shoulder to her friends. “Oh, it’s nothing that big! She’s my mother’s cousin’s niece’s sister! We got to hang out one summer ten years ago at a family reunion, and we’ve been exchanging letters for years since! Oh! And ever since she got into the Wonderbolt Cadets, we’ve been writing each other at least once a week!”

* * *

Rainbow Dash was shaking Pinkie by her shoulders, interrupting her walk to the bushes, still in awe of the mare. “But she's your cousin... and a Wonderbolt..." Rainbow exclaimed painfully. "I love hearing everything about them! In fact, it's vital to my career that I know as much as I can about them, network with them, learn their moves, their tricks, get inside their heads! Why wouldn't you tell me about something so potentially life-changing that it might make my dreams come true, help me fulfill my life's ambitions, ascend to stardom... why didn't you tell me you had a cousin in the Wonderbolts?!"

Rainbow stared into Pinkie's eyes mournfully, like a puppy that had been kicked one too many times.

"...Because you never asked, silly!"

Releasing Pinkie, and looking down, Dash raised a finger. “Okay, yeah, you’re right. But she’s a Senior Cadet! You still could have told me! Do you know what training she does? How often does she go for sustained solo distance flights? What kind of diet does she have?”

Hiding her face behind a hand, Pinkie tried to suppress a snort of delight. After a day of long marching, with the sun beginning to set, it was finally time to set up camp, but so far since Pinkie had been released from her harness, Dash had been nothing but questions. “Oh, we don’t talk about that kind of stuff! She’s far more interested in my latest party, and I’m more excited to talk about her favorite game!”

Enthralled, Dash leaned in again, grabbing Pinkie’s shoulders and grinning with wild abandon. “She has a favorite game? What is it!!”

Distracted as she was by talking with Pinkie, Rainbow Dash never noticed somepony was sneaking up on her from behind with expert skill, until the sudden shock of fingers tickling at her ribs, and a voice whispering into her ear. "Surprise!!"

Dumbfounded that somepony could sneak up on her, Rainbow Dash leaped straight into the air, twisting about and trying to see who had been behind her. Nopony was there. Turning to look back at Pinkie, who had collapsed to the grass and was in another laughing fit, Dash glowered at her friend. “Hey! How’d you-”

Only to be cut off as she again found herself being tickled from behind, that same snickering voice came from somewhere behind her, despite her now flying ten feet off the ground. Dash twisted around in place, and a mare that could have easily been mistaken for Pinkie’s twin, save for her hair and tail color were a pale blond in contrast to Pinkie’s pink, and a few other minor differences in face and weight, leaned in until their noses nearly touched, grinning with wicked glee. “Boo!”

Falling back in shock and dropping to the ground, Rainbow Dash found herself caught by Pinkie, who leaned in close, while still suppressing a snort, and finally answered Dash. “That, is cousin Surprise’s favorite game!”

Landing beside the mares, Surprise saluted, but burst into a fit of soft laughter all her own. “Sorry, Rainbow Dash! But when I saw you pestering cousin Pinkie Pie about me, well, how could I resist!? Now where is the ambassador? Princess Celestia wanted me to check up on him and make sure he wasn’t stressing himself out over this dragon business. She said he apparently does that sometimes?”

It was Pinkie’s turn to groan a little, and pointed back towards the mostly empty applecart. “He does. And even I can only make him laugh occasionally. Applejack said she was going to take him to go chop some firewood for cooking dinner, and our campfire tonight.”

Surprise stood tall and gave Pinkie a serious salute. Snickering to herself slightly afterwards, she took off in the direction Pinkie had pointed, circling a little to gain height. From below, her cousin shouted up extra help. “Look for Bronze Feather! She said she was going with them to keep watch!”

Dash had finally managed to regain her footing as Pinkie’s cousin took off, and turned to look back at her still-giggling friend. “You saw her coming and kept me distracted, didn’t you?”

Pinkie gave a shrug, and started walking towards the bushes to ‘take care of her business’. “So? Even if I hadn’t, cousin Surprise is awfully good at sneaking up on a pony. I think it’s part of her talent!”

* * *

Dusk’s axe cut into the wood with a satisfying thunk. The fact Applejack was already carrying the logs she had picked out to make into kindling back to the camp didn’t bother him. She had shown how far her talent with trees went. What took him three swings of the axe to achieve, she only needed one easy blow, and it wasn’t just her strength. She could see the weak points in the wood and be able to splinter any trunk with a single blow. “Besides. It’s like she said, I’m here to get my exercise in for the day, sore shoulders or not.”

Dusk drew the axe free of the log, and lifted it high over his head once more, instantly eliciting a cry of pain from his tense shoulders, and stiff back. “It’d be so much easier to just cheat, cut up this rotten log with a quick little spell. But AJ? She would just know. Somehow, she’d figure it out. And I can’t stand to see her disappointed.”

Thwonk went his axe, as it bit through the log again, breaking it into two uneven chunks. He was sweating already, and was glad he had hung his fall jacket upon a nearby tree branch. At that moment, a whistle cut through the quiet thicket of trees from above, Bronze Feather’s warning making him freeze and look up.

The mare sat in the branches of the strongest tree, near the top so she could get a better line of sight. But she also stood out like a silver beacon in her polished armor, and was standing up, adjusting the lance she had taken from her supplies when they came to this clearing. A blue and yellow blur cut across the sky, and pulled to a sudden halt directly before Bronze Feather, snapping off a quick salute. “Senior Cadet Surprise to see the ambassador, unless you already fed him to the dragon?”

Dusk could have sworn he heard Bronze growl beneath her breath, but she lowered her lance and began to relax her wings, returning to the tree she had just lept from. “He is in the clearing below. And he doesn’t like the title, so call him Dusk. But don’t think I’m taking my eyes off you, Surprise. You might be a Senior Cadet again, but I’m still the head of his bodyguard.”

“Bodyguard? I’d never even thought of things in those terms. Does that change anything important?” Dusk waved to the Wonderbolt as she looked for him between the trees, before giving an excited giggle and waved back at him.

Undaunted, Surprise dove between the tree branches over Dusk's head, twisting around into a last-second midair cartwheel and landing before him, leaving enough distance between them to avoid an accidental swing of his axe. Snapping him a smart salute, Surprise couldn’t hide her grin. "Apologies, Ambassador Dusk Shine. I wanted to bring you my traditional greeting pie, but my second-in-command, Fall Gusts, suggested you might not find the humor in the offer."

The laughter that danced in those eyes reminded Dusk of Pinkie, the fact they were the same eyes, yet with such a different shade, only made her a more intriguing enigma. Dusk settled the head of his axe between his feet, blade turned towards the mare. "Hello, Senior Cadet Surprise. Is this your third time with that title now? Or only the second? You know some of your pranks have become local legend around Starswirl University."

Crossing her arms behind her back, and attempting to imply a coy innocence, Surprise curled out her lip to project how injured she felt. "But ambassador! I meant no harm! Besides, you must agree, Blaze and Spitfire looked way better as platinum blonds!”

Dusk leveled a stare back at Surprise’s attempt to hold her own pout of injured innocence, and he broke. Unable to stop himself, he gave a soft snicker and at last laughed, unable to keep back his own happy chuckles afterwards. "I wasn't there, so I didn't see Blaze, but Spitfire looked rather... put out when she came to watch the magicball game at SSU the day after."

Applejack’s hollering voice cut through their shared laughter. "Dusk! You can chop while she delivers her report, by the Light! You should have twice this much chopped by now!"

Unable to help but blush, Dusk shrugged an apology to Surprise and took a measure of the distance between them, before hefting the axe back over his head. "Mind stepping a few more feet back? Wouldn't want to hurt a Wonderbolt while chopping wood."

Happy to oblige, Surprise drifted back a few more feet, still watching him, and pulling her aviation goggles back into place. "Nah, no worries. My wing should be arriving in the next hour or two, so I should go collect Misty Fly's reports. If that Diamond Dog miner pack goes any further south, we might be forced to remind them about the terms of their mining contract." Turning around and grinning at Applejack, Surprise gave her a wink. "And don't be too rough on him, grumpy pants! A stallion with a smile is much better company than one overworked." Giggle-snorting as she flew off, Surprise spared just enough time to lazily salute Bronze Feather before flying out of sight.

* * *

Silken Flight took few, very cautious steps across the surface of the cloud. Any reassurances the two commanders had given her didn’t put a dent into her mistrust of the cloud island, and a fall from this high up was going to hurt, wings or not. All around the white base of operations, Wonderbolts of various ranks ran in practiced precision. "And that's the other thing. This high up, everypony has so much high altitude gear on, you can’t even tell a stallion from a mare!"

Most of the 'Bolts were wearing full mission-grade extreme altitude flight gear. The bodysuits were cut skin tight, in theory, but with the wafer thin mithril plate or chain mail and wool layers to keep out the cold, they all appeared more like an army of white and yellow exclamation points. Even that had come as a shock. "What had Fleetfoot said? Oh, yes: White instead of the normal blue. This high up, it blends with the clouds better, and nopony has eyes good enough to make out the difference between yellow and white this far away."

That's where everything had gone wrong, of course. Few of her tribe had ever made it into the Wonderbolts, so they had even fewer spare specialty uniforms built for the broader and heavier bat wings. In the end, the only uniform that had been close enough to be a fit was from a high-altitude flight suit from some cadet. The modifications to make it suitable for this height had been rushed, and left her feeling like a penguin. "And it leaks. The 'Bolts' seamstress swears she has triple checked every seam, inside and out. But every breeze rippled through this damn makeshift suit, leaving me half frozen.” So with a sleeping bag wrapped over her shoulders, she crossed to the command tent, and the two stallions on watch opened the flap for her.

Inside, four bodies clustered around a map of the mountain side, covered in black and green pins. Caves that had been searched, and caves in need of searching. Quickly, they adjusted their group to make room for her. The 1st Lieutenant returned to her report. "Pending any updates from the Princesses, and going at the current rate our scouts are covering the caves, I've put an estimate on completion at around twenty three hours. And if you remember Senior Cadet Surprise's report, Dusk and his crew will arrive in their danger zone in around twenty-five hours. Twenty if the Diamond Dogs stay out of the way. Currently, I put our top flyers at three hours at top speed, and they won't be in any condition to help when they get there."

Spitfire looked at her younger sister, shaking her head. "Our orders stand, Blaze. We can’t risk moving our camp closer, and we are already running double shifts on the scouts. They have thirty-odd cadets, all with at least two years training and a minimum of six weeks experience on patrols along the griffon border. We've given them every spare wing we have that can help. I refuse to order any of the green cadets into the field, they'd only cause trouble."

Everypony gave another glance at Silken Flight, even in her heavy bundle. She sighed, knowing the meaning behind their pause. "Our orders stand. I am here only to observe your units in action. If that changes, I'll be sure to inform you immediately. Until then, just keep running the situation as you interpret your existing orders, major."

* * *

"So you've never seen an adult dragon either, Dash? But I thought they let even potential Wonderbolt cadets go on tour to one of the friendly dragon broods!" Pouting, Pinkie continued to stir the heavy iron cauldron. The thick soup inside had finally began to bubble, and as dark as the broth was, bits of the mixed veggies she had put in occasionally floated to the surface. And mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms. Probably half the ingredients had been mushrooms.

It made Rainbow Dash question why Pinkie continued to insist everypony call it Lilly and Daisy soup. She had checked Pinkie’s food bags, and they only had nine lilies, and six daisies. "Besides! She has yet to add any of them to the soup!"

Keeping her cool, Dash dragged a smoothing stone over the mithril lance head, attempting to remove any burs that might have formed on the surface before speaking. “Yes, that’s the idea. But not until you are at least eighteen, except when escorted by a parent, or guardian. Dad-” She sighed a little. “Dad refused. I think he was just being overprotective.”

Pinkie started to shape her lips into a pout until the sound of approaching voices let them all know that Dusk, Applejack, and Bronze Feather were finally returning. Turning around to look at the arriving trio, she called out to Bronze Feather. “Have you ever seen a dragon, Bronze?"

Called over by Pinkie’s question, Bronze Feather joined them, but her eyes were drawn more towards the masterful workmanship of the weapon Dash was bent over with a silk cloth, polishing it further. "A dragon? Just once or twice. One was like Dusk’s daughter, you know? Two arms and legs... what do you call them?"

Dusk held a collection of bowls up for Pinkie to start spooning out the soup, and spoke up to answer. "Anthropomorphic is the technical terminology. Species gets a little tougher to determine with dragons beyond that point, but my research with Princess Celestia led us to several possible species: the noble Purgalabrah; the swift Gru-"

Bronze Feather looked like she might just put up with Dusk’s ongoing rambling dissertation on the list of potential dragon species Barb might have been born to, so Pinkie cut him off, finishing the last few bowls of soup and garnishing every bowl with one of each flower, save the seventh that had two lilies instead. "Give me the one with the two lilies, Dusk. I can’t short one of you guys, and I like the lilies better!”

With his attention pulled away from his list by Pinkie, Dusk used his magic to pass her the bowl she wanted. Bronze wilted a little now that Dusk wasn’t watching her, and gave Pinkie a nod of thanks before continuing. “Yes, anthro- whatsits. She was nearly fourteen feet tall and around eight or nine hundred years old, some elder dragon’s favorite daughter or student that had been sent to visit Princess Celestia. About a week later, Shining Armor took me along to deliver a present from that elder dragon to another one that lives on an island about three hundred kilometers out to sea from Fillydelphia. He was massive in comparison, I hadn’t finished my scout training, so I’m forced to guess based off memory and not the tricks we are taught about counting large numbers quickly and how to judge distance and scale. So let me just say his maw was big. Very big. Let's just say it was larger from jaw to snout then Princess Celestia is tall.”

The sudden sounds of a whimper, a small splash, and a thud made everypony turn to look towards the source. Fluttershy had collapsed backwards and her dinner bowl pouring out on the ground at her feet.

Author's Note

Go easy on me, guys! This is my first attempt at deliberately trying to be funny. I hope it goes over well! :facehoof:

Anyways. Notes time. I'm going to start using these notes as a little update kinda concept. So to begin!

Currently I am working with Wrabbit on the end of Interlude 3 Part 4's rewrite. It's going great, and I can't wait to see what you guys think of the improvements we've made, most of all thanks to Wrabbit pointing out I am an idiot! :rainbowlaugh:

Secondly, of late I've noticed a trend that I've been trying to ignore, but I've decided, just this once, I'd like to ask you all a favor. Most of you may not have noticed, but until now, the story has hovered around 218ish upvotes and 28 down. Now I normally wouldn't care, but in the last six or so days I've received another 4 downvotes with no comments left. I consider this story a FANTASTIC success, and don't think upvotes / downvotes make a difference to that, the feedback I get is what really gives me joy. But just this once, I'll ask: If you guys haven't upvoted the story, I would be very grateful if you could leave an upvote. I promise I'll never pester you guys with this kind of a request again, I just feel irate that I got so many downvotes in such a short period of time for no reason. I know, I know. I'm being petty. I apologize.

On the other hand: If you have downvoted my story, or have a friend who has, I beg you, please, leave me any comments at all! I'd love to know anything you've had a problem with, or think I can improve. I know this is silly to ask, since I'm sure the majority of people who have downvoted the story probably don't read it anymore, but I'm hoping this will get me some suggestions or advice. Again, thanks for any feedback you can provide!

And lastly: Thank you for taking the time to read my rambling notes! I hope you all have enjoyed it, and I can't wait to give you more to read.

Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 4

...There had been no argument. There was no time, after all. The flurry of activity from all sides had been fast, and near crazed, but everypony had taken up a job and went to it with renewed vigor. Now Dusk sat with Applejack outside the tent they had set up for Fluttershy, and from inside, the muffled voices of Rarity and the wonderbolt cadet Surprise had called Heartsong continued to try and soothe the panicked mare.

In the end, it was Rainbow Dash who needed to be distracted. Bronze Feather and Surprise were airborne with her and the Wonderbolt cadets’ wing, running drills to keep her too busy to worry about her friend.

The sudden arrival of Pinkie's weight against Dusk’s side came as a shock. Until now, she had been the best at keeping herself occupied, focused on making everypony finish their dinner whenever one of them got too quiet and then doing the dishes. Now by torchlight, she had returned to the tent and leaned her head against his shoulder. Looking up at him, she spoke in a quiet whimper. “Dusk, is it my fault for bugging the others to talk about dragons so much?”

Shocked at how soft spoken, and frankly, how worried she sounded, Dusk put an arm around the quiet mare’s shoulders, drawing her back into his chest. “Pinkie, you did nothing wrong. You just wanted to know more about what to expect. Nopony blames you for trying to scare Fluttershy.”

Applejack was there now, wrapping arms around them both, while her fingers began to stroke through the fluffy pink hair of their normally joyous friend, now not so poofy. “Sugarcube, are you okay? You can’t get so down on yourself. Wanta go buck some trees with me? We could prepare a little extra firewood in case we have to stay here an extra day.”

With watery eyes, Pinkie looked up to Applejack, at last nodding and standing up. Her voice was tired and quiet, not her usual, bubbly self. “Yeah, sure. I’m fine. At least then I can be helpful...”

"Dusk, more hot water please." Rarity's voice pulled Dusk’s attention back into the tent at his back. Opening the flap and stepping inside, he took in the room. Various bags of different food and clothing had been piled in by the flap, many had been opened and now lay half-strewn across the floor. Fluttershy lay curled up on the portable cot Rarity had brought along, and was currently curled onto a ball, hugging her knees to her chest under several layers of blankets. The field medic held one of her hands and was quietly whispering to the mare, while Rarity now approached the flap carrying the teapot. "Thank you, darling. I think if you feel up to it, you can come sit with us now. She doesn't want to talk, but she has finally started eating a little."

Raising his hands to take the pot from Rarity, a quake of pain shot up his right arm, reminding Dusk of the two hours he had spent chopping wood, and his competition with Lyra in the spa only days before that. Pushing aside the distracting pain, Dusk took the teapot and gave her a quiet smile. “Alright. I’ll go top off the tea. Maybe you can get a little rest in the meantime?”

Looking away and biting her lip, Rarity went silent for a moment, but at last gave him a small nod. “I’ll stay in the tent just in case, but curling up in your sleeping bag for an hour or two might help, thank you, Dusk.”

Leaning in, Dusk let his lips briefly touch her cheek, a quiet reminder she wasn’t alone, before stepping back out of the tent, and returning to their small campfire. Surprise was just settling in beside the campfire, tending to the dancing flames, while an exhausted Rainbow Dash had stretched out on top of her sleeping bag, giving Dusk a lazy wave before rolling over. And soon enough, she was snoring enthusiastically. With a nod to the mare, Dusk removed the lid of the heavy ceramic teapot before thrusting the teapot deep into the boiling cauldron of hot water. Speaking quietly as he let the excess water run off the sides of the now-drenched, but full, teapot, Dusk tried not to wake up Dash. “She’ll catch a cold sleeping out here like that, even if you keep the fire banked up all night, even more so if she is half as soaked as she looks.”

The mare laughed, watching as he elevated the wet pot with his magic, using a stick to stir the coals. “I’ve got a few of my lazier cadets setting up the rest of your tents. When they’re done, I’ll pour some hot water onto a towel and throw it in her face. It’ll wake her up and she can use it to clean up. Then it’s off to bed. Nopony with that much talent’s gonna get sick on my watch, I can promise you that much, Mr. Ambassador.”

Dusk couldn't help himself, he laughed a little, and held out a hand to the mare. “Thank you, Surprise. You’ve been a lot of help, I’m glad Dash was able to find your wing so quickly. What is Misty Fly’s wing doing? Don’t they need you to relieve them soon?”

Surprise gave a sigh, and slumped her shoulders at his question. “Oh, well we had orders, see? If anything happened, whoever wasn’t keeping an eye on you was to go have words with the Diamond Dog mining pack. They had a treaty, but keep getting sighted well outside of the area they were given access to. So Misty and her wing are probably ‘giving words’ with them right now.”

About to turn away, Dusk stopped, looking back to the mare more carefully. “That’s dangerous though. Diamond Dogs will often attack anypony who gets too close to their territory. Why-” But the answer was staring him in the face, Dusk shook his head. “Because we are too close. Why not just tell us to take the southern route from the start? This dragon hasn’t started defending this area yet, it will be weeks before it’s likely to be a real threat.”

Surprise shook her head and sat back, letting her stick trail smoke as she rolled it between her fingers. “It’s an unacceptable risk to both the citizens and yourself. The longer the dragon has to get settled, the harder it will be to get it to move, and the more likely it is to simply attack you for getting near its cave. So Misty Fly’s wing gets to deal with the dogs. Don’t worry, it’s a small pack, only six or seven miners. She outnumbers them, two to one.”

Dusk shook his head, but returned the lid to the ceramic teapot, still using his magic to avoid the hot surface. Turning to head back to Fluttershy’s tent, he gave the Senior Cadet his thanks. “The truth matters, Surprise, so thank you for giving me it. I’d tell you to go help your friend, but I have a feeling your orders say you can’t.” He paused, not looking back at her, before speaking up again. “Of course, I’ll be busy in the tent looking after Fluttershy. And your second-in-command is probably helping the others set up our tents. Nopony would notice if you took a few of your most trusted cadets and went for ‘a patrol’... just to make sure everything’s okay.”

There was a small giggle behind him as Dusk lifted the tent flap, a quiet voice just loud enough for him to hear. “Yes, Mr Ambassador. I think ‘a patrol’ might be a good idea. I even have a few cadets in mind who could use the exercise. Thank you for the advice.”

Smiling to himself, Dusk returned to the tent, gently lifting the flap with his magic. Inside, Rarity had set herself up in Dusk’s sleeping bag beside the cot, where Fluttershy still lay, her knees curled up to her chest.

Sensing his arrival, the medic, Heartsong, lifted a finger to her lips and warned him to keep quiet. When he set down the teapot on a box, she fished out two small tin cups and carefully poured them both half full, adding herbs from her bag and stirring the blend together. Adjusting her pink and blue wings to give him space to sit by the sleeping Fluttershy’s side, she spoke quietly. "I believe she will feel better by morning, Ambassador. But she still won't tell us what has her so scared. If I had to guess, I'd imagine it's some kind of trauma. But I've only taken a few months of medical training, I'd feel far better if you'd call in an expert or let me take her home."

Dusk had expected the comment. He looked deep into the pool of brown tea in the cup resting upon a box, seeing the reflection of his own conflicted face staring back at him. Tipping back the cup and letting the hot tea wash away his indecision, Dusk looked back to the medic. "If she is better in the morning, we have to push on. Fluttershy is essential; without her, we lose our easiest solution, and our last resort if the dragon is unmanageable. I'd be grateful if you’d stay with us and keep an eye on her. I've planned out several different solutions, but I refuse to risk her health."

While the hot tea rushed through his veins, the medic chewed her lip, watching the mare upon the cot as much as Dusk, himself. Just as he settled his cup down, she finally broke the tense silence. "Alright. Surprise will be more than willing to let me stay. I'll go report to her and then get a few hours sleep. You should too; no amount of dawn blossom can make up for a bad night’s rest."

As the medic rose, Dusk winced at how apt her comment really was, before he gave her a nod. “I’ll sit with her a while, but I’ll get some sleep. Thank you, Heartsong. And sleep well.”

Giving him a nod, the mare left him alone with the two sleeping mares. Still quietly sipping at his tea, Dusk adjusted to lean his weight back against the covenant box, watching the rise and fall of Fluttershy's blanket. “I could just send her home. She is so fragile, so gentle. She isn’t like Dash or Applejack; she doesn’t thrive on a challenge, on competition. She isn’t like Pinkie; she can’t shrug off the danger and laugh at fear. She isn’t like me; she has no duty, nor the experience to try and find solutions. She isn’t even like Rarity, who has pushed herself to adapt to my world, to make herself an independent but ever-growing aid. She is only here because she can help me with one plan… and one act of violence. And yet for that fragile reason, I am marching her into the wild to face a monster that haunts her.”

As Dusk lifted the cup to take another sip, he realized the tea had grown cold over the hours as he got lost in his own thoughts. Just as he turned his head to look out the gap in the tent flap, a grip cupped his wrist, and its matching voice called his attention back. “I... um… I want to thank you, Dusk. You didn’t need to watch over me all night, but-” Fluttershy blushed darkly, swallowing back her own nervous hesitation. “But I’m glad you did.”

That quiet smile, those sad but grateful eyes. Dusk couldn’t help it, he leaned in and gave a soft kiss to the mare’s forehead, ignoring the pangs of pain that shot up his spine as he leaned in. “It is okay, Fluttershy. I am just glad you got in a good rest. I’d better go start waking the others so we can get going again.”

* * *

How had he made it through breakfast? Dusk only half-remembered the hussle and bussle. Surprise had never returned, but Misty Fly and her wing had showed up, a few in need of Heartsong’s assistance. The Diamond Dogs had turned out to be very violent when confronted, and had attempted to ambush Misty Fly’s wing upon their arrival. Now one mare lay curled up in the cart beside Dusk, broken ribs and a black eye marked her face. Two more stallions sat on the tailgate of the cart, one with a broken wing, the other with a broken leg.

Exhaustion had forced him to the cart again, once more laying down between the boxes, once more wrapping a blanket over his head for some measure of darkness and warmth against the growing winds. They had stopped for lunch, and Dusk still didn’t think he had really slept for more than an hour, maybe two, in the rocking, swaying cart.

Sitting up, the quiet conversation between Misty Fly and Rarity drew Dusk’s attention. “But the Diamond Dogs buy gems all the time! Why, I used to sell the extra gems I found to a traveling pegasus merchant who often dealt with them.”

Misty Fly shifted her neck, adjusting the sling that held her splinted right arm. “You’re right, I don’t know why they suddenly decided to jump us, but we are damn lucky that Surprise showed up when she did; I doubt we’d have gotten away with only four hurt.”

Rarity was about to press on the conversation, when she saw Dusk had sat up and was watching her. “Thank you for your time, Senior Cadet. Please let me know if you need help with anything, dear.”

Leaving the bowl of leftover soup she had been feeding to the wounded mare, Rarity returned to Pinkie and collected another before wandering over to Dusk’s side. Leaning in and giving his cheek a soft kiss, she held out the bowl and a spoon. “Now, should I feed you so you don’t fall asleep while you eat, or can you even stay awake that long?”

A spike of pain shot up his spine as Dusk reached out to accept the bowl, reminding him of how poorly he had really slept. Restraining himself to only a grimace of discomfort, Dusk lifted the spoon and sipped at the reheated mushroom soup, letting its warmth soothe his hunger. “I’m feeling a little better. It’s just-” He looked around, watching the milling cadets all in the middle of a meal. “I’ve never had so many lives on my shoulders. Entertaining an ambassador’s entourage while The Princess is in a private meeting? That was frightening, but I’d seen mother do it, so I could use that to guide my actions. But this? If I get something wrong in my plans here, forty people are relying on me. Worse, the population of Ponyville, let alone Canterlot, are all at risk if I fail. It’s… it’s hard to just put that off.”

Looking down into the soup, Dusk felt the weight of the mare lean in closer, resting her head to his own, brushing her cheek and against his. Her words were whispers for his ear only, while her fingers stroked through his hair. “Then talk to us, Dusk. We’re your friends, your family, your lovers. We’re all here to help you in any way we can. Please, let us help you.”

Dusk spooned another mouthful of the soup, and then cupped her chin, lifting her head and softly kissing her. “Alright, alright. After lunch, I’ll start walking with you and AJ. Maybe you two will think of something that can help.”

* * *

“My greatest fear is how to handle Fluttershy. Not just her help in soothing the dragon to make it easier to drive away, but her fear as well. If she can’t handle herself, we won't be able to summon the elements if all other solutions fail us.” It was an hour later, and Pinkie was taking her turn at pulling the cart, and Dusk was walking well ahead of the cart with his two lovers. “So, what do you think? Is there anything we can do for her? I don’t want to stress Fluttershy any more than I already have.”

Applejack shook her head, arms crossed over her chest as she gave a sigh. “You two were right to ask. I was talking with some of the cadets. There’s a second path to the area the dragon was last seen. If I took Fluttershy that way, we could have more time to talk. Maybe getting her away from others might help her calm down for a little while and relax. Ya think?”

Taken aback, Rarity looked over to the Applejack. “Split up? Are you sure? Even with the cadets on patrol, you two might end up quite isolated, darling.” Clutching at AJ’s hand and resting her head possessively on her shoulder, Rarity looked to Dusk for support. When she saw him floundering, she reached for any desperate answer. “But… well. What about asking Dash and Pinkie?? Surely one of them could come up with a way to help reassure poor Fluttershy, right?””

Dusk took a moment, and thought about the suggestion, and thus walked along with the mares in silence for some time. In the distance, he could see Dash and Misty Fly’s wing, or at least, those who were still healthy, flying another patrol. At last, he started to break down his judgement out loud. “First, we have little time, I’m guessing this patrol will find we are within an hour of the junction at most.” Looking to the mares, he got nods of agreement, and thus he continued. “Secondly, Pinkie Pie is a great friend, but you’ve seen her, right? She doesn’t have a middle pace. She charges at everything headlong and without restraint. We tell her about Fluttershy, and she’d be halfway through baking a ‘Sorry you’re scared of dragons’ cake before we could tell her to be subtle about it.” Again he was met with nods, AJ’s instantaneous, whereas Rarity took a moment to consider before relenting. “Thirdly, Dash might be younger than Fluttershy, but from everything I’ve seen, she’d either escort Fluttershy back to Ponyville, or simply shrug it off, stating she can protect Fluttershy from the dragon, no problem. Both are not amiable solutions.”

Rarity at last spoke up here. “But she could go with Applejack and Fluttershy. After all, she is her oldest friend. That must be worth something??”

Applejack shook her head, refolding her arms over her chest. “She might, but it’s Dash. She hates delays, anything we told her short of the truth might backfire. And the full truth would only end as Dusk said. Just my two bits, sugarcube.”

Rarity deflated, and gave a nod. “Alright, I admit it. You’re both probably right. So, Dusk? Any other thoughts?”

Dusk waited for the mares to finish, then gave a nod. “Our fourth concern is how to sell this to the others. I’ve studied the maps from the cadets. If we tell them it’s simply the best choice of path to get the wounded up the mountain safely, AJ’s plan could work with the excuse that Fluttershy should go along as a medic, while Pinkie stays with us so we can get set up while you take the slower path. As for Dash? Have her continue to fly patrols with the cadets. No reason to pull her away from having fun.”

There was silence for a while, as both mares considered the value of his words. Rarity cut the silence as she observed the returning wing. “I yield, Dusk. Applejack’s plan sounds to be the best, and it gives poor Fluttershy some time to relax. I’d like to go with them too, but I think the quiet walk without worrying if she is disappointing me might do her better, anyway.”

Dusk nodded, and looked up to wave as Dash approached at top speed, flying for the pure joy of it, already adapting to the heavy mail shirt with grace. As soon as she landed before them, Dusk called out. ”So Dash? How far? Another mile? Maybe only half?”

“Damn, that was a good guess. Yeah, the scouts were showing me how they estimate travel time and distance, and we all came up with the same rough figure. Around about half a mile. Then we gotta ditch the cart and the wounded. It’s a shame, the other path is a lot smoother, but it’d take at least another five or six hours if we go that way.”

Suddenly, inspiration struck, and Rarity stepped forward, her eyes aglow. “Why, Dash! That’s a marvelous idea! If we split up, why, we could send AJ and the wounded the slow way, while the rest went the short path! Furthermore, it would allow us to scout out the dragon’s den and set up while we awaited the wagon’s arrival!”

Sensing her line of thought, Dusk and AJ joined in, each acting as if the idea had only just dawned on them. “You’re right!” Dusk cried. “And that way, we could bring all the supplies, no need to leave anything behind in the cart.”

AJ gave a stern nod, and lightly clipped Dash’s shoulder with a friendly punch. “Plus, it means it’ll be easier for the cadets to guard their wounded. Nice going, Dash.”

Taking the bait, Dash shrugged, grinning like a fiend. “Not to mention, it gives me an excuse to fly some more with the cadets! This is so awesome! Can I tell Senior Cadet Misty Fly? Please!!?”

* * *

Silken Flight smiled to herself, crossing her arms over her chest and giving a nod. The organized chaos of organized movement around her was impressive; truly the ‘Bolts were proving their worth today. “Still can’t get used to the feeling of standing on a moving cloud, but otherwise? I dropped the bomb, and they all moved into action without a moment of doubt.” A mare rushed to her side, tugging sharply at her thickly cloaked sleeve, and making her shift her attention to the young mare. “Yes?”

Saluting sharply, the mare leaned in, yelling at the top of her lungs into Silk’s ear in hopes of being heard over the growing wind, not to mention the thick padding of the extreme elevation gear. “The scouts have accessed our current pace, we should arrive over the target in five or six hours! Should we send part of the scout force ahead!? They’ll beat us by a good three hours if we send them out right now!” “

Silk shook her head, leaning in to yell into the mare’s ear in return. “No, just have them take turns assisting those hauling our camp to make it easier on everypony while avoiding exhaustion!” The mare saluted, and rushed off to the gathering scouts, barking out orders that were mostly ripped away by the harsh wind.

Silk ignored her, and went instead to the back of the cloud, a definition that now suddenly carried some serious weight, as their movement was reaching its top speed, and the breeze only worsened as she approached the edge. Like a shot, Blaze was suddenly at her side, a spare safety strap gripped in one fist and latched to the harness built into her suit. Leaning in close and pointing over the edge, Blaze’s voice could hardly be made out over the roar of the wind… or the army of wings that lay only a short distance away. “Sorry, can’t risk you going over! Not at this height, let alone the speed! Most pegasi would be risking breaking a wing, you’d never be able to handle it!”

Silk gave a nod, ignoring the unintentionally insulting comment, then took up Blaze’s offered arm, before leaning over the edge of the cloud to look down at the collected muscle that was pushing their cloud. The roaring wind did not hide that this was not a display of speed or grace, but rather an act of teamwork and strength. Shockingly, of the fifty pairs of wings below, twelve were clearly griffon, providing the greatest portion of the muscle on display. Their uniforms were still that of the Wonderbolts, but she’d guess they were not often put on display at the stunt shows for the public. “Or then again, maybe they are. After all, back at the line, I’ve seen a griffon lift a cart and carry it a mile without support. Let’s see any pegasus repeat that act without breaking their back.” The thought made her grin, but she squeezed Blaze’s hand, and the lieutenant pulled her back over the edge, showing surprising strength against the blasting winds.

Only once they had backed away from the edge until they were at the limit of her strap did Blaze unlatch it, passing it to one of her seconds, and taking Silk’s hand in a firm grip before guiding her to the center of the cloud, where the command tent had been. All the tents had been collapsed and secured; no reason to add extra friction, nor risk a tent collapsing and blowing over the edge. Here, a secret hatch was opened, and a hidden ladder was revealed. Just before entering, Silk looked to the front of the cloud, where a team of the medium and high speed flyers were taking off, all with tow straps attached to their flight suits. They might not add much to their speed, but they could reduce the load on their stronger companions, and even that would help in the long run.

Stepping into the hole, Silk got the uncomfortable feeling of claustrophobia, the hatch sealing over her head as Blaze slid it shut. The breeze died, and she could finally hear her own breathing at last. Below her feet, she could just feel a second wheel, the hatch lid. As cramped as the small chamber she waited in, she considered staying there, knowing the questions that waited below. “But Blaze will want in next, and I’d better give them their answers. They’ve run an efficient operation with no explanation.”

With her knees pressed up to her chest in the tiny airlock, it was awkward to twist open the hatch and open the airlock to the hidden command center inside the cloud. This time, the conversation died the moment she stepped into their presence, all three Wonderbolts tensing up in their own ways. The loud clank of metal on metal told her Blaze was about to join them, so she moved in the tiny metal room, shifting against the wall and sliding around the room to a free pillow. No extra space had been wasted, and even as she sat, the cold metal of the wall against her exposed wings sent a chill up her spine.

Spitfire pushed a thick cup of hot chocolate to Silk, her voice tense. “I hope we have managed to live up to the princesses’ expectations? Can we finally receive more detailed orders?”

Eyeing the cup for a moment, Silk slipped a hand under her flightsuit, pulling free a folder and tossing it to the counter. The creek of the airlock opening drew no attention, save Silk’s own, as she gave Blaze a small nod. Only when the hatch was sealed did she speak up while the others were pulling apart the parchment, reading it quickly. “Princess Luna has entrusted me with the full details of this operation from the start. I know you’re all still sore from spending the last few days at such high altitude for what feels like no reason at this point. Well, tough. We are moving in to act as emergency assistance to the Elements of Harmony. You four are to assign your best stealth flyers to go into position atop clouds surrounding the mountain, and the moment it appears they have lost control of the situation, we are to move in and protect them at all costs.”

Fleetfoot threw the scroll she had been reading to the pile, shaking her head. “So why the deception? We can keep a secret, and follow orders. If you’d followed Blaze’s request yesterday, we’d already be in position, by the Light!”

Halfway through a mouthful of her steaming hot chocolate, Silk needed a moment. A moment that Blaze filled, sitting down and eying the papers. “Because of who they are, Captain. Think on the reports we were given on Rainbow Dash and the ambassador alone. Dash rated first in her class in flight school for potential as a scout, from perception to memory. That's why they had us set up base so high up. After all, even our scouts struggle to find their way back without a guide. And the ambassador-”

Fleetfoot cut her off, and groaned a little. “And if Rainbow Dash said ‘Oh, that’s weird, that one cloud is moving against the wind’, Dusk never would have let go of that nagging feeling. Alright, I get it. The orders are supposed to cover any mistakes by the cadets, and the dragons give us a reason to be so close and in such large numbers.” Turning to her side, she punched Fire Streak in the shoulder. “When this is over, remind me to cancel the punishment drills for the scouts. They shouldn’t be punished for not finding two dragons that didn’t exist.”

Ignoring the blow as best he could, the stallion rubbed a finger over his page. “So, we are to state we managed to peacefully resettle the two invading dragons? I’d suggest we take any spare time we have to debrief both wings before this operation begins. In fact, I’d include the whole support wing in that debriefing, griffons included. The cadets spend a lot of time with them at the training yards, we don’t need too many ponies talking too much.” For a moment, he fell silent, but he couldn't help but grin. “I’m impressed. Create a false panic about a series of dragon invasions to test out the Elements in the field. Dangerous, right? What has the princesses so worried, I wonder?”

Silk turned to the stallion, and shook her head. “Stop those questions. Trust me, they have plans in motion, and making sure the Elements are ready is a big part of it. Now I’m going to bed. I’d suggest you prepare to implement your new orders. In six or seven hours, this will hopefully all be over.”

Turning away from the others and opening the only other door besides the airlock, Silk stepped into the tiny bedchamber inside the stealth outpost. The door was quickly resealed, and she waited for her eyes to grow accustomed to the low green glow of the magic that only just illuminated the chamber. Hardly six feet wide, there was only a bed and a small dresser. “Spyholes. Why did it have to be a spyhole? Next you’ll have me living in the palace, or serving at one of the ‘salons’ in Canterlot. Princess Luna, by the Night, when this is over, I swear I’m requesting a few months back at the griffon border. At least there the only metal boxes you’ll get thrown into is a griffon stewpot.” Curling up alone in the cramped metal bed, Silk let her mind drift away from the hidden base inside the cloud, and back to better memories. “Then again, the border doesn’t have as good of company as you do, princess. I’ll sleep now, maybe you’d care to join?” The thought was wicked, but pleasant, and as she drifted away to sleep, she let her mind return to that warm night in Luna’s private baths.

* * *

Lowering the blanket back over the poor mare, and covering her broken ribs again, Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know it hurts, but after what Heartsong has given you, I- I just don’t think it’d be safe to give you anything for the pain. Maybe I can offer you something to help sleep? Some dream weed, maybe?”

The busted mare gave a nod, and when Fluttershy put the dried herb to her lips, she chewed at it in silence, wincing in pain that she was unable to ignore. The whole time, Fluttershy stroked at the mare’s hand, attempting to whisper soft soothing words of support. When she at last fell asleep, Fluttershy would look over to the two stallions sitting at the edge of the cart. “Is there anything I can help you two with? Heartsong said you two didn’t take any pain medication yet.”

Both stallion’s gave her a polite wave, the taller one speaking up first. “We are fine, but thanks for your concern. We can keep an eye on her while she sleeps if you want.”

Fluttershy gave him a nod and climbed from the cart, happy that she had been able to help the cadets a little. Walking to catch up with Applejack at the front of the cart, she gave a small sigh. “The cadets should be fine, for now. But I’d really rather take her back to Ponyville. I think she needs serious medical care.”

Applejack reached out, and gave Fluttershy’s hand a squeeze. “I understand, but you shouldn’t focus on that, sugarcube. They all’d probably end up following us on foot if we tried leaving them behind, so instead we bring them along and keep them safe.”

Leaning momentarily against Applejack for support, Fluttershy felt weight coming free of her shoulders. “Oh, yes. I know what you mean. It’s like if you all were to try and leave me behind. I’d feel so bad, I’d have to chase you down. You’re my friends, after all.”

AJ had to watch her shy friend for a while, not fully sure where that insight had come from. Overhead, the faint roar of a passing group of cadets on a patrol flight reminded her of the real reason she was here. “Thank you, Fluttershy. It’s good to know we haven't forced you to come with us against your will, but if you need time to yourself or some peace and quiet, just tell me, it’s not like you’ve got the same kind of blockheaded stubbornness like me and Dash, or Dusk’s training.”

“Oh, no. I’ll be fine, I promise. It’s scary, but I just don’t want to think what’d happen if I left you all alone!” And that was that. Fluttershy beamed at AJ, together they continued their walk, trading casual conversation, until-

AJ should have seen it coming. She should have been paying more attention to the rough dirt path. It wasn’t even that bad of a gap, just a small crevice between two rocks, but it was just tight enough to catch her ankle and pin her foot. Trapped between the cart strapped to her back and her ankle caught in the hole, AJ braced her hands on the ground, panting for breath through the pain. Kneeling at her side, Fluttershy whimpered, fingers stroking at AJ’s hair. “I could try pushing the cart back. The stallions say they can get out and help me give it a push, wouldn’t that help?”

“Dear Celestia, no! Don’t touch it! Strapped in like this, it would only tug me back. Give me a minute to try and think this through, all right?” Applejack stared at her hands, at the ground, and shifted her weight back to her knees, trying to think her way out of this situation. Bracing her weight on her good knee, she tried to hook one foot under the other, pushing her shoulders back to try to reduce the cart’s weight upon her legs. Gravel bit into her knee, and for a moment, she had everything lined up, her good ankle pressing up against the trapped one, and finally removed the pressure of the cart.

For just a moment, she paused, closing her eyes and catching her breath, and then pushed again, using her heel to force her ankle free of the hole, until the gravel under her knee shifted again and broke her balance, all in one motion freeing her foot. But it caused her to fall forward, the cart violently tugging forward again, its front edge rolling over her now-freed foot, and jamming it violently flat against the ground. For a moment, her heart raced; had that been the telltale crunch of bone? Visceral pain shot up her right leg, and all she knew was a world of red and black shades.

Fluttershy’s voice kept screaming at her from some immeasurable distance, but she couldn’t make any sense of it, the stabbing pain in her ankle making it nearly impossible to focus on what Fluttershy was saying, or what she wanted. Something was forced between her teeth, and she realized Fluttershy was force feeding her some herbs. Fighting back the overwhelming pain, she chewed at the herbs and swallowed, before allowing the darkness to overwhelm her.

* * *

Rarity gave a sigh, quietly reorganizing the wood in the bonfire with a stick, attempting to find a way to even out the height of the flames that danced in their bonfire. “I wonder, do you think the dragon will be grateful? After all, we are here in peace, and just want to try to keep things safe for everypony. That must be worth a reward, right?” As her suggestion was met with silence and stares, she gave a little pout. “What! It’s not like the dragon will be able to carry its whole horde at once, right? Surely we can help it with the lesser gems to make its life easier!”

* * *

A soft song drew at Applejack's sleeping mind, a lure to pull her free from her deep slumber. Her eyes felt heavy, and as much as she struggled to fight back their weight, it wasn't until the tea touched her lips that she was at last able to push it back and open her eyes.

Fluttershy knelt over her, clutching the cup to AJ's lips, still helping her to drink, and all the while humming a quiet song for her friend. As she noticed her eyes opened, she grinned, her voice soft. "It's only been ten minutes or so. I think Dash’s next patrol lap should pass us soon. Then we'll get you up and Pinkie can pull the cart the rest of the way."

"The cart! It had rolled over my legs when I managed to slip my foot free!" As the memory sparked, AJ forced herself to sit up, ignoring the sparks in her head and Fluttershy’s feeble protests. Looking around, she realized that the cart sat only ten feet away, the two injured stallions standing watch at each bend of the road, naked spears at the ready regardless of their respective wounds. "Fluttershy, how'd you ever...?"

The mare blushed dark red at Applejack’s moment of clarity, looking away and finishing off the cold tea herself. When she looked back and saw Applejack hadn’t dropped the question that remained unanswered. She answered, her voice quaking. "When you screamed and your ankle twisted so violently, I- I panicked. I'm sorry, AJ, but I cut you out of the harness and threw the cart out of the way. I- I don’t think I broke anything except your towing harness. I'm sorry."

Applejack looked down at her ankle, and the splint that had been inserted inside her boot and bandaged tightly against the splint over the outside of the brown leather boot, all without ever removing the boot itself. Her ankle was tender, yet she was already sure it would handle her weight without having to stand up to test her weight on it yet. "Don't be sorry, Fluttershy! You kept your calm and took care of my rolled ankle. As for your little 'panic attack' and my towing harness? I'd say you chose well. Besides, rigging together a busted harness? That ain't a problem for an Apple."

Rather than risk her ankle, Applejack had Fluttershy bring her the remains of the harness and her supply bag from the wagon, all while carefully watching her timid friend with an eye for the little details she had never thought to enquire about before. "Is this Dusk’s fault? Little details like this never nagged me before, but now? Now I can't help but see how Fluttershy lifts my heavy bag free of the cart with only one hand, when Rainbow Dash herself would struggle to do it one-handed, and she’s far more fit than Fluttershy! Dare I even think it?"

Accepting her bag, Applejack removed the carrying straps near the joint they had been sewn to, and set to work with her leather worker’s needle, stitching the harness back together while trying to approach the nagging thought with a more casual approach. “So, Fluttershy, why’d ya ever get so interested in work as an herbalist anyways?”

The pegasus shook her head, fingers busy idly stroking her own pink mane. “It was my father, mostly. He was sick a lot as a colt, and even as he grew older, his condition only worsened. I… I don’t like talking about it.”

This had stolen AJ’s full attention, but she knew not to push the mare; her friend was so fragile at times. “Ah, I figured it was ‘cause of how anxious you get at times. What about your mother? She still taking care of dad up in Cloudsdale?”

Fluttershy’s nervous fingers started pulling through her hair more aggressively now, and she refused to look back at AJ as she talked, instead watching the sky, and talked as if from far away. “No. My momma was an earth pony. She ran a little farm outside of Manehatten for years. She and dad couldn’t stay together, not after he got tram-” The mare cut herself off, chewing at her lower lip and giving a sniffle.

Realizing just how close she had gotten to a sensitive subject, AJ let it drop, but already she had the answers she needed. “No wonder Fluttershy’s so strong, yet such a weak flyer. Half-breeds might be rare, but it happens.” And then there was that last part. Her father had been trampled, but what could trample a pegasus?

The sudden cry from above pulled her attention from her work. “Geez, guys, what happened? Should I go rush off and get Heartsong? Are you okay, AJ?”

As talkative as Rainbow Dash was, the sudden harsh glare from Bronze Feather silenced her, leaving the younger mare to look sheepish and land at their side. Shockingly, Bronze had already started to strip off her armor as they came down, and was issuing orders to the cadet patrol she had been accompanying. “Rainbow Dash, take two of the fastest cadets and report back to the ambassador, and then return with Heartsong unless he issues you new orders. I’ll start pulling the cart. The rest of this patrol, lash the cart with your tow cables after helping Applejack settle in the back with the others.” As everypony froze up, she sighed, and clapped her metal gauntlets together, the harsh sound of the violent clash of metal one few would forget quickly. “I may not be your commanding officer, but I do rank above you, even if I am younger than anypony here besides the wandering fool. Now go!”

And that was that. Stripped down to only her breast band and the thick protective leather breeches she wore under her armor, Bronze accepted the jury rigged harness from Applejack, and piled her armor in a spare corner of the cart. No earth mare, she struggled to get the wagon moving, shoulders bulging from the strain of effort needed to get the cart rolling, until the collected cadets began attaching their tow straps to the cart, and then together they picked up the pace. Sitting in the back of the cart with the wounded cadets, AJ couldn’t help but ask. “Why’d she call Dash a wandering fool? Did we miss something?”

In the end, it was the mare with the broken ribs who answered her, the stallions were too embarrassed to meet her eye. “I only heard this secondhand, but, well… when Surprise’s patrol first arrived, Dash was really hyped up about flying with them. And when that got boring, she started trying to dare everypony to a race instead of just the casual patrols. When nopony would, she started trying to fly laps around two or three patrols at once, and ended up getting a little lost, so we had to cut our patrols thin to find her. After that, Bronze gave her a real dressing down, and I guess the nickname kinda stuck around.”

AJ groaned. “Of course, it all makes sense. That’s just who Dash is. I hope Bronze wasn’t too brutal on her, but maybe it’ll help remind that not everything’s fun in the Wonderbolts, yet alone in the military life.”

* * *

Dusk’s axe bit into the wood with every stroke. Each powerful swing, one after another, threw the iron blade into one log after another, while his shoulders were finally relaxing into the straining effort of every blow. Pinkie had demanded to go help bring the cart back, and he could already hear the now familiar sound of Bronze flying into position behind him, attempting to avoid distracting him, while setting herself up to stand guard. He wondered if she knew that she had an oddly distinct sound that marked out her flight, just like Dash and Fluttershy... or was it that all pegasi had a different sound in flight? He had never spent enough time around any of them to notice that. His next swing split the woodblock in half, and as he took a step back, without turning, he addressed the mare. “Did you have to send both of them away? Surprise says her second works too hard. He could have had an easier shift watching me, instead of putting her wing through another series of practise laps.”

Unable to hide the shock in her voice as he questioned her, Bronze sat on a rock and pulled out a sharpening stone, beginning her work on the spearhead of the secondhand spear she now held. “She might be right, but I don’t want anypony who thinks your safety is an easy job around. Not if I’ve got any say in it, amb- that is, Dusk Shine.”

Dusk almost laughed at her words, but didn’t mind. She was already growing to be a familiar presence, one he found comfortable to have around. “And the others? How far out are they?” Even as he asked, the growing breeze pushed a fresh scent to him, and he spoke up before she could answer. “You could have bathed first, at the very least, Bronze. You’ve earned that much comfort.”

Interrupted, and then embarrassed, Bronze looked away, and fought off a blush. “I don’t smell that bad, besides, some stallions like a mare with the fresh scent of a hard days’ work. As for the cart? Pinkie looked in good enough shape to get here in another hour, maybe closer to forty minutes.”

Dusk gave a sigh and nodded. “We need tea and food. If the mares think they are ready, we need to go in three hours, right before sunset. Warn everypony, as soon as my friends are done eating and getting refreshed, I’m holding a war counsel. You and the cadets need to be prepared for your part of this mission.”

Bronze froze, watching him, she simply couldn’t tell if her attempted hint had been ignored, or put aside for another time. “He is impossible... but maybe that’s why they all love him. I wish they’d share...” Snapping a sharp salute despite the lack of her proper armor, she replied. “Of course. But only once you’re safely back in camp. Until then, I’ll do my duty, and that means keeping you safe.”

Dusk turned at last, facing her. Not an eyebrow twitched at the sight of the sweat-soaked mare, still only wearing her breast band and breeches. If he noticed her flushed cheeks, and the mixed scent of her excitement, he never commented. He only gave another nod. “Five more logs, and then we head back. Applejack would never let me get away with any less. I won’t have her worrying about my workout when she’s hurt.” And like that, he returned to his work, with the same diligence as ever.

* * *

Dusk unrolled the map, pinning down the corners with spare pegs. While it was a crude drawing he had put together from a larger map of the region as a whole, it got the job done. With the new detailed drawing of their mountainside, Dusk let his finger draw across the page. While he had been bent over and setting it up, the others had gathered, and now stood in a semi-circle around his map. Surprise and Misty Fly, both of their seconds, and Heartsong, with a small pip on her collar reminding Dusk that he had better file the paperwork requesting that decision be made official when they got home. “No reason to leave that as just a field promotion, she’s earned it. Surprise and Misty will sign off without any argument.”

The others came together a little slower, with Bronze Feather supporting Applejack’s right shoulder, and Pinkie her left, despite her protests. She did still limp a little, and Dusk couldn’t ignore it. When all twelve had gathered, Dusk pulled a green-tipped pin from his work bag and impaled it on the cave that lay but a mile away from where they were. Speaking up for the first time since he had checked in on AJ after her return, he kept this organized business first. “This is the cave the cadets have identified as the dragon’s new lair. With no clue when it last fed, we are forced to move in immediately, regardless of injuries we have sustained; we can not risk it awakening and going out to feed.” When there was a moment of shock and confusion, Dusk turned to Surprise and Misty Fly, his voice cutting off the conversation. “You both have the most experience of anypony here. Could your wings take on a dragon in midair? Could they even keep pace?”

In the end, Misty Fly answered after a long shared look with Surprise. “Maybe, but it depends on what species of dragon, and if its a lazy one or not. If it’s as big as reported, we probably couldn’t, I’m sorry, Ambassador.”

That killed the argument, and he moved on. “I’ve selected this ridge as our approach. It is open, clear, and level.” Using chalk, Dusk drew a white line from their current camp to the dragon’s cave, before taking out a handful of pins. “I will take you all with me to the cave mouth. The cadets are to move the wounded, minus Applejack, to this cave. It’s too small for the dragon to follow them into. Afterwords, they are to disperse into a rescue formation circling around the cave mouth. The moment things get out of hand, Heartsong, you are to give the signal and they will swoop in, pulling out everypony who cannot fly on their own. This is to only happen if we fail to summon the Elements of Harmony, or if I signal for a retreat.”

Again, the gathered ponies looked to one another, and for a moment, they questioned him, but this time, they dropped off when he looked up at them. Dusk opened his sack wider, and removed the thick, silk-lined pouch that protected his crown, stroking the massive pink gemstone before lowering it to his own head. The others were already wearing their chokers, but he felt… somehow wrong to be wearing a crown. “Our approach takes on several plans and backups. I’ve already discussed them all with the other elements, but I will inform you all of the overall plan. Alpha:” And here, Dusk looked up to Fluttershy, smiling to her. “Me and Fluttershy will walk into the dragon’s cave, announce ourselves and the long list of my titles, and attempt to politely talk the dragon down. Princess Celestia provided me with a list of items we are willing to gift to the dragon in hopes of bribing it to leave peacefully.” Fluttershy whimpered, and started to squirm at the suggestion, and Dusk could feel it now, with the crown resting on his brow.

“But, it’s a dragon! I- I can’t! Not after what dad-”

Dusk forced the thoughts from his mind, he knew it was going to return, but he felt intrusive, unwilling to pry into the mare’s mind unbidden. He continued, trying to ignore the guilt of invading Fluttershy’s mind. “Should that fail, we will retreat, and move to Beta. At that point, once we are safely out of the cave, Dash, Surprise and your choice of a replacement, Misty Fly, will fly in and deploy as many drakesbane pouches you can carry. We are going with standard Wonderbolt operating procedure and using unlit pouches for safety’s sake. Once you three are clear of the cave, as long as the dragon isn’t chasing you out, Bronze Feather, along with your seconds, will attempt to light the drakesbane with flaming arrows. In the event that the dragon is following our retreating members, Rarity and myself will attempt to blockade the cave mouth only until the drakesbane ignites. The moment it does ignite, regardless of the dragon’s position, we will call for a full retreat, and drop the shielding spell. Dragons will not return to a cave seeded with drakesbane save to retrieve their horde, but the smoke is poisonous to ponies, so nopony is to remain behind, regardless of the situation.”

As he let the plan sink in, Dusk realized that the other element bearers were fingering their chokers, and looked apprehensive. “If that fails, and we are unable to retreat or fend off the dragon, we will move to Omega. Only in the event of a failure to retreat, are you authorized to instead help us all to gather, so we might depend on the Elements of Harmony to try and put down the dragon. It’s never been attempted, so we have no clue how that will go, or even if the elements will affect a dragon. I apologize I have no better solutions, but with the size, strength and speed of a dragon, let alone their magic, we have no better answers.

“Misty Fly, pick your representative for the Beta plan and send them to join us, then take command of both cadet wings and get the wounded and the wagon to that cave. When you’re sure they are safe, you may return to us, but unless your arm magically heals, I want you at a distance, organizing the cadets and watching for Heartsong’s signal. You are under orders not to approach under any circumstances outside of the Omega Plan being activated, and even then, I wish I could impress upon you how much I hope you’ll keep your distance and follow my orders.”

The glare the mare gave him in return told Dusk she was ready to break them right now, but for the moment, she respected his authority and gave in to him. Saluting with her good arm, she kept her answer brief. “Of course, ambassador. I will head out now.”

Dusk looked over those who remained, hunting in the eyes of nine of the ten who were still with him. Fluttershy’s eyes spoke volumes to him, and he had to ignore them, ignore her fear. “Any final questions before we head out? Because I want this done before sunset. I don’t look forward to the idea of dealing with a dragon at night.” When all he received was a few nods and some quiet mumbling, Dusk relaxed, and sat back. “Then get ready. We need to leave immediately.”

When Applejack put an arm around Fluttershy’s shoulder, Dusk thought he should have felt surprised, but the voices he was trying to ignore whispering through the crown had already told him. Fluttershy was hunting for comfort, and somehow, she felt Applejack understood her best. He let them be, and retrieved the heavy satchel of paperwork, both documentation of his new titles and rank, as well as lists of things Princess Celestia was willing to offer for peace with the dragon. A sudden cold, metallic touch on his shoulder pulled his attention back to the there and then. Bronze’s armor gleamed, and her voice was back to business again. “Ambassador, you’re not carrying that yourself, are you? It’s not proper.”

The shock of the question floored Dusk’s train of thought, leaving him staring slack jawed up at the mare. “I- I was. Barb’s busy back home, and I’d never impose on Applejack or Rarity.”

Shaking her head, Bronze pulled his pouch away, and shifted it onto her own shoulder, clipping it in place with the same bolt she had used to bring it to him only a few days before. Dusk was half-tempted to make her give it back, yet as the mare shifted its weight as a counterbalance to her lance, he gave in. “Thank you, Bronze Feather. You’ve been a massive assistance these last few crazy days.”

The mare saluted him stiffly, before answering. “If you ever need a captain of your guard, ambassador, simply ask. If I pass my trials, I’d be honored to receive such a post.”

Pinkie’s voice suddenly cut through the air, the cheery mare having picked the worst of times to speak up. “And that cloud looks like a dragon attacking Ponyville! Isn’t that weird!??”

Dusk felt Applejack’s boiling rage through the crown, and Fluttershy’s panic drowning out all of her existing thoughts. Applejack’s voice came next, a mirror to the anger he felt her dishing out. “Pinkie, please! This ain’t no time for clouds! Can’t you ever take anything seriously!?”

Pinkie wilted like a flower, and shook her head, looking up to AJ. “I… I’m sorry. You and Fluttershy were just having such a quiet little conversation and then the cloud that was totally so- um-” As she realized all she was getting in response was a frustrated glare, Pinkie gave up and shut up, shifting her share of AJ’s weight and guiding her to catch up with Fluttershy who was busy digging through her bag and looked horrified.

Dusk gave in, and pushed away his feelings of guilt, reaching into Fluttershy’s mind through the gateway the crown gave him. The mantra he heard inside her mind almost scared him more then the dragon.

“I mustn’t run away, I mustn’t hide! They are my friends; no dragon, no DRAGON will keep me from helping them. Dear Celestia, give me the strength not to abandon my friends!”

Author's Note

Here we are, finally Dusk will face the dragon. But with Fluttershy on the edge of a panic attack, will the mane six be able to hold together and take care of the dragon? Find out next week on Dragon Ba- OK that's a dumb joke. See you guys in a week or so when I can at last finish this chapter!

On the personal side: Between screwing up my knees a few days ago and a bit of a bought of insomnia, I've been sleeping for an hour at a time at the most, and it's lead me to going kinda batty. Hopefully the new painkillers will let me try to sleep better.

On the progress side: I made some use of my insomnia and got about 20-30% of Part 5 done already, so that's worth something.

Chapter 8: Dragonshy - Part 5

The violent whip-crack of the dragon's tail spade bought Dusk hardly more than a quarter second of warning, just enough time for his mind to process, yet not enough to erect a proper shield spell. He had done a botched job of it in that fraction of a second he had before the scaled spade, which was as wide as he was tall, struck his shield, and shattered the still-half-formed barrier, the impact’s force hurling him into the air, and back, back, back. The rush of the uncontrolled acceleration pressure blurred his vision, while he was hardly even able to think clearly enough to be glad he had stood lined up evenly with the cave mouth. A blurry filter obscured his vision of the world, yet some part of his mind that was ahead of the rest found it oddly comforting compared to the blackness that was still crushing the edges of his vision. And then he hit the tree, and all he could hear was the sickening cracking noise.

* * *

Fluttershy backed against the wall of stone near the cave mouth, tears running wild rivers across her cheeks. "I can't, Dusk! It's a dragon! I've come this far, but I just can’t go a step further! It’s a DRAGON!"

Closing her eyes and trying to catch her breath, Fluttershy didn’t hear the exasperated sigh or quiet talk between her friends, instead hands gently squeezed her shoulders, while a soft soothing noise tickled her ear. Dusk finally spoke up, pulling her momentarily from the edge of the well of fear, away from the nightmares that had tormented her for so many years. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. Just take cover with Applejack, alright? I’ll go in with Rarity, just take slow deep breaths, and remember, I’ll keep you safe.”

“Safe?!!! Nopony is safe Dusk!!” Oh how she wanted to scream at him, to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. To slap him in some vain hope he might finally understand why dragons could never be trusted. Instead, she felt Pinkie wrapping an arm around her hips and pulling her away, so she clammed up and shrunk back to hide from those memories of her father’s sickly twisted spine, and broken ribs, all of whom lived in that well of nightmares. Pinkie had been talking to her, but now she hardly remembered any of it. Instead she gripped the younger mare’s hand and spoke urgently. “Just… just try and keep an eye out for Dusk. Please!??”

Pinkie snapped her a salute, and for once, Fluttershy believed the mare was being somewhat serious. Stepping in behind the large rock outcropping with Applejack, she looked away, too ashamed of her failure to look at her stronger friend. “She’s only back here because I had her distracted. I’m so sorry, Applejack. You’re the real hero; I wish I had even half of your strength.”

As if she had spoken aloud, AJ slipped an arm around Fluttershy’s shoulders, supporting her, holding her close. “Now sugar, I’m scared too, so stop weeping, clean your eyes, and take a deep breath. I’m sure any moment now, Dusk will announce himself and you’ll see, we can head home tonight, no problem.”

The words, the touch, they all helped. So she did as ordered, and dried her eyes, watching as Dusk, Rarity, and Bronze Feather approached the cave mouth, the guard only letting him have back his paperwork as he stood on the breech of darkness. For a moment, she was distracted, the light whistling song of a bird in the lone tree on this cliff face pulling her attention from whatever Dusk said before entering the cave.

Pushing the sweet creature from her mind, Fluttershy turned to look back towards the cave, and realized AJ had stepped away from their rock, and was walking slowly along the wall of rock, approaching the others with a careful stride to keep quiet and avoid putting weight on her bad leg.

The bird, was it a thrush? Started its song again, and she felt her eyes creeping away from the cave mouth, to look to that tree once more. And then the world exploded into motion and noise, screaming and violence. The impact from inside the cave was followed almost instantly by Dusk being thrown out, hurtling backwards widely, the shattered fragments of a shield spell trailing through the air around him. In almost slow-motion, she watched him arc through the air, while Rainbow Dash broke formation with the other two flyers, swearing something and blitzing the cave.

At the same time, Applejack threw aside her careful stride, and rushed to follow Dusk’s flight through the air to the end of its arc. At the last moment before he collided with the trunk of that stout oak, a protective bubble, a shield that matched Rarity’s magic, wrapped around him and absorbed the blow with the tree. Bronze Feather was screaming orders at the top of her lungs, and the cadets began to move, but were miles too slow. Dash was suddenly out of the cave again, dodging and weaving to avoid the air splitting cracks of the dragon’s whip-like tail and that shovel-like spade on the end.

Everypony was on the south side of the cave mouth. Applejack, pulling Dusk to stand up, the stallion was still breathing, and somewhere inside of Fluttershy, a tiny voice she still didn’t fully know if she heard, exclaimed relief. Then the dragon emerged from its cave, head lifted skyward, and a roar of blue-white flame enveloped the air. It moved fast even when the world around her was in slow motion, only Dash was able to twist and bend, avoiding the searing heat.

Terror gripped her heart, and the tears were back again. The DRAGON was so large! Its hind legs extended so far, and in an instant it had encircled everypony, everypony but her, and Rainbow Dash, who wildly spiraled and spun, using every trick Fluttershy had ever seen her practise to stay ahead of the licking white flames that made the air itself boil. The cadets pulled back, overwhelmed by the raw power and violence on display.

* * *

Silk threw her spyglass away and screamed orders. “FLY FLY FLY! Every wing! Every pony! Go! Now, while we have a chance of saving anypony!” But she already knew it was too late. Dash was impossibly fast, and yet the dragon was nearly faster. A single mistake, a single slip up. A breath taken at the wrong time, and the mare would die. And all of it would happen long before a single one of her flyers could ever get close enough.

* * *

Dusk was leaning on Pinkie, and Applejack was on her knees again. “They can’t run! The cadets can’t get to them, and as fast as Dash is, if she tried to join them to summon the elements, she’d be fried! And I’m standing here sobbing again! All my friends are in danger! Why, why did it have to be a dragon! Why can’t I move! Why wont it-”

“JUST GO AWAY!”

The words had come from her own mouth. She didn’t even realize she had screamed them until the rock that was in her hand bounced off the dragon’s head. And suddenly everything returned to normal speed, the screams of her friends finally reached her, warnings, demands that she make a run for it. “I’m not going to run. I’m not! I wont leave my friends! Not for a dragon! No dragon will hurt them!”

She only realized she had a second rock in her hand when she threw it, the stone bouncing off the confused beast’s muzzle. It roared, twisted around and rushed towards her, but she was airborne now, and flying straight at it, faster and harder than she had ever flown before.

The blow hurt. She knew somewhere in her mind, that she had probably broken every bone in her hand, yet that voice was tiny and distant. The little one from before was now in charge, and had full control of her voice. She stood over the confused dragon, who was collapsed at her feet and pawing at the shattered scales on its muzzle. Its roars of rage were gone, and it now whimpered and mewled like a weak, pathetic kitten as Fluttershy stood her ground in the air over it, shifting moment by moment to keep between the dragon and her friends... her friends! The ones it had dared to try and harm! “How dare you... How dare you attack my friends! Dusk came to offer you gifts to leave, and you tried to kill him! I’ll never forgive you for that!” Some part of her mind screamed at her to run, but instead she lowered herself down, her good hand reaching out and clutching the dragon’s jaw.

With strength she never knew she had, she pulled its head to the side, so they were looking eye to eye. “You, will, leave. Forget your horde. Forget your territory. You lost that right when you attacked my friends! Go. NOW!”

The whole world went silent around her, but Fluttershy didn’t really notice the rest of the world. All that remained was her, and the dragon, whose visible pupil was as large as her body. Unblinking, she matched it stare for stare, and that fearful voice in her heart suddenly grew quiet. The dragon shifted, tried to pull away, and whimpered again, but she refused to release its jaw, holding it stiff and glowering a lifetime of fear and hate into it through their locked stare.

“I’ll go. Forgive me. I’ll never return! Please, just let me go!”

The leathery voice was panicked, maybe even sobbing. Guilt welled up in Fluttershy’s belly, and she had to bite back a sob that demanded release from her throat. Instead, she found herself speaking again, her voice still harsh, but her own again. “Then you may take your horde and go. But if you ever enter Equestria again without permission, I’ll return, and we will talk again... But next time, I won’t be so gentle.” As the dragon stammered out some kind of apology, Fluttershy let him go, lowering herself to stand, and trying to ignore how shaky her legs felt.

* * *

Dusk was shocked to see the dragon bolt back into its cave and when it emerged, it immediately turned away from Fluttershy again. Before Dusk could draw his next breath, the dragon lept to the sky, heading to the north at a blistering speed. Pinkie continued to support him as he tried to clear his lungs that still felt like they were on fire, but after witnessing the transformation of personality that had washed over Fluttershy, he couldn't waste time trying to catch his breath. Pushing forward, Dusk tried to step away from Pinkie and walk to join Fluttershy, who had started trembling the moment the dragon fled.

Two events delayed him, but neither would be allowed to prevent his advance. First, Pinkie refused to let go, but continued to walk with him, her attention now focused on Fluttershy’s sudden heroism.

The second was a sudden sonic boom of wings as bodies rained from the sky and hit far harder than Dash had crashed the day before. Yet as Dusk's brain finally kicked in, recognition at last dawned on him. These were practiced landings, every one taken at near top speed and all turned to form a protective ring around him, with even more above him, circling in the air. "But why the extreme altitude uniforms? Those had to be painfully warm to fly in at thi- no! Forget it. Fluttershy. Now."

Pushing his way through the gathered Wonderbolts and dragging Pinkie along since she continued to refuse to let go, Dusk pushed out of the ring of guards who were suddenly looking rather befuddled themselves, and stepped up behind the shaking, but just barely managing to stand, mare. Fresh wing-beats told him more 'Bolts were approaching, but he spoke up as calmly as he could manage, forcing away the quaking fear that lingered in his voice. "Fluttershy? Are you okay? You look pale. Do you want Rarity? Or maybe Applejack?"

The Wonderbolts were parting to allow said mares through to his side, and somewhere distant, three voices he recognized in the back of his mind were throwing around orders. But it was Fluttershy’s whisper that had his attention. "I need Heartsong, and Angel or Harry the Bear... or a hug. I'm... I'm pretty sure I broke my hand."

Dusk felt Pinkie peeling away and pushing at his shoulder, encouraging him to step forward. With care, he did, wrapping an arm around her hips from behind and resting his cheek on her shoulder. From behind he heard Pinkie’s voice rise, screaming over the din of dozens of milling pegasi. "Medic! Now!"

What shocked Dusk the most was that Fluttershy had stopped crying, and was breathing very slowly, and very carefully. When he hugged her, she drew a stiff breath, then relaxed, her voice quiet. "So you're all okay? I... I couldn't turn around and run. Not if it meant seeing black ash where you'd been standing."

Unable to help himself, Dusk nearly laughed. "Yes, Fluttershy. We are all okay. If only because you saved us all."

"Oh, my..."

Heartsong's arrival ended their quiet moment, her orders were suddenly making full Wonderbolts five or ten years her senior rush to obey, and soon a fire and a table had been set up. Senior medics with the 'Bolts had arrived, but instead found themselves assisting the younger mare.

Applejack arrived on the arm of a towering griffon with black tipped feathers, and somewhere in an underused corner of his mind, Dusk struggled to retrieve a name. Dash came to his rescue while the medics took Applejack to a second table and began addressing her leg. "You're Captain Gerard, right? You’re nicknamed Obsidian ever since you joined the Wonderbolts 'cause no other griffon has feathers such dark brown! I've heard all about you!"

The calm titan stood nearly two feet taller than Dusk, yet once his charge was taken from him, he knelt down on one knee before Dusk, giving Rainbow Dash only a small grin. He was otherwise all business. "Ambassador, forgive our late arrival. Princess Celestia called us back from the griffon border when it was discovered this dragon was much older than previously expected. I take full responsibility for arriving so late. And I bring reports from Major Spitfire and Lieutenant Fleetfoot, they encountered and dealt with their own dragons and joined my wing in our rescue mission. Currently, they are guiding patrols to insure the dragon has really left our territory, but our scouts are giving confused reports. Did one mare real-"

Still in his arms, Fluttershy started shivering again as the giant spoke, and the moment she noticed, Heartsong cut him off. "Excuse me, Captain, but you're in the middle of my makeshift surgery. I'll have to ask for you to refrain from bothering the ambassador until he leaves my patient’s side."

The griffon looked ready to bowl over the interfering cadet, but his keen eyes took in the crudely makeshift golden pip on her collar, and quickly did the math. From his kneeling posture, he shot up to his full height and snapped to a fierce salute. "Ambassador Dusk Shine, permission to collect all the uninjured cadets and take them on a proper field patrol while the medics take care of your wounded?"

Dash’s admiring giggle of glee momentarily distracted Dusk from the gentle hug he was still giving to Fluttershy, though he remembered himself in time to continue holding her close while she trembled with... fear? Rage? "Probably guilt," he realized, after analyzing the confused emotions pouring from her into his mind through the crown. They were unignorable, but so jumbled he strained to sort them out. "Captain Obsidian, that sounds like a fantastic idea. Collect reports from the other wings and the cadets for my consideration and get me any information on the dragon’s departure from Equestria you can collect."

The giant began to turn away when Dusk's voice pulled him up short. "And Captain, I would like you to take the Element of Loyalty with you. Rainbow Dash is a fine flyer and could be of assistance to you as a messenger."

Dash’s attempt to hide her joy was poor... at best. The whooping cry and leap into the air ended as she remembered Fluttershy and forced herself to land. Suppressing herself, she shook her head and stepped to Fluttershy's side. "Ah- As much as I would love to, I can't leave Fluttershy, not right now."

The griffon raised an eye but it was Fluttershy who spoke first. "Go ahead, Dash. I don't want to be a bother, really." For the first time since Dusk hugged her, she moved her head and gave her friend the smallest of smiles.

Dash hesitated for only a second before Obsidian's bellow caught her up. "Come on then, my courier. We have many miles to fly, and I won't let some wet-behind-the-ears filly slow me down!" Dash took the Drill Sergeant like bellow of orders with grace and bolted after the griffon, quickly taking to flight with the majority of the other Wonderbolts, leaving only a skeleton force to keep watch while they soared away. The griffon stood out from those who followed, his uniform was unique, blue and black instead of the yellow, and at his side was Dash, providing she could match his pace.

* * *

When Heartsong and the medics had finished with the other wounded, they gave Fluttershy a thick tea of dreamweed and the mare at last relaxed in Dusk's arms, slumping over in sleep. Assisting her in laying down and leaving Rarity to watch over her, Dusk followed when the three medics from the Wonderbolts motioned for him and Heartsong to join them in private.

For the first time in some months, Dusk found himself alone with people he knew nothing about, even with his talent for names and faces. With only the pips on their collars to go by, Dusk identified two 2nd lieutenants, a stallion and mare, and the one clearly in charge, another mare with the gold double bars of a 1st lieutenant. She was the one who had gestured for him to follow, and she spoke up first. "Ambassador Dusk Shine, forgive me, but I have to ask: Have you any hint of talent with healing magic?" When he froze up, she pushed on, the worry in her eyes clear to him now. "One of the cadets had broken ribs, and it pierced her lung. We've removed the bone fragment, but it'll be dangerous to move her for some time. We had hoped-"

Dusk lifted a hand and shook his head, to cut her off politely before he spoke. "Healing magic is nearly as rare as an alicorn, you all know that. Princess Cadence taught me a little, but the best I can manage is a papercut, healing somepony's punctured lung? I'd only do more harm then good."

The three older medics looked to one another and the stallion stepped up, his voice pained. "I... she’s my kid sister, sir. I... We don't think she can handle the wait for proper surgery. Is-" the stallion's voice broke, and so did Dusk's heart. He stepped forward and gripped the stallion’s hand, his voice whisper-quiet so no others could hear.

Heartsong gasped when the senior medic opened her medical bag and slipped Dusk the single small bloom of Black Lotus, dried and preserved in a glass vial. They had an oath, but this was a life they could save. She would keep this secret, like the others.

The wounded mare was taken from the sick beds and Dusk disappeared into a nearby cave. At the end of it, it had only taken an hour, maybe two, and then she was back in her sickbed and dozing peacefully. Dusk returned to camp much later, his skin pale, and slick with sweat. He was still delirious as the effects of the drug wore off, but left his mind floating far beyond the clouds, dancing among the stars, their distant whispers indistinct but calling for him.

* * *

Cursing herself for waking up so early due to a childhood at the rock farm, not to mention The Cake’s work hours, Pinkie started wandering around the makeshift camp, looking for something she could do to help. When Pinkie Pie came looking for Dusk in the wee hours of the morning, the medics informed her he was 'Busy with reports from the Wonderbolts’ and had been all night. Pinkie frowned when the head medic turned her away. Fluttershy was still sleeping, Applejack was laid up with her twisted ankle, and Rarity was watching over them both while catching occasional catnaps. "Even Dash is off with the Wonderbolts! I've already given a few of the injured ponies a balloon animal or a massage, but the rest are sleeping."

The rushing sound of water from a smaller cave set into the cliff face pulled her attention, as did the soft voices and the fact the 'Bolts had posted guards at the entrance. Not that they noticed Pinkie when she wanted in. Crawling across the roof of the cave, she made her way inside, and the voices got louder, a fight was going on.

"I'll take responsibility with Princess Celestia. She assigned me as his personal guard. I should have been there when the medics started questioning him in private."

Pinkie froze in place, dangling from a stalactite above the arguing mares. "That was Bronze Feather! And that means they must be talking about Dusk!"

Another familiar voice spoke up, Pinkie knew right away it had to be Silken Flight. "Laying blame does nopony any good. He is already coming down from the drug, the medic was right to tell me though. Save his sister, at the cost of his career? That's not a decision I can make. Take him back to Canterlot, let the princesses make that choice."

They fell quiet for a minute, then a third voice Pinkie swore she knew asked. "I've been reading his report. He keeps rewriting it, but the summary always returns to the same point. He failed to scout out the dragon’s species properly and they all probably would have died before the Wonderbolts arrived. Should I take a copy back for Princess Celestia? I've got a handle on teleporting and could be there by dawn."

Their conversation continued, but was growing more distant as they headed for the cave mouth. Pinkie dropped to the ground and continued deeper into the cave, gliding stealthily by pressing against the wall. Around one last corner she found the water, and Dusk, sitting alone under the chilly water, still fully dressed, crown and all. His horn was glowing as bright as a nightlight in the cave’s gloom, and the sound of a quill scraping across paper came from the dirt near her feet. Dusk was writing a letter, editing and revising it time and time again, all with his magic, and without watching what he was doing.

Intrigued, Pinkie reached out to put one foot into the water. When Dusk spoke up it made her freeze in place. "Pinkie, can you keep a secret?"

The source of the waterfall filled the silence, its roar of endless movement a soft white noise on the silence that hung between them. Then Pinkie smiled. "Of course, Dusk. I Pinkie Promise."

* * *

The trip home was shockingly easy. The Wonderbolts had acquired a chariot and ferried the wounded back to Ponyville as soon as the sun provided enough light. Applejack's cart and their supplies had been the duty of six huge pegasi and two even bigger griffons to carry, their tow straps straining, but not buckling under the weight.

Dusk had Pinkie retrieve fresh clothing from the cart before they left, and when the last of the wounded had been taken to town, he at last stepped out of the waterfall and changed. Pinkie’s playful voice cut through their shared silence. “I can make sure these are ‘lost’ and not found until after we get home. I’ll even have them properly cleaned if you want, Dusk.”

The mare’s eager look told Dusk enough, and he gave her a thin smile, any more would hurt too much. “Thank you, please do, Pinkie. Did Rarity go on the chariot with AJ and Fluttershy already?” The waterfall had helped, but he could still feel faint traces of the echoes of power that ran through even the water and rocks around him. Gathering his hair up, he tied it back with another of the small, but helpful, silk bands Rarity had now hidden in every one of his shirts.

Pinkie waited a moment, and when he was busy with both hands behind his head working with the band, she stepped in, and stood on her tippy toes, planting a brief kiss on his lips. When she finished and looked up into his eyes, she answered the question dancing there. “Rarity did. And I Pinkie Promised. You never have to worry, but if you ever want to talk, Pinkie Pie is here.” She smiled up at him and gave him a hug that lingered until footsteps started to come down the pathway.

Bronze Feather entered with that same look of trepidation she had worn all night. Come to think of it, Dusk half-remembered her coming once before Pinkie had arrived, with two other mares, but he had been so enraptured by the flow of magic through the world around him, he had hardly been able to identify Bronze before they left again. He wasn’t entirely sure they had even been all mares. “Amb- Dusk” She corrected herself mid sentence. “I did as you asked. The Wonderbolts have escorted all the wounded back to Ponyville. But we should really get you home now. Even with the dragon gone, it’s likely that this area won’t be safe for you. The ‘Bolts have missions and will need to leave as soon as you do.”

Dusk stroked one hand across the top of Pinkie’s head, and she at least released her hug, allowing him to step forward. “Bronze, you can relax. I’ll go now. And-” he looked back around the cave, shaking his head. “Whatever you thought you saw last night? Forget it. As a favor to me?”

The mare stiffened up as he stepped close, but relaxed as he spoke, grinning by the end. “I’ve no idea what you're talking about, sir.” She put extra stress on that final syllable before continuing. “I do have a copy of your report on this outing. Should I deliver it to Princess Celestia now, or do you wish to review it again?”

Glad that Bronze was willing to see things his way, Dusk accepted the offered scroll and read as they walked, wincing at times but in the end accepting it. “I was harsh on myself. But better to be honest and harsh, than to have Princess Celestia question how much I polished up my faults.” He rolled the scroll back up and passed it back to the mare. “Take it, Bronze, and if you’re ever in Ponyville, stop by. At the very least, you’ll be welcomed as a friend and given a decent dinner.”

Saluting, she stuck around just long enough to see him loaded into the chariot with Pinkie and sent back to Ponyville. Then with a wing of the Wonderbolts following her, she headed home for Canterlot.

* * *

Dusk watched the four Wonderbolts as they drew the chariot through the sky. This direct route cut their twenty-hour hike down to hardly more than two hours. The cold breeze helped though, driving the last whispers of heat from his flesh, and the afterimages of power finally fading their ghost lights from his eyes. Sitting together in the chariot with Pinkie, the heavy blankets wrapped around them both to drive off the cold. He found himself napping most of the almost too-short trip.

Pinkie’s voice pulled him from his doze, her cry of “Hello everypony! We’re back!” throwing his mind into overdrive. Gripping the wooden frame of the chariot and standing up, the sudden roar of cheering from below shocked him. All of Ponyville had gathered before the new hospital, and must have been gathering since the first few loads of wounded came in. They had known the dragon was a threat to their homes, now they had seen injured Wonderbolt cadets and a few of their neighbours being brought in. Had anypony even told them they were safe?

They needed a show, and he had better give them one. Waving one arm for the watching masses, Dusk bellowed to the Wonderbolts guiding their chariot. “Can you land us by the hospital!? I should address their fears!”

The ‘Bolts twisted the chariot around, and drew in to a clear spot before the hospital, giving the crowd enough time to spread a space to allow them to land. Immediately, the milling ponies rushed the chariot, and Dusk found hands everywhere, reaching out to touch, offering food, and every hand had a face behind it, asking questions, eyes wide with either hope or fear.

For a few minutes, Dusk shook hands, gave hugs, and yelled into those ears close enough to hear. But Pinkie’s insistence they move on made him leave them behind, and walk up the steps to the entrance of the hospital. Dash’s sudden arrival was a shock, her flight suit had been replaced by one of the cadets. Landing in a gap made by the crowd, she gave him a grin and a nudge, and helped Pinkie clear a path.

At last, he saw what they were guiding him towards. At the top of the steps, Mayor Mare stood with Rarity and Applejack, a hint of yellow feathers behind the towering AJ must have been Fluttershy. Glad to see them all standing again, Dusk left the crowd behind and stepped up to the mayor and his friends. First was a kiss from Rarity, then a second from AJ. The mayor shook his hand, and leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek, whispering something in his ear that sparked a nagging memory he had pushed aside days earlier. She had said “It’s an honor to have you home, Magistrate Dusk Shine.”

Dusk carefully leaned between Applejack and Rarity, finding Fluttershy exactly where he had expected to see her. Her right hand was bandaged and splinted, the fresh cloth applied by Nurse Redheart, her trademark style something Dusk had now memorized. He offered her his hand, and very slowly she accepted it with her left. Gently guiding her down to stand at his side, he looked over the gathered population of Ponyville, squeezing the wilting Fluttershy's left hand to show her support, and then raised their linked hands to the sky. At last he drew on his magic, and used it to magnify his voice. “People of Ponyville. Forgive me if I keep this brief. I know our return has not been one of heroes. But I want you to know, you are safe. The dragon is gone, and you can return to your normal lives. You owe us no great debt for this rescue, but we thank you for coming to see if we are well. I leave you again in the hands of your mayor. We have all had a long week, let us meet again next week, when we celebrate the start of the Running of the Leaves.”

* * *

Guiding Fluttershy back inside the hospital and sitting her down at a free chair, Dusk wasn’t surprised to hear the sound of several approaching mares. One he didn’t recognize went straight to Fluttershy, offering the flushed mare water. When Dusk turned to look at the others, he was glad to see Nurse Redheart had come. Shoving a clipboard to him, she crossed her arms over her chest when he took it. “I’ve requisitions I need passed on to Canterlot. Do you know a dozen injured Wonderbolts arriving unannounced is not a good way to start your morning?”

The question was clearly hypothetical, but Dusk enjoyed it for just a minute too long. Pushing that aside, he skimmed the notes and gave a shrug. “I’m sure they can have these supplies here before sundown. Did we…” Dusk had to know, he’d done the work, but he’d been drunk on power, half-blind from the raw magic that coursed through his veins. “Did we lose anypony?”

The nurse rolled her eyes as if insulted. “Not one. The Wonderbolts keep skilled medics on hand, I’ll give them that. I think Fluttershy’s hand was the worst of anypony. Dr. Horse examined it carefully and helped me re-splint it. She’ll probably have some numbness in her fingers on cold nights, but otherwise, she’ll be fine in a few months. The cadets? They’re already getting rowdy, I take it they rarely get to do field maneuvers this exciting with so many Wonderbolts around. Some of the stallions are already attempting to seduce every one of my nurses with tales of singlehandedly fending off the dragon.”

This got a small joint laughter from them all. Dusk drew a quill from the admissions desk just behind them, and scribbled a few notes and a signature on the page before handing it back to Redheart. “Send this with the afternoon express mail. If they want to call me magistrate, I’ll make use of the title to help somepony.”

An excitable voice from the door of the hospital might have been ignored, but for the sudden gasp that came from Fluttershy. Barb entered, looking around until she saw Dusk, and then cried out in joy. “Dusk! You’re really back! And you’re not even hurt this time!”

For a moment, everypony froze while Fluttershy’s grip on the glass of water slipped, her eyebrow twitching and her breathing froze. The nurse knelt before her was aware enough to catch the glass, but Fluttershy pushed past her and was suddenly on her knees wrapping Barb into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Barb! I didn’t mean it, I swear! I never meant to hurt anypony. Won’t you forgive me?”

Confused, but suddenly in the arms of a bawling mare, Barb suddenly felt very self aware. Lifting a hand and patting Fluttershy on the head, she looked for help before answering nervously. "It's, umm... I don't think you did anything wrong, Fluttershy. Besides, you're the nicest mare I know, so even if you did do something wrong, I doubt it was on purpose."

For a moment, Fluttershy fell silent, and leaned back so she could look in sudden wonder at the tiny dragoness. "I- oh... you really think I'm that kind?"

Barb turned a little in Fluttershy’s loose grip, and realized the rest of their friends were all motioning for her to continue. Delighted to be able to help, she began to nod enthusiastically. "Aww, shucks Fluttershy! I know it! You're so kindhearted, why I think you could give Princess Cadence a run for her money!"

Letting go of some internal tension, Fluttershy’s shoulders drooped and she gave the dragoness a kiss on the nose. "Thank you, I needed that."

With the tension relaxed, Dusk pointed a finger at Nurse Redheart. "Now about Applejack's ankle-"

As if this was the first volley in a new war, Applejack defensively crossed her arms over her chest and gave an indignant huff. "Ah told you before! I just rolled it, give me a few hours and I'll be right as rain."

"Twice. You rolled it twice. I can't have you limping around the farm if it's only going to make things worse." Dusk interjected, before turning back to the nurse.

Now properly annoyed at them both, Nurse Redheart pointed first to Dusk. "You're right. She did roll it twice. I'd recommend two or three days of peace and quiet with some gentle walks around town to let it heal properly."

Before Dusk could re-enter the conversation, she grabbed his jaw and inspected around his eyes. "And I'd say you're going on day four or so of another bout of insomnia? Now that your mission for Princess Celestia is over, I’m ordering rest and a focus on lowered stress for the next two or three days, and if you don’t start sleeping properly soon, we’ll have to take more serious steps.”

Deflated by Redheart’s quick assessment, Dusk gave the nurse a nod. She stared at him for a moment and returned it, turning away and marching back into the depths of the hospital. Turning to look at his gathered friends, Dusk gave a sigh, and leaned back against a nearby wall. “Alright, so we both take it easy. That’s fine, right AJ?”

Scowling to herself, Applejack turned her gaze to him, and she gave a sigh. “Alright, I’ll yield if you do, Dusk. But if I’m taking time off from the farm, I need somepony to take Big Mac a letter letting him know I’ll be staying in town for a few days. Pinkie, could you?”

Always full of smiles, Pinkie gave a nod. “No problem AJ! Besides, your granny always insists I stay for dinner, and she makes the best dinner!”

As things calmed down, Barb remembered herself and reached up with both hands to tug Dusk’s hand, pulling his attention back to her. “Dusk! You’ve got to come home, now! The new paperwork just keeps piling up! I think Mayor Mare has gone mad! Ever since you were named Magistrate of Ponyville, she keeps sending me more and more letters that need your approval!”

Shocked at her words, Dusk took a step at her pull and stood up again. But part of that comment brought back a smile. “Paperwork? She needs me to work through some paperwork for her? Oh, I can’t wait to see this!”

A joint groan of disappointment escaped the collected friends, save Pinkie who laughed and spoke over them all. “Oh come on! It’s paperwork! It’ll keep Dusk busy and happy! Don’t you see? He can have his fun and keep Nurse Redheart happy at the same time! No dragons, no griffons, and probably no new unicorns invading Ponyville!”

* * *

Dash folded up the Wonderbolt cadet uniform with nearly reverential care, her fingers lingering on the fine silken lapel, while her lower lip quivered a little. Rarity’s voice cut through the quiet moment, her quick hands had found Dash’s hairbrush in the mess of her bedroom, and had begun making quick movements to clean the dirt and grit from the younger mare’s hair. “See, this is why the ‘Bolts wear skullcaps as part of their uniform, darling! But still, why put it away? I don’t think I could ever craft a copy half as effective, let alone, half as beautiful!”

Pushing aside her feelings, Dash leaned into Rarity’s combing attention. “Nahh! That wouldn’t be right, you know? It was kind of Captain Obsidian to give me this suit to change into after I got soaked. But it’s special. It’s the first Wonderbolt cadet uniform I’ve ever owned. I want to earn the right to wear it again. That’s my new goal.”

Laughing at her friend’s determination, Rarity gave a nod and pulled the comb from her hair and moved it to her tail, her voice warm. “I know Dusk will probably be doing this new paperwork until we force him to leave it behind for dinner, but you should join us too, dear. You can’t always eat a bag lunch from Sugarcube Corner or rush and grab some silly fried toss-up for breakfast every day. You’ll end up having to run twice as far every day or risk growing a gut.”

Enjoying Rarity’s grooming attention, Dash gave the older mare a look, but lifted her tail to allow her to continue the grooming. “Please? With this body? I’d never risk getting fat!” Striking a pose, the fact she was naked, sweaty, and alone with a good friend sunk in, all while she admired herself in the mirror. A momentary playful thought danced in her mind. “Uh, Rarity. Feel free to say no, if you’re not interested… But I was wondering if you’d care to join me in the shower? I can’t clean my wing feathers that well, and you’re so good with your hands...”

Rarity stopped brushing at Rainbow Dash’s tail, and looked up for a moment, her mind split between two answers. A grin curved her lip and she reached out, fingers admiring the piercing in Dash’s nipple by applying soft pressure and rolling the tender flesh against her finger. “Your offer is a thrilling one, Dash. And on another day, I might even accept it. But Applejack is hurt. Dusk will be nose deep in paperwork for hours. Barb’s been home alone for days, and I should go see dear Sweetie Belle before anything else happens. I feel guilty for making her wait this long. Now give me that suit, and I’ll take it to get properly cleaned and stored.”

* * *

Dusk's eyes gleamed with delight as his eyes roamed across the wild stack of fresh paperwork Barb had been attempting to sort and process since his departure from Ponyville. Unable to help himself, he pulled a pair of his ebony reading glasses from the desk drawer and hesitantly lifted the top letter from the pile. "All of this is for me? And all from Mayor Mare?"

While Dusk poured over the letter in his hands, Barb rushed to support the heavy pile of letters above her head as it began to sway and shift. Dusk’s casual selection of the letter had set the stack off balance. "N-no! Much of the pile is letters from citizens of Ponyville who have requests for any number of things from Canterlot or Princess Celestia herself. About a fifth is the new hospital’s budget, which Mayor Mare said just needs an official confirmation, and the last twenty are all replies from different Canterlot administrators wanting to know why Ponyville is so behind on their mail, taxes, etcetera."

Adjusting the bridge of his glasses further up his nose, Dusk moved to sit at his desk, and found enough free space to put the letter he had been reading down on the desk. "And just how was she handling all of this up until now?" A few quick strokes of his pen and the letter was placed in the empty out tray. "And start taking notes so we don't have to reference the outbox letters. Apparently, Miss Cheerilee is asking for assistance in finding a part-time music teacher."

With the stack rebalanced, Barb rushed back over to grab a scroll and her own quill, jotting down that note before answering his question. "Oh! Well, she told me that whenever a magistrate came to visit Ponyville, she'd deliver the current backlog to their staff and normally nine tenths came back eventually with an answer. Then once a year, a special magistrate was appointed to Ponyville and together they processed the rest of the mess."

Dusk had to suppress the urge to laugh a little at how disorganized their system had become in Ponyville without a proper magistrate. Instead, he selected the next letter from the pile and began to read, channeling his joy into a grin instead. "Barb, let’s get to work."

Watching as he dove into the mundane pile of paperwork with quiet pleasure, Barb began taking notes, glad that the duty before her mentor wasn't something that was going to end up putting his life at risk for once.

* * *

The continued knocking made it clear. "By the Light! Is somepony hanging a sign on my damn door: 'Showering, please knock'?"

Leaning her head out from the flow of water Dash bellowed again. "Give me half a minute to finish or I'll kick your teeth in!"

When silence followed, Dash relished in it for nearly ten seconds, before rinsing the last of the shampoo from her hair. That done, she slammed the tap off and wrapped a towel around her body, tucking it in and in a moment of wishful thinking, shifted the towel just a little lower. "Maybe Rarity changed her mind? I’m sure Dusk's stuffy paperwork can't be that entertaining."

Grabbing a spare towel and using it to dry her hair, Dash made her way to the front door, skirting the pile of laundry she needed to deliver for cleaning with practised expertise. Attempting to strike a casual pose before the door, she pulled it open, only to scowl at the worried stallion on the otherside. "Thunderlane? I left you in charge. Don't tell me you messed 'sunny days all week' up so badly you needed to come bug me the second I got home!"

Shocked at Dash’s rather risque arrival at the door, Thunderlane took a one-two punch to the ego, when she started blasting him with questions. Attempting to recover, he shoved her ‘letter’ of orders back to her and attempted to put together a coherent reply, with his own notes now suddenly being studied to remind himself of the numbers he had spent the last few days trying to prove wrong. “That’s just it, Dash! I did order the others to keep it to sunny days! But then I found out you were behind on your paperwork for Cloudsdale! So I started trying to clear up the backlog. And when I did, I found out we’re nearly a month of rain behind schedule according to this week’s forecast! Now frost is scheduled to start in two weeks time and most of the plant life is too dry to survive the winter!”

Throwing aside her scribbled note of instructions and ripping his papers from his hands, Dash began to pour over his numbers before giving up and comparing the total at the bottom to the tacked-on forecast from Cloudsdale. Groaning, she shoved the papers back to him, and looked to the sky. “Did you show anypony else these numbers yet?

Shifty-eyed, Thunderlane looked around a bit to see if anypony was watching him before shaking his head. “Well, no. I figured I’d just missed something in your figures and sent in the backlog assuming everything was correct. I did have my brother check my math just to make sure, I wasn’t exactly top of the class in Mat-”

Relief pouring through her, Dash rushed forward and grabbed the stallion by the collar with both hands, pulling him in close and grinning wickedly. “Good! Then here’s what we do. Call up everypony on the weather team. All time off is canceled until next week, and all holidays are delayed. We’ve got a right proper storm to brew up, and fast!”

Wrapped up in her easy escape from this major screwup, Dash never noticed her towel had slipped loose in the excitement and fallen to her feet until the stallion’s eyes bugged out and he gave her a stiff nod before bolting away.

* * *

Dinner had been good, and Dusk had been glad for some peace and quiet. Except for the foul mood that had enveloped Rainbow Dash, it had been a fine dinner. Of course, she had refused to share whatever it was that had her concerned, but he was sure in time she’d change her mind.“That or I’ll discover the root of the problem.”

Now dinner had passed and Dusk returned to the diminishing pile of paperwork, with Barb taking notes. It was only a matter of time before he could make use of his desk again. But as Applejack grew restless, she began to pace, far too few of the questions in the letters ever called for her own expertise. Looking out the window, Dusk saw the golden autumn sky, and began to smile. “You know, the weather is still bright and warm, and the winds are down. We could go for a walk and stretch your leg? That’d be nice, right?”

Barb’s small gasp made the mare look to the dragon before turning to walk back, looking over the great pile of paperwork and watching him, before turning to the dragoness. “Let me guess, he’d never leave a project halfway finished back in Canterlot?”

Nodding a little and looking worriedly up at Dusk, Barb answered honestly. “Half the time, he’d only sleep a few hours when I’d gone to bed, and I’d find he’d re-written his own project requirements when I got up, and the smell of yesterday’s half-eaten daisy sandwich was coming from between two heavy stacks of new paperwork that hadn’t been there when I went to bed.”

Impressed, Applejack stepped around the table and let a finger slide under Dusk’s jaw, her finger lifting it up so she could inspect into the depths of his eyes. Happy with what she saw in those depths, she leaned in to kiss him, fingers dragging through his hair, her teeth raking across his lip and tugging a little. Satisfied, she released his lip and leaned back. “Then I suppose I can’t refuse, now can I? Coming with us, Barb?”

Looking from the thick stack of paperwork to the fading sunlight, Barb’s decision was made with only a moment of thought needed. “And give up sitting here and enjoying the glorious pile of paperwork? Just try and beat me out the door.”

Dusk gave a sigh and rolled his eyes, finishing the last letter he had been reading over, his quick signature drawn across the page before it was put atop the outbin. Standing slowly, he slipped an arm across Applejack’s hips and leaned against her, before revealing his thoughts. “I think I would be safe to say that most of these letters from the people of Ponyville are really just prayers to Princess Celestia. The longer I look them over, the more it reminds me that so many ponies see her as a god, and forget she is a woman as well. Did you know she likes two lumps of sugar in her tea, but only one in her morning coffee? She says it makes it easier to avoid drinking too much coffee and projecting a bad image, ‘The Sun Goddess who doesn’t want to wake up first thing in the morning? Nopony would ever respect me!’ And she really does worry about those kinds of things.”

They talked all the while as they walked out into the sun and began to take a lazy approach to touring the town, walking arm in arm while talking. Looking up to the sun, Applejack let her legs stretch, and ignored the small twinge that whispered in her ankle. “Princess Celestia can move the sun though, right? Do ya think you’d ever be able to move it?”

Joining the mare in gazing to the sky, Dusk’s eyebrow twitched, and he drew a breath as he focused, extending his will through his magic to even reach the sun. There was a pressure, a presence, a weight. He’d never thought to reach out and try to touch the sun before, yet now as he attempted it, he found that it wasn’t so unreachable, even if it took all his power he could casually muster. A voice whispered back to him, one he knew well. Releasing the attempt, he drew his power back and shook the words from his mind. “I don’t think she’d like me to try, even if I could. Besides, old legends from before the founding of Equestria say it took twelve unicorns, guided by Starswirl the Bearded himself, to raise and lower the sun every day, and the act was so exhausting that they needed two weeks of rest to recover.”

Shocked at that, Applejack looked from Dusk, and then once again up to the sun in the sky. “I’d never heard that story. That was when Princesses Celestia and Luna were both still only foals, right? Being raised by the Old Unicorn Empire, right?”

Impressed, Dusk gave her a nod. “Exactly. Estimates and records together are both rather sketchy, but it was during that time, before the Windigos invasion, that the Unicorns discovered the Princesses as young foals in the wilds. Nopony has ever figured out where they came from, and the other tribes were always threatening war back then over who should protect or raise the princesses as young foals. The infighting got so bad, the Crystal Empire grew tired of it, and their Queen channeled the full might of their kingdom into a week of night, to remind the other tribes their fighting would not be tolerated if it threatened the foals.”

Shocked, Applejack stopped him, and looked into his eyes. “That long? but ponies would go crazy with such an endless night! What happened next?”

Dusk laughed, and shook his head. “On the seventh day, the legends say Starswirl came to Princess Celestia, who was only a foal of maybe ten or twelve years. He admitted that the Old Unicorn Empire had spent the last six days straight attempting to force back the sun to its place in the sky, and that nopony remained with the magic to move it; they had exhausted their whole kingdom. Sad that her mentor was so torn by his failure to convince his king or their princess to admit they could not challenge the power of the united Crystal Empire, Princess Celestia asked him to teach her the spell to raise the sun… demanded it actually. When he refused, she kept on hounded him for the knowledge, but he refused time and time again. Finally, when it was past what should have been dawn of the seventh day she grew frustrated, and declared she would do it without his spell. Shocked, he attempted to tell her that every attempt to cast the spell with any support had killed the most powerful unicorns in the past. She stubbornly ignored him and took flight to do it anyways. That day, when she managed to do what the other Unicorns failed to do and rose the sun, she earned her cutie mark. That night, Princess Luna lowered it and raised the moon, earning her cutie mark. And only a day later, a crystal pegasus arrived, waving a white flag and carrying a letter of surrender. The Crystal Empire surrendered, not to the Old Unicorn Empire, but to the princesses themselves. That was the day the old kingdoms finally found peace, until the Windigo invaded, and that doesn’t even go into how the Zebra Nomadic Empire decided the Crystal Empire’s acts had destroyed the balance between the kingdoms. They choose to leave the old homeland and seek a new home in peace away from the other tribes’ wars.”

With being told so much all at once, Applejack needed a minute of silence to consider everything she was just told. During that silence, a door behind them was pushed open, and two mares stepped out into the street. With heavy sacks weighing them down, Lyra and Minuette began to head towards Ponyville train station. Just as Dusk started to wonder what was going on, Bonbon burst through the door, scrambling after the mares, and stopping only long enough to lock up. Seeing she was being watched, she turned, yelling after the unlistening mares. “Wait up, please! I’ll just be a minute!” Turning, she rushed over to Dusk, and the stallion was surprised to realize her eyes were red, and her cheeks were wet. Had she been crying? Cupping his hand, the mare gazed up to him, her lip quivering. “Oh, Dusk! It’s really terrible! Minuette’s scholarship to Starswirl University was suddenly withdrawn! Now she has to rush back to Canterlot to try and convince her uncle, or somepony else to sponsor her since she didn’t raise nearly enough money to cover her school fees! Do you know somepony who can help? I’d gladly let them stay rent free, they are such good friends! But that wouldn’t really make any difference anyways.”

Looking over her shoulder and realizing the two unicorns had not waited as she had asked, she sighed and took off after the retreating women, still calling for them to wait, and never giving time to really answer. Applejack watched them go, shaking her head. “A shame. Bonbon’s a good landlady, but she never really makes many friends, traveling to and from Canterlot for work all the time as she does.”

Dusk’s lingering thoughts danced in his mind, behind his eyes, swaying to the rhythm set by the harp case tied to Lyra’s luggage. His voice still distant, he called to the mare and the dragoness at his side. “Applejack, do you know where Derpy lives? I need to send a letter. An official letter, as the magistrate. We haven’t sent royal mail directly to Canterlot before, I’m sure Derpy would enjoy the extra pay for a rush delivery of royal mail, done through official channels and all.”

Confused, Applejack looked from Dusk to the harp case he seemed so focused on watching, but knew enough to trust him. “Course I do, she’s just a dozen houses over or so. But Dusk, why not have Barb send it, if it’s so important?”

Grinning and pulling a piece of parchment from his jacket, Dusk unfurled it and gave Barb the letter and a portable pot of ink he always kept on hand, ‘just in case’. “Because, Ponyville needs a music teacher, and that’s magistrate business. And magistrate business goes via royal mail, and Derpy’s our mare for that job.” Looking down to Barb as she settled the parchment and readied the quill, this time Dusk didn’t bother hiding his smile. “Barb, take a letter.”

* * *

As the guard stepped through a side door to avoid disturbing the meeting, the ring of voices in the throne room echoed in the nearly empty chamber. Trained in these matters, the stallion walked without looking at anypony, but rather stared directly at the wall ahead of him the whole time, crossing behind Princess Celestia’s throne, and walking up to the small table that sat between the royal sisters’ dual thrones. Neither mare payed him a moment’s attention, instead remaining occupied with the report of a young pegasus mare. Doing his duty, he slipped the letter to the table between the princesses, and placed it face down, so the signature and address were hidden, but the seal on the back was revealed. Then he left, with the same unblinking, unquestioning, uninquisitive care. Nopony acknowledged his presence, but that was simply proof he had done his duty properly.

Princess Celestia let two fingers touch the newly arrived letter, tracing the outer edge of the seal. Apparently finding it satisfactory, she folded her hands once more upon her lap, the golden jewelry that decorated her arms singing as she moved. That noise alone was enough to make the kneeling Bronze Feather fall silent, her eyes wide with mixed awe and terror, unsure of her fate and sweating with fear. Taking advantage of the silence, Celestia spoke. “So after everything was said and done, while you were helping the Wonderbolts coordinate a survey to make sure the dragon really did leave our lands, a trio of medics guilted Dusk Shine into using Black Lotus, and using that power, he saved the life of a mare, nay, one of the youngest cadets, on this very dangerous mission? Was he observed the whole time after taking the drug? Did you record every word he said, and quarantine everypony who saw or spoke with him during the fallout?”

Silk interrupted before Bronze could answer, speaking her own piece. “Except for a minute or two when Agent Three’s visit distracted her, Bronze stayed at his side. But he didn’t talk to anypony until after Pinkie snuck into the cave, and by then, he was out of the danger zone, your majesty.”

Luna was intrigued, and leaned forward. “But didn’t you say you’d both posted guards, a triple duty if we remember correctly? How could a mare like this ‘Pinkie Pie’ sneak past so many guards, into a cave with only one entrance, and get past you three to the waterfall? We’ve read everything you’ve written about this Pinkie. She has no military training, we believe she is a baker’s assistant?”

Bronze looked to Silk for support, but realized the older mare had no better answers than she did. She gave a shrug. “I can not say, Princess Luna, but when we looked into the caves, we could find no suggestion that she had found a different entrance. And her presence calmed Dusk, so we let her stay, since she gave no sign of noticing Silk’s presence, and she never saw Agent Three, her cloaking spell was secure throughout her whole visit. Plus, when Dusk asked her to keep his secret, she got very quiet and very serious. She might be the Element of Laughter, but I think she does secretly know when to be serious and when to throw a pie.”

Confused, Luna again cut in, her brow arched high. “Throw a pie? But why would we want to throw a pie at somepony?”

Suppressing her own laughter, Celestia looked to her sister, and gently patted her hand. “Because, dear sister, then the pony you threw the pie at would have pie in their face.”

Silence reigned in the chamber for some time, yet as the notion was considered, digested, and examined, Luna looked to the plate that contained her half finished dinner. “There is a piece of pie. And there…” She looked to a guard across the room who had yawned again, for the fourth time! “Is a pony whose face might gain some merit from the addition of a pie. So we add one to the other, and...?”

The room remained silent as the guard’s lips cracked, and his fifth yawn since this meeting started escaped his lips. Then in one sudden motion, Princess Luna cupped the plate with her pie and shifted her grip, hurling it across the room and squarely into the now very shocked guard’s face. The room remained silent, and slowly the pie slid down the guard’s face, chunks of apple sticking to his cheek, while the dry crust fell to the floor. Her experiment done, the lazy guard was now very awake and quite embarrassed before the other guards, let alone the princesses. Satisfied, Luna turned back to look at the mares kneeling before her, the shocked look of horror in both mares’ faces told her she had gotten it right. “A proper time to throw a pie... We like this idea. Continue.”

Still in shock, Bronze attempted to end this confusion. “Yes, so we kept the secret, and the medic who asked Dusk to take the Black Lotus turned himself in to me as soon as the last of the wounded was taken away on the chariot. I had him rushed back to Canterlot by Wonderbolts Silk had told me were trustworthy. Now we both await our fate, princess.” Her story finished, Bronze lay her face flat on the floor, her hands resting on either side of her face.

Realizing the meaning the mare had put behind her words, Celestia let silence return to the chamber, and she allowed the mare to sweat, since it was clear she felt guilty and wanted punishment. When she was sure that it had been long enough, she cleared her throat. “You were never ordered to keep watch on Dusk’s diet, and your orders were focused on the protection of his life from violence, not from traitors. I accept your story. You will take this as a lesson. But the medic who dared risk our most faithful student’s life in hopes of a miracle to rescue his sister? We are sympathetic, but such behaviour is unacceptable. Black Lotus is given to Wonderbolt medics only for the most dire of situations. Let this stallion serve a year and a day at Tartarus as a doctor, treating the prisoners. His rank will be held for him, and should he wish to return to the Wonderbolts following his service in Tartarus, we will welcome him with open arms.”

The scribbling of a quill over parchment by one of her attendants made sure that this was recorded for posterity. Celestia sighed, and gave a wave of her hand, signaling the scribe not to record what followed. “We have read Dusk’s letter. He admits his mistakes. That he rushed their deployment for fear of the dragon growing hungry, that he ordered Senior Cadet Surprise to break from her duty protecting him to go investigate what was taking Senior Cadet Misty Fly so long to return from dealing with the Diamond Dogs. He admits further that he should have had the scouts researching the dragon’s species and exact age, as such information might have prevented the near disaster that came from assuming it was one of the normal species. And he admits he rushed traveling to the dragon’s cave, worried delay might leave the wounded in a vulnerable position.”

When she fell silent, Luna cut into the silence, as if reading a speech they had prepared already. “We find, however, he glosses over his own achievements. He confronted one of the most violent dragon species, and the only pony hurt was the mare who broke her hand on the dragon's snout while driving him off. He did it without being forced to use the power of the Elements of Harmony, and he might possibly have saved the lives of Senior Cadet Misty Fly’s wing with his orders to Senior Cadet Surprise. We find all of this most impressive, and we wish to teach him to use his natural talents for strategy and command. We will expect you both to assist us in future operations with the same discretion you used these last few days.”

Realizing that they both had been given orders, as well as dismissed, Bronze Feather and Silken Flight rose, and gave the princesses a salute. Together, they left the chamber, followed by all of the guards. Feeling coy, Bronze made the guard who had been hit by Princess Luna’s pie stop by the door, so she could pluck a piece of the apple from his cheek. Chewing slowly she arched a brow at the guard, speaking carefully. “Will you report to Royal Guard Captain Shining Armor, or should I just tell him you’ve selected your own punishment? Say, thirty laps of the training field in full field pack a day for a week straight?”

Shocked, the stallion snapped a salute to the mare, even though she was his junior. Without a word, he turned and began to quickly march off to the barracks. Silk was impressed and laughed, linking arms with her junior, and guiding her from the chamber. “Very good. But next time, try to purr seductively as you eat the apple. It gives them hope before you cut their legs out from under them. Do you drink, Bronze Feather? I know a good tavern.”

With the mares gone, and their privacy now complete, Celestia at last looked down at the letter, her amusement at the mares now doubled by finally being able to fill in the question of the unfamiliar seal. A book crossed by two scrolls, she had never known any of her magistrates to use such an emblem. But one of her students did, and she used her silver dagger to open it. She couldn’t prevent her laughter as she read the letter inside, and passed it to her confused sister to read rather than attempting to explain. “Oh, my faithful student! I give you a new game to play, and already you find in the first hand dealt a royal flush. Keep it up my dearest Dusk Shine, we need ponies of your talent.”

Lowering the letter, Luna looked back at her sister, joining her at last in her mirth. “Ponyville needs a music teacher, and he remembers a student from Starswirl University whose talent was music. He asks if we know about her activities since graduation and if we might contact her to offer the mare the job.” Laughing along with her sister she folded the letter, and attempting to force a straight face, she looked to her sister. “So tell me, dearest sister, this Lyra Heartstrings, do we know where she is, and who she works for?”

Returning her sister’s coy smile, Celestia gave a nod. “I just so happen to have heard she was coming back to Canterlot, her last job ended poorly. I’m sure she will be delighted to find this new opportunity waiting for her the moment she arrives in Canterlot.”

“Let the stallion have, say, a week off? I’ve already found the next matter we should ask him to investigate. After all, it’s a magistrate’s duty to deal with any signs of black market smuggling inside their territory. And fortunately for us, the Element of Loyalty, Chief Weathermare Rainbow Dash, has recently discovered signs of somepony smuggling Black Lotus in the Everfree Forest well within his territory. Until then, we shall monitor all of their dreams, we need to know so much more about the elements.” The sisters shared a nod, and then turned to finish their dinners, Celestia splitting her slice of pie in half, and sliding it onto her sister’s empty plate.

Author's Note

Well, that was a massive chapter that I'd never expected to be so big o.O;;;

So, we now have a hint of the Princesses history, a few clues about the Old Empires before the Windigo invaded, and the birth of Equestria! We have hints about the Crystal Empire, and even Starswirl himself! And we have several upcoming storylines for Dusk and his friends to deal with.

Fist Rainbow Dash has to cover up for mistakes she made while running Ponyville's Weather team.
Applejack is staying in town as Dusk's guest to rest her injured leg.
And later? Dusk will have to deal with his new governmental duties, hosting the Running of the Leaves, and what of this Black Lotus smuggler?

And for those who don't follow my blogs! I have added a glossary of terminology used in my story! It is still a massive work in progress and your suggestions will be keenly accepted! So if any term, phrase, or concept that I've brought up in my story has confused you, go to the blog found here and let me know! I promise to continue to update it as much as I can to keep it as helpful as possible!

Chapter 9: Look Before You Sleep [Dusk x Applejack; Handjob, sleeping]

“And that was a job well done!”

Derpy still couldn’t believe it, her days were normally... just so simple! Not that she cared; it was fun to do her work! The letters were easy to organize, and it kept her out of trouble most days, plus, it was hard to ruin letters, and however bad her luck got, she’d been able to keep from making any real screwups in a few months now!

It had been such a joy, even if she did have to leave Dinky and Ameh at home to go deliver Dusk’s letter to Princess Celestia. But when had she ever had a reason to wear the dress uniform? And an excuse for a trip to Canterlot! She never got to go out of Ponyville normally! Plus she’d taken advantage and stopped in at that tea shop Amethyst liked, no reason not to grab a little gift, right?

“And you are just the mailmare for the job, Derpy!”

Dusk’s voice still echoed in her mind, she had blushed, he had been so kind; forgiving; charming even. He’d even tickled the tip of Dinky’s horn and apologized that he was asking her momma to leave town for so long on a school night! “Now I understand why he’s got two of the most popular mares in town in his herd. A stallion like that can turn any mare’s head, I think Amethyst was even blushing before he left, and she’d worked extra hard on dinner!”

“Derpy! There you are! Didn’t Amethyst give you my special orders??!” Dash’s voice cut through Derpy’s daydreams, and she stopped short, looking around for the source of the weathermare’s voice.

Embarrassed and blushing, she looked up and realized that the rest of Ponyville’s pegasus population hovered over her, all paused in the middle of their current duty to look at Derpy’s arrival. Once they saw her, most realized something was up. Instead of her normal delivery uniform, she was wearing her official Royal Mail Courier flight suit. Derpy straightened up in midair and shifted her official Royal Mail Courier hat.

As the others returned to whatever emergency Dash had them dealing with, Derpy pushed aside her growing exhaustion, and looked to the dark autumn sky. Fighting to keep her wings from wilting from the extra effort to keep hovering after the long flight to and from Canterlot at top speed, Dash’s next words surprised her a little, annoyance and sudden curiosity mixing in her tone. “Special royal duties? Does this include allowance for major weather corrections on your days off?”

Glad the others were no longer watching them talk, Derpy let the official voice drop. “Well, um… yeah! It’s got to do with how if the magistrate, or one of his representatives, needs me, or, um, any other pony to do extra work, they are allowed to book it. Amethyst handles the paperwork for me, but they always pay extra to make up for missing time with Dinky, so I don’t mind. It means I can afford to take proper care of Dinky, and Ameh can stay home with her instead of having to get a full-time job. If we save enough up, I think we’ll even be able to send her to Canterlot for proper schooling. You know, like Dusk got!””

Dash winced at the word ‘paperwork’. “But, I know a colt who was good at that stuff, and for a few bits, he wouldn’t ask questions like Dusk always does.” Looking up to Thunderlane, she began to plan. After all, his brother had helped him fix her messed up paperwork.

* * *

A lifetime of days that started before the dawn’s sun rose had a cost, one that made Applejack stare at the ceiling of Dusk’s room, and drag her tongue across her lips. The plaster smooth surface gave her so little to look at, and even less to think about. “Why? Always so early, even if there’s nothing worth while getting up this early to deal with. I’d go chop wood, but Dusk buys coal. Kept saying Barb’s too sensitive to the cold of winter, and can’t handle a weak fire. I even spent last night doubling the size of their kindling pile when I saw how Barb just... bloomed to life before the roaring evening fire. A cute fil… A sweet young dragoness, just like Sweetie, and Dusk? He cares for her. Banked the fireplace and made sure to warm up her room, even if it was a waste of extra coal on a warmer night like tonight.”

Applejack rolled over, drawing the blanket down their bodies, the setting moonlight cut across the room, and made Dusk’s sleeping body glow in its grey-white light. The toned muscles, and scarred flesh a contrast in the naked light. A dirty thought made her loins twitch, and she let her eyes drift over his bare groin, the trimmed hair had to be Rarity’s handiwork. Unable to resist the playful evil thought, Applejack let the tips of her fingers dance down his breastbone, trailing across the lines of muscle and scar tissue.

Dusk’s sudden sharp gasp and happy sigh made Applejack freeze for a moment, looking to see if he was really going to wake up on her. When his breathing calmed, she took another breath, and let her fingers begin to dance again, trailing fingers across his ribcage, counting each in turn, before slipping over to the faint outline of his abs. “Our hard work this summer really has paid off. He might never have been a scrawny little unicorn, but this? I like the look of this, the feel of these.” Applejack took a moment to relish in the feel of the muscle tone she had made Dusk work to build up. Guilt flared for a moment, and she leaned into his ear, to whisper just for him. “I know you’d only came to me for help getting fit again after all that weight you lost. But I guess, I’m as guilty as Rarity. I saw what you could be. Made you my own little project. I’m sorry Dusk.”

Instead of pulling her lips away, she leaned in and kissed his cheek just below the temple, watching as his lips curved into a smile, and left her ear turned to him, waiting for the sound of his happy sigh to die off. With that weight released, her fingers on his abs again drifted lower, into the neatly groomed field of his pubic hair. It had to have been Rarity’s work, every single lock had been cut to the same length, and possibly even shampooed by how soft it was to the touch. AJ had to hold back a snicker, the time and effort over such a small detail was just one of the ways their mutual lover proved to be so endearing. But her prize was close now, and she couldn’t push the picture from her mind now.

Dusk’s cock was half-erect when her fingers found it between his thighs, her fingers wrapping around the warm flesh and lifting it to stand tall. Adjusting her grip around the base, she drew her hand slowly up and down, teasing her sleeping stallion with a regular rhythm of very slow, easy strokes to help build up his pleasure, while trying to make sure he didn’t wake up. Not until she had her fun.

With warmth growing in her palm as she began to increase her rhythm, Applejack turned up, lightly kissing the sleeping stallion again while she began to pant with delight. The buildup of a bead of precum on the tip of his shaft marked the moment she had to stop, her thumb sweeping up and stroking across the head of his shaft and slathering the seed around the tip of his shaft, enjoying the glissen of his cum in the moonlight.

Now that his shaft’s head was slick with precum, Applejack picked up her pace, and tilted his cock forward, so she could admire the way sweat was building up on his chest as his excitement grew. Shifting herself lower, and laying half across his chest, she leaned down, licking a hint of sweat from his toned abs. Her free hand slipped under the blanket, slipping into the lips of her sex to tease across them, riding the joy of these first hints of pleasure.

“Just a little more! I can feel it now, soon he’ll cum.” A perverted side of her mind thrilled at the thought, while she thrust two long digits deep into her own sex, twisting and wiggling them around inside her pussy walls while her grip on Dusk’s cock grew even faster. His gasping and moans were now open, aching with need, just as her own loins gripped and clung wantingly to her fingers, while she raked her tips across her inner lips.

The sudden groan from Dusk and his release of hot seed over his belly came as a sudden shock, sooner than she’d hoped for and before she was ready. “No! Not just yet, Dusk! Why!?” Panting as she drove her fingers in deeper and began to frantically work her fingers into her sex, trying to catch up with the stallion’s release. Bending down again, she began lapping the sticky white cum from his belly, bending nearly in half as she grunted in both effort and pleasure.

A happy sigh should have been her first warning, but the weight of Dusk’s hand on her head and stroking tenderly through her hair was when she finally noticed he had woken up at some point while she was having her fun. The quiet mumble of his voice made her blush even as she felt that sharp sudden burst of pleasure roar up between her thighs. “An interesting way to wake up, to be sure.”

Quivering with pleasure, and feeling weak in the knees, she turned to look up to the stallion, her sticky fingers slipping free of her sex and cupping his sack, lazily rolling his balls. “Didn’t mean to wake ya. But now that you’re up, care for a shower?” The arch of her eyebrow made the stallion laugh a little breathlessly, knowing she had more in mind than washing.

* * *

Rarity shifted the bookbag aside and checked inside again, adjusting the schoolbooks and letting a finger linger on the titles of a few of the textbooks. “Math, magic, and science? I know you've been advanced at school Sweetie, but are you sure they aren’t pushing you too hard? You were up busy doing schoolwork when I got home; don’t you want to do something fun instead after school? We could take some kind of drawing or art class together?”

The filly paused in her breakfast, the thin piece of toast hovering in the air before her mouth, while her eyes opened wide. Her lower lip quivering in delight, she looked up to Rarity, her voice a soft gasp. “You… you mean it, Rarity? I’d love to do something artistic with you! We could paint, or draw or maybe even do a pottery class! Miss Cheerilee said something last week about new adult learning classes starting for the winter, maybe we can look into that?”

Closing the bag up and walking over to Sweetie’s side, Rarity stroked her fingers tenderly through the filly’s hair. Unable to hide a soft smile she leaned in while a finger poked her nose. “Adult learning is a little different, Sweetie. It’s when adults who didn’t get a proper education go back to school in their free time to learn more, so they can get better jobs. How about you ask Miss Cheerilee about fun family activities she knows about around town? Maybe we could find something fun, and I’ll get Dusk to join us, you two seem to get along, right?”

Taking a big bite of her peanut butter and banana sandwich, the filly nodded enthusiastically. “He is nice! When he came to class, he took the unicorns aside and gave us each a little test. He said I was the second strongest next to Dinky! And he listens when I talk, while most adults just pretend.”

Using her magic to lift up a napkin, she cleaned a smear of peanut butter form Sweetie’s cheek, smiling at how excited the filly got. “That’s wonderful, dearie. I’m glad you and Dusk get along, he’s very dear to me, but I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m ignoring you for some stallion.”

Sweetie seemed to pick up on something more behind Rarity’s words, and turned, gently wrapping her arms around the mare and hugging her hips. “I know, but you should be happy too, Rarity! Besides, Dusk isn’t just some stallion. He’s your very special somepony, right!?”

A little shocked at how quickly Sweetie picked up private matters, Rarity blushed, but hugged the filly back, sniffling back a hint of a fond tear. “He is, Sweetie. He and Applejack are very special to me. I’m glad you understand. Now hurry up with your breakfast, and I’ll leave dinner in the fridge. I’ve got an order going to Canterlot today, but the client is sending somepony to pick it up, so as long as everything goes right, I’ll be home long before you get off school. If they give you this much school work today, I’ll make sure to help you with it, no reason to spend your whole night with your nose in a book, right?”

The filly giggled, and finished the last of her sandwich and milk before answering. “But I like most of the school work!”

* * *

“Just another inch and I can squeeze in, Applejack!”

Barb’s voice came from around the frame of the icebox, and Applejack adjusted her grip, to shift the heavy frame a few inches further from the wall. Together, they had already gone through the library while Dusk ate breakfast, moving his desk and reclining chair, not to mention the couch and a few of the other reading tables around. Dusting and cleaning! It kept her busy and made her feel halfway useful again. Leaning a little around the heavy fridge, she looked to where the dragoness had squeezed in, dusting and washing away any stains. “So, Barb. Helping Dusk aside, what else do you do? I imagine you read, but surely you’ve got other interests, right?”

Standing up behind the fridge and rubbing a damp rag against the wall, Barb shrugged at the question. “Well, I do like comic books. And cooking’s kinda become a fun place to experiment. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find things that are palatable to ponies! Like, those muffins you and Pinkie made. I can’t believe you guys didn’t like them! I thought they were awesome!”

Wincing at the memory, Applejack accepted the rag from the dragoness and polished the top of the fridge, removing any built up dust before returning the rag. “Okay, but you can chew metal and enjoy the taste of gems that we’d normally use in jewelry. Maybe it’s just that we don’t have the ability to eat what you can?”

Barb laughed, ducking down to return to wiping down every surface behind the fridge, still answering all the while. “Oh come on, AJ! It’s like meat. You ponies are so sensitive about meat. Like, when Gilda was here, Dusk ate some raw meat, and I swear I’ve offered him some in the past, and he did try tiny bites, but always gagged. But in small portions, and well cooked, you’ll jump all over it. Well, except for Princess Cadence! I’ve never seen anypony so fussy yet enjoy her food so much!”

Confused, Applejack had to press on this. “Dusk’s foalsitter? The princess? Why? What’s got her that reputation?”

“Oh, well, you know. She says she is a vegetarian, so where normal ponies will enjoy eggs, she won't even touch them. But give her some cheese, some lettuce and some time to put things together, and she’ll make a salad that’ll make your tongue dance!” Sliding out from behind the fridge, Barb braced herself near the base. “Come on, let’s push this back into place and go check in on Dusk. We could both use a break.”

Pushing the fridge back into place, Applejack gave the dragoness a shrug. “With the size of that wad of paperwork he was reading? I’m sure he’ll be at it half the day. What did you say it was? The hospital’s budget?? Why’d they ever ask him to look at something like that?”

Barb grabbed a tray from inside the fridge she had made earlier in the day, with a few bowls of diced fruit and chilled grape juice. “I think they only wanted him to sign off on it, but it’s Dusk. He’ll spend half the day double checking the math and searching for mistakes the budget committee might have made. If we don’t distract him, he might even spend the night double checking his double checking of his quintuple checking. He is really careful with lists and figures. Like super obsessively careful.”

Applejack thought back for a moment, and gave a sigh. “I think I can take that at your word. He does seem to get rather obsessive about things sometimes, I’m surprised he hasn’t-”

“Hasn’t what?” The dragoness looked confusedly up at the mare when she stopped talking in mid sentence.

Applejack shook her head. “No, don’t worry about it. Just something me and Rarity need to talk about more.”

Dusk was still bent over the desk, the collection of paperwork had shrunk massively since they returned to town yesterday, and now that he was working on the hospital's budget, he had a spare sheet of note paper for keeping track of figures as he worked. It was his third page, and he appeared focused totally on the paperwork until Barb pushed a bookmark on the page and pulled the papers away. “Lunch, eat up Dusk. Me and Applejack will keep you company.”

At first shocked to have his paperwork taken away, Dusk attempted to swoop in with the quill held in his magic, making a few last second notes in the margins on his scrap paper, but when he saw the serious look the dragoness was giving him, Dusk backed down and returned the quill to its inkwell. "Alright, alright! Lunch, sure, great! I can use the break to find a book on physiotherapy. I'd swear somepony is hiding something extra in the budget here somewhere. Maybe we could ask the spa twins about their costs, they've always done the physiotherapy for most residents until recently."

A growing red blush tinted Applejack’s cheeks as she cleared her throat and tried to talk over Barb's head. "Dusk, I think most of those cases of 'physio' were for more-"

The sudden knocking at the door pulled everypony’s attention to the door and likely saved Applejack from an unfortunate series of misunderstandings while attempting to talk around such things in Barb's presence. When Barb led Amethyst back into the library, Applejack’s blush had transferred to Dusk, while the mare forced a straight face and stopped whispering into Dusk's ear to welcome the mare. "Amethyst! It’s good to see you. But why are you wearing Derpy’s hat? Don't tell me the poor mare hurt herself again?"

Amethyst instead grinned, adjusting her lover's hat and shook her head. "No, no! Rainbow Dash just called in everypony to deal with a rather nasty storm over the Everfree that's heading our way. So I've been doing her deliveries and warning everypony on Dash’s behalf."

Dusk turned to look out the Library window, but since it was facing away from the Everfree Forest, the view of the sky he got was sunny and showed little signs of anything else. "Well, if it’s a bad storm, I suppose we'd better cancel our walk to the farm AJ. No reason to end up caught out in the downpour."

Amethyst was still digging in the mail sack, muttering to herself under her breath as she hunted, so Applejack turned to join Dusk at the window. "Ah shucks! It just don't feel right. It was nice of Mac and Apple Bloom to stop by on the way to school this morning, but I miss Winona, Granny and the farm!"

Dusk gently took up the mare’s hand, squeezing it and smiling up to her. "I'm sorry. But look at it this way, now you can go home tomorrow and stay instead of having to visit today only to have to leave again."

Applejack squeezed back gently, to avoid hurting his hand, but a sudden excited cry of "Ah ha!" broke the moment. Amethyst swirled the single page telegram around triumphantly and read it immediately. "To Barb STOP Request your presence in Canterlot overnight tonight STOP Philomena STOP" Blinking to herself and staring at the page in her hand, Amethyst scratched the back of her head. "Why do they write STOP instead of using a period? That's so strange!"

But Barb had sprung to life at the mention of the name 'Philomena' and now turned to look hopefully up at Dusk."Can I, Dusk?!! Please! She's my best friend besides you, and I haven't seen her since we moved!"

Dusk hesitated for only a second before giving in to the pleading dragoness and her giant, begging eyes. "If you're sure you feel up to riding the train alone. Besides, there are still things you can pick up from the observatory."

Amethyst gave Barb the telegram and the dragon rushed to her room, leaving her to smile wistfully at the departing dragoness. "They are so excitable at that age; fillies, I mean." She explained herself quickly when she saw mounting confusion shared by Dusk and AJ "My dear little Dinky’s about the same age as Barb or Apple Bloom, but I miss the days when she was a tiny foal. I wonder if Derpy might ever want to have another?"

Applejack released Dusk’s hand and walked to Amethyst's side, smiling fondly. "I know how you feel. I've spent years helping to raise my sister, Apple Bloom. Maybe in a few years when things are settled down on the farm, Dusk?"

The question wasn't really one, but it made Dusk nervous. Leaving the window and moving his hands to rest on AJ's shoulders he leaned in, and kisses her throat. "I've never really thought about foals. But Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are sweet fillies. Maybe someday."

Before their conversation could get any more serious, Barb returned with a single overnight bag strapped over her shoulder. "I'm ready now! Can we go to the station? The sooner we get there, the sooner we can find out when the next train leaves!"

Together, Dusk and Applejack turned to face the dragoness, but Amethyst interjected herself into the conversation. "I can take her! Derpy was so busy this morning, she didn't have time to check for new mail and I've just been working my way there while warning ponies about the storm."

Laughing a little at how helpful the mare wanted to be, Dusk unlocked the drawer in his desk and removed the tin cash box he kept around the library for small expenses. Removing a thick velvet pouch that jingled with small coins he held it out to the little dragoness. "Remember to wear this on both of the money pouch strings that are sewn inside your dress. Don't go to the lower market alone... in fact, don't go out of the palace or university grounds unescorted, most of all after dusk, and maybe pick yourself up some more of those sapphire sprinkles you like to put on toast."

Bristling a little under Dusk's continued rules, Barb swept away the money pouch, but did as asked and took the time to properly tie both strings under her dress to the bag, using the fold in her dress for her tail to hide the lump the pouch made even better. "I'm fine! Now can we go?!"

Amethyst offered her hand and smiled to the impatient dragoness. "I'll take you and check the mail. If I remember properly, Derpy said there was a 1 o'clock train to Canterlot most days."

Glad for the easy out, Barb happily took the mare’s hand. "Great! That means I can be in Canterlot before dinner at the university! And Wednesday's they serve leftovers! Thanks Amethyst." As they began to walk together to the door, Barb paused, looking over at Applejack. "Hey, umm. Just make sure he eats at least once a day, and if he refuses to go to bed until he's finished with that budget... well, there’s a spare inkwell by the front door and a big stick under my bed. If one doesn't work, the other will knock him senseless."

Applejack couldn’t stop laughing at the retreating dragoness and Dusk’s fuming annoyance. He marched to the front door and fished the spare inkwell from a half-hidden shelf behind his fall jacket, calling out the front door after the girl. "Assistant's with proper respect don't hide my spare inkwell!”

Applejack had to pull him away from the door, and he refused to give her the spare inkwell regardless. When they were back in the library, and he had put away the inkwell and the half empty coin box, she finally asked the question that had been waiting since the telegram arrived. "So, who’s this Philomena? Some pony from school with a strange name?"

Shocked, Dusk had to check and see if she was being serious before answering. "Philomena? She is Princess Celestia's oldest friend, and a phoenix. You have never heard about her? She has been with Princess Celestia since she found Philomena's egg in a nest under attack by an ice drake around four hundred years ago. Hatching Philomena made her kind of like a mother to the lonely phoenix. And she spent nearly two hundred years trying to hatch Barb's egg. It's funny, but Philomena swears Barb talked to her while inside her egg, but Barb says she doesn't remember much of it. I wonder if-"

Applejack’s finger to his lips silenced Dusk’s rambling train of thought, and the mare gestured to the fruit still waiting on his desk. "How about we eat? You don't need to tell me her whole life story, at least not right now!"

* * *

Dash had to admire Rumble. Not only did the kid have talent, he had a decent head on his shoulders too. Getting him out of class had even been easy. A few words with Miss Cheerilee about the incoming weather and she had Rumble and two of the older fillies sprung from class and out to assist with her scam.

Now the fillies had joined the weather team in the air over the Everfree Forest and small groups of three were collecting every stormcloud they could find in a forty mile radius. Rumble's return caught her off guard, the excited colt flew to her side and pressed the paperwork to her with a grin. "That was easy, Dash! You'd never filed any overtime reports before, so I was able to just redate everything as being backlogged paperwork! All you gotta do is sign off and leave it with the magistrate. As long as nopony starts interviewing the weather team personally, you're free and clear! Now can I fly with you guys?!!"

Dash winced. "This kid’s good at everything, but being subtle. Doesn't he realize anypony can see how eagerly he wants to show off for his brother? Man, glad I'm not that obvious." Watching the colt admire the way Thunderlane and his own classmates delivered yet another heavy black storm cloud as a team, he viably twitched with anticipation. "Alright, kid. But if you're flying with us, you're working. That means you stick close, you stay high above the treeline, and if I say run back to town? By Celestia, you better beat me back, or whatever we’re fleeing won't be the scariest thing you see. It'll be me."

The colt saluted, and soared to join Thunderlane and the two fillies from his class. At sixteen, the girls had already officially been tested, trained, and licensed to help the weather team part time, even if both mares had hardly managed a 'B' average. "But Rumble? He’s still only starting his own training, and I'm a little bit jealous. The damn kid can already fly better than anypony on the team... besides me, natch. If he keeps his grades up, I gotta recommend him for Weather School. He's got way too much natural skill with storms for a pony born on the dirt."

Dash scanned over the paperwork and then tossed on a signature before passing it off to one of the mares heading back to town, the mayor would probably lose it for a few months before anypony saw it, and by then? I'd be too long ago, and they'd just green stamp it, no problem! Dash turned and soared up to rejoin her weather team, most of her worries finally over.

* * *

Rarity watched, her back tingling with nervous tension as the stallion carefully adjusted another jacket sleeve, and checked "The... the what? What was it he was looking for? Is it the choice of material? He asked for blue cotton and I matched his swatch! Maybe the button? It’s polished gold, without any engraving, just like he requested! The stitching? No, I put off delivery until now just so I could double check and restitch a few of the cuffs!"

The old stallion suddenly turned with surprising ease for his age, his voice gushing with praise. "Miss Rarity, I'd heard of your work before, but to actually see the quality you've put together? The measurements even look to be exactly right. It’s a pleasure to finally meet a mare besides my soon-to-be daughter-in-law who knows art isn't just paint on wood."

The stallion's delight really didn't match his tone, or the old blue scar on his cheek, but Rarity wasn't about to ignore, yet alone refuse it. "So these will do for the best man and his groomsmen? I tried to match the scabbard as closely as possible. Oh, and what about Fancy Pants himself? It would be such an honor to craft a suit for a noble’s wedding."

The old stallion rested a hand upon the hilt of his sword, shaking his head. "Fleur-dis-Lee wants to make that her own project. Now SHE is a rare mare. Top student at my school, but doesn't let the hard edge consume her softer side."

Rarity's mind flashed to the gossip rags, hunting for anything she could get a grip on about Fleur-dis-Lee, but the mare was known for so little except for her training at both Canterlot University, despite being a very talented unicorn, and being the star student of Ember Grace's fencing school. Now standing beside the old nobleman himself, she struggled to find anything to say. "You sound very proud. It’s so nice to see a father-in-law who's sweet on his son's choice of mare."

Ember Grace laughed so heavily, Rarity began to worry that she'd said something wrong. At last the old man shook his head and wiped a tear from his eye. "She came to me, lass. Came and asked for his hand. You know how rare that is? I didn’t even know they'd been dating under my nose so long." The stallion went quiet again as he gestured for his assistant to load the suits onto the train. At last he turned, and gave Rarity that same piercingly appraising look he had given the suits earlier. "You know, if you'd like, I could find you and your prized toy a seat at the wedding. Just a side table, but a flower like yourself? It'd be a pleasure to see you at full bloom."

The metaphor wasn't lost on Rarity, but the offer he made pushed everything else aside. "My lord? I'd be honored, but I'd never want to think somepony else lost their seat just so Dusk and I could come!"

The stallion's laugh was harsh, and he teasingly nudged her shoulder with one boney finger, turning to step into the train car as he answered. "I like how you both humbly try to refuse while at the same time dropping the name of Princess Celestia's prized student, and Equestria's newest magistrate. I'll have one of my useless clerks write you up an invitation, dear. You just make sure you don't shine too brightly, I'd hate to imagine Fleur's reaction if you showed up and stole her thunder."

Before Rarity could get her balance back, the old stallion was gone, leaving her flustered yet excited. Already she began to picture and piece together something worth showing off at the wedding of two noble families. The sudden chipper cry of a voice behind her pulled her from the daydream. "Rarity! What are you doing here?"

As she turned, she couldn't help but smile, sweet little Barb approached the train platform, a day bag over her shoulder, and a bright smile that made Rarity’s heart flutter. "Oh, Barb! You caught me in a daydream! I just had a client come pick up a project I've been working on for a few months personally, instead of just sending a representative to pick his package up." Pointing a finger over Barb’s light white dress and the bag she was carrying, she questioned the dragoness in return. "You look excited as well! Dusk sending you to Canterlot on business?"

Brimming with joy, Barb shook her head. "Not really, I'm going to see Philomena! She was the one who took care of my egg for nearly two hundred years before Dusk helped me hatch."

As she realized what the woman must be to Barb, Rarity nearly laughed with quiet joy. "So she is like a stepmother to you? How sweet! No wonder you're so excited to go visit her. I suppose she lives in Canterlot with Princess Celestia?"

Barb's wide toothed grin never shrunk, while she nodded. "Yes! She's been Princess Celestia's adviser for ages. I kinda feel bad for her, the last few years she's really started showing her age. I hope she's doing better now." As doubt entered her mind, the little dragoness looked around, worried. "Can- do phoenix-" Torn, Barb fell silent, chewing on her lip. Worried, Rarity squeezed both of the scared girl's shoulders. That was apparently enough, it made Barb look up to Rarity and ask what was on her mind. "Do you know if a phoenix can die of old age? I know I'll outlive Dusk... it still makes me sad, but I promised Princess Celestia I'll make the most of his short lifetime." The dragoness' voice cracked, but she pressed on. "But if Philomena's getting that old... I-"

Pulling the brave little dragoness into a strong hug, Rarity tried to soothe the dear girl's frayed nerves. "I don’t know enough about phoenix to answer that, Barb. But I'm incredibly proud of you for being so brave to even face such a frightening question at such a young age. Are you sure you're okay to go on the train alone?"

Barb's breathing soothed as Rarity’s fingers massaged the scales on the dragoness' back. Drawing strength from the mare’s words and attention, Barb stood up tall and gave a sigh to release her own mounting panic. "I- I am. Thank you, Rarity. I think I've been worrying about some stuff for a while now. Maybe when I get back, we can talk more?"

Laughing, Rarity guided the dragoness to the train, and helped her up the high step. "Of course. It'll be my pleasure to hear your worries and help find answers too. Now go see your friend."

Alone again as the train pulled away, Rarity’s new perspective on Barb and Dusk’s relationship really dawned on her. "No wonder she works as his assistant with such dedication. Does he know she knows? Oh, the poor thing. Such weight for a child to carry, what I'd do to protect her from any of that..." As her mind wandered, Rarity's thoughts turned to dear Sweetie Belle. Guilt flared up and she turned, looking towards Dusk’s library. "Maybe I should go lend a hand. With Barb gone, and Applejack still hurt and all..."

* * *

Thunderlane twisted around in place, turning an eye from the three foals Dash had set under his watch to inspect the rest of the team. They had done well; not a single incident, no pony breaking off to goof around, heck, the rest of the team had worked harder when he'd left the three foals to push a cloud back to the storm front and they'd done it and returned to him when he was still flying an inspection lap of the team. "Being shown up by a filly or a colt half your age does that to some ponies. I'm just glad Rumble's enjoying himself, he's always had a knack with the wilder black stormclouds."

Spiraling around and diving low, he joined Rainbow Dash where she had picked up a heavier raincloud by herself and was forcing it to both hold its water in and drive it towards the thick cloud mass they'd built up at the edge of town. Dash was so focused, that when he joined her at the cloud, it took her nearly a minute to notice his presence, and even then she only shifted over a little, keeping her focus on preventing the cloud from raining under the stress of movement. Together, they would push the cloud to its destination and once it was settled, Thunderlane gestured to the rest of the slowly collecting weather team. “Dash, I think we’re good now. This cloudfront, and the slow breeze? We’ll have two or three days of heavy rain in Ponyville before things thin out.”

Rainbow Dash was about to take off, again without addressing the stallion, until he spoke. Forced to stop by his interruption, Dash looked first over the tired pegasi and then to the mounting cloud mass they'd built up all day. Chewing her lower lip she gave Thunderlane a shrug, pushing the heavy cloud into place. "Make it a half hour break, that'll let me check the system’s integrity, okay? After all the mistakes I've made leading up to this, undercooking this storm would kill me."

“Then we had better get this right, ‘cause I enjoy working with you, Dash.” With that said, Thunderlane relaxed, twisted around, pulled out his whistle, then blew the relatively soft double long call off a scheduled break. Almost like clockwork, ponies further out repeated the call, and soon a growing number built up around Thunderlane. Dash had already taken off into the cloudfront, occasionally visible due to her vivid hair color as she swam through the clouds, binding them and blending them together, weaving weaker clouds into their wild neighbors and all without getting too deep into the water-gorged mass, and keeping relatively dry.

Rumble's excited voice called to his older brother. "Now that's a mare! See how she dodged that angry cumulonimbus without setting it off? I swear, I probably couldn’t get within five feet of that cloud without it zapping me twice!"

Thunderlane tackled his kid brother, grinding knuckles into the colt’s hair and trapping him with a firm grip from his other arm around his jaw. "Don't play humble before the mares, kid. You and the fillies pushed in thunderclouds just as grumpy as that beast not twenty minutes ago, and I wasn't even helping. You've got great control and you know it. One of these days, I'll probably be working for you, you smartass brat."

At Cloudchaser and Flitter's approach, the stallion released his younger brother and then quickly straightened the colt’s hair.

As it turned out, his effort was wasted as Flitter raced ahead of her twin and tackled the colt, cuddling him close to her low-cut top and exposed cleavage. "Rumble! Thunderlane and Dash sprang you from school!? Talk about the most amazing older brother, right?" Giggling, she hugged the colt close, nuzzling into his head and messing up his hair.

Cloudchaser swept around wide and slipped her arms around Thunderlane's ribcage, hugging him close and resting her cheek on his shoulder, apparently ignorant of how hard this made it for him to keep flying, she lustfully cooed in his ear. "So with a big bad storm like this, how about we come over and keep you two bold stallions company?"

Thunderlane stiffened up as the mare’s fingers roamed excitedly into areas under his flight suit, struggling even harder to keep aloft and push thoughts of Dash, and a loose towel, from his mind. Looking at a flustered Rumble made his decision much easier. Pulling Cloudchaser's hands out from under his suit before they wandered to unwelcome regions, before answering. "What shifts do you two want to trade this time? I can't take them all, I have to sleep sometime."

Cloudchaser pouted when he stopped her game, but let him remove her wandering hands. "We didn't want any extra shifts off, I swear. Just some company during the cold dark night!"

Flitter was more honest than her sister, kissing the embarrassed Rumble on the cheek before letting him go "And maybe if you two were feeling generous, you'd come help us during the post storm cleanup shift? I know we are already scheduled for the shift, and the company would make things much simpler."

With their game revealed, Thunderlane turned to his younger brother, giving him the chance to back out of the deal. "Well, Rumble? Is a fresh hot meal worth putting up with another shift like this, just with half as much help?"

The colt twisted around and looked up at his brother, then out over the clouds around them. "Compared to your cooking? I'm afraid that they are offering the lesser risk, as frightening as that thought is."

Before the mares could get too excited, Dash flew into the middle of the resting weather team, blowing one short sharp blast on her whistle before bellowing out loud. "Alright team. I've completed an inspection of the stormfront. We've built up a fantastic cloudfront, but we need five more thunderheads to make sure things get rolling properly."

Dash paused as a collective groan was released by the gathered weather team, and then pressed on. "Now that you've got that out of your system, time for some good news. Everypony here is getting overtime pay. Yes, really. Yes, even those who were scheduled for shifts today anyways. So let that buck up your spirits a little. Now, because we are looking for zap-crazy clouds, I'll fly to the north west, and Thunderlane will go to the south west. If you find one, do not tackle it alone! Blow the discovery alert until me or Thunder respond. And nopony is allowed to let the foals within a quarter mile of the thunderheads." She stopped and then turned to the now disappointed Rumble. "And yes, I do mean you specifically, hotshot. No way I'm crazy enough to let you risk that. I'd ground you and send you home right now, but you've got good eyes. Don't make me regret this."

* * *

Rarity pushed the stack of notes back across the desk to Dusk and took a sip of what little tea was left in her cup. The gentle spatter of water upon the library was soothing, but her eyes hurt from the endless figures she had just laboured over. "Dusk, darling?" Pausing until the stallion looked up at her, Rarity pushed the stack back to the stallion. "I'm done. I did my copy. I even double checked both your and Applejack's math. It balances, so I am done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I'm going to get some tea. If you don't join us for dinner in twenty minutes, I'll find a better use for boiling water besides tea."

Giving him what she judged to be a piercing glare, Rarity removed her thick red-framed glasses and left the stallion, joining the equally weary Applejack in the kitchen, putting a pot on the stove for tea before inspecting the other mare’s work on dinner.

“This is gonna hurt, but it’s for her own good. All of our good. No more lies, half-truths, or secrets.” Lowering the knife she had been using to chop carrots, Applejack turned around to face her dearest friend and lover, and reached out, so she could squeeze one of Rarity’s hands. “We need to talk, love. I’m done with keeping your secret from Dusk. I love the stallion, but he needs to know the truth, ‘cause I can see him picking apart the truth, and now the lies? They’re just hurting him.”

Rarity froze, the aching pain shooting through her chest, making her heart ache, and not even the soft pressure and reassurance of Applejack’s touch reduced the growing fear. “I- but.. we agreed! It’s too soon! We’ll only end up with somepony being hurt!”

* * *

Unlocking the door and stepping into the kitchen, Sweetie Belle carefully shook the worst of the wet off her raincoat, once again grateful to her mother for the foresight of packing it in with her school gear. Hanging the damp jacket up so it could drip and dry safely without any water getting on the carpet. “Rarity! I’m home early! They closed school early ‘cause of this crazy storm!”

Silence. Sweetie looked into the kitchen, finding it dark and quiet. Checking the fridge, she found a few bowls of diced fruit waiting, and took out the grapes, before scampering upstairs. Calling out again, she began to worry a little. “Rarity?! Are you home?”

Again, no answer. Stopping to check in the sewing room and Rarity’s inspiration room, she found no sign of her missing sister. “Nah, it’s not important. Rarity said she had some work to do. Maybe she’ll get home soon?” Pushing aside those worries, Sweetie moved to her room, putting the grapes on her desk and opening her school book. “Well, it’s okay! I can get my class work done first, and have more time to spend with Rarity when she gets home!”

* * *

As a thunderbolt crackled through the air, Rarity turned away, crossing her arms defensively over her chest and giving a huff. “I said not yet. It’s too soon, and I don’t want her to be hurt. Besides! It’s nopony else's business!”

Applejack stomped a foot, her patience for soft words and gentle explanations running low. “And I said I’m done keeping this secret from Dusk. You made me a part of this, Rarity, and I’ve never regretted a single day in her life, she’s practically family! But why can’t you trust him? He’s a good stallion, he’d never let anypony hurt her. Didn’t you see how far he went to protect her from Trixie?!! Have you ever seen him form a shield spell that big? Do you think you could ever even form one big enough to protect the whole treehouse?!!”

Rarity looked back over her shoulder, worry clear as day in her eyes. “But- Dusk… He gets carried away. He gets lost in his thoughts and his obsessions. Just look at him! He is on his fourth revision of the hospital’s budget! And nopony ever asked him to do anything except sign his name at the bottom and send it off to Canterlot!”

Applejack cupped Rarity into a hug that enveloped the smaller, panicky mare’s defensive stance, trying to speak softly again but failing from her annoyance. “Sugarcube, stop. Yes, Dusk gets a little obsessive. But why'd he ever be talking to anypony about anything like this? It’s a personal matter. A private one. Nopony else ever needs to know about-”

* * *

Rainbow Dash twisted around, her final inspection lap complete. She had to orientate herself until she found Thunderlane again, and blew the final warning for everypony to get clear. The three loud and sharp, shrill blasts of her whistle were quickly repeated by a dozen other members of the weather team that she had spread out to make sure nopony was left behind. The sudden crackle of thunder that came seconds after her signal was deafening, and she needed some time for her vision to clear. Panting for breath, Dash turned around and looked to Thunderlane. The stallion pressed his whistle between his lips and the four shrill, sustained bursts of his whistle echoed in return. “OK, it’s all clear. Everypony is at a safe distance and on their way home. Guess it’s now… or never!”

Turning around in place, Dash more felt, rather than saw the presence of somepony suddenly shooting past her, towards the five clustered thunderheads at the heart of the massive stormfront. Panic blitzed her heart and she poured every ounce of energy she had into speed. She knew there was only one pony with them that was that small, and only one pony who was this damn stupid!

Pumping her wings as hard as she could, Dash rushed into the heart of the storm after the blurry shape of Rumble, his blue-gray wings hardly visible against the crackling stormclouds, but she was catching up! She’d reach him, she’d stop the the colt before he got into the thunderhead and kickstarted the true monsoon. She’d-

She was too slow, too late. The little colt twisted around in place, and landed a kick to the center thunderhead, which caused the cloud to compact against his blow, and a riptide of energy to expand across the titanic black stormfront. A half-second later, she reached him, wrapping her arms around his hips and dive bombing as fast as her wings could handle, shooting for the ground even as the roar of a dozen new thunder strikes burst behind her, the raw heat of one bolt passing just a few feet away from their path of descent. Somewhere distant, she could just barely hear a series of six shrill whistles, Thunderlane screaming for anypony’s assistance. “Has he even realized what his brother just did?!!! I’m so grounded! They’ll never let me fly again if he’s dead!”

Then the rain hit, and she lost another hundred feet as the raw weight of falling water turned the sky into a wall of water she now struggled to swim through, her passenger was screaming something she couldn’t make out over the roar of the rain, and that at least was reassuring. Dash instead blew the sustained whistle, holding it as long as she could, as long as her lungs could handle. Ahead, she could just make out her home, the door open and a figure standing in the doorway waving her in.

Under the weight of her load, and the waterfall, Dash spread her wings wide, and strained to turn her dive into some resemblance of level flight, kicking her feet out so she could run when she reached ground level. The impact was jarring, and she felt it in her knees, and struggled to keep moving. Bursting through the open door, she tripped over a pile of trash and fell, turning over so the damn colt landed atop of her, while she caught her left wing in the fall, and felt bones scream and stretch in painful ways.

Hands were there, and they pulled the colt away, the boy was still shouting something, and Dash pushed away the darkness, trying to focus on the boy, and why he was so excited. When Thunderlane crashed through the doorway, the twin mares pushed the door closed against the wind and the rain.

“Did you see that?! Did you, Thunderlane! I did it! I started the storm! I knew exactly how to hit the thunderhead and make the whole system start up just right! I knew it, and I did it, and it was perfect!”

Thunderlane pushed past his little brother, shoving the colt against the wall and knelt at Dash’s side, cupping her head as she pushed the daze and the noise from from her mind. ”Dash!? Are you okay!? You hit the ground so fast, and then you fell again.”

But Dash’s eyes were transfixed. She ignored the pain in her wing, and pointed a finger at the colt. “Kid... I don’t care if you just got your cutie mark or not. You’re never flying with me again.”

There was silence, and in shock, Rumble pulled at his drenched shirt, only now realizing the meaning behind a strange sensation he’d not noticed due to the excitement of their escape from the storm. On the ball of his shoulder, a black storm cloud with a single thunderbolt was visible, the fading glow of magic still visible against his shirt.

* * *

"Because it's my choice. So just let me-"

The roar of another echoing bolt of thunder drowned out the rest of Rarity’s words, but the fear and pain in her eyes were on full display. Panting for breath from frustration, the mares stared at one another while the echoes died down, but it was Dusk’s sudden interruption that changed things.

"Rarity!? Applejack? I know the storms are bad, but we can't do anything about the weather now. So just relax, let’s eat dinner, and if things haven’t calmed down in a few hours, I'll form a shield with my magic and go check on Sweetie Belle and the apple farm, okay?"

Disarmed by Dusk's arrival and sudden reassurances about the weather, Applejack and Rarity shared a look before the unicorn bolted to the kitchen's back door. Throwing the door open to the wind, the roar of a wall of rain poured into the house. It was so dark outside, it felt like dusk, not four in the afternoon. Rarity twisted around, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Where did this storm come from! I- I need to go! Sweetie Belle always dawdles on the way home from school! She might still be out there!"

Rarity's sudden jump from worry and apprehension to outright terror caught Applejack off guard, but Dusk stepped forward, catching Rarity by the shoulders and stopping her before she could bolt out into the rain without a moments thought about grabbing herself a coat. "Stop Rarity. Stop and take a breath. A storm like this? Sweetie Belle probably went straight home from school. Before you rush out blindly into the storm, let me go check at your place. I can... I can teleport over there in an instant, right? That way, I'll arrive and can check up on Sweetie Belle, and make sure she got home okay."

Rarity looked up at Dusk, then over to Applejack, while the taller mare slipped her arms around her panicked lover, drawing their bodies together. "Listen to Dusk and sit down. Drink some of your tea and let Dusk go look for Sweetie Belle, alright?"

Reassured on both sides, Rarity gave in, and relaxed a little on Applejack's grip, her voice still holding an edge of panic. "Please, let me know if she's okay Dusk. I worry she'll get caught up in this storm. She-"

Dusk leaned in, leaving a tender kiss to Rarity’s quaking ruby lips, the salt of her tears adding to the taste of her lipstick. Leaning back he pointed up towards his bedroom. "Teleporting can be exhausting, so if Sweetie Belle is home, I'll send up a flare from your drawing room. You should be able to see it from the balcony, right?"

Finally relaxing, Rarity leaned back into Applejack and gave him a nod. "Thank you, Dusk. Thank you so much. I'll go straight upstairs and watch."

Watching Rarity rush upstairs for only a moment, Applejack took up Dusk's hand and squeezed it, her own eyes dark with worry. "Dusk, things have been hectic lately. Are you sure you're up to teleporting around town?"

Dusk forced himself to put on a brave face and lifted their linked hands, so he could kiss her knuckle. "I need to practice it sometime. When better then during a rainstorm, at least right now, nopony is out in the street and at risk of being in the way of where I try to arrive."

Applejack squeezed his hand for a moment, and Dusk could have sworn he saw words forming on her lips. Instead, he leaned in, silencing her with a swift kiss before pulling his hand free of her own. Stepping away from her, he summoned up the memories he had built up, and focused on the teleportation spell's pattern. A sudden surge of need made his mouth dry, and screamed in an attempt to pull his attention away from the spell. Sweat beading down his cheek, Dusk pushed back at that dry whisper, forcing it from his mind. The magic came at last, responding to his command and at last, in a blink, he was gone.

From upstairs, Rarity's voice called back downstairs. "Darling? That was Dusk leaving, right?"

Applejack has to push the last second image of Dusk’s face from her mind. Surely she'd just imagined it, right? That momentary flicker, like a wince of pain before the pulse of magic had completed, and warped him away. She kept herself busy instead, gathering tea supplies and answering Rarity’s question. "It was! Guess you could feel the build up that far away? I'm bringing tea and dinner with me, so just wait by the balcony, and let me know if you see his flare go off."

With her heart in her throat and that momentary image of Dusk's face contorted in pain refusing to leave, Applejack made up a tray of chopped veggies and ranch dip, putting that with the tea, she started to climb the stairs.

As Applejack crossed the threshold of the last step, Rarity’s sudden exclamation of joy nearly made her drop the heavy tray "There it is! A pink and pale purple flare in the sky over the boutique! He found her! Thank you, Princess Celestia for keeping her safe." With one weight relieved, Applejack stepped into Dusk's bedroom, to keep Rarity company while they waited for word from the stallion.

* * *

Just as quickly as the magic surged at his call, it fled, as the dry tang in his mouth had sucked it all up. Dusk could hardly feel his feet, staggering to one side and resting against the wall. His head pounded as if somepony was beating on a drum right by his ear and his heart felt like it was on fire.

Forcing his throat to swallow against the dry sensation, Dusk searched for meaning in the confusion, and a memory stepped up as if called on personally. It had been in old professor Floral Magus' class on bio-magical plants, and everypony was sure the old stallion had sampled some of the more exotic, even outlawed plants he kept in the greenhouse.

"Under lock and key, and no students are allowed into the greenhouse without an escort." That had been his defense. But it was only a few months later when he 'retired'. Rumours continued for months until the royal guard shut down the greenhouse and moved all of the more illegal plants to a secure research facility.

But something he had said in class was what really focused Dusk’s attention. “Black Lotus isn’t illegal because of the power it gives a unicorn. It’s illegal because of what a unicorn on it can do to others. The addiction to being able to use anything as a source of magic, blinds a unicorn to their own magic, driving a user to pull magic from their friends, or any other pony in range.

Somepony in class had asked: "What if they resist the addiction, and avoid using it again?"

As if he had been expecting the question Magus continued. "The fact the lotus has made it hard for them to find their own magic means an addict still drying out has trouble telling the difference between their magic and their lifeforce. Common side effects include dry lips and mouth, quickened pulse or even heart attacks and blackouts.” And then the old unicorn had took a sip from the flask of water he always carried, and that had pulled Dusk's focus to his leathery skin and cracked lips, not to mention the way he looked so anorexic that he might be nearly hollow.

Dusk pushed aside those memories, focusing in on the one fact from it all that mattered. "Black lotus makes it hard to tell the difference between magic or life force. But I've already been taught to find my life force and how to channel it into magic. What if I-"

Dusk pushed the need to experiment aside, and focused on the two things he needed the most right now, his lungs and his heart. It was shocking, just how hard it was to take direct control of his heart, compared to his lungs. He forced his breathing to level out, that was easy, but making his heart calm and return to a steady beat was something else. "Breathe in, slow and even, let the heart return to a normal rhythm. Hold for a second, now breathe out again. Everything else will fall into place on their own once I manage to calm down."

Dusk drew another slow breath, and finally opened his eyes. A faint blur cleared, and the black haze at the edges thinned out, forming into the worried face of Sweetie Belle, peering around the frame of her bedroom door while holding a grape halfway to her mouth. When she saw him looking at her, she grinned and popped the grape into her lips, talking around the grape. "Did you just teleport!? Does Rarity know you can teleport?!! I didn't think anypony could teleport these days, in the school books they tell stories about ponies using teleportation magic, but they don't even introduce it in the 'Applications of Advanced Magic' book that Miss Cheerilee keeps in a locked drawer in her desk."

Dusk pushed aside his own questions and instead latched onto a single idea that was the most important thing to deal with right now. He grinned at the filly, ignoring the pain still shooting through parts of his body. "Before we talk about any of that, I could really use a grape; teleporting is extremely exhausting, and after that, how about I teach you a spell, Sweetie Belle? Have you learned about signal flares?"

Intrigued by Dusk's offer, Sweetie Belle stepped out of her room and offered up her bowl of grapes to the stallion, grinning around the seeds from her grape. "Not in class, but I've read ahead a bunch and I think I know what you mean. Is it like a spell to get somepony's attention when they are really far away?"

As the pain settled down to a background roar, Dusk palmed a few of the grapes and popped them straight into his mouth, enjoying the sudden burst of rich juice over his dry lips and around his mouth. "You are thinking about the exact same thing as I am, Sweetie. Now, do you think the window in this hallway or Rarity’s room is closer to my library?"

Keeping pace with Dusk, Sweetie Belle turned and looked down the hallway and then at Rarity’s closed door before answering. "Let's use the hallway window! It’s about the same distance anyways." Without waiting for him, she walked down the hallway to the window and turned the latch, pushing the window open and ignoring the roaring rain.

Bracing his weight against the wall with one hand, Dusk forced himself to stand up, and was relieved to find as his knees unbent and his shoulder slid up the wall, that he felt better as he started to move. "Maybe the initial shock has worn off at last? But, I'd better be careful anyways; I’ll let Sweetie Belle cast the spell."

Standing up fully and grinding the pulp of the grapes between his teeth before following the filly to the end of the hallway, still using one hand to help with his balance by bracing it against the wall. The walk felt like it took forever, but at last the cool breeze and faint rebounded moisture of water bounced in through the open window, soothing his face and lips by soaking his face and chest almost instantly.

Sweetie Belle grinned up to him, already soaked herself, before speaking up. "The teleportation magic made you really tired, huh? Don't worry! Im sure I can make a flare for you, Dusk! Just let me try!"

Impressed with the filly, Dusk stepped up behind her, testing both of his hands on her head so that his thumbs pressed to temples, his pointer fingers found her sinuses just below her eyes and his pinkies were just touching the arteries in her throat. With the other two fingers folded in to be out of the way, he focused speaking with great care while experimentally reaching for first his own and then her magic in turn trying to feel the differences, to help sort between his own magic and the energy of his life force. "Alright, now Sweetie Belle, I want you to gather your magic and focus on the idea of a ball of light. Shape your magic to fit in that ball with your mind, and make sure to fill in all the light with more magic. You want it as bright as possible, because this storm is going to make it really hard for anypony to see."

Barely able to help herself, Sweetie Belle smothered her need to laugh at the strange way Dusk rested his hand on her face, but did as asked. When she had the image locked in her mind and the magic had flooded in to fill every nook and cranny of the picture, she paused for a moment of thought before asking Dusk a question. "This flare, it’s to tell Rarity we are both okay, right?"

Still focused on the way the filly drew at her magic and shaped it, Dusk was only half paying attention to her words. With a grip now on his own magic, and sure he had followed the same path she had, he started filling in the gaps in her spell-shape, and places she had failed to properly fill with light and magic. "It is. Rarity and Applejack are back at my library and are both very worried about you. So we are going to let them see you're just fine." With satisfaction, Dusk felt his magic flow, and was sure he had found his focus properly. His lips remained moist from the rain, and the grape juice on his tongue still tasted so sweet.

What happened next, shocked Dusk. For all of her sloppy lines and gaps on the original spell-shape, when she turned back to the magic they had formed together, suddenly the bland white light of the frame they had formed now gained pale pink and purple hues akin to her hair color. She’d rewritten the existing pattern with ease, and without rebuilding it from the ground up. As Dusk fretted, scrambling over the new parts of the pattern searching for mistakes, for breaks, or weak points, the filly spoke with glee. "There! Now Rarity will know it was me for sure!"

Just as Dusk started to admire the fantastic work the filly had done on a whim, she pulled the spell-form from his grip and threw it into the roaring rain, a bold bloom of light soaring skyward and into the black sky. Shocked at the filly’s confidence, Dusk watched the light bloom in the sky before speaking. "Do you alter spell-shapes at school like that very often?"

Looking up at him the filly gave a far too casual shrug. "Not really. We don't do much practical magic except when guest teachers come in to help miss Cheerilee, and most of them are really grumpy about doing everything exactly by the book."

Releasing the filly’s face and taking her hand, Dusk shook his head. "Then I'd better see that we fix that. On the spot alterations of a spell is very impressive. Now let’s go get you some dinner, alright?"

Glad for the company, and the compliment, Sweetie happily took his hand and followed him to the kitchen. "Dinner sounds like a super idea, plus I kinda ate all the grapes."

* * *

Rumble sat staring out a window, slumped forward and resting his face flat against the window, not really watching the rolling stormclouds that blackened the night sky.

Flitter and Cloudchaser had looked through Rainbow Dash's bare ice box and in the end, had risked racing through the storm to their own house before returning and preparing a meal for their small gathering. Thunderlane gave his kid brother a nudge on the shoulder. "Come on, finish eating. I’ll talk with her, things aren’t that bad.”

Turning away from the window, Rumble looked up to his brother, searching for any sign of hope in his brother’s eyes. What he saw made the colt sit up taller, and relax his wings a little, picking at the fries that sat on the plate beside him. “Thanks Thunderlane… I- I know I screwed up big. But! But I was just so sure I could do it.”

The colt gave a heavy sigh, and Thunderlane squeezed his shoulder, before patting it a few times. “I’ll go to bat for you, little bro. You’re family, never forget that.”

The mares stepped in as Thunderlane moved away from his brother, closing around Thunder for a moment and squeezing his hands before moving in to make small talk with the younger colt. Thunderlane was grateful the twins had a soft spot for the colt, but as he walked around a pile of dirty laundry, and knocked on Dash’s bedroom door, he put on a serious face, and lined up his list of arguments. As his blows landed on the wood, the door shifted open, revealing Rainbow Dash was sitting on her bed in a fresh shirt, her blanket wrapped over her legs while her window was half open. Even as he looked her over, the bad angle her wing hung at worried him, but Flitter looked at it, and promised it was a sprain at most.

“Do you have any family in Cloudsdale, Thunderlane?” Dash’s question came before he could even say hello, and the mare hadn’t yet looked away from the window. It all caught him off guard, but he shrugged it off, and stepped into her room, crossing his hands before his belt. “Treat it like a dressing down. But try to trade questions; maybe I can sneak things into the conversation to try and smooth things over.” Clearing his throat before he answered, he chose his words carefully. “One of my herd mothers, Winter Song, moved back home after my father’s death. Mine and Rumble’s mother is in Manehatten doing term work.”

Dash finally looked at Thunderlane as he spoke, and bit her lip, carefully watching him before answering. “Does she like Rumble? I’m sorry, I never had any herd mothers. Only child and that kind of crap.”

Realizing she was pushing towards the topic he wanted to talk about, Thunderlane’s heart began to race, and a worrying line of thought shot to his mind. “I-I mean, it’s possible. She helped raise him for years, but she never asked us to come with her to Cloudsdale. You can’t just ship him off, and I’m your best assistant, so you can’t afford to send me away.”

Dash’s laughter made him freeze up, but her answer came like a sudden ray of hope in the gloomy night. “No, I need your help. But your brother? A colt with that much talent with storms? He would be wasted in Ponyville, and you know it. Besides, he is nearly sixteen. Now that he has his cutie mark, he can challenge the entrance exam for Flight School, or even Weather School. I hate to admit it, but the kid’s got talent with weather that I can’t even touch. Even if he fails the Flight School exam, if he passes the weather exam, you know they’d give him the extra training he needs to catch up with everypony else in Weather School.”

Math and numbers started shooting through Thunderlane’s mind while he spoke quietly, trying to piece it all together. “Winter Song might let Rumble stay with her, but the cost of schooling? I-I don’t know if I can afford it. Even if I cut back on meals and everything, I just-”

Dash finally stood up and put a hand through his hair, smoothing some of it back before shaking her head at him. “Ok, you’ve never really lived in Cloudsdale, so I’ll forgive you for your ignorance and catch you up fast, alright? Weather School is like a lot of the other specialty schools. If you’re good enough to get in, but can’t afford it, they make you work. Co-op schooling they call it. He won’t make any bits, but they’ll give him hands on training and it’ll take most of the bite out of the cost of his schooling, alright? And if your herd mother won’t take him in, I’ll talk to my dad. He’ll help us figure something out.”

Stunned, Thunderlane was taken back, but he’d heard about those kinds of schooling, if she was serious? Maybe things could work out. But, he had to ask, she’d grounded Rumble only a few hours before. “But, why Dash? Why help us out; it’s not like the paperwork Rumble did was that hard. You could have figured it out on your own.”

Dash groaned, and fell back on her bed, shaking her head. “I already told you, dummy. I couldn’t have started that storm any better than he did, and he’s got no training at all. I’ve only trained a little in big storms like that, alright? What I was doing? It was on a wing and a prayer. Now go write your herd mother, and tell the brat to eat up. I’ll talk to Dusk about requesting a special exam for the kid sometime this winter, so he can join the new semester after Hearth’s Warming, alright?”

Still a little taken back by Dash’s quick about-face, Thunderlane gave her a nod... Only to realize how he’d so easily been distracted from his own plans for the conversation. Flustered and a little frustrated, he gave her a small salute. “Just don’t forget that it was my grunt work, and Rumble’s math that kept you out of trouble with the Cloudsdale and Canterlot, right?”

Pushing her hair from her eyes, she gave a snort. “Of course I’ll remember that, otherwise I’d have already figured out some way of sending you to Flight School as well. But I need an assistant with your talents too much to spare you for that kind of time-consuming training.”

* * *

Applejack pushed the empty bowl of ranch dressing across the floor, her eyes on the distant outline of The Carousel Boutique, only just visible through the roaring storm when bolts ripped through the sky. She crossed her hands upon her knees and leaned forward, resting her chin upon her hands. “What do you think they’re doing? Dusk, he isn’t the type to just sit around. They must have come up with something to keep her busy, right?”

Rarity shook her head, chewing off the last few bites of her carrot stick and swallowing before answering her friend. “I have... I’d promised her that I’d help her with all the extra school work she’s been getting as of late. She’s a bright filly, and I sometimes feel inadequate when she asks me questions and the answers make me struggle.” Shaking her head she drew her lip into her mouth, biting down on it.

Applejack asked the question they both knew was coming. “So will you tell him?”

* * *

Dusk drew the blanket up to Sweetie’s neck and smoothed a hand through her hair, giving a smile down at the little filly. “Alright, so according to my list, you’ve eaten, showered, selected clean clothing for the morning, I prepared your breakfast and your lunch and you have my notes on what to study tomorrow if the storm doesn’t let up enough to go to school. Did we miss anything?”

Sweetie Belle laughed gently and nodded at him. “You forgot reading me a bedtime story, and checking under the bed for minotaurs. But don’t worry, I did both while you were making sure the fireplace was properly stocked with coal.” She went silent for a moment before perking up and sitting a little taller. “Oh! Did you make sure to close the spark mesh? Rarity doesn’t have many carpets, but keeping the mesh closed makes her happy.”

Dusk pulled out the scrap of note paper he had been using, and unspooled it, turning it over to the back, before placing it so she could see his writing. “Don’t worry, I checked it, twice to make sure.”

Satisfied, the filly leaned up, wrapping her arms around his neck as he sat on her bed, and gently planted a kiss on his forehead. “Then here is your goodnight kiss, Dusk. Thanks for coming over and making sure I was okay. Oh! And tell Rarity I still want to look into something we can do together, okay?!”

Dusk blushed at the filly’s tender nature, and let his fingers stroke her hair soothingly one more time. “Thank you, Sweetie Belle, I will. Now sleep well, and one way or another, we will come check on you in the morning, okay?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Sweetie Belle waved a hand at him. “Do your thing, magic man!”

Dusk stepped back from the bed and reached for the pathway Sweetie Belle had drawn in his mind. Reaching down, he bypassed the power he knew he couldn’t touch, and instead took hold of his magic, drawing up the pattern necessary for the spell while summoning it forth. He stopped when he suddenly realized something and looked at the filly again. “And don’t you ever dare try and copy this pattern, not until we agree you’ve got enough control. Alright?”

Sweetie Belle’s lower lip quivered, but gave him a gentle nod. “I wasn’t gonna try it, really!” When he didn’t look away, she gave a pout, and nodded. “Alright, alright. I promise!”

* * *

Rarity drew her hands over her cheeks, drying the dampness that refused to stop forming. Applejack offered her clean hankey, and Rarity was just wrapping it around two of her fingers, when a sudden buildup of power formed, and she twisted around looking down through the floor of the house. Swallowing back a thickness in her throat, she at last spoke. “He’s back in the library. Let’s go downstairs, it’s time we talked; about everything.”

Supporting Rarity as she stood up, Applejack gave her jaw a light nudge, and grinned. “Then let’s go. It’s time this was all over with. Just let me know when you need me to fill in things that hurt too much, alright?”

Rarity put a hand upon the taller mare’s cheek, and leaned in, softly kissing her lips and holding her close. Sighing gently and resting her head on Applejack’s chest, she gave a nod. “Thank you, Applejack. I’m sorry, I’ll make all of this up to you, I promise, my love.”

Closing in together, the mares took to the staircase, their footsteps on the staircase carried down through the library. Dusk drew a breath, pushing back a faint sense of disorientation. Resting the palms of his hands flat against the floor, Dusk pushed aside all outside sounds, and retraced the pathway to his magic, taking a careful grip of it while avoiding the far too easy source of his life force that kept getting in his way. “I have to study this. Practice this. Something makes it hard for me to retrace this path, even after Sweetie’s assistance. So practice makes perfect.”

Drawing up his magic, Dusk let it flow forth, and lit the candles around the library, bringing a soft glow to the room. As the footsteps approached the library entrance, Dusk forced himself to stand up, and finding it easier than before, and just in time too. As Dusk turned to look at the staircase, Applejack and Rarity descended together, each holding an arm around one another. Smiling to the mares, he gave a nod. “Sweetie Belle is fine. She’d probably have stayed up too late, eaten nothing but grapes and done nothing but her schoolwork if I hadn’t come to check on her. I made up a few more meals for her and sent her to bed with a list of things she should do to keep herself busy if this storm doesn’t let up soon.”

As relief flooded her, Rarity stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath, relaxing a little bit as a smile crept over her lips. Looking up to Applejack, she felt a thick knot tightening in her throat, forcing her to swallow it back before she spoke. “Thank you, Dusk. Thank you so much. I’m sorry I asked you to go so far to soothe my worries about Sweetie Belle.” Rarity let out a sigh, but a squeeze of her hand by Applejack prompted her to continue. “We need to talk. Please, will you join us in the kitchen? I have a story I should have told you before, and I need you to promise you’ll let me tell it all before you say anything. Please, Dusk?”

Looking quickly up to Applejack, Dusk noticed one of her hands soothingly stroking over Rarity’s far shoulder, as if supporting and encouraging her. Dusk gave a nod, and offered the mare a hand. “Of course, anything you need, Rarity. I’ll listen, I promise.”

Rarity took Dusk’s hand and squeezed it, before guiding him to the kitchen and into a seat. Leaning in, she stroked a hand across his cheek, up into his hair, smoothing some of it back from his brow before she placed a kiss on his cheek. “Dusk, I told you a story before about a mistake I made as a filly. But there is more to it, and you deserve to know it all.”

Watching as the mare walked around the table and sat across from him, Dusk gently nodded, for a moment, questions that he had been pushing aside welled up, demanding to be asked. But he had made her a promise, and would keep his silence. Applejack put a pot of water on the stove, before returning to stand behind Rarity, and squeezed her shoulders, fingers massaging into her friend’s shoulders to help soothe her stress.

“It all began a little over twelve years ago, when I was a student of Diamond Masquerade...”

* * *

“Diamond was the best kind of teacher. Loving, kind and supportive. Always ready with a soft word of advice, a gentle pat on the head, and a squeeze of the shoulder. He was handsome, in his late twenties, and a charming noble from a rich family in Canterlot. I was in love with more than just that, though. It was his style, always in the best clothing, with a fresh cut flower on his lapel year-round, and the way he was always helping out any foal or their family in his free time. A perfect gentleman in every way.

“It had started so small, in such easy, sweet little ways. An extra class after school, dinner when my parents were out of town and regular trips to the theater or cinema, sometimes with the class and sometimes just the two of us together.”

“It was just after my second heat, and my parents went on a trip to Manehatten. They’d asked Diamond and a few of our neighbors to look in on me, but after years of living with parents who traveled for business so often, I was already very independent, maybe even overconfident in how mature I really was. And I was in love, or at least, a filly’s daydream of what love was. Diamond always held my hand, and stroked my hair, and looked into my eyes and- As I said, a silly filly’s flights of fantasy.

“On the second day of my parents’ trip, Diamond came over, and I wanted to impress him, so I baked him a fancy four-course dinner from scratch, all by myself, and afterwards we talked for hours. He’d even brought wine. I remember thinking at the time how much he must have respected me, to let me have even a small glass.

“Later that night, after- after we’d finished and he’d gone home, I remember vividly, the happiness. Happiness that was so quickly drowned a few weeks later. One day I woke up, and felt so violently ill. Mother- mother found me in the bathroom and took me to the clinic. After that, almost everything that happened was a blur, and so much of it hurt. Mother cried a lot. Diamond suddenly disappeared, and the royal guard spent weeks interviewing almost everypony in town. It turns out two mares and four other fillies had wound up carrying his foals. Weeks turned into months and my parents took to homeschooling me, all the while, my belly grew swollen, and I came to hide from the world. Mother left her work, and stayed home with me, while father told everypony of my failing health and mother’s…”

Rarity’s voice broke, and she wiped a stream of tears from her cheek, her free hand curling around Applejack’s hand as she leaned over her, squeezing her into a hug. The steam rising from a cup of tea AJ had just delivered tickled her nose, demanding a sip be taken before she pressed on. “Mother had found an answer that made it possible for my pregnancy and time with Diamond Masquerade to remain our secret, even with new laws being passed just to prevent such a stallion from hurting other fillies in the future.

“Sweetie Belle, she- she is my daughter. A mistake I made in thinking I was a mature mare, but she is also the greatest blessing I’ve ever had. Mother faked her pregnancy and my illness for the public, and for years she helped cover for me. I-I am sorry, Dusk, I never should have hid something like this from you.”

* * *

Dusk stared down into his tea, contemplating the story, and piecing together small things that had long bothered him, putting pieces together and answering matters he’d so long ignored.

With a finger dancing across the rim of his cup of hot tea, Dusk watched a bead of sweat run down across the ivory cup. Drawing in a deep breath of the powerful herbal mixture, he let it burn away the buildup of phlegm in his lungs and soothe his sore throat. When he was sure the mare was really finished, he cleared his throat, drawing a small sip of his own cup of tea, letting its flavors linger on his lips and dance across his tongue. “How did Applejack become a part of your secret?”

The mares looked to one another, and Applejack spoke up first. “When I was a filly, staying with some of my relatives in Manehatten, I had a cousin who was only fifteen or so years old. She and a colt in her class fooled around, and she wound up having twin foals. As much as her family supported her, many ponies were horrible, to her, and to her foals. I’ll never forget the way the colt’s own family had refused to acknowledge her and her foals, but considering their age, and since no stud price had ever been payed, the colt’s family ended up being forced to support them, or face punishment, jail and fines. Now, that never changed how his family treated her, or the foals. I never want to see that happen to another foal, ever!”

Dusk could already piece together the rest of that story, but rather than make assumptions he watched as Rarity and Applejack exchanged a look, and Applejack stole a sip of Rarity’s tea. “One day, just a few weeks after I returned to Ponyville, Big Mac found an old dress that belonged to my mother when she was around my age, and I brought it to town since I’d heard about a mare who was working as a seamstress. Just as I lifted a hand to knock on the door of the mare’s home, the door swung open under the pressure of my knocks, and before my eyes, little Sweetie Belle, only three or four years old, wrapped her arms around Rarity’s neck, and wished she could have more time to spend with her real mommy and not grandma. The horror I saw in Rarity's eyes as she realized I had seen and heard them talking? It burned that day in my mind and will forever remind me of my cousin and all the horrors they put those two poor little foals through. From that day on, I knew I’d protect their secret until they were sure anypony else had earned the right to know.”

Dusk gave a sigh, draining the rest of his cup, before asking another question that was nagging him. “Does anypony else know, besides your family?”

Rarity winced, and gripped her hands around her cup, holding it tightly and looking down. “I told Cheerilee a few months ago; she’s been a friend for years and I think she might have had figured it out on her own eventually by looking through Sweetie’s schoolwork. Nurse Redheart and a few others who worked with her when she was still just a young intern at Ponyville Clinic. Princess Celestia made me wonder, she gently cupped my hand before she left Ponyville after we saved Princess Luna, and she wished ‘me and all my family well’.”

Applejack cut in when Rarity stopped talking. “I think Apple Bloom figured it out herself. But she has never told me that explicitly, and she still keeps the secret, if she does know. I know Big Mac knows, but it’s Big Mac. He never talks to anypony about personal things.”

Surprised, Rarity looked up at her lover. “Mac? Are you sure, darling?”

Applejack gave a solid nod, her eyes firm in her determination. “I know. Every year, on Sweetie Belle’s birthday, he gives me a few extra bits he has collected selling his cider, and tells me to buy Sweetie something good, to quote: ‘Since no foal should live without a father.’ So yes, I know he knows, even if he refuses to say how.”

Rarity considered a moment, and finally nodded. “I believe you. The way he is always watching out for Sweetie Belle, even when I’m around. And in that case, I’d also include Pinkie.”

Confused, Dusk twisted his head in thought, trying to piece this together. “Pinkie? Why Pinkie?”

Both mares laughed together, relaxing and releasing a bit of stress. It was good to laugh. It allowed Rarity to relax, even if only for a little bit. “Because she is Pinkie Pie. I’d be more surprised if she didn’t know to be honest.”

Dusk put this in with the list of all of the other mounting questions about Pinkie, another list that was quickly growing far out of control. Looking at his empty cup, he swallowed a lump from his throat, and smiled at the mares. “Then, if that is everypony, I’d be proud to consider myself in such elite company.” As both mares relaxed and smiled at him, Dusk added. “But I think we should consider telling the others the truth. Rainbow Dash knows the pain of losing family; knowing she never had a father would make them closer. And Fluttershy is the gentlest mare. She would keep the secret, and lying to her is painfully hard.”

While Applejack wanted to agree, Rarity bit her lip, and leaned back into Applejack’s strong grip. “I-I don’t know, Dusk.”

Dusk smiled, leaning forward, and cupped the mare’s jaw, kissing her softly before whispering gently to her. “I didn’t say today, but think about it. Both mares are dear friends and will keep it. For now? Just know that I love you, and I love Sweetie Belle. Now, let’s go to bed, today has been a very long week, and we all need our rest.”

Author's Note

And at last, the hints are over and the truth is out. I hope those of you who guessed this reveal ages ago forgive me for having my dramatic moment.

The next chapter is my first dual chapter, combining both Fall Weather Friends and Bridle Gossip. With so much going on for Dusk as Ponyville’s new Magistrate, making time for the small things for his friends and lovers is difficult. But with a black lotus smuggler inside his territory, Dusk's new addiction is about to run headfirst into his duty to his people.

Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 1

Wednesday, October 7th 1700 AFE

Dusk peeled back the edge of the piece of bread before him, an eyebrow arched higher as he was forced to inspect the brown paste that had been smeared around the inside. The chunks of banana were easily identified, but he couldn’t help himself, he had to ask his hostess. “So it’s just made of peanuts, ground down into a paste, or butter, and then spread over bread?”

Sweetie Belle giggled around a mouthful of peanut butter and gave him an enthusiastic nod. When she’d chewed enough of the mess in her mouth up, she answered, still having to talk around the thick breakfast. “It’s my favorite! The bananas are soft and chewy, and taste sooooo~ sweet when they’re properly ripened. The peanut butter is a little sweet, and a little salty, but also really thick, chewy and super gooey!” She paused, peeling back the top piece of bread, and looked around to make sure that Rarity wasn't watching before continuing at a whisper. “And if you can get it when Rarity isn’t looking, there is a small jar of chocolate hazelnut spread in the top cabinet.”

Looking at her peeled back layer of bread, Dusk saw the thin streak of chocolate hidden by the peanut butter, mostly. He had watched Rarity and Sweetie make the sandwiches, but somehow, the filly had added that without him seeing. Peeling back his own bread a little further, Dusk realized she’d snuck some onto his as well, though not nearly as much as she had put on her own. Resealing it, he lifted the sandwich and took a bite, chewing in quiet contemplation while the filly watched, her eyes filling with glee. As he swallowed back what felt like the larger portion of the dense breakfast, he had to admit it was enjoyable, if very different. Nodding to the filly, Dusk opened his mouth and said: “Mughaph, mmyagh dah wgoaugh waha!”

Rarity bolted back into the kitchen at the sound of a crash, worried that an accident may have happened in the minute she had stepped out of the kitchen. Instead, she found Sweetie Belle rolling on the floor with laughter, while a red-cheeked Dusk gulped at his glass of milk, attempting to dislodge the thick mess in his mouth that made his attempts to talk sound like garbled gibberish.

Reassured that things were okay, Rarity walked over to Sweetie Belle and helped the filly stand up and get back into her chair, smoothing down her foal’s hair before leaving a kiss on the top of her head. Gently caressing across Sweetie’s neck and over her shoulders, she smiled at Dusk. “It’s her favorite. But with winter coming, ripe bananas are going to become a real premium.”

Finally able to talk again, Dusk laughed and reached out, squeezing Sweetie’s free hand. “What I was trying to say before your little laughing fit, was thank you for sharing such a nice treat. Now I learn it’s your favorite? My oh my, I’m honored you decided to share it with me.” Dusk winked up at Rarity, and returned to his own sandwich.

Grinning up to her mother, a question dawned on Sweetie Belle. "So, now that Dusk knows the truth, and you two are together... does that make Dusk, sorta... um. Like my herd father?"

Dusk was floored by the normally rather meek little filly's sudden connection between his relationship with Rarity and herself. It caught Dusk off guard, but Rarity smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "Not quite, Sweetie dear. A herd father is usually the direct sire of a foal, or the adoptive father of a foal. But,-"

Rarity's voice trailed off as she looked to him, a pleading look in her eyes. Dusk grinned, and squeezed the filly’s free hand again. "Barb has never been officially adopted as my daughter, but I think of her that way at times. Maybe for now, we could find a comfortable compromise like that?"

Enjoying the attention from both adults, Sweetie thought for a moment before nodding. "I think so, Dusk. It's just nice to have somepony else I can talk about stuff with, besides momma and AJ."

"Well, Sweetie Belle, I am always happy to talk. Besides, it's nice to have a different perspective from Barb." Dusk took another incredibly cautious bite of his sandwich before continuing. "I do hope Barb is enjoying her extended stay in Canterlot, she and Philomena haven't had a lot of time to visit of late. Princess Celestia promised to bring her back on Friday for the Running of the Leaves."

"Then you should enjoy the next two days, Dusk. You really shouldn't spend all day in that backlog of paperwork. Not when the approaching winter is guaranteed to make everypony a homebody soon!" Rarity added an extra lilt to her voice, suggesting the last few days had not been her definition of a fun rainy day at home, and she knew Applejack would agree.

Realizing what that one implied, Dusk shook his head. "It’s okay Rarity, really. I've only a few pieces of importance left now. If that was a few months backlog from Mayor Mare, then it will be easy to add dealing with the days’ new work in an hour or two from now on. Maybe squeeze it in after showering to clean up from jogging with Dash and strength training with Applejack, but before dinner every day. Some light paperwork to counterbalance the physical workout that fills my afternoons."

Sweetie Belle laughed and pointed a finger at Dusk. "Is Dash still making you jog for two hours a day? Cause Scootaloo at school said something about Dash teaching the pegasi foals at school some basic flight training."

"Dash promised after the Running of the Leaves, we'd cut back to an hour a day. I'm already in the best shape of my life, and recovering from my weight loss after Nightmare Moon's return ate up a lot of this summer. Now that it's winter time, I'd like to catch up on my own studies, and an hour a day with Dash and AJ seems like a reasonable way to scale back what otherwise has been a heavy workout." Eyeing the clock, Dusk finished his breakfast and gave Rarity a nod. "We'd better be going, Sweetie. It’s nearly time for school. I'll walk you on my way home, alright?"

* * *

"Rainbow Dash delivered all of this to you just a few hours before that big storm?" Dusk couldn’t hide the edge of suspicion from his voice. It crept in uninvited, but was thankfully unnoticed by the all-too-happy mare on the other side of his desk.

Mayor Mare was in heaven, too happy with the swift solution to her mess of paperwork to worry about Dusk's tone, or the way he prodded the stack of paperwork before him. "Oh, yes! See, I've been after her for proper work records and scheduling since she took over Ponyville’s weather team last winter, and I guess she finally got desperate and asked Rumble for help, because two thirds of the stack is in his writing, but my clerks went over the numbers already and It all checks out! She still hasn't supplied me with proper long term work schedules, but I'm sure that's just because of how hectic things can be for the weather team here. Princess Celestia herself nearly doubled our annual budget about ten years ago because of all the chaotic wild weather they have to deal with coming out of the Everfree Forest. Besides, even with all the overtime included, my clerks assure me we will come in eight or nine percent under budget this year!"

With red flags going off in every word she spoke, Dusk very politely adjusted the stack of fifty odd pages and gave the mayor a long and serious look before standing up and offering her his hand. "Well thank you, mayor. I'll make sure to look into it shortly."

When he was alone, and the mayor's endless use of the word magistrate had finally faded from his library, Dusk drew a thick sheaf of note paper from his drawer, and began the arduous process of accounting for the weather team’s budget, already sure the fourteen hours he had spent on this hospital’s budget had not prepared him for dealing with Rainbow Dash's attempts to make numbers say what she wanted, and not what they meant.

* * *

Rarity was quickly questioning the wisdom of her decision to try and jog with her far more athletic friends. While the other mares had slowed a little to help her keep up, what they termed a jog was quickly turning into a preview of the upcoming Running of the Leaves, as each mare pushed her pace a little faster to slip just ahead of the competition.

Now, as they approached the signpost at the edge of town, and both mares began to jostle one another in the process of making the tight turn. Before her eyes, Dash attempted to cut across Applejack’s path, at the same time as AJ lengthened her stride to speed up. The resulting impact and crash left AJ's jaw bruised by Dash's skull and Dash's leg bruised by an accidental impact with AJ's advancing leg. Now that they were down together in a tangled mess of limbs the cursing started. Rarity stopped to stand over her friends while they spat and fought one another. Tilting to one side and resting her right hand on her hip, Rarity loudly sighed in hopes of expressing her disappointment in the mares. "Really girls? We're out for a simple jog to warm up. You both have a spot in the Running of the Leaves, I know, but surely you can't get this competitive over a simple jog!"

Rarity bent down to help untangle her squabbling friends, while Dash continued to gripe. "It’s not my bloody fault! Applejack kicked me so hard, how could anypony not-" As Rarity’s hand slipped off Dash’s shoulder and came into contact against Rainbow Dash’s wing, the pain shot through her, and instantly her complaint turned to a gasp of pain.

. Rarity quickly pulled her hand away and looked to Applejack, who had fallen silent, and shook her head at Rarity’s silent question, but continued to massage her sore jaw. Leaning in again and helping the mares untangle their legs, while talking softly. "Dash, when did you hurt your wing? Did you do something foolish during that big storm?"

For a moment, Rarity worried Dash might still be too proud to admit that something had happened, but as she sat staring at Rarity and AJ in turn, she gave in and answered, while carefully folding and unfolding her wing to test the sore muscle of the wing joint. "I let Rumble and a few other kids from the school who are mostly done with their basic weather training come help us. But the colt got a sudden unavoidable fu-" Cutting herself off before she started ranting again, Dash forced herself to calm, and offered a shake of her head. "The colt earned his cutie mark by starting the storm, against my orders. So I had to grab him and run before the rain got too thick to fly through. When we landed, I tripped and rolled, and strained my wing a little."

Now feeling a little guilty, Applejack put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Dash, I'm sorry I got so competitive, no wonder you aren't using your wings like when we normally race."

Dash snorted and gave AJ a playful cuff on the shoulder. "Oh come on! The Running of the Leaves is an earth pony tradition. Using my wings would be cheating, right?"

Smiling, Applejack leaned closer, softly cupping the pegasus by the chin, lifting her head up, before giving her a light kiss. "Then before we get too caught up in who's gonna win the race, have one last kiss for good luck."

As Rarity failed to suppress a squee of delight at the heartwarming scene before her, Rainbow Dash leapt up, and fighting to hide her dark blush, while brushing a hand through the hair at the back of her head while fighting her embarrassment. "So um, anyways! How about we go hit up Sugarcube Corner for a treat or some lunch?"

* * *

Thunderlane twisted in place lying belly up so he could inspect the five young mares and stallion that followed him. "New replacements sent in from Cloudsdale just this morning, but at least they'd all had flight school certification, even if none had gone on to try for a full degree like Rainbow Dash. Means my job’s probably safe... for now at least."

Circling around a basic perimeter of the Everfree Forest, Thunderlane finally gestured for a stop, and signaled for the group to gather. "Patrols of the Everfree are your most dangerous duty. Look around, and together, I want everypony to work together to identify at least three threats in the forest. Do not descend any lower than our current altitude, and don't split off to search for danger signs alone! Pair up and call out things you spot!"

Of course, one of the mares instantly called out a distant portion of the dense treeline that shook and danced against the wind. But of course they'd found that, Thunderlane made sure to locate it before they stopped. "Great one, that is sometimes a sign of a manticore sharpening their claws on a tree, a very low altitude threat. Other times, it's a hydra on the move, and that's a much bigger threat. Never approach those rustling trees, even if you do recognize other signs of a manticore being in the area, because sometimes they nest in the upper branches, and Celestia help you, a manticore protecting their nest can be very vicious."

The stallion, a rather scrawny lad by Thunderlane's eye, suddenly spoke up over the quiet chatter of the rest of the group. "Does... does a mare count, sir?"

Groaning at the poor stallion's attempt at a joke, Thunderlane palmed both of his hands across his face before straightening up, and looking to the younger stallion. "Alright, I can give you half credit on that, because, yes, being distracted by a pretty mare can be a legitimate risk, but that's why mares get days off for their heat. Now does anypony have a serious answer?"

The mare who had been teamed up with the stallion leaned in closer and they both started whispering frantically before she called out, her voice a little worried and hesitant. "Err.. but we meant a mare IN the Everfree, Thunderlane, sir."

Something in the worry that filled her tone made him rush to their side, and look where they were pointing. It was distant, but far below the treeline, he could just make out a mare kneeling at the edge of a patch of plants, and the flash of silver as she cut one off at the base. Suddenly the head turned, and dark turquoise eyes looked towards the rustling trees that Thunderlane and the new members of the weather team had just been talking about. Suddenly, the mare bolted into the woods, her brown cloak preventing her hair from being identified.

For just a moment, Thunderlane wanted to chase, to hunt down the mare. "Dash’s smuggler! She's back!" But just as he shifted into position to dive into the woods, one of the mares screamed. Below them, the four massive draconic heads passed through a gap in the treeline.

That scream of fear pulled him away from the dive he had been about to enter, and instead, he circled around and returned to the younger pegasi, his whistle pressed between his lips to pull their attention back from the hydra. When they were all facing him again he blew the warning code, ordering them to return to town. When the stallion and the mare with him tried to linger, Thunderlane flew to their side, repeating the whistle before bellowing out at the pair. "Get back to town, now! We can look for whoever that was later! Right now, you two get back to town, or by Celestia, I'll send you both back to flight school!" An idle threat, but one that finally got through to the stunned pair, and together they soared back towards Ponyville.

* * *

Dusk furrowed his brow, looking from his scrap paper to the nine pages before him. A question had swelled up as he worked at Dash’s budget, and now it had come to a head. "How in Equestria did everypony on the weather team earnexactly three days of emergency pay? It’s down to the hour, precisely! It’s almost as if she just split a massive request evenly betwee-”

The sudden grinding of gears, as enough sand poured through the hourglass on his desk, pulled Dusk to look up, breaking his contemplation. With the weight unbalanced, the heavy guards in the hourglass creaked and groaned as it flipped over and the bell tied to both ends chimed out the alarm. Without Barb to warn him, Dusk had fished out the alarm to warn him when the noon train was due from Canterlot. Giving a sigh, Dusk capped his inkpot and returned his quill to its holder before he rubbed his palms over his eyes. “No time for this right now. Lyra’s train is due in fifteen minutes.”

Sorting his paperwork, Dusk put a paperclip on the pile of sheets and pushed it aside. Walking to the bathroom to wash up quickly, Dusk couldn’t help but laugh at the smear of ink across his face, and took a minute to clean up before heading out. The walk to the trainyard was an easy one, and even with a stop at Sugarcube Corner to pick up some fresh pastries.

Leaning against a post while munching on the cupcake that Pinkie had given him, Dusk found his mind wandering back to the unfinished paperwork in his library, as the distant sound of a train whistle alerted everypony of its imminent arrival in Ponyville. “Dash, what are you really up to with the weather team’s budget? Surely you had to know that somepony would notice everypony in the team somehow working the exact same amount of overtime.” Dusk looked up, smiling towards the approaching train as its whistle pulled for his attention. “But then again, Mayor Mare said she looked into it, and if her clerks missed it, maybe I’m just taking these things too seriously?”

A roar of steam hissed as the train released the last of the pent up pressure, its brakes locking down and squealing with the stress of stopping. Dusk was about to step away from the post he had been leaning against when Derpy came rushing up the staircase to the train platform and nearly trampled over him, three large boxes in her arms blocking her vision.

Twisting around and settling her packages on a bench, she turned around, only just noticing that she had nearly run over Dusk in her haste. Embarrassed, the mare blushed and gestured to the boxes. "Sorry, Dusk! Mayor Mare just gave me all this paperwork for delivery to Canterlot and I was so worried I'd miss this train!"

Laughing gently, Dusk stepped up to her side and waved off her apology. "No, no, it is probably my fault you have so much mail going to Canterlot today. I wanted to make sure I double-checked my whole outbox one last time before sending in this first batch of work as magistrate."

The mailmare snapped into a more professional posture and snapped off a salute that was impressive and quite professional for how clumsy and befuddled she often appeared. "Right! Sorry, Dusk! Should I, ummm... like salute and call you by title and stuff like the mail inspector?"

For a moment, Dusk froze as an annoyed chill ran up his spine. But something in the mare's goofy smile and bright golden eyes smoothed over those sore feelings. "No, not at all, Derpy. I'm no different from the stallion I was before. Thanks for your hard work, as always."

From behind Dusk, a familiar mare's voice cut in. "Well then, if you two are done, I'll steal the magistrate for a while. Apparently I'm to report to him before meeting up with the school teachers?"

As Dusk turned around, Derpy grinned and gave Lyra a wave. "Oh! That’s right, you’re the one who wanted to practise in the mail barn! You're staying at Bonbon's place before, right?! Hello there, Lyra!"

It was shocking just how different Lyra looked dressed as a civilian. The towering mare wore a simple white, strapless sundress, putting her powerful arm muscles on full display, while still being high enough cut to remain professional. With her magic pulling her bags behind her, and the strong breeze blowing her long hair in the wind, it was only her stern face that betrayed what she might really be feeling. She nodded to Derpy before answering. "I was, but my cousin had to return to Canterlot for schooling. Now I've got a new job here in Ponyville." She stopped, turning a glare at Dusk. "I suppose I'll have to look into new living arrangements now? Unless you have something planned already?"

Dusk was glad for Derpy's fun-loving attitude, because she was too busy whistling to herself and dealing with getting her packages loaded onto the train with the proper documentation signed in duplicates, and never noticed Lyra’s glare. "I've spoken with Bonbon, and she still has Minuette's room open if you still want it."

Relaxing, if only a little, Lyra gave a nod to Dusk and stepped over to Derpy, who had just finished talking with the train's staff. "I'm expecting a few parcels from family in Canterlot, but if you can bring them to me at the school when they show, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Delighted to be able to help, Derpy gave a happy little giggle. "Of course! I'd be more than happy to do that for you!" A moment passed before it dawned on her. "Oh! You're the new music teacher Miss Cheerilee was talking about! And you're a unicorn! That's fantastic! Now we can finally have somepony at school who can teach the foals practical magic, instead of just getting Dusk or Rarity to come in and help out for an hour or two!"

Again, Derpy was so busy being happy with herself, she'd never noticed Dusk's groan and facepalm, while Lyra looked baffled from Derpy to Dusk and then back. With her voice turning to ice, Lyra gently patted Derpy’s arm before linking arms with Dusk and drawing him away. “Well thank you, Derpy. Now the magistrate and I clearly have some talking to do, do take care, and I’ll come find you later dear.”

While Dusk cringed as Lyra slightly crushed his arm in her grip, Derpy simply offered a happy grin and waved as they left her behind on the train platform. “Okay! Later Dusk, and see you soon Lyra! I hope you get to meet my little girl Dinky at school!”

Once they were far enough away that she was sure they couldn’t be overheard, Lyra looked down at Dusk, her annoyance no longer kept to a subtle glare. “So am I to be given any choice in my new duties or work in the community? Silken was sure you wanted me as your contact to her spy network, but it sounds like you’ve already found me quite a bit of extra work to do around town already?”

Dusk ignored the tight grip the mare had on his arm, and looked back to make sure all of her luggage was following them in her spell’s grip before answering. "Actually, I'd planned no such thing. I wanted you here so if something happens and I need an answer faster than Barb can provide, you can step in. The excuse of having you be a music teacher just came to me in a moment of sudden inspiration. The magic teacher issue is one I only just started to consider solutions for. Frankly, I had been thinking of taking that job up myself, depending on how it might work into my schedule. However I’d like to also get you to work as a gym teacher for those who aren’t part of Dash’s flight class."

Relaxing her grip, if only just a little, Lyra laughed at that. "I will do the classes, Dusk. Ponyville only has forty or fifty unicorns if I remember my briefing properly. There can’t be more than, what 10, 12 unicorn foals in total? Besides, your time is better served doing your royal duties, not teaching uninterested foals 'Intro to Magic 101'. As for my government work? Take a hands off approach if you want, I'll leave you reports occasionally just in case."

Satisfied he had one more tool in his inventory to deal with future crises as they arise, Dusk continued to escort the mare across town, turning the topic to more casual matters. "Any word about Minuette?"

Scoffing, Lyra released Dusk's arm and walked by his side, still slightly scowling. "She is back in school, both on and off the books. Maybe in a year or two if she is still interested, they might offer her a new mission to test her once she has been properly trained."

Shifting off the road and up to a door, Dusk lightly knocked, before continuing their conversation. "Good to hear. She was always a bright filly, it's good to hear things managed to work out well enough to allow her return to school."

While Dusk talked, the door of the house opened, and a hesitant Bonbon looked out the door to the waiting unicorns. Delighted to see Lyra again, she threw open the door and jumped the taller mare, wrapping her up in a tight hug. "You're really back?!! Dusk asked if the room was open still, but I couldn't believe it!"

Dragging the still-off-balance Lyra inside, Dusk followed, collecting up the baggage Bonbon's sudden ambush had caused Lyra to drop. Following the mares inside and upstairs, Dusk only caught bits of their conversation.

"... and that's when Dusk came over to ask if the room was still open. He even put down the first two months’ payment and a damage deposit so I could afford to remove its listing so nopony got too excited about the open room!" Standing in the bedroom doorway, Bonbon pushed two sets of room keys into Lyra’s hand as Dusk rounded the corner of the staircase.

Lyra caught Dusk's approach from the corner of hir eye and pointed the stallion to drop the bags inside the room. "Well, just as we arrived in Canterlot, still trying to figure out some kind of solution, somepony at the train station was posting new job ads. The one for a part-time teacher here in Ponyville caught my eye, and since then everything has just fallen in place."

As Dusk placed the luggage in a neat, symmetrical stack beside the bed, the conversation dropped lower, and he was unable to make out the rest. In the end, the mares joined him in the room, and the way Bonbon held Lyra’s elbow and smiled up at the now noticeably calmer Lyra reassured him things were likely going to work out for the better now. Unwilling to ruin the moment, Dusk considered leaving off their visit to the school until tomorrow. But Lyra broke the silence herself. "Alright, so my room is ready, and my luggage is set up. Plus, I think I can get along with my landlord. Should we head to the school now, magistrate?"

Unlike Derpy, Bonbon caught Lyra's tone and looked questioningly at the unicorns before shaking it off. "Oh! Alright. I'll see you later tonight. And thanks, Dusk. It's so nice of you to help out Lyra and Minuette."

The walk to the school had been one of mostly silence, Dusk had noticed Lyra was lost in thought, and left her to it, instead letting his mind turn back to the paperwork, and Rainbow Dash. "With the Running of the Leaves this Friday, I should just get Mayor Mare to handle the majority of the event. After all, last I checked, only four or five unicorns were participating. Better to represent than stand in front of a microphone making speeches, even if I stand no chance at keeping up with Dash or Applejack... maybe if I were in better shape, like Lyra "

Looking over at Lyra, an evil grin dawned on Dusk's lips. "You know, Lyra. Ponyville is hosting an event on Friday, the Running of the Leaves."

Suspicious of the stallion’s motives, Lyra watched him closely. "I've read up on it, along with my other reading to prepare for my new teaching job. Why?"

"Well, you already know Ponyville has a small unicorn population, and even if I join in on the running personally, that would only make five unicorns signed up, and only Celestia knows for sure if Vinyl Scratch will really be in town or not on Friday. She's already setting up the sound system for Friday, but she works as a DJ." Lost in a moment of thought, Dusk looked at Lyra. "Err. Have you ever met Vinyl? She also goes by DJ Pon-3 when working."

Lyra kept her stride even and her face neutral at Dusk's questions, and sorted them out as quickly as she could. "I'll run, Dusk. No reason to miss an easy opportunity to get to know more of Ponyville's community, if I'm to be a good teacher. As for the DJ, let me think." For a moment, she tried to appear lost in thought about the pony in question. "Is this a test? She didn't go to SSU, but besides that time in Derpy's barn, have we ever been seen in public?" A half-answer was her best way out of Dusk's attention. "I think back in school, well, Shining and some of the other stallions took a few of us mares to a party. She's a unicorn mare, around five-and-a-half feet tall, has weird electric-blue hair?"

Satisfied Lyra knew who he was talking about, and delighted he had found somepony to at least give Dash and AJ a run for their money, Dusk grinned and clapped his hands together in honest joy. "Oh, Goodie! I can't wait to see how you do. I'd better warn you, Rainbow Dash has been practicing for this for weeks, and having some real competition besides AJ will only make her happier!"

"He is either the best actor I've ever seen, or he really does genuinely mean it. Have I ever heard a stallion say 'goodie'??" Pushing those thoughts aside, Lyra looked at the small schoolhouse as they approached. "Looking at its size, I'm going to assume there is no proper music room?"

Dusk gave a bit of an embarrassed sigh, quickly coming down to earth from his previous high. "Unfortunately, no. Not even a proper magic practice room with shielded walls. Ponyville isn't nearly the same quality as SSU. I'm sure I can find more money in the local budget, but so far as magistrate, I only handle government institutions. Ponyville school is technically a private school, founded by Filthy Rich's father bec-"

"Because of a trade agreement between Mr. Rich and Granny Smith for a guaranteed supply of Zap Apple jam every year. I said I did my reading, Dusk."

Both embarrassed and happy to encounter somepony who could keep up with him, Dusk ran a hand through his hair, while nodding. “Oh, yeah, right! Sorry.”

* * *

Lyra looked around the crowded room of students and teachers, picking out those few faces shi had met during hir time in Ponyville, as well as trying to pick out the few others that had been detailed in hir briefing. “There is Miss Cheerilee, Aura the mayor’s daughter, Scootaloo, the filly temporarily adopted by Nurse Redheart, Diamond Tiara the daughter of Filthy Rich, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. I guess I forgot that there are nearly a hundred ponies in this school including all the foals and staff.”

Dusk’s voice dropped off, and shi realized he must have finished his speech to the students, and now it was hir turn to step up to the small assembly of students. Lyra gave them a wave before folding hir hands over hir stomach, speaking up. “Hello students, teachers. It is my pleasure to finally get to meet you all. My name is Lyra Heartstrings, and I’ve been hired to be your music teacher, as well as running a general fitness class for those of you who are not part of Rainbow Dash’s flight training. And for those unicorns in the crowd, I’ve been asked to look into some basic magic training, though obviously I’ll probably still have guest speakers from the community who have special talents relevant to the lesson at hand.”

That had been hard, but nowhere near as painful as what shi had to say next. Still worried it was a lot for the fillies and colts to take in, Lyra looked around the room, giving them time to digest it all. At last, she glared at Dusk for a moment before standing up a little taller. “Finally, before I take questions, I am required by Masquerade's Law to inform you all that I am a child of Evening Rose, also known as an intersex mare.”

While a few of the foals in the room started muttering to one another at this, Dusk surprised hir by stepping up beside hir again, and squeezing hir shoulder with one hand. “Remember, everypony, Masquerade’s Law applies to all of your teachers. It’s for your protection that a very personal detail about your new teacher had to be shared. So remember, if a teacher, doctor, or another adult ever asks you to go somewhere private with them, you need to be aware that they may be out to harm you. And remember, all your teachers have pamphlets on both Masquerade’s Law, and the children of Evening Rose, should you or your parents ever have any questions.”

Lyra almost felt bad for having doubted Dusk before. “He really is a decent stallion after all, there is no way he could have known, yet he already knew so much about my people.” As Dusk’s touch softened and he finished his talking to the foals, she straightened up, and pushed aside the uncomfortable emotional moment she had just been forced to reveal so publicly. “Thank you, Magistrate Dusk Shine.” And this time, she really meant it. “Now then students, I will take questions for a few minutes.”

Instantly Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and a few other foals Lyra didn’t recognize arm’s shot up simultaneously. Hesitant for a moment, Lyra let their hands hover in the air, before at last pointing to the gray haired filly sitting beside Diamond Tiara. “Yes, you? The filly with the gray hair?”

Standing up and straightening her skirt, Silver Spoon smiled down at her friend before straightening up. “So should we call you Miss Heartstrings like we do for Miss Cheerilee? Or is there a better pronoun to use?”

“A smart question, but I wonder if it’s hers or if she is just asking for Diamond Tiara. The report on her father also mentioned she is keen, and sometimes manipulative.” Lyra was kind of surprised that she found herself doubting a foal’s intentions, but pushed it aside and focused on the standing foal’s question. “While Miss is acceptable, I’d rather you called me Lyra. I’m not the same kind of teacher as Miss Cheerilee, so don’t let it distract you. Next?”

Again the arms shot up, this time, Lyra simply pointed at Sweetie Belle, expecting the filly had an easy-to-answer question. “Does… does that mean that magic classes will take us away from some other class? Um... or...?”

“I’ll have to talk with your other teachers about that, but I hope to simply have magic classes at the same time as the pegasi are doing flight training. This includes those earth ponies who have talents that allow them to use their nature and growing magic purposefully, rather than passively like most earth ponies.”

Now there was some quiet clamor among the foals, as earth ponies did make up the majority of the class. When the foals didn't quiet down, Lyra put two fingers on her lips and blew a sharp whistle. "Quiet down foals. I'll take one last question before we end and return you to your classes."

This time she didn't need to pick, Diamond Tiara had stood up and spoke over the still rumbling talk of her classmates. "Excuse me for asking what might seem obvious, but some of us have already learned some music from private tutors. Are we to be held back by our classmates who are too busy digging up corn and carrots to learn how to hold a flute?"

Lyra had expected something like this at some point. "She is just a spoiled rich girl, but her father owns the school, and even if the city helps fund extra programs, not like I can knock her around just for asking a smart question. She probably does know her music though."

"Oh, I promise I'll make sure to take full advantage of your previous teachers’ training. Once I've properly assessed what you know, I'll find work to keep you busy. Have you ever written music, dear? How about composing an opera? No? For shame! I'd finished my second song by the time I was your age dear, and my music teacher was pushing me to take up opera. Don't worry, I'll see to making sure your talent isn't wasted!"

* * *

Scootaloo skipped out of final period. It was just another arts and crafts project. Why waste her time? Not when Dusk was up to something this exciting!

Thankfully, he had lingered outside her classroom talking with Miss Cheerilee, so sneaking out of a window while everypony else was occupied was easy. Crouching behind the schoolyard fence, she waited. The soft crunch of one pony walking up the path alone snagged her attention, so she leaned in to peer through a knotthole in the fence while staying out of sight. "It is Dusk! And he is alone. Perfect!"

Waiting until he reached the gateway of the schoolyard, Scootaloo let her book bag hang off one shoulder while she posed, leaning against the school gate in an attempt to look relaxed, and cool. Just as Dusk stepped through the gate she cleared her throat to snag his attention before attempting a knowing tone of voice. "So you move a mare built like that into the school to be our new music teacher? I don't know what game you're playing with my school, but it looks like you’re pretty proud of yourself for pulling this all off."

"Did... did he jump a little? I'm sure he jumped a little! I totally snuck up on him and everything!" Delighted at even this small victory, Scootaloo relished in managing to catch Dusk in the middle of some scheme, but that feeling didn't last long.

"Scootaloo! You've got class! Why are you out here?!" Dusk groaned and rubbed an open palm across his face, and Scootaloo's heart fell.

Stammering, she tried pushing the stallion back to the more interesting topic. "Aww, come on, Dusk! You can tell me what's up! Is somepony doing something dangerous in the school?! Maybe a secret griffon spy has infiltrated the teachers, and now you've hired Lyra as our bodyguard while you try to root out their motive?"

Even Dusk wasn't so humorless as to let the filly's enthusiasm go totally ignored. "No, Scootaloo, I swear there is no secret spy ring to break up, or a hidden invasion of buffalo we just haven't told you about. You are just trying to skip class. Don't make me give Dash work outside Ponyville for a week to punish you for skipping school." Dusk let that hang in the air between them for a minute before throwing her just a little bait. "Besides, we dealt with those two last week."

Now wide-eyed, the filly began jumping from one foot to the other in excitement, hardly able to form a proper sentence. "Really!! Did Dash help? I BET SHE COULD TOTALLY TAKE ON A BUFFALO HERD! How come nopony told me!??"

Dusk was laughing on the inside as he watched the filly's eyes go wide and the way she hopped from one foot to the other, it was all so cute and charming, but it was a silly idea. "It is not like that, Scootaloo. Things aren't always that crazy around town. It's not like something crazy like that happens every wee-"

The afternoon air was split by the sudden rapid song of a pegasus whistle calling out in the otherwise calm sky.

Bouncing with excitement, Scootaloo started translating the whistle. "It's Thunderlane! I remember the sound of his whistle from practice with Dash! He wants... he is looking for... umm... Oh! He has found a known fugitive, Dusk! He wants to know where you are!" Reaching for her own brass whistle, she started to lift it to her lips when Dusk gave his own reply, of sorts.

The brilliant royal blue flare Dusk launched up into the sky had soft pink highlights. Instantly, the fatigued stallion twisted around and dove into a deep descent, his wings folded onto his side to accelerate his pace. Scootaloo wondered how much Dusk could pick up but the stallion was watching the same distant figure she was.

"Dusk, that's gotta be Thunderlane. I'd recognize his feather color anywhere. Have you figured out what he is signaling about?"

The sudden familiar voice from behind them caught her attention, making her spin around and grin with glee. "I told him, Rainbow Dash! It's a fugitive alert, isn't it?"

Dash tousled a hand through Scootaloo’s hair and gave her a grin. "Damn right, kid. And the only fugitive around Ponyville I know of, is Tr-"

Dusk shook his head, quickly cutting her off. "No, Dash, listen. Doesn't the long hold, double pause, triple short mean leader or weather command?"

Thunderlane broke out of his dive and into a run, two pegasi Scootaloo didn't recognize following him. Rushing to Dusk's side, the stallion struggled to salute between gasping for breath. Dusk made everypony wait to question the stallion until he had caught his breath. "Dusk, Dash. The black lotus smuggler! She's back!"

Smug, Scootaloo gave Dusk a nudge with her hip. "And you said something exciting doesn't happen every week!"

Author's Note

Tired, water tank broke but is fixed now, so I'm going back to bed. You know what to do!

First attempt at a combination of two episodes into one chapter. Is it going well so far? Don't judge too harshly, the action really picks up in part two.

See you next time, space cowboy!

Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 2

From her bed, Luna could feel the searing heat and vivid plume of flame bring a brilliant light into the otherwise carefully-shielded darkness of her bedroom. Shocked from her sleep, Luna rushed to her balcony, taking only enough time to wrap her nude form in a silk robe before stepping through the black shroud of magic that kept out normal daylight, storming out onto the balcony before screaming down at whatever students of the university were practicing in the courtyard below. "A BANE ON THEE VILE RODENTS BORN OF ILL-BRED WHORES! WHO DOTH ALLOW YOU INTO OUR PRIVATE COURTYARD TO AGAIN ATTEMPT TO DISTURB OUR SCANT FEW HOURS OF REST WITH YOUR CHILDISH GAMES OF FIRE AND LIGHT!? WELL!?? ANSWER YOUR PRINCESS BEFORE OUR WRATH GROWS FURTHER IN THY ENRAGING SILENCE!!!"

At last adjusting to the bright daylight, Luna turned her eyes down to the small private court built in the gap between her and her sister's chambers, only to see a now very embarrassed young dragoness, the one called... "Oh yes, Barb!" sidling behind the radiant tan figure that could only be her sister, Celestia. The old crone who was with them took a moment longer to register, but at last she remembered the mare... no, not a mare, the withered phoenix looked similar to an ancient matriarch of a pony, but her tail and hair, what little was left, were all dull, rust-red feathers. "Philomena. And she is laughing, again. Did the crone put Barb up to this?"

Celestia was the first to answer, bending far down so she could scoop up the little dragoness and cradle her in one arm, while the other tickled over the girl's belly through her dress before speaking. "My apologies for disturbing your sleep sister, but I thought you'd strengthened your bedroom’s protective magic after that prank from the university students. I never thought that Barb's fire could ever manage to pierce your darkness."

Barb still looked sheepish, but as Celestia's fingers soothingly stroked the dragoness' tender belly scales through her thin dress, she looked up to Luna and attempted to apologize. "I really didn't mean it, I promise, Princess Luna. We just found a journal from an elder dragon and I wanted to try to summon real dragon fire!"

The sweet tone of innocence and excitement from the tiny dragoness melted what little fury was left in Luna's heart; she remembered the little dragon’s dreams, they had been inspiring! Luna stepped away from the balcony and took to the spiral staircase that led down from her balcony into the gated courtyard. Still dressed in only her thin and clingy black silk robe, she smiled to the dragoness when she rounded the last lap, and quickly crossed the rows of flowers to join them. "No, forgive us, dear little Barb. I remember the grand visions you see when you sleep. A noble dragoness protecting her friends with true dragon's fire hot enough to melt metal to butter and drive off any threat. We know your dreams dearest Barb, and we approve of such noble virtue."

Looking rather embarrassed again, Barb nodded quietly while remaining cradled in Princess Celestia's arm. It was the withered crone, Philomena, who broke the silence by waddling over and inserting herself into their circle. "Barb has always dreamed big. For two hundred years she refused to answer me, but she endlessly showed me her dreams when I tried to use magic to speak with her, day and night she always had another ready."

Luna smiled down to the worn woman, who was bent over and supporting herself by an iron grip upon a bright mythril walking stick, the gleaming metal was nearly a silver hue. Luna was just about to answer the wise woman when violent coughs bent Philomena even further over, wracking her shoulders with the effort. That wasn't the real shocker, what awed Luna was the dull-rust feathers in the phoenix's hair and her withered wings all simultaneously burst into a brilliant red and yellow glow, like powerful embers fanned back to life.

Worry just as bright in her eyes, Barb forcefully wiggles and struggled her way free of Celestia's suddenly tightening grip, before dashing the short distance to the withered old woman. Cupping both of Philomena's hands in her own, Barb squeezed them, tears darkening the corners of her eyes. "Breathe!! Just, just breathe! Can't we do something for her?"

The dragoness' tone was frantic, almost pained at how the continued harsh coughs brought the old woman to her knees, but it was Celestia who acted first, her voice tense, hard. "Sister, shield yourself!"

Luna felt more than saw what Celestia was doing, and drew her own magic into a focused wall of darkness around herself, much thicker than the faint shield of gloom she had set up to protect her room. "The weather teams worldwide are going to be after you with questions after this, dear sister!"

The clouds above Canterlot didn't part, they were not given time. It was the sudden blast of heat that melted them away and opened a brilliant column of light in the sky above their courtyard. Inside her ball of darkness, Luna could sense the approaching intense heat, and for a moment worried about the little dragoness, but by then, it was too late.

As the blinding force of all the world's focused sunlight was directed into a single blast that roared down for an unfathomable amount of time, and Luna felt her knees creek with the stress, while the outer layers of her shield began to melt away, one layer at a time. Then suddenly, a second radiant red and gold plume formed in the aura of intense sunlight, before both unmeasurable forces at last began to abate.

"By the Night Mother! What in Equestria was that! And who in the bloody fuck do I have to throttle to ensure that never happens again!??" The scream from the balcony above was familiar, and Luna finally released her shields, standing up and surveying the ruined courtyard. Celestia was bathed in a golden-white glow, a puddle of gold and burning fabric at her feet the last remaining tatters of her once noble dress. The red and yellow feathers of Philomena's feathers still glowed their own vibrant hue, and the old woman was breathing calmly again. "And Barb?"

As if she had heard Luna's worried thoughts, Barb shakily stepped out from Philomena's protective arms, her own clothing also burnt away in the blinding firestorm. Unlike the old woman, or Celestia, Barb looked around before calling up at the still-swearing Silken Flight on the balcony above them. "I think everypony is okay now, really!"

Relieved, Luna peaked off a thin layer of darkness from the inside of the shield she had just emerged from, reshaping the bent shadow into a single dress for the tiny dragoness before turning around to look up to her naked lover. "Silk, calm yourself, and go straight to our sister’s room. Find one of her handmaids and get her to fetch Celestia’s Summer Sun Celebration dress. If they question you, don’t be polite. She will need some time to cool down, but at least that dress will hold together until then.” When the naked mare paused for a moment, staring down at her mistress, Luna’s voice cracked like a whip. “Go now! We won’t have enough time for explanations before others begin to arrive!"

Nodding, the naked warrior let her wings unfold, bolting across to the other balcony and kicking in the door. A screaming mare from the other side of the door told Luna they’d have a few extra questions to answer.

* * *

There had been confusion. There had been an explanation, one mostly made up of the truth, and Celestia had even ordered one of the more nosy of the guards to spend the week replanting the courtyard’s small flower garden personally when he asked one question too many. Barb and Philomena had been escorted to the old woman's rooms for care, and doctors were being summoned. So when they at last needed privacy, it was natural that they went back to Luna's rooms.

Properly dressed in her stiff leather armor, the black metal studs had each been polished with great care, Silk had done her part in kicking in a few heads and driving away the nosier onlookers. Now she sat on a chair in front of the balcony door, a spiked club getting the same detailed inspection in case somepony else unwanted came looking for Princess Celestia.

Luna tore her eyes away from the hard-boiled mare in the doorway, and asked the question that needed an answer. "So what's the matter with her?"

Celestia was still glowing, such sustained and direct connection to the sun itself had a powerful effect on her sister, and it worried Luna. Sipping at the hot tea, even Celestia's tongue glowed a fading but brilliant hue of white and gold. It took a long time, but the mare collected herself and set down her teacup before answering. "She is dying." Before Luna could speak the words forming on her lips, Celestia's hand shot up and she cut her off. "I know the legends. I know the stories. But she is the only one of her kind I've ever found who didn't have the wanderlust like the others. For much of the last forty years we have used every means feasible to aid her while we searched in vain for another member of her species, but wherever they have gone, they don't wish to be found. Finally, ten years ago as plans for your rescue began to eat up more and more of my time, she gave up. I-I'm scared for her, sister."

The pain in Celestia's voice was thick and made Luna pause, remembering her own time imprisoned by her jealousy. Forcing that painful memory aside, she looked at her own tea, drifting into thoughts of the ill old woman. As a face took shape in her tea, she realized she had been daydreaming of another answer. “Did you devote all of your resources, sister? A name comes to mind that might find another solution.”

Celestia winced, but was quick to shake her head and refuse Luna’s suggestion. “No, we can’t ask him. We have too many other matters we need him to deal with. Besides, at the age of ten, I had to explain the concept of a hypothetical situation to him, because I found him conducting a field investigation, hunting for the Fairy-Tooth-Pony in the halls of the castle at three in the morning, because he simply refused to believe anypony would invest so much effort into a foal’s tale. Besides, if we did ask him, do you think he’d ever sleep again?”

Luna continued to admire the face of a young stallion in her cup. He reminded her... reminded her of somepony very dear to her. “You are right, sister. He already gets fixated on even the smallest matter. Already I see he struggles between his ethics and a friend’s deeds.”

For a few minutes the two sat in silent consideration, until Silk suddenly stood up, hefting her brutal club and shouting at somepony approaching from out of sight. “Away with you, mailmare! The princess doesn’t wish to be disturbed, you’ll have only this one warning!”

Neither sister took any consideration of the words. It hadn’t been the first pony Silk had ordered away, yet alone had to threaten. It was the answer that got the sisters’ attention. “Well, look, I know you have a big club, but the maid’s cleaning up the mess in Princess Celestia’s rooms said she was here, and he said I was to bring this letter to Princess Celestia right away! He said it was very important and not to let anypony distract me! Now don’t make me, make you, hurt me!”

Something in that voice was familiar, and Luna stood up, walked out to the balcony, and placed a single hand on the shoulder of her guard before pushing past her. Hovering in the air before the balcony, a pegasus mare with gray feathers and blond hair in a mailmare’s uniform waited, returning Silk’s threat with her own stubborn frown. It took a moment, but a name flared up in Luna’s mind, and she smiled to the serious-faced mare, those eyes, while they belied her angry nature, showed a happy smile dancing inside. “You’re the mare who brought our sister the letter about Ponyville needing a music teacher, Derpy, right?”

Realizing her words had been overheard by royalty, Derpy visibly winced with guilt and snapped a salute off. “I am, Princess, I’m sorry for arguing with your guard! But Dusk said this letter was really important, and that with Barb visiting Canterlot, he needed me to deliver it without fail!”

Walking out to the edge of the balcony where the mare hovered, Luna offered the mare a hand, her voice soothing and confident. “Then give me the letter, dear mailmare. I promise I’ll deliver your letter to my sister immediately.”

Derpy’s face screwed up for a moment. Torn between her loyalty to the royalty before her, and Dusk’s request. Shakily, she extended the letter towards the princess, her voice very serious again and her eyes sharpening to focus on a single point together for once. “You promise Princess Celestia will see it right away, Princess Luna?”

From inside Luna’s room, Celestia spoke up, approaching the doorway only enough to become visible to the mare outside because of the still-brilliant golden aura that radiated around her. “I will, dear mare. Thank you for such loyalty.”

At the sight of her monarch glowing like the sun itself, Derpy knelt as best she could, ending up kneeling on the balcony’s railing. Pressing the letter into Luna’s hand and blushing darkly, Derpy mumbled something that Luna couldn’t quite make out, and forced the letter into her hand. Smiling a little, Luna pushed aside her own feelings of momentary jealousy, and stepped forward, cupping the mare’s chin and lifting it when the mare tried to look away from them with reverence. Leaning in, Luna kissed the young mare on her cheek, making the girl whisper an ‘eep’ before blushing even darker. “Return to your home, mailmare, and know that your duty has been completed perfectly.”

Derpy jumped back up and saluted Celestia sharply before launching into the air, a delighted smile and a happy giggle preceding her own goodbye. Watching as the mare soared away, Silk shook her head. “She’s got a lot of courage for such a little thing.”

Handing the letter through the doorway to her sister, Luna gave a nod, and slipped her arms around the warrior’s ribs, holding her close from behind. “She does, doesn’t she? In the future, make sure all the guards and your spies know her. From now on, she is to be considered untouchable. Spread the word, she carries Dusk’s letters, and Dusk’s mail is always important.”

Celestia spoke up, her voice amused, as she called the mare’s attention back to Luna’s room. “The weather team has had another sighting of the smuggler around Ponyville. Dusk is requesting a wing of the royal guard to assist his weather team in surveying the Everfree and hunting her down. What do you think, dear sister?”

Refusing to release her grip on Silk, Luna turned around and dragged the mare with her until she could look her older sister in the eye. A grin curled her lips. “I think this will make a great chance for Bronze Feather to get more field experience. Silk?”

Silk didn’t resist Luna’s grip, and was blushing darkly when the goddess asked for her opinion. Off-balance, the mare stuttered a little, before stopping, clearing her throat and starting again. “I’ve only had a few days of real training with her, but she picked up coded language very quickly, and she was already very good at field coordination. I think this is a great chance to test her, princess.”

Luna grinned at her sister and squeezed the mare in her arms with a strong hug, resting her chin on the mare’s shoulder. “There we have it. An opportunity for both Dusk and Bronze to be properly tested, and hopefully eliminate a lotus smuggler.”

* * *

“Foals mostly between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, Miss Cheerilee’s class. Star students: Sweetie Belle, age 12 only just a few weeks ago, Silver Spoon, age 13, Rumble age 16. Notable foals: Apple Bloom, Diamond Tiara, and Aura. Troublemakers: Scootaloo, Snips, and Snails. Mostly good foals, find activities that will keep the troublesome foals from breaking things, and keep the ones with brains separated from the unruly bunch.”

Lyra just couldn’t help it, even as she leaned in drawing her finger across the line on the page to help the confused Snips keep up with the beat, she found her eyes wandering across the class, noticing the way Scootaloo stared out the window with a distant look in her eyes, the way Sweetie Belle hummed along with the song when she hadn’t even been given a part to play yet, and even Snips’ inability to keep time even when she was guiding him along with her damned finger on his page!!!

Forcing herself to take a breath, Lyra clapped her hands together, calling the class to stop. “Good first effort, we’ll use that as a starting point, and send you all home with a copy of the sheet music to practice.” She turned and gently gestured to Sweetie Belle. “Dear, you seem to have a good sense of the rhythm. Care to pick an instrument and come sit here beside Snips?”

The moment the whole class looked at the youngest foal in the room, Sweetie froze, and hid behind her sheet music. Something was mumbled out from behind the page, but Lyra couldn’t tell just what the filly had said. Taking two steps across the room, she cleared her throat, speaking softly. “I’m sorry, what, Sweetie?”

Apple Bloom leaned forward over the music stand and answered instead. “Sweetie doesn’t play any music, she just kinda hums a lot. I think she’s really good at humming, though!”

Behind her, Lyra could hear the whispers and snickering starting already. It would be Diamond and Silver or Snips and Snails. Rather than let them continue, she turned around and flipped Snips and Snails pages back to the very sheet. “Diamond, Silver. Please come help Snips and Snails keep time while they practise the first page. Since you both seem to be the best with your instruments, you’d be the best to show the poor colts how to keep a rhythm in their head.”

“And it’ll keep you four busy and separate from your best friends, thus cutting down on the rude comments behind my back.”

The groans and grumbles from the four students faded away quickly enough under her glare, and the girls got up and moved to stand beside the two colts, keeping them busy and grumbling at one another while she went across the room and pulled a free chair up beside Sweetie Belle. “Now that the rest of the class is busy, how about we talk, Sweetie? How come you don’t play any music? I can tell you like it. You even picked up the sheet music faster than anypony else in class.”

It didn’t appear to matter that she was speaking quietly, and sitting in close to the filly, Scootaloo had finally stopped paying attention to the world outside the window and looked over, grinning at them. “It’s because she’s really shy and doesn’t like showing off in front of anypony. Not like her big sister, Rarity.”

While Sweetie Belle locked up and refused to look at her, Lyra took the silence as a chance to begin the process of dealing with Scootaloo. “Scootaloo? I didn’t ask you. I asked Sweetie Belle. How about you move your chair away from the window and go back to reading the sheet music? Rainbow Dash isn’t going to leave you behind just because you stayed until the end of class for once.”

Wincing, Scootaloo stood up, and pulled her chair a few feet away from the window, but pouted and muttered to herself the whole time. “...Wasn’t even looking for Dash today anyways. It’s Dusk I’m worried about. He’s dealing with some smuggler and I’ve got class? So stupid!”

Adding Scootaloo’s muttering to her mental notes, Lyra looked back at Sweetie Belle, who stared up at her now, and smiled a little before leaning in and speaking very softly so nopony could overhear her. “Scootaloo is right, though. I do wish I was as brave in front of a crowd as Rarity. She is so good at standing up and speaking her mind while other ponies gawk at her and make rude comments.”

Lyra grinned and fluffed a hand through the foal’s hair. “Don’t worry. Your big sister is just very good at standing up for herself. You’ll learn how to handle crowds too, don’t worry. How about for now, we plan some private classes, maybe sometime on the weekend or sometime during the week when your parents can supervise and give you some encouragement?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes suddenly shone, and she reached out, tightly gripping Lyra’s wrist. “Rarity promised we could take up some big sister, little sister project together. Could we have it be a music class?!!”

The joy and excitement in the filly’s eyes was almost enchanting, and Lyra laughed, patting her head. “Sure, Sweetie, sure. I’ll talk to Rarity sometime and find out when works with her schedule.”

* * *

As the other students exited the classroom, Apple Bloom quietly folded up the last few chairs and pushed them aside. Lyra watched over her while she wrote a few more notes. ”Nopony asked her, yet here she is, doing extra work. Takes after her big sister, I supose.”

Just as Lyra recapped her inkpot, a small throat clearing before her made her look up, and Apple Bloom stood before her, an unfamiliar stern look on the filly’s face. “Lyra, you seem like a good teacher. But don’t pick on Sweetie Belle. She’s my responsibility to look after, and I ain’t gonna put up with nopony hurting her.”

Shocked at the possessive and defensive way the filly spoke about her classmate, Lyra was too busy staring in stunned silence to answer as Apple Bloom quickly turned and left the room, closing the door with a definite bang.

Lyra sat for a few minutes in stunned silence, looking from the papers she had been writing to the now empty classroom, and back. “So, I guess you gave me a new world of problems to deal with, Dusk. Do I go after Snips and Snails who are too lazy to keep time with music? Scootaloo’s inability to focus on her classwork when Dash is standing on the other side of an open window? Apple Bloom is up to something as well, and Sweetie clearly can’t wait to spend more time with her sister. At least that’s easy enough.” Putting away her notes, she looked out the classroom window at Scootaloo and Dash. “What was it you said, Scoots? Dusk and a smuggler? I think that’s going to have to take priority, sorry, foals.”

* * *

Dusk passed the single page of parchment over to Lyra, giving the mare the full weight of his attention. “Like I said, we don’t have much to go on. Black and white tail hair, always wearing a very heavy brown, possibly leather, cloak. Estimated height is around six foot two and likely an earth mare. There are arguments if her eyes are blue, gold or some color of turquoise, but regardless, our information on her is very limited.”

Dusk waited as Lyra read over the information he had written on the sheet, but there really was little else of note. The spy pushed a hand through her hair and threw the parchment back to Dusk’s desk, giving a sigh. “So other than the fact this smuggler is a mare, is somewhere in the Everfree Forest, and knows how to handle and prevent the regrowth of Black Lotus, you know nothing else about her?”

Dusk sighed, shook his head and straightened the parchment to square it with his desk. “You’re basically right, yes. But I’ve done what little I can to improve our odds. I’ve got a map of the Everfree set up and separated into grids, and I’ve plotted out her sightings. We know she has not yet been seen within two grids of Ponyville, that gives us a ten kilometer buffer from town that we will ignore for now. So if I get the full wing I requested, I’ll split them up into groups of two and pair them with four members of Ponyville’s weather team. That will let us search eight grids at a time for any signs of cut plants, or tracks of a pony in the area, plus the two guards will provide enough insurance to make sure the weather team can do what they do best: look for small details. I wish I’d asked for the Wonderbolt Cadets. They don’t fight as well, but I’m sure they are even better at scouting then the royal guard. Still, safety first.”

Lyra started nodding, and walked over to the map Dusk had spoken about, looking over it for a while in silence. Dusk fished out the list of the weather team and shifted through the pages, growing anxious while he waited for her to speak. She nearly caught him off guard when she finally did. “So, why are you ignoring the grid where Dash caught her harvesting the Black Lotus?”

“Two reasons. First, if she is as smart as she appears, even if she was based in the area, she’d have probably moved camp. Black Lotus went for nearly two thousand bits for a single dried leaf last winter, and the haul she got from that clearing should have bought her anything in Equestria she wanted. The second, why is she still in the Everfree if she has that much Black Lotus to cure and preserve? I’ve checked the list of known resellers and smugglers the Royal Guard are watching, none have black and white tail hair. I’ve even requested a listing of known outlaws that come close to matching our target. The only reason I can think of for a pony with so much value in black market goods to still be in the area is because they know they were seen, and they want to wait until enough time has passed for suspicion to go down.”

Lyra laughed, shaking her head. “Or they have such a high price on their head they have a third party they trust delivering their goods to resellers the guard don’t know about. Or they dyed their hair when they went to Canterlot. Or-”

Dusk sighed, and cut her off. “Black Lotus is traceable, Lyra. Dried and preserved, broken down into powder, mixed with rose water, it doesn’t matter. The guard has a spell Shining told me about; it makes it possible to track even trace amounts. If somepony we don’t know of is trading or smuggling Lotus in Canterlot, they’ve found a new way to hide it.”

“Alright. So we start just outside of the grid with the lotus and look for hints of cut plants and a pony staying in the area. I’m guessing report in after four hours and then move grid by grid based off clues?”

“No. If after four hours, and all eight grids turn up no signs, we move to the grid where Thunderlane spotted her, and assume the lotus clearing was just her making a special trip just for the lotus. The trail will be fresher there anyways.”

Lyra looked back at the map again and made some quiet noises before looking up. “You expect six mares to be able to survey a twenty five square kilometer area in four hours?”

Dusk laughed a little folded up his paperwork, pushing it aside. “No. I just want to keep them moving. Even with the guards, the Everfree forest is a very dangerous place. If I keep them in a grid for no more than four hours, hopefully we can minimize that danger.”

Impressed, Lyra gave a smile. “Alright. I’ll give it to you, Dusk. You plan like you’ve taken classes with the best. Shining’s influence? Or have you studied military search patterns in hostile territory?”

Rarity entered the library and placed the platter of daisy sandwiches on Dusk’s desk. “No, he just doesn’t sleep and spends his day reading, even when two mares are visiting his home.” Giving him a solid glare she pushed his shoulder. “Now eat, or I’ll make AJ come sit on your lap so I can force feed you.”

Lyra cocked a brow, picking one of the many half sandwiches from the plate, and taking a bite. “Trouble in paradise, Rarity?”

Rarity looked up from the stallion and finally appeared to relax a little when he started eating. “No, no. Dusk just gets a little too into his study when he gets caught up.” Fondly stroking fingers through the stallion’s hair, she looked up at Lyra, her voice softer. “How long have you worked for Princess Celestia? Do you think she’d set up this smuggler just as a test for Dusk?”

Lyra was quiet for a while, and Dusk watched the way she looked from him to Rarity. He could almost swear he saw the gears in her head turning, as she tried to decide how much to say. He nearly laughed at her carefully measured answer. “I was probably working for her at a much younger age, but I was first told I was working for her when I was seventeen. She needed somepony who had classes with Princess Cadence’s stalker at SSU. Turns out that was Shining Armor, and she was just being protective of her granddaughter. But from that assignment, I was given years of extra training and study, focused on sharpening my mind and body. Plus, it gave me more time to give reports on Shining Armor, even after Princess Celestia was sure he wasn’t just another stallion hunting the elusive alicorn as a prize to put above his bed.”

Rarity laughed and wrapped her arms around Dusk’s neck, holding him close and nuzzling at his cheek. “Some ponies make very stupid mistakes trying to put prizes above their beds. I’m glad Dusk’s brother isn’t one of those fools. Thank you, Lyra. Dusk might even come to bed tonight with your reassurance he’s doing this all right.”

While Lyra and Rarity shared laughter, Dusk rolled his eyes, and swallowed the last of his half sandwich. “Dash and Applejack will be back soon. Are you sure you want your cover blown with them both, Lyra? You’re going to be busy with school tomorrow, so it is not like you can help join the search anyways.”

Lyra’s laughter stopped, and she looked thoughtful for a minute, at last taking another bite of her daisy sandwich and chewing thoughtfully. “You might be right, but no reason to hide my presence from the other elements. Nevertheless, I’ll leave before anypony else comes by.”

Rarity released Dusk and walked around the desk, offering a hand to the taller mare. “Thank you, Lyra. I’ll figure out a good time for those music classes with Sweetie. Now take a few more sandwiches with you and say hello to Bonbon for me!”

* * *

Dusk looked up at the sudden, rapid knocking at the door, a half sandwich falling from his mouth as he started to rise. It was only Rarity’s stern clearing of her throat that stopped him and made him sit back down, picking up the sandwich as Dash went to answer the door. Her laughter pulled Dusk’s anticipation. “Hahaha! Alright! Somepony in charge who I can get! Even if you aren’t a Wonderbolt, welcome back to Ponyville!”

Polishing off the rest of his sandwich with two more bites, Dusk stood up again, just in time for Dash to return from around the corner with Bronze Feather right behind her, followed by two Royal Guard pegasi sergeants. In time, all three snapped to a sharp salute, and stood at attention while Bronze placed two sealed scrolls on Dusk’s desk. “Hello, Magistrate! As you’ve requested, a full wing of the Royal Guard have accompanied me to assist in your investigation. Princess Celestia has given us two weeks, but hopefully we can wrap things up in half that, aye?”

Dusk swallowed the last bite of the sandwich, laughing a little before waving for them all to relax. “Let’s hope so, Bronze. We can go over my plan for this mission later, but first, let’s get your troops set up for the night. You remember where the Apple Family farm is, right Bronze?”

Bronze snapped off another salute, grinning to Dusk. “I do, magistrate. shall we meet you there, or just go get set up and return when we are complete?”

Dusk slipped an arm around Applejack’s hips as she stepped in beside him, and grinned at Bronze Feather. “Meet us there. If I don’t go for a walk today I’d have at least three mares on my ass for being too busy or lazy to exercise today anyways.” Enjoying both Applejack and Rarity’s laughter, Dusk wondered why Rainbow Dash didn’t join in. Attempting to watch her out of the corner of his eye as she looked away from them all, she began to scratch at her elbow, fidgeting and biting her lip as if she were thinking about something.

* * *

Flying in the fading daylight was exhausting; extra attention had to be paid to every little detail. Weary, Derpy looked up again, and relief at finally seeing the lights of Ponyville approaching flooded her weary wings with an extra burst of strength. “Home sweet home, at last!”

Derpy waited until she had passed over much of the town, wanting a clear view of her front step, and only then twisted into a dive, folding her wings back and speeding towards the ground. “Watch this, Dash! You know, the weather ponies aren’t the only ones who teach stunt flying! Go go Derpy Divebomb!”

At the last second, she shot her wings out again, and flipped in mid air, landing a little roughly on the doorstep and losing her balance, she crashed forward, running square into the door and accidentally twisting the knob, allowing her to fall through and trip over the rug inside, landing squarely on her ass.

The sharp stab of embarrassment cut into her heart as she heard giggling laughter that could only be coming from her filly. Her embarrassment only grew when Amethyst joined Dinky in her laughter. It wasn’t until a stallion suddenly spoke up that Derpy realized that all of this had happened before a gentlecolt sitting on her couch. “Oh, my dear! Ma’am, are you quite alright?”

* * *

Off in the distance, Dusk could see the guards were already at work in one of the clear sections of the apple farm, where months before, corn or wheat had been growing. Applejack was trying to hide it, but excitement hovered in the air for her proper homecoming after the incident the week before, and she nearly jumped when she saw Apple Bloom in the middle of the pack of the guards. The tiny filly was shouting directions to both mares and stallions, all of whom would stop, listen to her directions and then continue with their work, mindful of the short filly’s demands to: “Be watchful of the soft ground over there!” or “Hey! Look out! Fluttershy promised all the gophers closed up their holes in this field, but you never know when one of them might've gotten a little lazy!” and of course, the always classic: “The latrine? You mean like the outhouse? Cause that’s just behind the big barn! Why are you mumbling and blushing so much? Everypony needs to use the outhouse sometimes, right?”

It was into this environment Applejack rushed, while Dusk picked up the two bags she had decided to bring home. “I wonder if Rarity helped her plan out just what to specifically leave behind at the library? I’ve noticed the closet in my room is rather full now. Besides, Mac brought three bags of clothing to town for her, and now we only bring two back. I suppose it is more convenient, they are taking turns staying over these days, even if I had been planning on turning that closet into a bookshelf for my bedroom.”

Granny Smith sat on the porch, and grinned her one good tooth at Dusk before speaking up. “I see my grandfoal is walking better again. Thanks for taking her in and keeping an eye on her health, magistrate. I take it these troublemakers will leave my fields in as good shape as they found them?”

Dusk wondered for a moment if she was serious, or angry, before the playful twinkle in her eyes gave away her amusement at the situation. Relaxing a little and placing the two bags just inside the doorway, Dusk leaned against the wall beside her rocker, crossing his arms over his chest and watching as Applejack scooped her little sister up as if it had been weeks since they’d seen one another, and not simply a few hours since Apple Bloom stopped in on her way home from school. “To be honest, I think she spent more time fretting about you, and the things Mac might not get finished on the farm before winter proper came, but I managed to get her to relax and sit down for a few hours here and there. And don’t worry, Granny Smith, I’ve already set aside a small payment from the budget to repay for any damage their presence might do to your fields.”

Something felt almost right about it when Granny used the word magistrate, not like the others, using a title of office. The way the words left her lips, it was like she too saw the real joke in giving him, a student at heart, and by no means a properly versed politician, such power. Dusk felt none of the worry of failing somepony when she said it, nor the guilt that he might simply have been given the title as some part of Princess Celestia’s secret games with those who considered themselves power brokers in the kingdom. For a while, Granny snickered to herself, her tongue making the oddest clicking sound as she flicked it against the back of her single prominent good front tooth. “I suppose you’ll be wanting Applejack to settle down and move to town next? It’s not so far a walk for a healthy mare like her to come work at the farm anyways.” As Dusk spun to face her directly, Granny lifted a hand defensively, and grinned up at him. “No no, foal, calm down and think about it for real, if only for a minute. My grandson’s a quiet boy, and his relationship with the sweet filly one field over went sour because they rushed things. But you know how outgoing a mare Applejack is, always putting herself out to help other ponies, never thinking about herself. Think on it, colt, and I’ll stop meddling, before AJ hears and gives me an earful for getting into business that ain't my own.”

The old mare meant it too, even as Dusk began to roll the idea over his lips, the plump matron of the Apple clan wandered inside and fetched up the bags Dusk had tucked behind the doorway, easily picking them up despite her poor back. Just turning at the noise of her walking upstairs, Dusk felt guilty the mare had felt the need, but then realized again, this was Granny Smith. If she’d wanted him to handle the bags, she’d have given him quite strict orders about how and when to do just that. Leaning against the wooden fence of the porch and watching the guards, Dusk lost himself in thoughts, until Dash’s voice cut through the quiet night.

“I still say I could have hosted most of them. My place has two spare bedrooms and a large enough yard. Why’d you have to just accept AJ’s offer and push mine aside right away?”

The mare was still surly, and Dusk could feel it in her voice, and the way she leaned her back against the deck, looking away from the organized insanity of setting up camp in the distance. Resisting the urge to sigh, Dusk drew up the list of reasons he’d prepared earlier, hoping he had been able to avoid this conversation, but here it came. “Dash, you know why your place could never have worked. I doubt even AJ could stay over, and you two enjoy sharing a bed together. Look, one of your spare rooms is also your clean laundry closet, because as you put it, it’s: ‘The one closer to the shower and bathroom, so the perfect place for a clean shirt.’; let’s not even mention the fact that you’ve got dirty clothing piles lining the hallway from the master bedroom to the bathroom, and wet towels from the bathroom to your clean clothing room. Have you ever been in the third bedroom? Do you even know where the key is?” Getting carried away with himself, Dusk ignored the way Dash curled a lip in and bit it while he continued down the list. “At your place, they’d all be sleeping in tents just like here, and the noise would have pissed off your neighbors, no matter how good natured of ponies they might be. Your bathroom is fine for one pony, and should work fine for a normal family, maybe even a small herd. But with Bronze and the the four squires included, we’ve got twenty-one ponies to accommodate, so we’d have to dig a latrine for them instead of simply allowing them to use the existing one here.”

Even as dense as Dusk was, he wasn’t so dull as to miss the way Dash’s cheeks turned red, or the way she stomped a foot. When he finally cut himself off, she was fuming, and shot back at him right away. “That? That’s just because it’s some crappy little house the town provided me when I moved to town. I’m a weather captain! I’ve been to flight school. I could build a proper pegasus home in the sky over Ponyville if I really cared! So don’t talk like I chose my home, it’s just been convenient is all!” The embarrassed mare sharply huffed, and bolted off the deck, rushing over to the guards and pushed past those who got in her way until she found Bronze Feather, and suddenly the two mares were airborne, all before Dusk had really realized what had happened.

Leaning forward against the railing, Dusk rested his head in his hands, shaking it a little, while talking to himself. “I’m sorry, Dash. I didn’t mean it personally.” With one mare returned to her home and happy, Dusk was beginning to realize that he was now probably trapped in the middle of Dash and Applejack’s competitive relationship.

* * *

Derpy gave a little flustered wave at the stallion as he closed the bedroom door. She turned around, rushing back to her room, and locked the door behind her. Undisturbed, Amethyst continued to read, lying in bed and casually turning a page. “Well? What did you think of him, dear? He’ll make a fine tenant, right?”

Breathing heavily, Derpy looked up at her love, and tried to phrase the feeling she had into words. “It’s just… Didn’t you notice how he… or that he’s.. I mean, besides his brown hair, can you remember anything much about him?”

Confused by the flustered state that Derpy had worked herself into, Amethyst placed a bookmark on the page and looked up at her, more serious now. “What are you so worked up about? And I’d say his hair was more a fare dirty blond than brown.”

Still flustered, Derpy tried her best to again properly phrase the bad feeling she was having. “It’s just, I’m sure you noticed how he behaved, didn’t you? Time Turner, he said his name was, and he has an hourglass cutie mark. And he is good at fixing stuff. I just wish he stood out better, I am good at names and faces Amethyst! It’s why I’m a good mailmare! So how come I can’t remember his name or his face?”

A little worried, Amethyst got out of bed and gently put an arm around her lover's hips guiding her gently to the bed. “Calm down now, Derpy. And he has blue eyes, remember? And he’s so dashing! Besides, I checked his references, and he used to work at SSU Library. I’m sure if we ask Dusk in the morning, he’ll be able to confirm everything. I don’t know why you’re so worked up about a handsome and charming fellow. He even helped Dinky with some of her magic homework while I was doing the dishes.”

Leaning back into Amethyst’s arms, a nagging feeling still worried Derpy, and she chewed on her lip before asking her again. “Blue eyes? I’d have said they were more brown? Are you sure?”

Laughing a little, Amethyst kissed the mare softly, holding her close and rubbing her sides. “Look, Derpy! This is why you should wear your proper Royal Courier's suit on long delivers like that letter you took to Canterlot today! You’re still cold and tired and now you're worried about nothing! Yes, his eyes are a lovely light shade of blue. Really, you should calm down, dear.”

Relaxing against her lover, Derpy gave a sigh, and gently nodded. “You are right, he is really charming, but I feel like he’s dangerous too, you know? Like he has some strange air of excitement or adventure around him?” When Amethyst shook her head, Derpy gave in and nodded, curling up beside her love and chewing on her lower lip. “I could have sworn his eyes were brown...”

* * *

Dusk threw down the sheath of paperwork and pulled off his reading glasses, unable to keep from groaning while he squeezed a finger on the bridge of his nose. “Why, Dash?! Now I’m going to have to start interviewing ponies, and that’s only going to cause more questions to come up. Couldn’t you have just come to me and asked for help, if something was wrong?”

The library door clicked shut, and Dusk’s head snapped up, shocked for a moment before realizing from the sound of heavy armored boots in those footsteps that Bronze had returned from wherever she had been with Rainbow Dash. The tall mare leaned in the open library door, lit only by his single-shielded desk candle, and grinned at him. “My oh my, still up and doing paperwork, Dusk? And here I was just hoping to see if I could sneak on in and surprise you!”

Dusk was shocked at the flirty tone in Bronze’s voice, but pushed it aside, assuming she must have just been teasing him after the crazy day she must have had. As she approached his desk, the rich smell of apple cider on her breath reaffirmed that opinion. “No, I’d assumed you’d take up Dash’s offer, but I’m glad to put you up for the night if she didn't offer. Besides, I’ve been wanting to ask you about a few things, most of all, about Barb. Have you seen her since she went to Canterlot? Is she doing okay? Is Philo-...”

When Dusk fell silent, Bronze took it as a sign and stepped over to the couch, settling the heavy backpack that contained her armor down before sitting down on the couch herself. Dressed in the light, but stained, cloth padding armor she wore under her plate, the mare answered the last question for him. “Philomena is dying. The majority of the court doesn’t know it yet, but after the mess that happened today, I wouldn’t be surprised if most of Canterlot figures it out soon.”

This casually toned confirmation hit Dusk like a hammer, and he groaned, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. “I think I’ve known that for years, but thanks for the honesty. I think I knew it was going to happen someday, but-” He sighed, looking back up at Bronze. “How is Barb handling it?”

Bronze shook her head, casually untying the laces around her throat and pulling the armor to lay open, exposing her at the throat and chest, before lightly fanning her semi-exposed chest and the curve of her breasts with a hand. “Better than Princess Celestia expected, but she’s pouring herself into the little classes and lessons on dragon magic they’ve put together, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s keeping herself busy to avoid having to think about it.”

Dusk laughed a little with both momentary embarrassment and shock. He kept himself busy by bending over to pull open the bottom drawer of his desk, removing a painted hand fan that Rarity had given him some weeks ago when the heat of summer had been at its worst. Offering it out to the guard, Dusk gave a nod. “She is a tough young lady, but I doubt she’ll handle it well when it finally comes. She might look fourteen, but she was awake for centuries inside that egg, and other than The Princess, only Philomena has been with her for any fraction of that time.

Accepting the fan with a quiet murmur of thanks, Bronze began to fan herself, enjoying the cool breeze as it washed over her naked flesh, bare nipples erect. “The poor thing. So you could say that Princess Celestia and Philomena are like her mothers, and you are her father. But that can’t be all that’s bothering you, I doubt you have any paperwork relating to that on your desk, Dusk.”

Guiltily snapping his eyes to the paperwork, Dusk winced, and looked back at the bare-chested mare, worried for a moment that she might have already read enough of the cover page to know about Dash’s forgery. But as he watched the semi-topless mare fanning her face with the the paper fan, Dusk realized she clearly didn’t care, allowing him to relax a little once more. “Bronze, have you ever had to spend much time learning how the weather team in Canterlot manages things? Are they very strict with their paperwork and note keeping?” Acting casual, Dusk tried to phrase his questions to push her towards the topic without revealing his whole hand. “Just keep her distracted, keep her busy thinking about how hot it is in here. Besides, she’s probably a little drunk, she’ll probably forget all about this conversation by morning.”

Laughing a little, Bronze reached over and pulled the cup of water off Dusk’s desk, pouring a little of it on her head, and semi-naked chest, her shirt absorbing most of the runoff. When she started fanning herself again, goosebumps began to form all over her exposed, wet flesh, while she gave a small hissing sigh and low moan before finally answering. “The guards are given basic weather classes, nothing like at flight school in Cloudsdale; sorry, Dusk. They do like their paperwork, and that always made it easy for me. Paperwork and keeping track of time have always been easy things. What’s wrong? Dash’s paperwork not up to snuff?”

Dusk watched her for a while, and laughed a little as she relaxed. “Yes, definitely drunk. Fine, that makes things easier.”

“You’re right, Bronze. I think she just rushed this paperwork together to keep me happy, but her record keeping does add up. I just worry she might be hiding something if she has so little time to do even basic paperwork.”

Bronze gave a snort, and shook her head, still fanning herself while her eyes slitted closed and she relaxed, her breath becoming warm and airy in her own pleasure. “Nah, the fall is a crazy time for the weather teams everywhere. Besides, after what happened in Canterlot today, expect Dash to have a ton of extra work to deal with. That burst of sudden extra sunlight probably raised the temperature by a good ten or fifteen degrees in most places. If her math’s solid, I say green stamp it and send it off. As long as she hasn’t gone overbudget, nopony is gonna question her half as hard as you probably have.”

Dusk shot up, finally realizing what Bronze was talking about. "Wait, what?!! What happened to Princess Celestia?!!"

Bronze Feather turned a bleary eye towards Dusk, confused by his sudden excitement. Mumbling to herself as she pieced her words back together again, groaning when she finally realized what she had let slip. "Oh, Dusk! No, Dusk, no. Princess Celestia just pulled the sun a little closer and bathed herself and Philomena in a glorious tide of light. Like- like, like, like... like the Summer Sun Celebration, just bigger. It helped make Philomena feel better, and Barb said she hasn't been that warm and toasty since the time you forgot to close the grate on the fireplace and she- she.... she. She did the thing you know? Sleeping in the coals, right?"

Dusk winced and rested his face in both hands rubbing his fingers into his eyes while groaning. "She promised me, no more sleeping on the banked coals. It's just... just too damn freaky!" Drawing a careful breath; Dusk sighed and looked back over at Bronze "She's okay, right?"

Bronze laughed and pawed a hand lazily in the air between them, a broad and foolish smile returning. "She's fine. Princess Luna made her a new dress out of bent shadows, but she's so charming and good-natured. She just felt bad about losing her old dress."

Still worried, Dusk wrung his hands, and stared out the library window, and forced himself to smile a little. "That's Barb. The closest thing she has to a mother is ill, and she's worried about ruining a dress. Alright, I'll get the full story from Barb personally on Friday, but thanks for the truth, Bronze. But what about the weather team? Do we just pass it off as sunspots causing bad weather today? I will have to talk to Dash about damage control tomorrow."

For a while, silence filled the room, and Dusk avoided looking at the drunk mare, unsure if she had passed out on his couch. Testing her, he continued to talk. "I do hope Princess Celestia didn’t hurt herself taking such control over the sun.” Pushing aside Dash’s paperwork for tomorrow, Dusk looked at the list of other things he needed to deal with, and found he had only one thing left to clear from his long term to do list. “Bronze, I know you’ve never been in flight school yourself, but if I asked you to assist as a judge, do you think you could? I‘ve a young colt who just got his cutie mark in storm-making. Dash wants me to help get him tested for early acceptance to weather school, and for that I need a neutral judge who understands and can come observe his tests.”

For a while silence floated between them, before Bronze finally opened her eyes again, Dusk's voice must have distracted her from whatever happy daydream she had been busy with. Folding up the fan and putting it aside, she sat up and looked more seriously at Dusk. “I mean... if you give me a list of things he needs to do, basic maneuvering, dive and recovery, that kind of stuff, then yeah, I could handle it. What colt? And his talent is weather making or storm making? Cause either way, that’s rare.”

Dusk laughed a little, and tried to remember if there was a time the two had been together, at last giving in and shaking his head. “No, I doubt you’ve met him, but his older brother is Thunderlane, Dash’s assistant. His name is Rumble, and yes, according to Dash’s reports, he is really talented at making storms. Dash can handle the more technical side of setting up things as long as you are available to act as our independent judge.”

Quiet for a while, Dusk worried from the smooth and quiet way she breathed, that the mare might have passed out, with her eyes closed and her body limp back against the arm of the couch. Then, with great care, the mare spoke up again. “Tall for a colt, white wing feathers I think. He was sitting on the roof of his house with Thunderlane when we arrived in town, right? Cutie mark on his shoulder or something I think? Dark hair too?”

Dusk shook his head, laughing warmly to himself. “You’ve got a memory for those kind of details, just like Dash. It really is amazing that you can manage to remember and hold onto so many tiny details at once. Yes, that’s Rumble.”

Grinning to herself, Bronze flashed Dusk a crude smile. “Cute colt, it’ll be a shame to see him end up locked into a job that keeps him traveling all the time.” When she saw the worried look Dusk couldn’t hide, she laughed at him, winking playfully. “Don’t worry, Dusk. He isn’t half as cute as you are. Sure, find a time this winter, and as long as nothing suddenly comes up, I’ll come act as your judge. It’s always nice to see a pony master their cutie mark.”

At last realizing that he was alone in his home, with a half-naked mare that was probably both somewhat drunk, and just as arousing, Dusk forced himself to swallow back the thick lump in his throat and gave the mare a smile. “Thank you, Bronze. I’ll get in contact with Shining Armor and the admissions board at Weather School right away. For now, it’s late. There are blankets under the sofa if you end up needing any. I think it'd be better if you slept there rather then return to the guard camp. I’ll be heading to bed myself, after all, we’ve both got a busy day tomorrow.”

* * *

Watching as Dusk quickly retreated out of the room, Bronze lay back and put an arm over her face. When she heard the door of his bedroom slam and lock, for a moment, a lump formed in her throat and she really wanted to cry a little. Pulling the soaked shirt off, she gave it a sniff, wrinkling her nose as the strong cider smell that stuck to the fabric got to it. “Oh, Dusk. You could’ve been a gentleman and invited me upstairs instead. Did I overdo it with the spilt cider?” Quiet for a while, Bronze finally dug a dry hand towel from her heavy backpack, and poured more of the water over it, giving herself a quick sponge bath to wipe away the stink of the liquor. “Silk, you’re a good teacher, but I think you misunderstood how well the ‘drunk and casually nude’ mare would work on Dusk.”

Author's Note

My oh my, things are getting a little warm this week, eh?

I still love Angry Royal Canterlot Voice Luna :3

In the next part, the search for the smuggler gets serious, and we at last meet the smuggler.

Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 3

Thursday, October 8th, 1700 AFE

Dusk had slipped out early, leaving a short note in the kitchen for Bronze to lock up before she left, along with a spare daisy sandwich. As much as he worried she might end up sleeping in, he had things to do before the guards were ready.

It was shocking how still Ponyville could be in the early morning, with only a few of the earliest risers out and about. Passing the back door of Sugarcube Corner, Mr. Cake's voice made him pause. "Another early morning, Dusk? Pinkie said you might have extra orders for us over the next few days, but she never really went into detail. Should we be expecting anything?"

Mr. Cake had a nervous but excited demeanor, Dusk always wondered if the early morning work and all the coffee he drank had attributed to some of that frantic energy. "Well, a full wing of the Royal Guards are staying at the Apple farm. And I suppose I should treat the weather team a few times as well. I need to talk with Dash before picking up Rarity and heading to the farm. Could you have, say, one hundred mixed fruit pastries or turnovers ready for when I pass again with Rarity in an hour or so?"

The stallion realized what he'd walked into by asking and nervously gripped his collar, chuckling and squirming at the same time. "I err... really? One hundred? Hmmm and in an hour?"

From the doorway, Mrs. Cake's far calmer voice cut into the crisp dawn. "No problem, Dusk. I'll have Pinkie join us and we'll be ready before you pass again. Now finish your smoke, dear, we have a government order to complete!" Tossing her apron strings over her hips, Mrs. Cake returned to the bakery, while her husband stared lovingly up at his disappearing mare. Dusk knew the feeling, and gave the older stallion a nudge. "Don't say it. We both know she'll hear it, somehow."

From upstairs, Pinkie's head suddenly appeared through a swiftly opened window, the too small t-shirt she wore as a nightie clung tightly to her ample chest, while she waved excitedly. “Morning, Dusk! Thanks for stopping by! We'll get everything ready, no problem!"

Mr. Cake groaned a little, but his smile never faded, and he walked back up the steps, speaking to himself out loud the whole time. "I always planned to bake grand cakes and fantastic new snacks. At least somepony likes my breakfast turnovers. And Dusk, some advice: Don't work where you live. There's always somepony looking for fresh turnovers at midnight."

"Thanks, Mr. Cake, I'll keep that in mind." Dusk worried about the stallion; it had only been a few months since his vacation, surely things weren't going that badly at the bakery. "Maybe I should ask Pinkie. The guy is good-natured, but to be so worked up? I hope things are okay."

Creating a mental note, Dusk continued on to Rainbow Dash's house. When he got there, he rapped on the door with two swift blows. Silence echoed from inside, and for a moment, he worried that Dash would be the worse for wear after whatever drinking she had gotten up to the night before with Bronze. Then a sharp and sudden shrill whistle cut through the peaceful morning air, followed by Dash's shockingly cheery voice. "You're too late, Dusk. I just did four laps with Thunderlane. If you want in on the pre-dawn jog, you gotta get up way earlier!"

The mare's laughter while her assistant stood at her side, panting for breath and holding his hips, was oddly reassuring to Dusk. Waving to them, he quickly jogged over the short distance to Dash's side. "At least whatever she talked about with Bronze Feather, she isn't holding any grudges for last night."

Stopping beside Dash and checking to see if Thunderlane was okay, Dusk spoke with a guarded tone. "Dash, have you had any sudden dispatches about the weather from Canterlot or Cloudsdale? Last night, Bronze was telling me about-"

Grinning and forcing Thunderlane to stand up, Dash patted the stallion on the back. "This guy was going on about it for half of our jog. Apparently, some bad solar flares were in the area, so we are to expect some trouble getting winter storms started. Don't sweat too hard about it, we already planned a solution. Just don't go planting any flowers today." For a moment her face twisted with a flare of worry. "That, err… that was what you were cornered about, right?"

That guilt in Dash's voice tore at Dusk's heart. "She knows. But does she know I've already figured it out? I-no. Stay nice. If I'm going to confront her about this, keep it in private." Shaking his head with relief, Dusk gave a happy sigh. "No, that is it for now. I've got the Cakes making up a breakfast order for the guards and the weather team to thank them for their work. If you want to change before we head that way, I'll wait out here."

Finally catching his breath, Thunderlane stood up again and gave them both a wave. "Guess that's my cue to head home for a shower first. I'll see you at the farm, captain." Flashing Dusk a grin and a small wave, the stallion began to power walk off across town, towards his own home.

Dash followed the retreating stallion with her eyes, and casually pulled her sweatband from her rainbow locks, grunting a little. "Guess I might as well step inside the house and have a quick shower, maybe change into a spare flight suit. Don't want to ruin that beautiful one Rarity did up for my birthday traipsing through the Everfree." Grinning up at Dusk, Dash ripped off a quick salute and stepped into her house.

As she went, Dusk realized she had left the door wide open while she stripped as she walked inside, presenting Dusk with an eyeful of her bare ass as she peeled off her tiny tight jogging shorts. Just as Dusk felt guilty, Dash bent sidewise and tweaked at her thong panties, calling back at him and winking playfully. "Unless you want to come join me?" When he froze up, blushing at the sudden invitation, delaying only because of his worries about her forgery, Dash snorted with laughter. "Oh, Dusk. Those two should really teach you to loosen up!"

Left alone, Dusk could only stare at her open door, stuck. "I...I'm sorry, Dash. I really am. But I can't ignore what you've done, not when your paperwork leaves a trail..." Torn, the stallion looked at that empty doorway unable to move on. "If you'd just asked, I could have helped!"

* * *

Pinkie giggled, and with one hand, hefted the platter of still-steaming turnovers above her head, pirouetting in place before lowering to her heels again. "Oh, Dusk! If you needed help carrying these, you should have said something! Why use your magic to lug them all the way there? The Cakes are all caught up, so of course I can carry them for you!"

Distracted by his own thoughts, Dusk looked at Dash who gave him a shrug and answered first. "Well, thanks, Pinkie. But are you sure? The Apple Farm is a bit of a walk and all."

Giggling to herself, Pinkie balanced her load on the palm of one hand and hopped in two steps to Dash's side, leaning in and kissing the taller mare on the nose. "Don't be a spoilsport! Besides, I'm up early anyways! Maybe AJ will want to hang out while you two are busy wandering the Everfree. Lately, all she's wanted to do is get back to the farm and get back to preparing for the Running of the Leaves. But at least I get to announce for the race again this year! I even rented a small airship!"

The thought of Pinkie patrolling the skies over Ponyville in an out-of-control airship sent a sudden chill of apprehension down Dusk's spine, pulling him back to the present. "I... I, err, hope you've got your license for piloting an airship, Pinkie." Dusk looked to Rainbow Dash for support, but the mare shrugged and shook her head, quickly joining Dusk in looking quite worried. "Has she pictured the same disaster I'm predicting?"

Releasing a noise that almost sounded like a 'pff' of dismissal, Pinkie proudly took up the lead, heading out towards the Apple Farm. "No, I haven't! But my newest bestest friend, Cherry Berry, offered to pilot it for me, and she's had a license for years!"

With warning signs of doom lessened, Dusk relaxed a little, and gave a shrug at Dash. "On the topic of the Running of the Leaves, I'll be out of town for most of the festivities tomorrow, along with much of the weather team. If we're delayed on returning, should I get Mayor Mare to hand out the ribbons? I'd rather not ask Princess Celestia, and Rarity said Sweetie Belle wouldn't leave her be until she agreed to enter them both. That leaves me with very few alternatives. Since you're announcing the race, Pinkie, I don't want to be a bother, but-"

Pinkie giggled but shook her head. "No, Dusk. It's okay! Really, ask Mrs. Mayor! She loves that kind of thing!" And that was that, Pinkie continued to lead the way to the Apple Farm, a hop in her step and an infectious smile on her lips.

* * *

Dusk drew the last two red beads to the eighth square, while Bronze Feather called the last two names from the Guard’s list. Together, the two named moved to stand before the impromptu command table Applejack had set up just outside the main barn. Before they'd finished lining up, Dash was calling out another four members of the weather team, the group rushing forward to join the guards.

Straightening up, Dusk handed over two smaller copies of the main map of the Everfree forest, including markings of the grid they were to search. Then came the eight detailed maps (or at least, the best as he could manage; details and landmarks below the treeline of the Everfree were scant and often miles apart.) of the grid they were to search. He gave two copies of that map to the weather mare in front, along with glass tubes with sharpened coal pens. While Dash double-checked each member of the weather team, making sure their whistles worked and that they had their emergency rations, Bronze and one of the sergeants were busy handing out spare short swords to those who didn't have their own blades, while the other sergeant took aside any with their own weapon to test it, before approval was grudgingly granted. When everypony was sorted out, Dusk turned to the four waiting squires and sixteen remaining weather team members.

"And lastly, those of you who remain: I need you to act as my eyes in the sky over the Everfree. Rainbow Dash will discuss patrol patterns with you, and set you all up on the outer radius of the grids we are searching. If something rated as dangerous as a manticore approaches within two kilometers of the search teams grids, you are to send the warning signal."

Bronze waited for Dusk to finish, and as the newly arranged groups peeled off to finish a last bite of breakfast or to finish some personal business, she leaned in beside him frowning. "Are you sure you don't want to at least keep a few of the squires, Dusk? I know me and Dash can ferry you around from one grid to another, but I'd feel a lot safer with a few more helping hands to handle anything that might go wrong."

The sound of clashing blades from the far side of the field began as the two sergeants started drilling those on the weather team on some basic swordplay. "I'd rather leave them on patrol, let them intervene on lesser threats to the patrols like the R.O.U.S. Besides, they would never be enough to ensure absolute safety, and I'm confident enough in my teleportation. If necessary, I can be well out of the way in an instant, so you and Dash need only worry about getting away safely."

Unable to banish the worried look from Bronze's eyes, Dusk reached down, following on the path Sweetie Belle had drawn for him. Lifting a hand, he pointed to a distant patch of red on a far field, where Big Mac was busy sowing the field with winter wheat. "Let me prove it. I can just make out Big Mac's red shirt from here. You're a pegasus, I’m sure it's easy for you to tell, right?"

When the mare turned and looked at the distant figure, she was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Sure. Applejack is there too, helping him tow the sledge with the extra seeds. And?"

Dusk, wanting to make this perfect, lifted a hand before her eyes, drew a breath, and focused on the barely visible red blur, snapping his fingers while simultaneously releasing the magic.

In an instant, the blur of raspberry magic enwrapped him, but just as quickly, it dissipated, and Big Mac stood a few feet away. As Dusk turned to look up at the taller stallion, Mac's look turned from confusion to a hint of mild amusement. "Welcome, Dusk. The turnover this morning was good."

Dusk brushed a hand through his hair and smiled at the taller stallion. "You're welcome, Mac. I hope AJ is settling back in. Are you going to join her and take part in the Running of the Leaves?" From the corner of his eye, he could see two distant winged figures soar up from the rest of the crowd, heading in his direction.

Mac shifted his weight and looked to where his sister still stood, spreading the heavy sack of winter wheat seeds. It was quiet for some time, until the sound of approaching wings began to grow overhead. “The farm is in her blood. She settles in quickly, and finds work even I’ve overlooked. Race? Nope, no reason to disappoint nopony.”

Confused, Dusk looked up at the giant, but the laughing voices that announced Dash and Bronze Feather’s arrival cut through his brain and prevented him from devoting any time to that line of thought. “Thank you for putting up with us ripping up one of your fields, Mac. I hope we can get out of your way soon.”

Mac set down the heavy sack of grains and stepped forward, offering a hand out to Dusk. “Catch the smuggler, Dusk. Good ponies live here; we don’t need this.”

Dusk accepted Mac’s hand and shook it, giving a sigh. “I’d ask how you know, but I don’t need to. Just try to keep it quiet. Too many ponies don’t have a level head like you do.”

Mac released the hand shake and started to return to his work, smiling softly. “I’m good at secrets, Dusk. Even better at calm.”

Laughing, Dusk shook his head and walked towards Dash and Bronze’s landing, Dash’s voice finally reaching him. “I could still totally beat him in a race! He has to stop occasionally, or how is it a race?”

Bronze nudged Dash in the ribs, laughing in return. “It’s a race because he got to the finish line faster than you did. Maybe you could argue that if there was laps required, Dash, but if it’s a one lap race, or a match to see who can get to Canterlot first? No way you can keep up.”

Dusk waited for them to land, and twisted his head to the side, arching an eyebrow high. “So? Do I pass, Bronze? Do I have your approval to go into Everfree Forest without forty guards now?”

Dash nudged Bronze in return, loud whispering for effect. “See, Bronze? You challenge him on something, and once he proves he can handle himself, he gets all cocky. This is why we mares have to stick together, otherwise foolish stallions start getting all these crazy ideas about being able to do stuff without our help.”

Grinning, Bronze ignored Dash’s nudge and shook her head at Dusk. “I’d still rather have a few extra hands around, Dusk. But you’re right, you will never slow us down if something goes wrong. But I still want to take a few weeks and teach you and the rest of the weather team how to use a sword or spear properly.”

Laughing, Dusk stepped forward, extending a hand for the mare. “Deal, Bronze. We can have classes when you come visit during the winter for Rumble’s tests.”

* * *

Twisting to look over a book upon her table, the mare ran her finger across a line of text, screwing up her face as the effort of translation made her pause in thought, save for continuing to stir the heavy cauldron upon her blazing hearth. Muttering low to herself, she repeated the words a few times beneath her breath before a stiff breeze blew against the wall of her squat hut. Shivering from the cold, she reached up, ripping off two or three different small herbs from the line and threw them into the pot, counting out loud, as each dried herb plopped into the brew. “Herbs of red, and herbs of blue, mix together in a toxic stew. Leaves of green and roots of brown, purify the stew, let the toxin die down.”

The heavy cauldron continued to bubble and hiss, while the mare continued to stir and mix the thick concoction, the mixture finally beginning to clear and settle down, as the hissing, popping noise started to thin out. Satisfied, the mare leaned down and drew a deep breath. “Still a little bitter, but I am no quitter.”

* * *

Dusk clung to the leather straps, bracing himself against the stiff wind that kicked up as they twisted around and began to race towards the whistle’s origin that rose over the noise of the forest, calling for him to come see signs that yet another group had found. “I need to figure out a warmth spell; this is simply becoming silly!”

Dusk knotted an arm around one of the bands of leather, and adjusted the spare shirt he had made into a makeshift scarf to protect his face from the worst of the wind that Thunderlane and Bronze kicked up as they sped through the sky above the forest. Licking his raw lips, Dusk was glad when the whistle dropped off, and he felt them slow, the sling again lowering as they swooped around to let him settle on the ground, the two guards rushing over to help him stand up. Accepting their help and glad to finally be able to stretch his legs again, Dusk peeled open the shirt, gesturing at the weather mare who still had her whistle in her lips. “Fl- Flitter?”

The mare let her whistle drop and shook her head. “No, sorry, Dusk. I’m Cloudchaser. But come quick! We found some cut herbs over here!” The mare turned and bent aside a bush of long green leaves, to reveal a smaller plant Dusk didn’t recognize with red buds growing on the end of many of the stocks.

Dusk quickly walked over, kneeling down and pulling the shirt fully free of his face, while he called back to Bronze who was already opening the book, flipping through the pages. “Red stalks with red buds on the tips. I’m guessing each stalk is around six inches long. Strong smell of red pepper and cinnamon.”

Muttering to herself, Bronze flipped through the pages and called back at last. “If you cut one of the blooms, does it bleed brown? Or are there green sacks inside the buds?”

In the air overhead, Thunderlane took up position with Dash, returning to watch duties while Dusk and Bronze rattled on below.

Drawing a pocket knife, Dusk slashed one of the buds in half, and was rewarded with a squelch of thin and sticky brown goo that poured forth, the smell intensified and Dusk had to take a step back while wiping his knife clean on the leaves of a nearby tree. “Definitely brown blood. And a much stronger smell. What do we have?”

Flipping over one more page, Bronze began to read a quick version of the notes in the lengthy book. Dash was still hovering overhead, her eyes on the broad forest around them. “It sounds like we’ve got Red Leaf Arbrok, Dusk. Properly harvested, regrows its buds in two to four weeks. Used to purify toxins from other herbs. Considered an essential herb, but also very common, and easily grown in a garden.”

Dusk winced and shook his head. “That is the fourth cutting we’ve found around here that is at least two weeks old. Whoever our smuggler is, they haven’t been around here since the Black Lotus harvest, I’m sure of it.”

From above, Dash finally cut in, her voice annoyed. “So then, let’s move to the area that Thunderlane said he and the new stallion saw her! Why are we wasting our time here!?”

Dusk wanted to argue, but after three hours and several stops to check the cuttings their searching teams had found, it was all the same. Looking up to Dash, he gave her a shrug. “We need to know if she passes through here regularly or not. I know that all signs so far look like she doesn’t, but we need to be sure. Besides, there is only an hour or so left, then we move to the second set of grids. Put up with it a little longer Dash.”

Bronze grinned as Cloudchaser and the rest of her team moved on to continue searching their area. While Dusk marked the location on the map he carried, she kicked into the conversation while he was busy. “Besides Dash, we’ve found out one thing for sure. Not one herb except for the Black Lotus is considered dangerous, or even controlled. Maybe our smuggler isn’t a smuggler at all? Maybe it was just a mare who saw an opportunity to get her hands on something rare and unique? I mean, there is a patch of Longleaf Bliss not twenty feet from here. Any smuggler worth their salt could turn that over in a bar for thirty or forty bits an ounce, and even that’s only a regulated drug. Herbalists just have to keep track of how much they sell to anypony.”

Dusk folded up his map and ignored Dash’s groan. “Bliss might not be contraband, but you’re right, Bronze. Why would anypony ignore easy money to hunt beneath other bushes for a plant that you could grow in your backyard?”

* * *

Applejack looked over the dinner table Mac had pulled out of storage in the barn, grinning with satisfaction. “So you’re saying this was left over from the last big Apple Family Reunion from when you were eight or so, Mac? I’ll be hogtied if it isn’t perfect! A little cleaning up and we can settle everypony, guards and weather team together, in for a good dinner.”

The stallion, smirking a little at his younger sister, simply gave a nod, and cleared his throat. “A-yep! Now how’s about I go find some sandpaper and you go find a smoothing plane.”

Applejack grinned and nudged the stallion. “Sounds like a plan to me, Big Mac. I’ll ask Pinkie if she can come help with dinner. That girl has enough spunk to make enough for everypony if this takes too long.”

* * *

Dusk straightened up, sealing the glass vial with his sample and slipped it safely back into the pouch on his hip. In the distance, Dash began to blow the signal for the patrolling teams to head back to town while Thunderlane kept track of the teams as they took to the air. Standing up, Dusk gave Bronze a nod and stretched his back by extending both of his arms over his head, groaning a little. “Mark that down, Bronze. That’s sample ten, but at least it’s fresh. We can start again tomorrow using this grid as the starting point.”

Bronze finished scribbling a few more words before closing the book and stuffing it into her backpack, shrugging at him. “Sure, we can do that. It’s the first sample we’ve found since we moved though, Dusk. Are you sure you want to start directing the search from this original set of grids?”

Dusk shrugged, relaxing and slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Well, look at how good our team has done so far. In four hours, we found nine samples, all two to four weeks old. Then we moved, and now we only managed one sample in four hours. I’ll take it that they didn’t get lazy, simply that there was just less to find. So let’s follow this lead, and see where it takes us.”

Dusk only realized that Bronze had frozen up and was blushing when Dash suddenly cried out from above them. “Hey, if you two are done, everypony but us has already left the trees and are flying home. So can we go now? Or do you wanna have a picnic down there where it’s more romantic?”

Bronze pulled away from Dusk, and he watched her mumble and mutter to herself before she shoved the seat of the sling into his hands. Only able to make out a few of her words, but what little he could get was priceless. “Bloody Dash, can’t let a mare have a few seconds of quiet peace!”

As soon as he had the seat in place, she shot airborne, and passed Thunderlane the other end of the harness, muttering something that made Dash and Thunderlane laugh out loud as she fled. “I guess last night really wasn’t just the cider. I’m sorry, Bronze. We had better sit down and talk, before somepony gets their feelings hurt.”

* * *

The three heavy cauldrons were steaming when Dusk was within sight of the Apple Farm again, and the mixed scents rising to fill the air had him remembering just how hungry he was, and how long it had been since breakfast. Dusk looked up at the pegasi towing him in and adjusted the brass whistle between his lips. "Now let me think... what did Dash say the signal was... oh! Right! Three long blasts, a long pause, then three more long blasts!" Dusk had hardly finished the last call on the whistle when he saw them slowing, looking back at him, then over at Dash who had turned around and was heading straight for him.. "No time better than the present for a field experiment!"

Drawing up at his magic, Dusk aimed to land by a haystack just outside the barn. This was also, unfortunately, when he was reminded of the laws of motion, and found himself running face first into that very same haystack, though thankfully not the barn wall right beside it. In the end, it was up to a rather worried Big Mac and Applejack to help him out of that haystack, Pinkie had collapsed from laughter with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Cupping his cheek, Applejack made him look up at her so she could examine him. “Dusk? What in Equestria was that!??”

The effort of holding his head up properly was hard when he wasn't quite sure which way was up, so Dusk was grateful for the mare's strong grip. "I think it was my first reminder about physics. Do not try teleporting when you are already moving at high speeds unless it's an emergency!"

Still snorting with laughter Pinkie stood up and pulled Dusk, and by association, Applejack, into a hug. "Oh, by Celestia, that was priceless! Dusk! Don't tell me they never taught you how to throw a banana cream pie while doing backflips!"

Confused, Dusk could only stare bleary-eyed at the giddy mare. "What in da f-"

Putting a finger on his lips she shook her head. "No!!! I'm super serious, Dusk! It does relate! When you do a backflip and throw a pie, you have to compensate for the pie throw or it messes up your backflip and you wind up flat on your face!"

Dusk had to take a breath and force his head to stop spinning, because somehow, Pinkie's suggestion made sense. Looking up at AJ for support, he tried to puzzle it back together, his hand stroking at Pinkie's wild and fuzzy hair to help him focus. "So you are saying that if I want to teleport while moving quickly, I need to take that into account and aim short of my target?"

Disappointed, Pinkie shook her head and gave him a pout. "Nooo!~ Cause then you'll end up running and possibly falling flat on your face. You have to figure out how much momentum you have and how much you need when you land, and compensate! Like when AJ lassos a baby calf!"

Again, Dusk searched for some sort of translation from Applejack, a calm rock in this turbulent ocean of quick concepts and comparisons that Pinkie kept making. Applejack gave him a thoughtful look before answering. "I reckon she might be right, Dusk. Now stop giving me that skeptical look and listen, all right?" Dusk tried his best, and gave AJ his full attention, while trying to take it all seriously. "You see, when I'm hogtying a varment, it all starts with lassoing them. If you're really good, and I am, you can learn to hit the beast's head almost every time. Gotta time it just right, and remember that the beast always violently jumps in the opposite direction when you least expect it!"

Concentrating on a mental image of Applejack and a lasso, Dusk struggled to picture the relationship between a wild beast and his control over his magic. "But my spells are slowly focused and organized. The spells work with very organized and orderly rules. There is no wildly moving beast... except!"

Finally having a finger on the concept, Dusk took a very gentle grip and tried to maneuver around the idea without breaking the concept. "So you're both saying, my spell is the lasso, thrown with care and precision, and I'm the wild beast that moves with wild abandon that needs to be controlled?"

Unsure herself, Applejack helped Dusk into a seat on the long bench, waving away the guard's medic who had come over to check on him. Pinkie, however, gave a sagely nod. "Exactly! So next time, make your magic compensate for your motion! That way, you'll land safely instead of running into haystacks... unless you want to do that again, cause it was funny!"

Dash and Bronze finally forced their way past the other gawking pegasi, trailed by Thunderlane. Dash stormed up to Dusk's side, looming over him, an eyebrow twitching. "Now just what in Equestria was that, Dusk!??" Behind her, Bronze took up position, her own worried eyes roaming his body, and he reminded himself of the conversation that needed to come, soon.

Sitting up taller and bracing his back against the wooden table, Dusk lifted his brass whistle, giving Dash the same cocky grin he'd seen her give a dozen times before. "What!? I gave you the warning whistle, remember? You called it the-"

Dash released a groan and thrust a hand into her face, dragging fingers through her thick bangs before looking up at him again. "You gave the 'I'm gonna do something stupid call' alright, but do it again without warning me properly, and I'll really give you one hell of a thrashing! Right, Bronze!?"

Behind her, Bronze quickly realized that people were looking her way, so she stood up tall again and aggressively crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, right, Dash. We'll have to knock him around if he does something that dumb again!"

Glad for the support, Dash put her hands on her hips. "And that's before we even get AJ or Rarity's support!"

Looking up from one of the boiling pots, Pinkie cut in with a voice that cut off all conversation. "Mushroom and potato stew is ready! I made apple pie for dessert! And don't worry everypony, there's enough for everypony to have seconds! Thirds even, if you want!"

That, at last, ended it for now. As much as the guards might have enjoyed a good show, nopony stood between them and a meal after a long day on the wing. The weather team realized their portion of dinner was now being threatened, and soon everypony was rushing to answer Pinkie's dinner call.

Thunderlane leaned in, catching Dash’s elbow before she finally gave up and moved off to eat, unable to hide a wicked grin. “So I guess my brother isn’t the only fool around here, is he?” Dash didn’t answer; she simply groaned and gave Dusk another glare before moving away.

Dusk had remained sitting, so as Applejack moved to stand, she leaned in, lightly kissing his cheek before yelling into his ear to be heard over the din. "Just wait here, darling. I'll bring you dinner once I've helped Mac and Pinkie serve dinner to the others. And don't take Dash too seriously, she's just fond of you and isn't good at showing it. She's always doing crazy things, no matter how often I tell her that she worries me."

* * *

Applejack had felt eyes on her throughout dinner, and only when she served Dusk was she finally able to catch Bronze doing her best to not look at her. So it wasn't a surprise when a few hours later, as the rest of the guards moved to their own small groups to begin training routines, Bronze came to her alone, nervous but an inquisitive look in her eye.

"Applejack, I was wondering, if you're not busy now that dinner is finished, would you mind doing some basic quarterstaff sparring with me? Of course, I can bug the squires instead if you've got plans."

It only took a moment to assess the mare's mood, but Applejack was instantly sure that there was more to her motives than just not wanting to bother the other guards. Smiling for the mare's sake, Applejack gave a nod. "Well of course, sugarcube! But you'll have to go easy on me starting out, I've never had any real training in fighting."

Shocked, Bronze nearly dropped the twin quarterstaffs she had behind her back. "What? Really!? That's crazy! You're in such good shape! How'd you never get some kind of combat training? Hasn't Dash ever asked you to help her with a little sparring?"

AJ gave the mare a shrug, and reached out, stealing one of the wooden poles from behind the other mare's back. Testing its weight and attempting to spin it around like she'd seen Dash do, Applejack threw her head back and laughed when the padded end caught her in the jaw, thankfully only lightly. Rubbing her jaw and fetching up the staff, she offered Bronze a shrug. "Cause I've been able to put my foot through the wall of the barn since I was a filly of fourteen, and after seeing that, most ponies around town learned to treat a filly with some proper respect. 'Course I did get into a few brawls here and there, but mostly, they were over quite quickly; and save for a few of the more rock-headed scoundrels, I rarely had to throw a second punch."

* * *

Fluttershy fell to her knees in the grass, gasping for air. "Dash! Why do you go so fast! You know I can't keep up!~"

The distant sound of gravel as Dash came to a skidding halt, followed by the light crunch of the shifting loose stones as she returned to the patch of grass where Fluttershy still rested. Before she even looked up, Dash knelt down, and stroked her hair. "Hey, you okay, Fluttershy? Sorry if I'm pushing you kinda hard."

Finally looking up through her bangs, Fluttershy found herself eye to eye with Rainbow Dash, who was kneeling right before her and offering out a hand. Accepting it, and letting the younger mare help her get back up, Fluttershy tried to ignore the flush forming in her cheeks. "Oh, no. I'm sorry for not being able to keep up." When Dash shrugged that off, Fluttershy stepped in closer and started to walk along the path with Dash at a much more comfortable pace. "So what's got you so worked up, Dashie!? Is there something I could do to help?"

Dash turned to look at her, and for a second, it also looked like her face contorted through a dozen different emotions before she suddenly laughed, lifting her left wing as if she were about draw it over out before pausing, as if reconsidering. Just as Fluttershy began to worry, Dash stepped suddenly around to her other side, brushing her right wing as she unfurled it, across Fluttershy’s back, pulling her into a half-hug. "Well, I suppose it can't hurt to talk to you about stuff, Fluttershy. I've known you forever; besides, you're the best at keeping quiet about stuff."

Flustered again, Fluttershy leaned into Dash's wing hug and gave a little nod. "I, uh... well, I don't like telling other ponies mean things and making sure my friends aren't hurt is important to me. Sure, if it'll help Dash, I'll listen."

Leaning over, Dash kissed her on the cheek, and Fluttershy felt as her lower lip began its trademark wobble, against her will. "Oh! Why does this always happen when somepony besides Mistress gives me attention! I don't wanna be such a sad sack! Oh Princess Celestia, give me strength!"

Lost in her own thoughts, Fluttershy missed most of Dash's passionate opening tirade. Realizing she was so far behind, she tried to catch up again, leaning in to pay attention again as Dash ranted on. “- and that’s when we found the first cutting that isn’t two or more weeks old. That was really exciting for a few minutes, but Dusk and Bronze spent forever pouring over it, and even after a few more hours of searching, we never did find anything else! Now Dusk’s taking almost the whole weather team back with him again tomorrow! It’s all pointless!” Giving a sigh and leaning against Fluttershy, Dash looked a lot calmer than she started. “Anyways, thanks for listening, Fluttershy. I hope you don’t mind keeping stuff from Dusk and the others, I’m sure things will calm down with winter coming soon.”

“Oh no! I missed something important! Now she’s trusting me to keep it all a secret and I don’t even know what to keep secret from who! Oh no! Ohhh, what do I do now!” Stuck with Dash looking down at her, Fluttershy pulled herself back together, and tried to smile up at her and leaned her head in against Dash’s neck. “N-no problem, Dashie! I promise I won’t tell anypony about any of that stuff.” Realizing that Dash was looking at her still as if expecting something more, she pushed on, quickly getting carried away with her own train of thought. “But if you’re busy with the run, who's gonna take care of Dusk while they go back into the Everfree? Aren’t you worried that he might get into some kind of trouble looking for this dangerous smuggler mare or all those other crazy creatures that fill the rest of the forest?!”

Dash laughed, and gave her another kiss on the cheek, this time lingering on the edge of her earlobe and tugging at it, making her knees feel weak. “Oh, don’t worry about that, Fluttershy! Dusk’s got Bronze to look after him, and I’ll have Thunderlane be my eyes. He isn’t a bad guy, and Dusk can look after the others. Now come on, let’s at least jog the rest of the way back to your place!”

Flummoxed by the tender affection and nibble, Fluttershy worried the smell she knew was drifting from under her dress might be so strong Dash would notice, and only realized they were supposed to be racing again when Dash peeled off, bolting down the path and leaving her behind. “Thank Celestia for small favors!” Picking up her pace, Fluttershy called out to her rapidly disappearing friend’s back. “Wait, Dash!!! I still can’t run near as fast as you!!!”

* * *

Applejack twisted the staff around Bronze’s guard, up and forward, using her full weight in the process to force the smaller mare to bend at the knee while she extended her arms to their full length, straining to keep Applejack from being able to reach those last few inches needed to make contact. But relentless, AJ shifted her fingers a few extra inches up the pole, while sweeping her right leg forward, locking hips with the guard. Suddenly, it was down to millimeters, and while sweat poured across her eyes, her legs were set solid, and her shoulder pressed in.

The soft impact of the leather-wrapped tip of the quarterstaff tapping against Bronze’s cheek was nearly silent, even compared to the grunting mares. The moment the crowd gathered around them saw leather compress flesh, a roar went up, drowning out all other thought or sound. Surrendering to gravity, Bronze fell to her back, and Applejack quickly found herself forced to catch her balance, no longer being able to rely on the pressure pushing back up against her from Bronze to keep her upright.

While the mob swarmed in and buried her in attentive pats on the shoulder, and sudden frantic yelling, Big Mac ignored them all, quickly making his way to the fallen mare, and helping her to stand back up. Brushing her off, he gave her a light smile before turning back to Applejack, giving her a little nod and a grin. “Oh Mac, It’s enough to know you care, ya big softy!” Against the roar of the crowd, she simply lifted a hand and gave him a tiny wave, before pushing her way past the lively guards, to the waiting mare, now leaning on her own staff. Leaning in close so she could speak without screaming, Applejack simply had to ask the question. “Why didn’t you fall before I got locked hip to hip? You’re fast, for how much that cloth armor weighs you down. I’m sure you could have gotten back to your feet before I’d closed the distance, and we’d be back to where we started this round.”

Bronze grinned, and pushed out a hand, wrapping a solid grip around AJ’s wrist, and thrusting both of their hands into the air, calling out to the crowd loudly enough to be heard over the cheering fools. “Here we have it! A humble champion! You’ve done very well to go from student to teacher this quickly!” Pressing in closer, she gave her version of an answer to Applejack’s question, leaning up to her, whispering in her ear. “Because this wasn’t about beating you by being sneaky or using tricks. If I’d wanted to use tricks, sure, I could have won. But now, I’ve gone nearly nine rounds with a mare, and don’t take offence to me saying this, who’s nearly a half foot taller than me, and a good sixty pounds heavier too. For me? Today was a damn good day.”

Relaxing and relenting at that, Applejack let Bronze hold her hand up for the crowd to cheer on. The thinner group of weather ponies had stuck around, and the fight had gotten them riled up again. When at last they were calming down again, she leaned into Bronze while ponies continued to offer her their hearty congratulations. “If you care, me and Mac spent most of the day, while you all were away, setting up one of the old stalls in the barn as a makeshift shower. How's about you get out of that armor and we go take turns? Besides, that way you can finally ask me what’s been on your mind all night, sugar.”

Bronze took a half-step back, shock and guilt evident in her eyes as she tried to keep her cool. "That- I nev- I mean, I'd love to take you up on the offer. I could really use a shower."

Unable to help herself, Applejack laughed a little, wrapping an arm around the mare's shoulders and peeling away from the last few guards still helping Big Mac clean up the mess from dinner.

* * *

Applejack wasn't surprised that Bronze kept quiet the whole time she was in the impromptu shower. Standing watch just outside, Applejack tugged at the sweaty collar of her thick cotton shirt, caught off guard when Bronze finally found the courage to speak. "Applejack... what was it that drew you to Dusk? Was it just they way he treats everypony? Or was there something more that made him special to you?"

Caught off guard by the rather personal nature of her question, Applejack felt her cheeks redden, as she tried to think of a good way to answer. "Oh, why me! Rarity, you'd know how to help her with romantic stuff like this!" With only the sound of Bronze drying off with a towel and shaking out the damp water from her wings, Applejack stumbled forward. "I- well, it's complicated. Dusk did a lot of things that made him attractive, but it really all started when he fell off that cliff while we were searching for some way to stop Nightmare Moon. As we hung off the cliff, Dusk looked into my eyes. I knew I was slipping, but I hung on until I knew that Dash and Fluttershy were close enough to catch him. But he was scared, and I didn't have the time to explain it to him, we were both about to fall off the cliff. But when I told him to let go and promised he would be okay... he-he looked up at me, and he accepted my word. He let go never knowing Dash was right beneath him, ready to catch him. That look of trust at my word, it was all I ever needed."

Wrapping her arms around herself and giving a sigh, she heard a matching sigh from the other side of the wall. "That must have been incredible, Applejack. To have anypony, most of all a noble stallion like Dusk, put so much trust in you." The mare gave a girlish shiver and a faint murmur. "Mmmm. And then to share him with your best friend. You're all so lucky."

As the stall door opened and Bronze stepped out, her wings folding in so she could fit through the doorway before splaying out again, Applejack took a minute to look, really look at the young mare. "She has a number of scars... of course she does, what mare in her kind of work doesn't?! But she is an attractive mare, cute face and good hair. Not much more chest than poor Dash. I suppose it’s better for flight, though. Considering it all as a package, I'm sure she could find a stallion easily enough."

Stepping forward and offering a spare shirt to Bronze, Applejack gave her a warm smile. "It's okay, Bronze. I think any stallion worth his spit would be lucky to have a mare like you in his herd, or if you're interested, I know a few mares who could use some company."

Now this time when Bronze broke out in a flustered blush like Fluttershy, Applejack cupped her chin and made her look up. "I ain't kidding you, sugarcube. I've got enough love in my life, but you could find yourself some good company easily enough."

Shocked at Applejack's tender touch and her focused gaze, Bronze murmured and wobbled for a moment, her legs unbalanced and her breath hot against AJ's neck. A spark lingered in those eyes, and the question that followed caught Applejack totally off guard. "So then... if I- if I asked Dusk out on a date, would you be okay with it?"

Catching herself at the question, Applejack let her hand drop."Dusk? Why do you want Dusk? Why is everypony after him of late! First Trixie, and now you too, Bronze?"

Pushing those thoughts aside, Applejack made herself stand up again, and pushed aside the waves of jealousy. "Well, Dash and Pinkie have both agreed to Rarity's offer to have small turns to date Dusk. If you ask her gently and show you're no threat to our relationship, I'll-I’ll try to help smooth things over. It's the least I can do to help a mare learn what it's like to have a stallion's company."

Delighted, Bronze rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Applejack’s hips and hugging her close, burying her face in Applejack's cleavage. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, AJ! I promise I can prove myself to be worthy of your trust and Dusk!"

Fighting back simultaneous feelings of both jealousy and guilt, Applejack brushed the mare's hair, forcing a happy smile. "Sure, n-no problem, Bronze. I'm sure you'll be an easy pass for Dusk's affections."

* * *

Scootaloo sat by the front door, carefully prepared and waiting eagerly for the shadow that signaled Redheart's arrival. Giving a second nervous glance at the mirror by the front door, she checked her hair and adjusted her shirt.

Filled with anticipation, she found herself standing on her tiptoes, her wings beating at full speed to help her stand that few extra inches taller, in an attempt to look down the street towards the new hospital, in hopes of catching sight of her sooner, without opening the door. “Come on Redheart!!! It’s a quarter past eight! Hurry up!~”

In the quiet house, Scootaloo found the sound of the ticking clock pulling her attention. Bored and worried, she started pacing back and forth around the kitchen, her wings again began to twist and fidget until she hopped up and down in place. “Stop it, wings! I’m nervous enough as it is! I don’t need you twisting and dancing so wildly all the time!”

“Scootaloo?!! Why are you shouting to yourself! Shouldn’t you be doing your homework still?” The shock of Redheart’s voice from the front door entrance caught her off guard, and Scootaloo twisted around and rushed back to the front entranceway, nearly skipping as she rushed to get back into position.

“Redheart! Redheart! You’re finally home!” Scrambling through the house, she found herself struggling to keep her cool and wrapped her arms around Redheart’s hips to hug her. “I got great news, Redheart! They’re letting any of us who’s got all their schoolwork for the weekend done attend the Running of the Leaves tomorrow!”

The way Redheart winced at her words made Scootaloo worry, but she’d prepared, and was sure this time, she’d win! Taking Redheart’s coat as she removed it, Scootaloo jumped up using her wings to keep herself aloft long enough to hang up the the coat before landing, and stumbling a little. Redheart bent down and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to smile a little. “Now Scootaloo, I know you want to watch Dash in the running, but I’ve had a really busy day, and I’m running a first aid booth in the morning. I don’t know if I’ve got time to help you go over your school work tonight.”

“Yes! You’ve got her now, Scootaloo!” Delighted, with herself, she smiled up at Redheart, her confidence growing. “Don’t worry about that, Redheart! I had Sweetie Belle help me out with most of it during class today, and after school I came straight home and finished the rest of it off! So all I need is for you to sign off on my permission slip!”

Redheart’s face went through a wide variety of emotions, confusion and annoyance were very quickly replaced with surprise and delight, and she phrased her words carefully. “Sweetie Belle? You mean Rarity’s little sister? Isn’t she a few years younger than you?”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but blush at the suggestion here, and crossed her arms over her chest. “Hey now, just because she’s smarter than me, doesn’t mean I’m dumb! And I promise I didn’t copy her work or anything! She helped me in the english and the math work, but I did the rest myself! If you want, you can look it all over. Heck! Test me! Ask me one of the questions. I can answer anything!”

With an amused smile growing as Scootaloo continued on, Redheart stood back up, and offered her a hand. “Alright, you get your classwork ready, and I’ll grab something for dinner. Show me what you’ve learned and I’ll see about signing that note for you.”

“Oh! Don’t worry, I chopped up extra veggies and Pinkie stopped by with a big batch of leftover soup from the Apple farm. And I already set up my classwork on the kitchen table for you! I’ll heat up the soup while you read! It’s mushroom and potato!”

Taking Redheart’s hand and leading her to the kitchen, Scootaloo couldn’t ignore the voice in her head. “And she scores! Just wait, Dash! Tomorrow I’ll be there to cheer you on. And Lyra? Just cause Dusk brought you in as a ringer, doesn’t mean you’ll ever beat Dash!”

Author's Note

Cut the parts at this point as there is still another massive portion of the chapter to go and the rest will take at least another week to finish. Expect the final part sometime next week, and I'm sorry that we only get one scene with The Smuggler. Hopefully this little tease has tickled your itch for this week!

Chapter 10: Bridle Gossip / Fall Weather Friends - Part 4

Friday, October 9th, 1700 AFE

Dusk stepped up to the mic, taking up position and looking over the thickly gathered crowd that filled the main square. At his side, the electric-haired mare checked the cord one last time, then shot him a thumbs up, before jogging off the stage and down into the crowd below, passing through to the group of runners who had gathered closest to the podium. “It’s another day, and here I am giving another speech to the people of Ponyville. At least today’s a happy event, and Mayor Mare has promised to handle the rest of the ceremonies if I don’t get back in time. Maybe I can convince Bronze and Thunderlane to keep searching the woods until sunset; things in the Everfree have been calm as of late.”

Of course, even as Dusk considered the idea, he dismissed it, no reason to risk danger just to avoid some silly speech. “Besides! Princess Celestia and Barb are supposed to arrive later today! If we find this smuggler quickly, I can make it back to town in time to see them both! Not to mention being able to deliver the smuggler to her majesty personally!” Delighted by the idea, Dusk suppressed his own squee of delight and instead lifted a hand over his head, waiting for the crowd to quiet down.

“Hello again, my friends! Good ponies of Ponyville, today we gather together to honor an age-old tradition of the Earth Pony Tribe. It is once again time for the Running of the Leaves!” Dusk paused for the cheer that rose, and lowered a hand gesturing to the gathered runners right before the stage. “These proud stallions and mares have stepped up and volunteered to represent their clans in the running, but anypony in the crowd who might wish to step up and join in, feel free to do so! There is no requirements but a willing spirit, and heartfelt enthusiasm!”

The sudden roar of a pegasus stallion that stood out from the crowd by being nearly as tall as even Big Mac made Dusk pause, while the stallion with stubby white wings stepped forward to the sudden applause of the crowd, joining the dozen or so other members of his clan. The action earned him a high five from Rainbow Dash, and Dusk couldn’t suppress his own laughter. “Give this one a hand, ponies! See how he joins the runners! Good choice, my friend! Who knows, maybe I’ll be shaking your hand in the winners’ circle this afternoon!”

The general laughter was heartwarming and the giant of a stallion took the opportunity to strike a pose for the crowd who were now all watching him. Waiting for a moment for the laughter to die down, Dusk couldn't help but be amused as he saw Rainbow Dash now holding the hand she had given the stallion a high five with.

Taking back their attention, Dusk finished his speech, his eyes roaming each and everypony gathered before him in turn. “And don’t forget! Princess Celestia herself is scheduled to be here this afternoon, to reward the fastest runner, the runner responsible for knocking down the most leaves, and let us not forget, the runner who most deserves praise for joining in this arduous run! Remember, water booths are set up every half mile, so please, remember to stay hydrated!”

Dusk liked that part, reminding them to get a drink. It had taken quite some time to set up all the booths, but in the end, he’d found an easy solution: have the ponies who run the early booths move to the later ones once all the runners had passed. That didn’t appear to matter though, as everypony seemed to be uninterested in his comment about good marathon running safety. “Oh well! At least Nurse Redheart and her team are set up and there are plenty of unicorns in the crew. If somepony gets sick, I’m sure they’ll have no issue sending up a flare and getting them help.”

Lifting both hands, Dusk whistled hard, again pulling everypony’s attention. “Runners! If you’re ready, then we shall begin!” At his words, those preparing to run moved into position, while those outside the main group parted, opening up the path from Ponyville and into the nearby woods. “Then on your mark! Get set! Go!”

The roar of the crowd and the rush of feet both kicked up together, but Dusk simply gave it a shrug, stepping from the stage and giving Thunderlane and Bronze a shrug. “Now then, should we be going if we are to beat them back?”

* * *

“She’s ahead! She’s ahead already! Run Dash, Run! Applejack and Lyra will never have a chance of catching you now!”

Alone in the crowd, Scootaloo jumped and bounced upon the empty, overturned apple crate she’d found, using it as a viewing platform to allow her to see over the crowd. Her throat was already sore from cheering, but the sudden glare she received from Applebloom, who had been doing nearly the same thing not more than twenty feet away, demanded a reply. “What? Just ‘cause Applejack is your sister, doesn’t mean you can’t admit that Dash is way faster!”

Applebloom’s stink eye never lessened, and she snapped back surprisingly fast, much to Scootaloo’s shock. “So what!? You ever seen Dash buck an apple tree? She’s near useless! In the time she takes to loosen a few leaves, Applejack will easily catch up! I bet she’ll even pass Dash in the first mile!”

Defensive, Scootaloo couldn’t let her get away with talking about Dash like that! She had to quickly snap back, for Dash’s sake! “Will not! Dash doesn’t have to knock down leaves to win anyways! Speed is what really matters!”

Apple Bloom crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her tongue. “Yes you gotta! It’s… whatcha call it? Tradition! It’s why the pegasi don’t fly and stuff! ‘Cause the tree’s and the leaves are what really matter!”

“Is not!”

“Is so!”

“Are not!”

“Is too!”

* * *

Applejack huffed for breath as she crossed just under the line of trees that marked the edge of the forest. Far ahead, she could see Dash jump into the branches of a tree and spin around, flapping her wings like a mad woman before leaping free and attempting to pick up speed again. Grinning to herself, Applejack picked a likely looking orange and brown leafed monster of a tree on her left, and kept running at a powerful mile-eating gait, all the while judging her distance. As she neared the tree, she braced herself and leapt with her left leg, kicking out her right and striking the weary wood. Leaping off in the same moment as she made impact, Applejack was able to keep up her pace. “Just you wait, Dash! You might be faster in the open, but this is the Running of the Leaves! You gotta keep stopping to loosen some leaves. Me? I hardly even gotta slow down!”

Behind her, Applejack heard the noise of those who had mostly grouped together, and took just a moment to look over her shoulder. There was Rarity and Sweetie, jogging together and taking turns to pluck leaves with their magic; Bulk Biceps was bodychecking trees and letting the leaves collect in his hair; but ahead of them all and closest to her came Lyra, who- “She’s trying to copy me!?? Who in the hay taught her to jump and kick like that?” Having no time to think, Applejack turned forward again, racing on and picking out another tree. “Besides, her form’s sloppy! Maybe after a good summer or two bucking trees, she’d be a threat at knocking leaves loose.” As she landed and looked back again, she caught sight of the unicorn mare leaping again, kicking another tree with admittedly fantastic style. “Maybe I should slow a little, let her catch up, warn her about doing too many kicks; it can play havoc with your knees.”

* * *

“Alright, Dusk! Your turn to look at the damned book. I’ll check the cutting this time, alright?” Even as Bronze talked, Dusk laughed and pulled open the book, flipping through the pages as he looked over the list of plants with blue flowers.

“It’s got giant leaves, all very light blue. Rather pretty to tell the truth.” Bending down at the edge of the patch, where the five cut plants that stood out from the rest. Bronze cupped one of the flowers, taking a strong sniff of the flower. “It’s thick with pollen, even this late into the fall. Green stem and brown roots. Kinda smells rich, like... like... “

As it dawned on Dusk that Bronze had fallen silent, he looked up from the page, examining the mare. “It smells like what, Bronze?”

Looking over her shoulder, and trying to hide a blush that darkened her cheeks to a brilliant rose hue, she struggled to answer, stuttering a little. “It’s like a stallion-, like after a hard- a hard day’s work, rough and rugged, strong and powerful. He- it- it ah- it reminds me of the smell stallions give off when I’m in heat.”

Dusk’s gaze snapped from the mare to the team that had found the cutting, unable to hide the worry from his voice. “Did any of you smell this flower? Examine the cuttings?” When all shook their heads, Dusk looked back to the page before him, flipping over to the next flower listed, before calling out to Bronze, very carefully. “Alright, Squire… Very carefully, I need you to stand up, walk away from those flowers, and reach into your pouch. If you packed your medical kit properly this morning, you’ll find some sleeping salts. You know, the foul smelling things for waking up somepony who's fallen unconscious?”

As Bronze compiled, Clear Skies, one of the mares from the weather team knelt beside him, worry clear in her eyes. “Dusk, what's the matter with her? Why’s she smelling a stallion like she’s in heat?”

Dusk winced, and very carefully motioned for her to back up before answering, still watching Bronze as she walked as if in a daze while answering. “It’s Vananero, commonly known as Mare’s Heat. It’s a rare flower, but it’s known to cause a sudden onset of a mare’s season, even one who smells it casually. But that makes no sense. Mare’s Heat only blooms in the early spring, and its leaves turn red and are normally puffy and damp in the fall.”

Bronze half-stumbled as she walked, grinning to herself and walking only a half-dozen steps from the flowers before dropping her bag and kneeling over it, digging through the heavy leather sack. Drawing a paper pouch free, she ripped open, crushing the two tablets together, blending them together and causing a nose-piercing smell to reach even Dusk where he knelt. She was silent for a while and then looked over at Dusk, smiling a little. “I… I think I’m alright. Hey, uh, Dusk? I didn’t… um… I didn’t say anything too crazy. Right? ‘Cause, um… It kinda felt like my tongue wasn’t connected to my brain.”

Dusk relaxed, letting his shoulders droop, and shook his head. “Clear, keep your team clear of these flowers. Something is very wrong here for a spring flower to bloom this late in the fall.” Passing his book to the mare, he pushed the list of other cuttings they had found to her as well, his voice still tense. “Do me a favor. While I talk to Bronze, look up the other cuttings and mark their blooming season down for me. I’m sure we’d have noticed if they bloomed out of season, but maybe we missed something.”

The mare accepted the book and quickly started flipping through the pages, while Dusk slowly began to walk to Bronze’s side. The mare was weeping a little, but was holding herself up on her hands and knees, still sniffing at the wretched smelling salts. “Bronze, you didn’t say anything wrong. Are the salts helping? Are you still feeling confused? Still smelling a stallion?”

Leaning over and letting her free hand wrap around his hips, she pulled him in with surprising strength, so she could rest her head on his hip, and nuzzle against him a little. Grinning up at him, she shook the pouch of salts. “Only a little, but then, when a stallion smells as good as you do, who wouldn’t want to smell a little, right?” Giggling to herself, she nuzzled again into his hip, this time pushing against his groin through his pants.

Shocked at how forward she was, Dusk winced, and tried to keep calm, curling his hands into fists. “Are you sure about that? Don’t you think you’re getting a little close? A little… personal?”

Shaking her head, Bronze kissed the lump of his groin through the cloth of his pants, before looking up and smiling at him. “Nah. I asked Applejack. She said she’d be fine with us, you know, together. She suggested I ask Rarity, but that’ll be no problem! I’m more than good enough to be a mare in your herd.”

Dusk winced and looked to the mares looking through the book. Violently gesturing for them to stop, Dusk tried to keep calm. “Clear Skies, what other Blue flowers match the description? Don’t get close, just find anything you can… I don’t think that-”

Against him, Bronze cupped his sack through his pants, squeezing and rubbing. “Dusk, stop ignoring me. I said I want to be in your herd. Will you have me? You can, I’ll even let you claim me, here and now.”

Dusk had to act now, grabbing her by the shoulders and peeling her from his body. “Bronze? Stop. Think about what you’re saying, what you’re doing!” Panicked at the way the lustful mare stared up at him, Dusk tried to both help her stand up and keep her at an arm's reach.

A look of concern and fright cut over Bronze’s eyes, and she half-froze while looking into Dusk’s eyes, rubbing her knees against one another while struggling against herself. From behind them, Clear Skies’ voice suddenly cut through the silence. “Dusk? What about Poison Joke? It alters a pony in any number of ways. Do you think-”

Bronze was the one who answered, throwing Dusk away, leaving him crashing to the ground. She turned from him running into the woods. “I- this isn’t right! What- Oh, by the Light!” Torment in her voice, Bronze disappeared into the trees.

Panting for breath, Dusk scrambled to grab his whistle, blowing rapidly on it, and pointing into the trees when he caught Thunderlane’s gaze. The stallion above bolted off, following after the trail Bronze left, and Dusk let his head fall back, panting for breath.

Standing over him and holding the book, Clear Skies looked with wide eyes at the trees, and then back down at him. “Dusk… I read the rest of the entry on Poison Joke… I-If this book is right, Poison Joke can alter a pony, even their cutie mark. And there’s no known cure. What did it do to her?!”

Closing his eyes, Dusk struggled to catch his breath, biting at the brass of the whistle between his lips, and rolling it between his teeth. When the mare knelt at his side and touched his temple, he finally forced his eyes open again, shaking his head. “I’ve never read much about Poison Joke, but let me read that entry. I think… I think the poison joke removed her inhibitions. We need to burn this patch, but don’t you dare get close. Get the guards. The search… the search for the smuggler is over, we need to find Bronze before she hurts herself.”

After passing the book back to Dusk, Clear Skies launched into the air. The sound of her whistleblowing was a distant but repetitive signal, looping over and over again. The whole time, Dusk found himself still laying there, mesmerised by the memory of that look of terror in Bronze’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Bronze. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault! I was rushing and we didn’t take proper safety into account. I promise, by Celestia, I promise! I’ll fix you, somehow.”

* * *

“With another flying kick, Applejack knocks free the leaves of yet another tree! And she’s still running, too! Dash just doesn’t know what to do, Applejack’s easily a quarter mile ahead of her now, and she’s way up on points, too! But don’t count out the unicorns! Together, Lyra, Rarity and Sweetie Belle have just as many points as Dash and Applejack together! I’ll update you all after the judges tally things up, but so far, it looks like even outnumbered five to one, the unicorns might win on points alone!”

Princess Celestia half-covered her mouth as she giggled, the sure joy in the voice of Laughter over the speaker was irresistible. This was why she had come: to see life and joy in the eyes of ponies, to spend a day without the weight of the Wolf of the North’s return burning down her neck. Stepping free of the chariot and looking over the bowing ponies gathered around the podium. “Well, I suppose short of going in disguise, there are some things I can never escape…” Celestia cleared her throat, before speaking to the kneeling crowd. “Ponies! How it honors me! Such a kind welcome to your noble town! But please, let us all return to the Running of the Leaves! There will be time later for speeches and ceremony!”

As if waiting for her cue, Laughter’s voice cut in over the speakers again. “This is Pinkie, and I’m back with the judges’ tally! You heard it here first! The Unicorns, despite only having six runners, have pulled into first place on leaves! In second come the earth ponies, behind by only three points! The pegasi will REALLY have to pick up their game if they want to win on more than just speed this year! But don’t worry, everypony! Bulk Biceps, our late entry from the start of the race this morning? He is in first place for points from loosening leaves! To think, a pegasus stallion is beating even Applejack’s score! Way to go, Bulk!”

Reaching up and tugging at Celesta’s hand, Barb looked worried. “Princess… why are you looking at the Everfree Forest? The runners are in Whitetail Woods.”

Realizing she had been staring, Celestia bent down to scoop up the dragoness, trying to push thoughts from her mind. “Oh, I’m sorry, Barb. I just thought I might be able to see Dusk from here. He is hunting a renegade with the help of some of my royal guards, you see.”

Accepting the hug from Celestia, Barb looked over in wonder, her eyes wide. “You can see that far, princess? That’s incredible! I do hope Dusk’s okay…”

Finding the seat set up for her by the podium, Celestia settled the dragoness in her lap, and tousled her hair. “Oh, don’t worry. He has talents even he doesn’t know of.” But unwelcome, the thoughts she’d pushed away returned. “That was a whistle, a whistle calling for all the searchers to gather, calling the search off. What’s happened, Dusk? Are you okay?”

* * *

“Dont think, run. Don’t remember why, just run! Stop trying to catch your breath! Stop thinking about Dusk! Stop trying to think of excuses to go back! I don’t care that he’d easily accept me back… probably kiss me, and from there we’d-” Bronze forced the thoughts away and pushed herself to run faster, ignoring the wetness that ran down her thigh. She couldn’t keep her thoughts under control, every time she tried to catch her breath, another popped up and made her scared of herself.

Ducking under a branch, and then pushing on, she looked over her shoulder, checking to see if she could still see anypony who might be following. That’s when the branch arrived, and caught her in the corner of the head, sending her sprawling through the dirt. Panting for breath, she spit gravel from her mouth, shaking her head and blinking, trying to clear her eyes.

Something was blurring her vision, and she made herself lift a hand, touching her forehead. A shot of pain burst through her where she touched her brow, and she drew her hand back, blood coated her fingers. “Dear Celestia, no. I need to tend to this, quickly.” Shifting her weight, Bronze reached for her pack, only now remembering she had dropped it in the clearing to take out the smelling salts. “Celestia damn it!”

Rolling over and forcing herself to slowly stand up, Bronze fought off the rising tide of nausea. “I bet if I just made Rarity and Dash disappear, Applejack would let me be Dusk’s Alpha mare…” The sudden arrival of that thought made her weak in the kenes. She hadn’t thought that, had she? “I… I’m not that kind of mare!!! Rarity is a noble lady! Dash is an impressive warrior! Why would I want to do such a horrific thing!”

Unbidden, her own thoughts answered her. “But it would be so easy! And then Dusk would be mine. Get rid of Applejack, and he’d be mine alone…”

Bronze took off running again, away from those thoughts, away from herself. She couldn’t stop them from pouring up, filling her mind, and even as the coppery taste ran down her face and into her lips, she ignored it, ignored the spreading black, and focused on the woods, on running.

* * *

The guard lifted a hand, snapping his fist shut and whistling sharply. Dusk came running in, and the guard lifted his hands, open palms towards them all before gesturing to Dusk to come forward.

Turning as the stallion approached, the guard knelt, and when Dusk joined him, he pointed to the broken tree branch, and the pool of blood in the dirt a few feet away. Using both hands, he parted the grass, revealing a full footprint too. Dusk gave him a nod, and the guard shifted to stand with the stallion, breathing carefully while the lord’s breath was quick from stress and worry. “She is hurt, sir. I know this isn’t a good sign for her health or sanity, but surely you can accept that at least it gives us a better chance of catching up with her, right?”

Dusk winced at his words, and looked into his eyes, the worry clear in the young lord’s gaze. “What’s your name, guard?”

Blushing, and glad to take off his helmet for once, the guard muttered his name for the lord.

“What? I didn’t catch that. Please, say it clearly. I can’t be calling you guard all the time.”

Suppressing his embarrassment, he tried again. “I’m… Lilly Hammer, sir. Corporal Hammer.”

The lord paused for a moment, looking at him again, and Lilly Hammer winced as his eyes ran over the heavy greatmail strapped to his back, and the twin hammers on his weapons’ belt. But the lord was kind, and asked a very unexpected question. “Have you ever been alone in the woods, without food, friends, or a way home?”

Lilly saluted, and gave a nod. “As part of the guards training, sir. We are escorted to the Castle of the Two Sisters, and left to stand guard there alone for two days. We are given a brass whistle and field gear, but nothing else, and we do it alone. Any who breaks before their two days are up are not allowed into the Royal Guard, only the guard in general.”

Dusk nodded a lot, and pointed at the backpack on his back. “But you get your field pack, A week’s rations, and as you said, a whistle. She is hurt, has no medicine, and her own mind is telling her horrible things. And it won’t stop. Even now, as she is bloody and running, she is probably thinking of all the bad thoughts she’s ever had in her life. Cheat on a test? Steal from a merchant? Bribe a teacher?”

Lilly Hammer couldn’t help it, he tried to picture the idea and a cold shiver ran down his spine. “We should continue, sir. We can’t fly in these trees, but she’s running blind, and we have a trail to follow. I’m sure we can catch her.”

Dusk smiled at him, and grabbed his hand. “Thank you, corporal. I am glad the guard care for their own. We will find her, I only hope she is still okay. Call the troops off break, and lead on. You’ve got good eyes. I need you to use them and find us any more hints like this.”

* * *

Dash could hardly even see Applejack anymore, the mare was so quick to shake leaves free and recover! It just wasn’t fair! “I mean, how can she kick a tree that hard and still land running! She’s gotta be cheating somehow!”

Leaping into another tree, the way it rocked under her weight made Dash pause and reach out, gripping at the trunk. Catching her breath, she realised a leaf had landed on her nose, while others fell to the ground below. “What… what if I-” Taking no time to think, Dash gripped the thickest branch she could find, and leapt into the air, beating her wings as hard as she could, and bent the tree away from Applejack. “Sling-shot Launching.. They talked about it in Flight School… maybe I can use it here too?”

Her answer came when she knew she couldn’t push the branch any further back. Twisting around in place and bracing her weight on the branch, she relaxed her wings, folding them tightly to her back. The tree sprang back, and as she watched, divested itself of most of its leaves. “Yes! I might not be able to do it in one kick, Applejack, but can you match me in speed?”

Roaring forward on the momentum of her glide, Dash started running to keep up her pace, three quick steps and then she leapt again, catching the upper branches of another springy feeling tree. “I bet I even removed more leaves from that tree than any of the ones that AJ kicked! Lets try this again!”

Launching herself forward again, Dash didn’t waste momentum watching the tree this time, instead waiting for her speed to drop, and spread her wings to extend the glide. When she had to kick her feet out again, she felt her heart leap to her throat. “Dash, you’re a genius! Applejack’s only twenty feet ahead! Keep it up, you’ll lap her before this is over!”

Grinning from ear to ear, Dash looked at the treetops, getting a good measure of them before selecting her next target. It was just a leap away, and she’d-

* * *

Applejack needed a breath, and her right knee was aching; too many leaps and landings with the same leg, still sore from before, though she’d be damned if she admitted it. Pressing on, she ignored a few good trees, until the sudden burst of laughter made her look over her shoulder at the blue-feathered blur that was suddenly racing towards her. Shocked, she half-stumbled, half-stepped, still trying to keep running, even as Dash roared towards her, feet only kicking off the ground to keep up her pace. Off-balance, Applejack felt herself shifting a little, struggling to catch her balance.

That’s when Dash blew past her on the right side, the impact of their bodies had been minor to Dash, but to Applejack’s sore knee, it was like somepony had hit her with a bat. Falling over and gasping for breath, Applejack looked up, and saw Dash simply carry on. “What is she, ignorant?!! She just bodychecked me to the dirt and now she just runs on!?”

A shadow looming over her, Lyra bent down, and offered AJ her hand. “That was bad luck, her brushing against you while you were off-balance. Come on, get up. I’ll slow down, give you a chance to catch your wind.”

Applejack was shocked, and accepted the help up, ignoring the throbbing ache in her leg as she shifted around and caught her breath. “I-... yeah. Accidental bump, right. Thanks… um... Lyra. You sure you don’t wanna go on ahead? You’re probably the only pony that could match Dash in speed if you really tried.”

Lyra laughed and passed her a cup of water, Applejack could only guess she’d been carrying it with her magic since the last booth. She drank it and started jogging alongside the unicorn, who matched her pace for now. “Are you kidding me? I’m only doing this run for Dusk’s sake. He asked nicely, and it’s good to know I’m making other unicorns proud. I don’t want to win, but thanks, AJ. I bet once you’ve caught your breath, you’ll blow her away.”

Applejack gritted her teeth, but gave Lyra a nod. “Oh, trust me, she’ll learn a thing or two, that I promise.”

* * *

Something cold and wet touched her lips, and Bronze Feather let them part, sipping at the refreshing chill that could only be water. Her head pounded, and her left eye wouldn’t open, but even with her right eye alone, she couldn’t focus on her surroundings well enough to make anything out. It was... a hut maybe? A house of some kind. And somepony was spooning water to her lips. That was all that mattered. The mare was- had- She couldn’t focus, the pain was too much and her mind was numb. “Did… did I hit another tree? I feel like I’ve been running for hours. Dear Celestia, let this mare be friendly.”

As if called by her thoughts, the mare leaned closer, a black blur in Bronze’s eye that still refused to focus. But when she spoke, she spoke in riddles and that made the words just as hard to follow. “Awake again, I see. The timing will make this a pity. This will hurt you much, though it will clean the dirt and such.”

The ladle of water left her lips, and something noxious, yet also smelling of lilacs, was poured over her face. The lancets of pain shot through her, and Bronze passed into the black again. The last she heard as she sunk into the black was that same voice trying to comfort her. “First we clean, but from what I glean, there isn’t much you haven’t seen.”

* * *

Bronze felt a piercing bolt of pain in her face, above her eye and tried to scream, but a hand clamped down on her mouth, and hissed. “Awake again? Do not strain. I can do little for your pain.” The hands left her face, and the pressure above her eye remained, but in seconds, the mare was back and an ice chip was placed upon her tongue. “Suckle on this and let me work, I stress, make not a single sudden jerk. I am Zecora, of the Long Grass Tribe, do not worry, I’ll take no bribe. Whoever you were running from, do not be glum, I’ll trust no scum.”

Bronze closed her lips around the small piece of ice, and found it soothing to her raw throat and swollen tongue. She must have bitten it at some point, that was it. No wonder she felt like she'd been run through a wall at some point or another. The pressure above her eye changed, and with her good right eye, she finally found out why. The mare kneeling over her was using a needle carved from bone, and was stitching the wound above her face closed.

As she rolled the ice around her tongue, it dawned on Bronze she could finally focus with her right eye again, and her hair and face felt wet… and she was naked. And she was sweating; the sound of a roaring fire not far away answered that question at least. Turning her eye up, she made herself focus despite the pain, to see who this Zecora was.

The mare was… the mare was beautiful, but not like Rarity, with her good looks and sense of style. More like Applejack, but slimmer, but not skinny, like the divas who dominated the stage in Canterlot. Attempting to judge her weight, she had to be near two hundred pounds, six feet tall, her eyes were teal, her skin was an even darker brown than Princess Celestia’s famous golden tan, and her hair was-

“Her hair is black and white. The reports said she had black and white hair… Is this the smuggler? Have I been saved by the very pony we were sent to capture?”

Unbidden, too weak to keep silent, Bronze felt the words forming on her lips, against her will. “Why did you harvest the Black Lotus, yet stay in the woods. What kind of smuggler does that?”

The mare appeared shocked by her words, and laughed a little, yet continued her stitching without breaking her pace, still focused on the act yet answering all the same. “Such an act is smuggling here? I must say that does sound rather queer. How does your herbalist gather her stock? Perhaps by hanging up a massive wind sock?”

Shocked at the question, Bronze tried to focus, to get a hold of her tongue, but she couldn’t; it kept going against her will. “No, but ponies that collect outlawed herbs for resale are smugglers. Are you going to stop helping me now that I’ve given myself away?”

The mare arched a brow and leaned in, biting off the thread she had been using to stitch Bronze’s eyebrow. Lingering over her lips, she glared into Bronze’s own eye. “So if I never planned to sell my crop, for what reason would I ever need to stop?” When Bronze started to try and speak again, she put a finger to her lips. “Your speech is such a shock. What makes you always need to squawk?”

Crying now, Bronze felt her lips run wild on her, unable to prevent it. “I don’t know!!! I ran into a patch of blue flowers, and ever since, my mind and body are doing things that I can’t control. First Dusk, and now you asking questions! I can’t make it stop!”

Zecora drew back, an eyebrow lifting high while she crossed her arms over her chest. “Blue flower and endless chatter... but this is not some unknown matter. Have none told you? I shall state it while I mix my brew: ‘Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!’"

The instant recognition Zecora payed to Bronze’s description of the flower made her sit up, and grip the mare’s shoulders. “You know it!?? You know of a cure for it? To stop these idle thoughts from taking over my body, my mind!?”

The mare simply pushed Bronze to lay back and stepped away from the bed. “It will take some time to stew, but you can trust my magic brew. Now sleep dear mare, you’ve had quite a scare. While I prepare, you are safe now, I swear.”

Lowering her head to the pillow, Bronze tried to ignore the returning nausea from sitting up so suddenly. She tried to recall the name the mare had given her, and once she found it she repeated it in her mind, time and time again. It was so strange, she needed to hold onto it. “Zecora of the Long Grass Tribe… and now I owe the smuggler my life."

* * *

Lilly Hammer touched Dusk’s shoulder and pointed through the trees, his voice a low whisper against his ear. “It was hard to find, but they drew us a path. I can show you where she collapsed, but whoever lives in this home found her, and brought her inside. By the tracks, that was probably two, maybe three hours ago. I admit I didn’t even see the door until I was nearly touching it. See the tree on the north side? Follow it up. It’s hollow, and it acts as the chimney. See where the smoke leaks out forty feet up? Somepony cut tons of small holes from the forty foot mark and up. The smoke is hard to see since it’s so spread out.”

Dusk gave a small nod, holding a hand up so the stallion fell silent. They were the closest to the house, and its small clearing, but all around the house, the guards and the weather team were falling into position. With no windows, and made of a mixture of a dozen trees and three massive rocks, it really blended into the surroundings until you knew it was there. Dusk leaned his head back so he could whisper in return. “So our smuggler has Bronze, and Bronze was bleeding so bad she could be dead by now. So we rush the hut in hopes of finding Bronze before she bleeds out, or we attempt to approach her diplomatically, and hope she doesn’t kill Bronze in the meantime. Both horrible options, and yet we have no other choi-”

The door of the hut was suddenly thrown open, and wrapped in a heavy cloak, the smuggler stepped out through the door, raising her hands above her head. “Ponies of Equestria, step out from beneath your shield of trees. Bronze Feather is well, but still not at ease.”

As Lilly reached for his weapon, Dusk shook his head and lifted his hands over his head, stepping out of the wall of trees. The mare turned to him, her cloaked head shaking and … “Is she shivering?? In this weather, dressed in a heavy cloak like that, and she shivers from the cold?”

Dusk nearly couldn’t suppress his curiosity and stepped out from the treeline, his hands still held up. Something about the way she shivered meant something, he knew it, but he just couldn’t remember. And the way she spoke, the rhymes. Something.. something. “Of course! You’re a Zebra!”

Blurting it out without even really meaning to, Dusk was shocked when the mare turned to face him, and raised her hands. For a moment he thought she might be surrendering, but instead she threw back her hood, revealing long hair that hung around her shoulders, black and white in hue, and rich teal eyes. Dark brown skin, like none he’d ever seen. Crossing her arms over her chest again, she pointedly looked at those still in the trees. “My words were no joke, stallion of the pony-folk. That you know my clan, means you are no con man. I am Zecora, once high Priestess of the Long Grass Tribe. From your look, I take you for a scribe?”

Dusk tried to remember what little he had studied of the Zebra tribes. Political ties were nearly non-existent, yet they worshiped Princess Celestia as ‘The Queen Who Rides Upon the Sun’. Their priestesses were chosen from birth and trained with great dedication, yet Zecora looked young, too young to be this far from home. Dusk lifted a hand and gestured to the treeline behind him. “I am. Or was, until recently. I am a student of The Princess, your people would know her as ‘The Queen Who Rides Upon the Sun’. Recently, we heard rumors of somepony smuggling Black Lotus in these woods. We had come searching for them until my dear friend was struck down by Poison Joke. Now we only wish to take her home, to safety.” When Zecora’s eyebrow shot up at his use of the word smuggle, he lifted his hands defensively. “We don’t care about the Black Lotus now. We only want to make sure that our friend is okay. The rest is unimportant compared to her life.”

Zecora lowered her eyebrow, and shivered as a stiff breeze lifted, blowing through her hair. She pointed a single finger at him, her voice confident, almost teasing. “As another servant of the queen, I have given her a vaccine. The poison has come clean, but her conscience has yet to be seen. This has all left my stores rather lean. Two may enter, and take her from the scene.”

For a moment, she fell silent, and then stepped forward again, walking slowly until she stood before Dusk, tall enough to be just eye to eye with him. “Scholar, what you have yet to have seen? I’ve a cure that would make a sage green. Black Lotus alone, I can not condone. Bring me Snap Beans, the kind with spleens. Lorvitta with yellow petals, not with nettles. Calidrom I know from home. And an Ester Root; I'll take no dispute. Gather that all? And together we will brew, a true cabal. I promise you, no Black Lotus brew.”

Dusk felt himself sweating, something about her words made his lips ache; the suggestion she could brew together Black Lotus safely pulled at the memories of that one night… when he walked through the- Dusk forced the idea aside and snapped his fingers. Lilly Hammer and Thunderlane charged from the bushes and stopped at his side. Dusk pointed to the open door. “Bronze is inside. Carefully retrieve her, and be respectful. We are in her territory and her home. I’d rather not have to replace anything even rarer than what she’s already asked for.”

The stallions gave him a respectful nod and then rushed inside. Dusk was already setting up the flight sling, giving it to Flitter and Cloudchaser to strap on. As the stallions returned, Dusk looked at the unconscious mare and changed his mind. “Z-... Zecora? Can she handle a teleportation spell? Or would it make her condition worse?”

The mare arched a brow and looked him over again, before offering a shrug. “The medicines in her blood are at no risk. Her body is safe for you to whisk. But can you handle such a task? My interest in this, I will not mask. The distance, the effort, I’ll not dispute, but take great care, stallion, or fear will take root.”

Dusk stepped forward, and accepted the weight of Bronze from the stallions. He gave her good cheek a tender stroke and looked up to the men. “I gave her my word. We leave, now. I’ll see you back in town, so fly fast, because if any pony touches a hair on this mare’s head, I’ll see he wishes he were dead.”

Zecora gave him a small nod, but Dusk ignored it, and ignored the effort it took to keep holding Bronze’s broken body up. The magic came quickly, and Pinkie’s words made him re-examine the spell, reshaping it to fit over Bronze with great care. “This is a horrible time to experiment, but I don’t think you’d last if I sent you the slow way… I’m… I’m sorry, Bronze.”

In a flare of magic, Dusk and Bronze were gone. For a moment, the gathered weather team and guards all looked at Zecora, who simply arched an eyebrow at them despite shivering from the cold that they hardly appeared to notice. Bored of waiting, she gestured at them. “Well? Is this time for you to take a stroll? If that’s not your goal, I could use a hand gathering coal.”

* * *

Celestia shot up, turning to face the deep woods of the Everfree Forest, the sensation of power building up was unmistakable and yet- in an instant it changed, jumped to… to the new hospital. Twisting around, she cupped Barb’s jaw and scratched under its curve. “Barb, dear. I feel the need for a walk. Would you keep my chair warm?”

Unintersted in arguing, the dragoness hopped into the offered seat, happy to recline in the extra space. But now the mayor and others were approaching her, both worried and excited looks dancing in their eyes. Raising a hand, she shook them off, but they continued to approach, and she was forced to speak. “Be well, my children. I wish for a moment of peace and quiet. I am going for a walk. Please return to your seats.”

Order given, they finally relented, leaving Celestia at last alone to walk into the town, heading for the new hospital and the fading flare of magic.

* * *

Dusk felt numb as the world blurred around him, his eyes unfocused and the strain on his magic burned, burned from his horn, down through his neck and into his shoulders. For a moment as he staggered to regain his balance, he worried, worried he’d rushed the spell and reached for the wrong source, for his blood and not his magic.

Then everything snapped into place, and while the ache still throbbed in his back and around his shoulders, he pushed it aside as best he could manage, straining to support Bronze’s weight as he stumbled forward, trying to reorient himself. The sound of running water pulled his attention, and he looked up at the ivory fountain of Princess Celestia that stood before him. “Right… the courtyard of the new hospital. I did it, Bronze... simply amazing.” Staggering around, he looked for the entrance to the hospital, and there stood a mare he needed a moment to place. A moment he didn’t have. “I need a doctor, and somepony needs to call for Nurse Redheart, ASAP! This mare’s suffered severe blood loss and multiple head wounds.”

Shocked, she staggered back a few steps staring at Dusk, but was pushed aside, as a golden-haired young mare with dark blue feathers pushed past the unbalanced nurse, looking from Dusk to Bronze and back again before turning to the nurse and grabbing her by the elbows. “Well?! Wake up, girl! You get the nurse, I’ll get a doctor, alright?” Nodding to Dusk, she rushed back inside the hospital doors.

The nurse stumbled forward a few feet, still staring back towards the pegasus who had ran back inside, then turned back to Dusk and drew together her magic, casting a flare into the sky over the hospital. Finally regaining his balance, Dusk turned back towards the hospital and pushed in through the door, defensively cradling Bronze’s limp form close and using his magic to pull open the double doors.

It was only seconds later that he found himself in the company of Dr. Horse, and escorted to the emergency room, the broken mare taken from his hands. In a daze, he found himself sitting upon a spare gurney, while the doctor called for a second surgeon, and soon they had rushed into the clear room.

It was Redheart’s voice that pulled Dusk out of his trance, her fingers before his eyes snapping violently. The nurse from outside was there as well, with a chart, and they kept stopping and talking to one another. Pushing aside his exhaustion, Dusk sat up again. “I’m- sorry, Redheart. I think I over did it, my mind and my magic both feel like a stretched out rubber band. I kinda… I have to focus to keep my mind from drifting. Is… is Bronze okay?”

Red gave a sigh as he spoke and relaxed a little, but as he continued, she shot a glance at the nurse and stepped forward, cupping his chin in both hands and turning it up so she could look into his eyes. “Dusk, you’re impossible, really you are. Teleporting two ponies over a dozen miles? I don’t know if I’ve ever read about somepony managing such a crazy feat. I’m surprised your brain isn’t gushing from your nose right now. Look, I’ll get something to help with your head, but I’d suggest letting your magic regenerate. Should I call for Princess Cadence to check you out again?”

From the ER doorway, the golden-haired pegasus mare peaked in and gave Dusk a small wave, but when Redheart turned to glare at her, she meekly blushed and backed out, still waving. Dusk gave a sigh and pushed the stranger from his mind, focusing instead on Redheart’s lack of an answer. “Bronze Feather. Answer me, is she okay?”

Scribbling on a sheet, Redheart pushed the unicorn nurse Dusk’s chart, and the mare rushed off to gather the meds listed. Turning back to him, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him the full weight of her glare. “Look, Dusk? She’ll probably live. She’ll have one hell of a scar over her left eye, and will probably need most of the winter to recover. She lost way too much blood, but whoever found her did a fantastic job of stitching her head. Beyond that? No promises. She needs time, and you can’t help her, so let it go, alright?”

Dusk winced, but slowly nodded. “Alright, alright. I-I understand. Thank you for the truth, Redheart. I’ll … I’ll try to be a good patient.”

Accepting a glass from the nurse, Redheart pushed it into Dusk’s hand, along with the first of a handful of pills. “Good, then let’s start. First a sedative, and after that, we’ll deal with your blood pressure and your exhaustion.”

* * *

Dusk sat in the hospital garden, the soft splashing of water in the ivory fountain lulling him back into a half-doze. Spaced out, he didn’t even notice the dark, blue-feathered pegasus with her golden hair sit down beside him until she spoke, mostly to herself. “So, the nurses say she’s awake and talking. But they also told me to warn you she isn’t taking any visitors. They’ve even sent for Princess Cadence. I-I’m sorry I don’t have any better news than that.”

Shocked as the stranger suddenly started talking to him, Dusk resurfaced and looked over at her, confusion piling up, but he pushed forward a calm front and gave her a nod. “Well, thank you for looking in on her for me. I’m kinda surprised Redheart let me leave so quickly.” Watching her, Dusk searched for a hint, a suggestion, a single word that might help him identify who she was. All failed him, leaving him floundering. “I- forgive me, I’ve never forgotten a name before, but here I appear to be missing yours, you are?”

Laughing a little, the mare shook her head relaxing into the bench and folding a leg over her knee. “Oh no, It’s my fault really. I didn’t even introduce myself. I’m Winter Harvest, a snow expert from Cloudsdale Weather School. My herd sister had a foal while we were passing by yesterday and needs a few days to recover before we go home. But I’ve read about you and what the elements have done. Never thought I’d get to meet you in person.”

Dusk considered again the golden hair and dark blue wings, before shrugging it off. “Oh? Well, congratulations. I hope she has a strong foal. As for my achievements? Most of them were only due to the incredible support I’ve received from my dear friends.”

Winter Harvest grinned at him, laughing a little. “Oh? So your Princess Celestia’s favorite student, and you’re humble? No wonder why you have so many frien-”

The sudden sound of screaming drowned out Winter’s voice, and Dusk found himself on his feet, looking around even before he had been able to understand the words. Walking three steps towards the main road he froze, looking back at the hospital doors, back towards Bronze. Pressure from a hand rested on his shoulder and the mare offered him a smile. “Go ahead, I’ll go back in and take a look in on your friend. You’re an easy-to-find stallion. It sounds like somepony else needs you.”

Dusk winced, yet gave her a smile. “I... thanks, Winter Harvest. I owe you again.” Dusk bolted out of the small garden, heading towards the familiar sounding voice.

* * *

Scootaloo couldn’t believe it, even though she’d seen it with her own eyes, everything had felt like it had happened in slow motion. Dash had been sailing, no, more like gliding along, and Applejack had kicked a tree just ahead of her. One moment they were heading in the same direction, the next, Applejack half-stumbled, a look of pain on her face, and she fell forward, against Dash’s wing. Then suddenly, everything started happening too quickly, they’d spilled and tumbled over one another, and then they started shoving and shouting. “Dash!!! Applejack! Stop I said stop it! You’re both being so dumb! It was an accident! Just… Just stop this!”

That’s what really hurt, that they ignored her and kept shouting at one another, pressed face to face. Scootaloo just couldn’t handle all this. Her eyes blinded by tears, she pushed in between them, attempting to force the enraged mares apart while screaming at the top of her lungs.

But she wasn’t strong enough, and rather than push them apart, they ran her over. They just continued shoving one another again, leaving Scootaloo alone in the middle of the street, while Applejack gave Dash a shove, pushing her back against a house.

After getting up and spitting out dirt, she turned to them, screaming once more.. “Why the fuck are you two so angry!?!?!? You’re best friends!”

Pressure on her shoulder made her look up, Dusk smiled down at her for just a moment, but he was huffing for breath as if he had been running hard, then shoved two fingers into his lips, piercing the air with a sharp whistle. When even that didn’t work, Bubbles formed around both mares, Dusk’s magic spell finally separating them at last.

Looking from one fuming mare to the other, Dusk’s voice was almost heart broken, the pain in his words made even Scootaloo feel bad for the stallion. “Applejack... Rainbow Dash... What in the hell are you both doing!? You’re friends! Hell, sometimes I’m jealous of how well you two get along! Just what in the world is going on!?”

As both mares started talking over one another with accusations of cheating, tripping and low blows, Scootaloo reached up and squeezed Dusk’s hand, pulling his attention down. “It- I didn’t see it all or anything, Dusk, but I saw it start. Applejack sorta tripped, and fell against Dash’s bad wing, and then they just went crazy.”

Dusk knelt down and wrapped her in his arms, glaring back at the mares who were finally calming down, guilt spreading in both of their eyes. Dusk looked from her and back to the mares before giving a sigh. “Look, I love you Applejack. Dash? You’re a dear, dear friend, maybe more. But this? This ends right now. Bronze Feather’s in the hospital and I’ve still got to go back to the woods. Settle this, one way or another, and then come find me at the hospital. This? This fight? This is pathetic. The Running of the Leaves is a fun, traditional holiday.” Squeezing his hand, Scootaloo tried to show the sad stallion some support. Sensing it, he smiled down at her for a moment before looking back up at them again. “If you two agree that this never happened, I’ll never bring it up again, but me and Scootaloo? We’re disappointed with you both. Come on, Scoots, I need the help of somepony reliable.”

* * *

Dusk’s spell didn’t drop until he was out of sight, and as it did, Applejack was still panting for breath, suddenly feeling like a foolish child. Bracing both hands on the ground, she slowly forced herself to stand up, shame darkened her cheeks and she lifted a hand, hardly able to look Dash in the eyes. “Look, Dash-”

Dash gripped her hand, squeezing it and looking her in the eyes. “Applejack, I’m a fool. I should have stopped to check on you when you tripped earlier, instead I saw you were talking with Lyra, and figured it was a chance to get ahead of you both. I-I’m sorry.”

Stepping in, she cupped Dash’s jaw with her free hand, still squeezing her hand in return with her other hand. “No, I totally blamed you for cutting me off on purpose. I’m the one at fault, Dash. Look, I know this was foolish, it makes me feel like a dumb foal that we came to blows over something this dumb. Is… is your wing okay?”

Dash unfolded her left wing, flexing and flapping it a few times, before nodding. “Fact is, I think it’s nearly healed up anyway. It was more the shock impact that had me being stupid. Your knee?”

Applejack lifted it and thumped the ground a few times, shrugging. “I might’ve just let myself get too caught up. Look, let’s just go to the hospital. Bronze… Bronze was asking me about being allowed to be with Dusk. Whatever’s happened to her is more important than this dumb race, right?”

Dash, shook her head, pulling off her number. “What, Bronze too? Geeze, so much for taking things slow with Dusk. Alright, agreed. Somepony being hurt is bigger than this, bigger than us. Besides, my weather team was in charge of making sure Dusk stayed safe, they failed, and now I need to know what happened.”

* * *

Dusk rolled the whole Ester Root between two fingers, chewing at his lower lip. “It’s fresh, too. Look… thank you, Redheart.” The nurse gave him a nod, kneeling still before Scootaloo, brushing gravel from the filly’s hair and muttering under her breath.

“You say she’s a Zebra, Dusk? Look, I’m no herbalist, I’ve only got some basic pharmacy experience, but if she’s trying to claim this will do something to Black Lotus? That’s just insane. Alchemists and Herbalists have tried for centuries to find a way to cure it, to weaken it. To help addicts. Almost nothing works.” A wet hand towel pushed through Scootaloo’s face again and the girl protested, though weakly. “Go ahead and take them, but don’t expect any world-changing miracles, alright?”

“Thanks, Redheart… I’ll keep my hopes from getting too high. Look, about Bronze-”

“Did you know that Princess Celestia brought some of her advisers with her today? Some psychologist is looking in on Bronze as a favour to the Princess… What was her name? Oh! Summer Orchards. Apparently, she was one of Princess Cadence’s teachers.”

Dusk struggled for a moment, trying to place the name. “Has- Yes, I’m sure Cadence has mentioned her. Unicorn mare, in her late fifties. But one of Celestia’s advisers? I guess this is proof I’ve never payed enough attention to politics until now.” Shaking that off, Dusk finished packing the herbs into a carrier bag. The sound of two mares talking drifted down the hall into the pharmacy, and Dusk looked up watching Applejack and Dash enter, a little sheepishly, yet walking together.

Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Dusk stepped forward, and smoothed down Scootaloo’s hair, while Redheart began to rise, the dirty alcohol rubbing cloth clenched in one hand. Before she could start, Dash looked from Scoot to Redheart to Dusk, before shaking her head. “Look, Redheart. You can scream at me for being an idiot all you want. I deserve it, I swear. Scoot was just trying to keep us from fighting, and we pushed her over and kept fighting. But too much is happening right now. My weather team just started showing up, and Bronze is hurt, and now Dusk’s talking about going back to the Everfree Forest again? So tomorrow you can scream at me about mistreating Scootaloo, and I’ll even sit quietly and listen, but today, can we both just agree that I’m an idiot?”

Redheart tossed the dirty wipe into the garbage bin, and pointed a finger square at Dash’s heart. “I’ll do you one better. Tomorrow, six am. My shift starts. You’re going to be taking notes for me, Dash. You’ll be my helpful little assistant for the day. I don’t care what comes up with the weather team, get somepony else to handle it. You’re busy.”

When Dash suppressed a groan and snapped a salute, Scootaloo took it as things were at last okay, and pulled out from Dusk’s hand, to run over and slap both mares on the hand. “See! Dash, Applejack, I told you! You’re friends. No more of this, or I’ll find Mac and get him to scold you next time!”

Both mares pulled a hand back after Scootaloo’s attempt to add to their lecture. But it was Dusk who stepped forward next, again gently toying with the filly’s hair before stepping up to Applejack’s side. “Is it over? Are we done with that mistake? It’s never going to come up again?”

Almost sheepish, but too bull-headed to be ashamed, AJ gave him a nod. “We are, Dusk. Thank you for giving us a chance to look past all this. But look, if you're going back into the Everfree-”

“I’m going into the smuggler’s den alone, and that is final. I’ll take an escort from the guards and the weather team, but I owe Zecora this much trust. She found Bronze and risked being found herself to take care of her. If I don’t offer her this much faith in return, I’ve failed Bronze. Can… Look, can you look in on Bronze while I’m gone? Redheart won’t let me in, says Bronze has specifically refused to see me. I-”

Applejack kissed him, and he fell silent, though Scootaloo’s open commentary on public displays of affection got her point of view across quite vocally. When the kiss broke, Applejack, looked guilty again. “Dusk… did you know she’d asked to join our little herd?”

Dusk gave a small nod. “I got the hint, yes. Look, AJ, I-”

Applejack put a finger to his lips, silencing him. “I said yes to her before because I felt guilty for feeling jealous… You know, that thing that we aren’t talking about from earlier? It reminded me that I need to be more honest about my feelings. I don’t know how a herd could work with so many mares. But if me and Dash can be friends after fighting like cats? Then I think we can make it work. If Bronze will see me, I’ll talk to her. I’m glad you care for her. She seems like a good mare.”

Dusk gave up on what he had been trying to say, giving her a small nod, and for just a moment, held her around the hips. “I... Thanks, Applejack.” Releasing her, he turned to look at Dash, arching an eyebrow at her. “Well? Go gather me an escort. If your wings are up to it, come along. We still need to talk about a lot of stuff. But that can wait until later, right?”

Worry shot through her eyes, and Dash gave him a slow nod. “I- err, yeah, right. Sure. Let’s go. Thunderlane and a few others should do. Maybe some of the guards just to be safe?”

Dusk shifted the sling over his shoulder to get it more comfortable, stepping in beside Dash and walking towards the exit. “Sure, and Lilly Hammer. He has a good head on his shoulders, and is a good tracker.” He paused and gave her a light nudge. “No, I’m not joking. It’s really his name. Go easy on him, he seems like a good guy.”

* * *

Dusk leaned forward in the sling, ignoring the whipping wind as Thunderlane and Lilly Hammer soared through the sky, dragging him along while the rest of their escort fanned out to keep watch over the forest around them.

Dash suddenly spiraled up from the trees below, flying in beside him while trying to yell over the whipping wind. "Alright, I'll admit it, that patch of poison joke? That's a huge and ugly mess. Got a dozen of my team making sure it burns without wrecking the whole forest. Gas masks and everything, I promise. But... are you sure you can trust this smuggler, Dusk?"

Jealous of the goggles she wore to protect her eyes in flight, Dusk held a hand to shield his face, making a mental note to find a pair and make sure they are kept with the sling for all future emergencies. Clearing the poison joke from his mental to-do list, he yelled back at her. "Like I said in the hospital, Dash. She risked exposure to us to save Bronze. She even returned her only bargaining chip, all without any thought of protecting herself. She's shown us nothing but good faith. I have to return that good faith."

Dash bit her lip but gave him a nod, pulling away and joining the dozen other pegasi in escorting Dusk.

It was Lilly Hammer's steady soft whistles before he pulled up short that made Dusk look around, hunting for signs of the smuggler's cottage. Thunderlane didn't argue with the old soldier, simply following his lead and circling slowly around before they lined up on a good gap between trees and working together, began to lower him. It was tricky; even though he remembered a clearing around the cottage, Dusk found that it was nearly invisible from above, the overlapping trees formed a wall that looked nearly impenetrable until you were right above them, and a thin gap finally opened up.

Settling his feet on the ground at last, Dusk was shocked when Dash burst through the foliage and stepped to his side, again wearing her worried look. "Look, Dusk, I-I just wanted to warn you. Take my whistle at the very least, okay?! That way you can call for help!"

Dusk closed his fingers around the chunk of brass as she forced it into his hand, smiling a little as he leaned in close so he could answer without embarrassing her in front of the others. "I think you've grown soft on me, Dash. I'll take it, but I'll be fine."

From behind them, the soft laughter echoed through the woods before reassuring her as well. "Fear not for your stallion, you'll find no harm here. I only close my door to keep out this cold that I fear. If you’ve brought me the ingredients, like that of a diligent daughter, perhaps I may offer you a cold glass of water?"

Turning together, Dusk felt his cheeks go red at the sight before him. He couldn't ignore the thoughts in his head. "If she's scared of the cold, she should be wearing a little more." The zebra was nude, save for a single line of cloth that ran over her loins. A proud mature woman, she was bare-breasted, dark skin radiant in the glow of a blazing fire inside the concealed hut. Upon her right hip, a massive sun had been painted in white mud, while white streaks of the same mud had been painted all over her bare body, across her naked breasts and erect nipples, small streaks were painted over her cheeks, her temples, and her jaw, all parallel lines had been drawn to run from one side to the other, to meet up with its opposite twin. And a long thick line had been drawn from the edge of her hairline, straight down between her eyes and over her nose, her lips, her chin, throat and breastbone. The line went between her breasts and over her belly before disappearing under that tiny shred of fabric. Other lines outlined her ribs, white designs Dusk couldn't identify had been drawn all over her arms and legs. Sweat ran down her neck under the thick locks of her black and white hair, while goosebumps spread over her front, exposed to the cool night air.

As she realized that Dusk was stunned by the woman before them, Dash stepped in front of him and dismissed the confusing words she had thrown together. "I'm not some good girl to fetch presents for some wild mare in the woods, that's more Dusk’s domain. But if he trusts you, I'll give you a chance, but only one. Harm a hair on his head, and I'll burn your little hut down personally."

Zecora laughed gently at Dash’s threat, and gave her a small nod. "I'd expect no less, I must confess. I've intruded upon your realm, and now I offer aid to the stallion who mans the helm. I did not intended to stammer, trust me dear mare, this isn't some glamour."

Dusk had finally recovered, squeezing Dash's shoulder and stepping past her. "The aspect of the sun, you really painted it all just like they drew in the books. Got the cutie mark right and everything. You really are a priestess back home, aren't you?"

This time, it was Zecora’s turn to bow low to him. "The goddess whispered in my ear, to obtain the title I now hold most dear. Come scribe, chosen by the Sun, let us get to work, to do what must be done."

The mare backed away, never leaving her deep bow, and Dusk loomed to Dash, squeezing her hand for one fleeting moment of support before following the mystic into her lair. No lights had been set up, so it was only the faint glow of the banked coals that lit up a little of the inside of the hut.

He closed the door as he passed through the threshold, cutting off the last of the late afternoon light.

* * *

High above again, Dash rose, worrying about the stallion and the exotic mare. She had smelled perfume, or scented oils of some kind burning in her house. Plus she'd been NAKED! Who cares if she wore some kind of loincloth to cov-

Thunderlane cleared his throat, and flew closer to Dash's side wearing his own worried look. "Look, Dash. The thing is- well, uh. I can't exactly keep teaching him everything alone and all. Not if he's going to pass those entrance exams you talked about. So, um. Well, it's just-"

Worried about Dusk and embarrassed at being worried, Dash snapped at the meek stallion. "Enough stammering, Thunderlane! Just say whatever it is that's on your mind already!"

Shocked out of his nervous stutter, Thunderlane straightened up and blurted out what had been on his mind. "I want to ask for permission to allow Rumble to start tonight's storm. It's a small one, but it would really do him a lot of good to get in a little more practical experience!" Realising he'd been shouting in the end, he blushed and scratched the back of his head. "I, umm... sorry, Dash. I just thought it'd do him some good."

Something in the way Thunderlane went meek again after bursting out in frustration amused Dash. So much so, she couldn't suppress it and just let loose. At first, Thunderlane was frustrated by this, then he started to get worried when Dash kept laughing so hard she began struggling to stay aloft. At last, she got a grip, and straightened up, nodding to her second. "Alright, Thunderlane, alright. I'll give you that leeway. He can help tonight. The shower tonight will be small, so if you can keep him on a short leash, I'll allow it."

* * *

As soon as Dusk turned away from the door, Zecora held out a hand for the bag hanging from his shoulder. “I do not mean to be the one to disturb, but may I please have every single herb?”

Dusk was shocked at just how forward she was, and started second guessing himself. But as those rich teal eyes rested unblinkingly on him, he found no reason to question her intent, and unslung the pouch, holding it out for her. “I was able to gather all this from our new pharmacy. If things like this are hard for you to gather, you need only come to us in town next time and ask. I’m sure we can find a way to make a deal. Maybe if you gathered us rare herbs you can find in the woods?”

Zecora opened the pouch, inspecting the four herbs, specifically pulling out the root, rolling it between her fingers, unable to hide a smile. “Clean, peeled, pressed and sealed. Not even a hint that it might be congealed, this will prove to have fantastic yield.” Placing the herbs onto a clean wooden platter, Zecora turned back to face him again. “An exchange? That I don’t find very strange. Be it knowledge or herbs, I have a very high range.”

Relaxing a little, Dusk watched as she moved back to her deep stone hearth, pushing it open and letting the heat pour forth. From a sack he hadn’t seen beside the hearth, she very selectively pulled out two handfuls of black coal, expertly throwing them all into the roaring fire before wiping her hands clean on the bag. Turning back, she lifted a heavy iron cauldron upon the hearth, the sound of sloshing liquid inside. Next, she lifted one of the dozen earthenware pots off the wall, pouring it empty before looking back over at him. “The root, if you please, dice into squares as small as peas.”

Stepping up to help her, Dusk fetched a knife from what lay out on the counter, quickly rubbing it clean in two passes over a clean piece of cloth before he began chopping up the root into as small of squares as he could while trying to word his next question. “May… May I ask you just what you’ve got planned with this experiment with the lotus? Ponies have been trying to find any solution to the negative side effects, through any number of attempts to reduce or alter the drug results in making the horrific side effects worse."

Zecora almost froze up for a moment at his question, before drawing a heavy three foot wooden spoon from a hook on the wall. Thrusting it into the slowly bubbling heavy pot, she began to stir while staring into the quickly darkening liquid as the powder blended in. “A question I have for you, have you tried lotus too?”

Dusk winced, but if honesty was to be the course of this truce, he had to follow through. "A few weeks ago. A cadet who had been charged with my care had a fatal wound, and the gift of healing magic is impossibly rare. With all my power, I've only ever managed to master healing papercuts and other tiny wounds. The medics came to me, because their patient was the younger sister of one of the medics. I took the Black Lotus, and I healed her."

As he continued to chop, Zecora let go of her ladle, stepping over and suddenly placing her arms around him from behind, pulling him very gently into a hug. Dusk was shocked as the pressure of her large breasts pressed into his back, but struggled to remain focused on carefully chopping the root. This was made harder as she placed one hand over his face, and another over his heart, shoving it under his loose shirt. Sensitive points where every one of her fingers touched tinged under the pressure of her fingers, and she whispered into his ear. "You need not fear, it seems your magical pathways are clear. Curious this, but your body isn't amiss."

Realizing she'd somehow tapped into his energy, his magic, with only a touch to the pressure points of his body, Dusk was astounded. A million questions sprung up, and he struggled to organize and suppress them, sorting out only the most important for now. "My magic? I... well, I was about to find it again by copying the way a friend of mine drew at her magic. I sort of- well, I was able to sort of see the pathway she was drawing her magic from in my head, and followed it myself. You can really tell all of that just by touching my face?"

"No stallion, not just your face but also the flow of your energy, and my does it race. It pounds strong and clear, a roar, not a hiss. Impressive for one who so recently tasted bliss." Releasing him and returning to her ladle, she again resumed stirring. "Tell me the truth, and make it clear: did you pierce the veil?! Have you visions without peer?"

Stunned, Dusk stared at her for a while, slowly shaking his head. "’The veil?’ Forgive me, I was too concerned with fitting back into my own tiny body. I’m not hurting anypony else. The things I saw were all wild, uncontrollable chaos... at least, until Pinkie came and sat with me. She was the stability in the flow, and I was able to hold onto her like a sorta... like a mental rock. A placeholder in reality I could depend on no matter how much everything else distorted. Her and the cold water, and the searing pain in my back."

"A shoulder ache? How odd! Most only talk about dreams of being a god." Scratching her jaw for a few seconds, Zecora was quietly lost in thought. Stepping over and snatching up the platter from him and inspecting the chopped roots with care, Zecora poured them into her slowly bubbling cauldron, returning the wooden board and giving him a smile. "Use a mortar and pestle and grind the Calidrom flowers whole, with only the yellow petals of the Lorvitta flowers in a bowl. Give me the stems along with the Snap Bean, do not peel them, I do not need to see that scene."

Wilting under the growing heat pouring from her roaring hearth, Dusk finally removed his sweat-drenched shirt, hanging it on an empty hook on the wall and moving to do as she'd ordered. The Lorvitta stems were plucked of their petals and added to the pound of beans, then placed into a spare empty bowl and passed to Zecora's waiting hand. The mare examined a random stem, chewing thoughtfully at it for a moment before giving a happy sigh, spitting on the dirt floor. "You selected fine herbs, young sir. What is your name? The day has been a blur."

"I'm Dusk Shine, student of Princess Celestia and new magistrate of Ponyville." Grabbing the heavy pestle, Dusk began grinding the yellow petals together with the whole Calidrom, a paste of vivid yellow quickly forming.

"Dusk, I see. Then a truth for thee. The lotus drink we brew? It does more than any knew. It opened the mind like no other. It makes all able to see a hint of the true mother. Beyond the veil, lies the true tale. Of a mother above all she prevails."

Confused as he struggled to translate her words into something more logical and less mythical, Dusk lifted the churned yellow mess for her to examine. "So... you want to know who, or what came before? Before Princess Celestia and Luna... before the old empires. Before history itself?"

Sticking a thumb into the mess, she pulled it back and gave a sniff before nodding at him. "This is indeed a proper blend, I'll take your good mood as a sign your friend will mend?" When Dusk gave her a nod, she smiled. "I wish your friend no ill will. This research is my only true thrill. I wish to see what will be. But managing that will not be easy. In fact it makes me feel a little queasy. The goddess mother holds her veil close, and nopony can handle more than one dose."

Stepping around Dusk and grabbing yet another earthenware jug from the shelf, she sniffed it and licked a fingerful of the contents, nodding in satisfaction and throwing it too into her brew. "Have you never seen the need to use the eyes of another? A sister? A mother or your other secret lover?"

Stunned, Dusk had to watch her for a while before he finally decided she'd been asking a question, not revealing some secret insight into the hectic days he'd been dealing with recently. "Thinking about it, I'd love to be able to see through Dash's eyes. To know what secrets made her try to pull a con like that with her budget." Fanning himself with one hand as she continued to stir a now gloopy concoction, the bubbles still formed just under the skin. "I have a mare friend, call her 'D', and just after my recent promotion, she handed me a stack of paperwork months overdue to the mayor, but suddenly ready the moment I'm in charge. The numbers and math are all logically sound, but she is well under budget, and yet everypony on the force has identical hours of overtime to the second. It... it worries me because we've become so close recently."

"So then I ask, my fair scribe, doesn't her affection appear to be a bribe?" Zecora continued to stir the concoction with the heavy wooden ladle, as it thickened on the roaring hearth, she soon needed a second hand to assist with stirring the thickening brew.

Dusk was shocked, almost insulted at the suggestion. "No, not 'D'! She's just not that kind of mare. She might make a mistake and try to piece together a rushed solution, but she'd never be the type to use her body as a bargaining chip."

Zecora grinned at him, drawing her hands from the pot and picking the lid off a thick earthenware jar. The scent hit Dusk like a sledgehammer, and instantly he found himself drooling against his will. She'd crushed the lotus petals into a fine dust and the smell coming from her jar set his sinuses on fire. As she began to tip in the grounded black remains, she gestured for him to take over stirring for her before speaking again as she very slowly mixed in the black powder. "So already you see something from her eyes, she'd never do that you protest. You know she is not one for you to despise, of that you can contest. Maybe this all is simply a mess and she can't even possibly confess?"

Slowly nodding, and struggling to ignore the need to scoop out the tiny flakes of dust that lined the new empty jar, Dusk leaned back against the wall, still watching her as she continued to mix. "I... I want to believe that, Zecora. But the money, the paperwork, the numbers. They dance in my head. I've seen the team work. The idea that somepony as busy as Thunderlane put in the same amount of overtime as a mare with a foal and a second job like Derpy? It just doesn't mesh. A mess she had to rush to explain? We did have that horrific storm. Do you mean she had to rig the schedule to pay for dealing with that?" Zecora simply gave him a shrug and placed a lid upon the cauldron, waiting for him to continue to piece the idea together. "It does make sense. Some were probably on days off. Even holidays. But she needed everypony she had on hand to handle a storm that bad. Oh... and I've been thinking she'd simply pocketed the bits for herself."

Zecora walked over and sunk a hand deep into his sweaty hair, fondly scratching at the curve of his head while gazing into his eyes. "Much simpler, yes? No big cause for distress. A mare simply doing her best to let the stressed have a faithful rest. Go home, and don’t you foam, for our brew must stew for a month, maybe two. I say ado, but still admire you. So return should you wish, I'll make up some kind of dish. As for our barter, we will see what we can charter. Coal is best. It’s far colder than I'd guessed."

Realizing he'd been dismissed, Dusk fetched his shirt and pulled it on again. Looking around her thin cottage, Dusk hesitated, then plunged in. "If cold is what you detest, and you need a proper rest, come stay by my side, the fire in my heart has never died. My little girl Barb needs coal to stay at her best. But should you come near some better garb, I'd suggest."

Arching a brow at him, Zecora considered his rhyme before giving a nod. "If you offer it would be my delight. Thank you scribe, until next we unite."

* * *

Barb couldn't believe the crowd as Lyra shook hands with the earth mare from Princess Celestia’s escort. The fact Dusk and Celestia were missing never seemed to phase them, it was all cheers and clapping even general laughter. The fact that a unicorn won, and that the odds-on favorites had both dropped out no longer mattered. Then Celestia’s representative had allowed Mayor Mare to take over and soon the Celebration began to move away. Behind her chair on the alley, Barb heard two voices talking, but a hush fell over them, and no wonder! Whoever had been talking she couldn't see, but as Princess Celestia emerged from the alley, they’d have had good cause to fall silent.

Barb hopped from her chair pouting a little. "I kept your chair warm, princess. But you missed the end of the race!"

The princess laughed gently, bending down and scratching the dragoness beneath her jaw with a deft finger tip. "My apologies, dear little friend. One of my retainers brought me news about how badly hurt Bronze Feather was. I went to check in on her, but Cadence has arrived and taken over. The poor mare will need a few weeks, but she's better now. And she has Dusk to thank for that."

Barb nodded more seriously, and then looked up with delight at the sound of roaring wings, and as one, twenty pegasus guards gathered before the stage. Stepping up to join them, one stallion knelt before the princess before offering her a letter. "Magistrate Dusk Shine sends word, Princess. He has solved the question of the smuggler. In short summary, he has determined that she is no outlaw, but a wandering priestess of the zebra tribe. He sends word that her stock of illicit herbs have been accounted for, and asks permission to give her special permission to possess and use such herbs as her research allows, as long as she remains in good standing.”

Amused, Princess Celestia arched one eyebrow and accepted the letter, skimming over it briefly before folding the paper up and handing it to one of her handlers. “Dusk, you are always finding new ways to amuse. Very well. If your people are done here, we will need an escort for Bronze Feather’s return to Canterlot; Princess Cadence says the mare is still very weak. If half your number will stay to assist with that, the other half? We fly for home in twenty minutes.”

Barb sighed and stepped in beside the princess again, biting her lower lip and shaking her head a little. “I wish you could stay longer, princess… You and Dusk never seem to have time to just sit and talk.”

Cupping the dragoness’ chin, Celestia scratched under the curve, smiling warmly down at her. “It’s alright Barb, I find even our occasional conversations deeply enlightening. Now run along home, I’m sure Dusk will return soon, and you’ve been gone far too long already.”

* * *

Dusk waited for the last of the guards to take to the air, then slipped an arm around Applejack’s hips, resting his head against her shoulder. “So she gave me some advice, but beyond that, we really just barely even talked. She did make a few suggestions, and hinted at some other things… I… I think I can trust her, AJ. She’s very odd, and talks in riddles and rhymes, but she shows a lot of wisdom and insight.”

Leaning against him in return she gave a shrug and sighed. “A priestess of the zebras... It hits me as strange, Dusk. I hope you’re right trusting her, but you’ve got a good head for ponies.”

Dusk shook his head, enjoying her soothing words. “You’re kind, AJ, but I’m just doing my best to make things work. Did Mac and Granny give you a rough time about today?”

She winced a little, rubbing at her still tender earlobe, but at last grinned. “You know, I got a real earful from Granny. And Mac… well, Mac just looked disappointed. You know him, he doesn’t talk more than he has to. I think I’m probably confined to the farm, if you or Rarity aren’t around to keep me in check, for a few weeks.”

Dusk couldn’t help it, the idea of her being grounded was simply too much, and he had to laugh. “And here I thought…” A giggle and a snort slipped out. “I thought Dash was the bad girl!”

Applejack winced at first and started to draw herself up in an attempt to be offended, but finally gave in to the humor of it, shaking her head. Looking up to the sky, she saw the dancing members of the weather team collecting clouds high above and spreading them out roughly evenly above the town. Relaxing she gestured with a nod towards the soaring pegasi. “What about Dash? Have you finally decided what to do?”

Dusk smiled a little, giving a shrug. “The truth is, I already knew. Bronze told me the same thing that Zecora did today. I need to go talk to Dash, admit that I was thinking ill of her and let her know that I understand. Maybe she can come to me in the future when things go wrong.”

Applejack laughed openly, enjoying herself and shaking her head. “Dash? Ask for help? Unlikely! Maybe to help with a stunt or the like, but that’s about the most you’ll get most days.” Thinking back to the afternoon, she scratched her jaw. “I suppose you’re right. Dash and me compete too much, that’s gotta be a huge part of why she doesn’t come to me for help often. You’re different. I think you might do better.”

Dusk sighed, and finally made himself stand up, leaning up to kiss her cheek. “I’d better go then, before I get you in trouble for spending too much time with city boys who cause nothing but trouble.” Winking to her, he turned, heading back to town.

* * *

Dash spun around and dove, the thrill of free flight made her whole body itch with excitement. "Forget the Running of the Leaves! Forget any race or competition anywhere! This is real! Nopony can beat me in an open sky, and for tonight at least, I rule this sky!"

The cold winds didn't even bother her, but as she dove through a heavy cloud in order to split it in half, memories of the wonderful silk of Rarity's birthday gift returned. "I need to break that out more often. Most of winter, really. Can't believe how well she made it." That thought brought back the weight of reality and her confrontation with AJ at the finish line. Things were unsettled, and it left a weight in her stomach she really didn't like. Twisting back, she surveyed the clouds, watching as the last few drifted into place and gave Thunderlane a solid thumbs up.

At her signal, he blew a few quick notes on his whistle and as one, the weather team returned home. "Thunderlane, you and the kid can handle the rest. Me? I've got plans for tonight!" She didn't even salute the distant stallion as she turned for home. He'd asked hours before, and he'd get his request. "Let's just hope the kid can handle doing something small this time."

Soaring over Ponyville, Dash headed for home. The home that Ponyville had given her anyways, she was going to change that, starting tonight! Just as she started to dive back towards the ground, a lone figure sitting on her front step made her freeze up, and look around for anypony else she might have missed.

Dash twisted defensively behind a cloud and bent around it to get a look at the stallion on her doorstep. Her heart now beating at a rapid pace, and her mouth suddenly felt thick and dry. "Dear Celestia! It's Dusk! It's Dusk, with PAPERWORK! It's Dusk, with paperwork with my signature on it! Crap! CRAP! CRAP!"

Guilt and shame reddening her cheeks, Dash flew free of her shield and descended to the ground, approaching her house at a walk while folding her wings against her back. Dusk was busy writing some notes on a sheet of parchment, and only noticed her when she stopped in front of him and cleared her throat. Shocked, he jumped a little In place and looked up at her, a little sheepish. "Oh! Sorry, Dash. I finished some paperwork after visiting the smu-" Dusk stopped and corrected himself, now looking twice as sheepish and a little flustered, making Dash wonder just what had happened in that zebra's hut. "Zecora gave me a lot to think about. Most of all, how if you look at a situation from a different angle, you realize that what used to look like an embezzlement or forgery might really be somepony just trying to fix some out of control problem that was dumped in their lap."

At first she was confused, then she was angry at the accusation implied in his words. When she started to stride towards him, ready to rip him a new one, she was cut off, as Dusk thrust a folder up at her, smiling. "Here, Dash. I wanted you to have a copy of this for your records. I was shocked how quickly you put together so much paperwork about Ponyville's weather team when I first took over as magistrate, but you did a fantastic job. When you're ready, we can talk scheduling for the winter sometime."

Stunned and accepting the offered papers, Dash stared down at him, able to summon up only one thought."You.. liked my paperwork?"

Dusk shrugged up at her and gave a grin and a wink. "I'm glad you got Thunderlane and Rumble’s help, but considering the fact you put together nearly a year’s worth of reports in only a few days? I'm impressed. The fact is, even with winter approaching, I factor you coming in at almost 20% below budget. Is that because you are always pulling extra shifts and you're paid on salary, not wages? Maybe. Regardless, we need to get a few more bodies in place in the future, Dash. It's safer for everypony anyways if they have a friend watching their back, right?"

Finally catching on, Dash's face light up, and sat down on the step at his side, nudging in against him as she placed the paperwork in her lap. "Thanks, Dusk. I’m glad you've got mine. I hope I can repay you sometime?"

Dusk shrugged, but kept smiling, and leaned against her when she sat down, opening the second folder and displaying his own sketches. "I also said some mean things about your house. Your suggestion of building a proper home for a weather captain made me wonder just what could be done. I've only been to Cloudsdale once, but they have a massive hospital there and it's built so anypony can safely visit since so many doctors are unicorns. Based off that, I sketched up a silly kind of idea based on that while I was waiting..."

Dash looked down and over the cloud home Dusk had sketched together, and had to struggle to resist laughing at his crude understanding of the rules for building solid objects into a cloud. "Well, first of all, you don't have nearly enough support built under the staircase from the ground, up to the main cloud. I mean, I'm no architect, clouds or not, but even if you build the staircase from wood, it'd be really fragile in a sharp breeze. Besides, you don't even have a retaining pool, and where are all the rainbows!??"

Dusk blushed, but Dash was too distracted by the light white flakes that began to collect on his hair and shoulders. As a single flake fell past his nose, and landed on his lower lip, she couldn't help herself. She leaned in and kissed the white flake away. When she sat back, he stared at her, slack-jawed. Reaching into his vest, she pulled out the feather quill he always kept hidden there, and quickly drew in a crude holding pool and two arching rainbow support streams. "Now this? This could work. And you did a good job, left plenty of space in case I need to host some guard patrol or ... dare I say? The Wonderbolts?!!"

Flushed in the cheeks, Dusk simply stared back at her, and lifted two fingers to stroke over his lips. Distracted by her daydreaming and drawing on the sketch Dusk had started, Dash only noticed he had moved closer when he placed a hand around her hips and leaned down to look at her work. "Alright, holding pools and rainbows. I saw those in Canterlot, but never realized it was that important to the construction of a good house. What else?"

Enjoying the feeling of his arm around her hips, Dash leaned in against him in return and gave an overly loud hummm of consideration. "Well, I'll have to build in support beams on the main floor so I can put in wooden floors for when you guys wanna visit. No reason to make my house inaccessible to my best friends, right?"

Laughing along with her, Dusk leaned in closer and nodded, rubbing his cheek against her own. "Mmmh. Very good point. Maybe double the size of the master bedroom, put in a shower, maybe even a full bathroom just for the master suite? And make the downstairs living room into a meeting room for the weather team's meetings; that way you can have everypony in one place all at once?"

Dash handed him the quill and let him make the changes, while more snow collected on their shoulders. In the distance, she could hear Rumble's cry of excitement at a job well done, and Thunderlane's attempts to congratulate the colt, but warn him to keep it down. She ignored them and looked back to Dusk, his eyes burning with creativity, even as he lowered his quill and looked at their rough design for her new home. He looked up back into her eyes and grinned. "Well, what do you think? That's quite a nice house, right?"

Cupping his chin with one hand, Dash leaned in and kissed his lips again, holding it this time so he could return the tender moment. Pulling free and resting her head on his chest she laughed a little and nuzzled his throat. "That's not a house, Dusk. It's a home."

* * *

Luna reopened her eyes, smiling quietly and rolling over the bed, wrapping her arms around Silk’s neck. “A strange day in Ponyville. But Dusk managed to find a way through. And who would have guessed that poor flightless filly could pick Lyra out as being odd? Do you think we should watch her more?”

Silk had only just laid down, and at Luna’s mild affection, she felt herself blushing again. “Filly? Do you mean the girl… oh, what’s her name? Scootaloo? Maybe she just spends too much time around Dusk and Rainbow Dash? Both are suspicious and inquisitive. I doubt she’d have really made Lyra out this quickly.”

Luna shook her head, resting a finger on her spymaster’s lips. “She might not know it yet, but she’s already very suspicious. For that alone, I must give her great credit. She is added to the list. Besides, she is a filly, she daydreams a lot. It’s easy to check in on her.”

Author's Note

Zecora is fun. Zecora hurts to write. Dash is cute. Dash/Dusk is cute. Dash/Fluttershy is cute. I hope you all like.

Oh, and Scootaloo is cute too.

See you all next time in: Interlude 7: Winter / The Mail Mare!

Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 1

Saturday, October 10th, 1700 AFE

For the third time since she'd changed into the uncomfortable short skirt, Dash found herself reaching to try and pull the short skirt down, only to once again find that as uncomfortably high as it felt, it still properly covered her legs to the knee. Aggravation growing, she looked around, attempting to see if the other mares wandering the room had figured out some trick she hadn't yet discovered.

"Rainbow Dash! It's only been twenty minutes! If you can't stop fidgeting with your uniform, I'll see if we can find a pair of the surgeon's scrubs that'll fit you! For now, grab your clipboard and follow me, I've got rounds to do with the night staff before they can go home."

Grumbling the whole time under her breath, Dash grabbed the heavy metal framed clipboard and followed the nurse, still struggling to ignore the feeling that with every step, the vengeful skirt would ride further and further up her thighs. That is, until she caught sight of the half dozen, weary nurses that awaited them on the second floor of the hospital.

The patient wings had been split up into four wings that took up three quarters of the floor, with the last quarter being set aside for the nurse's change room and breakroom, not to mention the massive amount of space set aside for the newfangled elevator. At the nurse’s desk by the staircase and elevator, five weary mares and a tired stallion waited while Redheart and the new staff approached.

Watching as a second heavy metal clipboard was thrust from the duty nurse to Redheart, the mares began pairing off into groups of two, heading into the four wings, save Redheart and the mare who had been on duty. Already feeling fidgety as Redheart read through the report she’d been handed, Dash took a long look at the mare. Something had stained the front of her uniform, and dried on, yet a putrid smell hung in the air, for a moment reminding Dash of the smell of her kitchen for two weeks after her last attempt to cook.

The sound of the metal clipboard slamming closed made Dash jump a little and she handed it back. "Alright, no other surprises? Then go home, seriously. At least you'll be able to see your colt off to school. And if he gives you too much flack? Remind him I can always foalsit again for you, anytime."

Laughing a little, despite how weary she looked; the mare shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn't dare. Poor Button still hasn't recovered from the last time you foalsat him. I only need to mention mushy peas for dinner, and he's suddenly very happy with whatever we're having for dinner." Laughing warmly at this private joke, the tired mare rushed off to the changing room, and Dash suddenly found herself holding a second of the heavy metal clipboards.

Following as Redheart walked to the first of the four wards, Dash's nose wrinkled as the sterilized scent hit her, suddenly making her weak in the knees. "Dear Celestia, no. Please, no!" The thoughts roared through her mind faster than she realized it. A sterile room, a sick mare with no hair in a bed. Pale light streaking through the windows and the young pegasus mare who was so often leaving just as she came in, tousling Dash's short hair on the way out.

Two steps around the doorframe, and she could remember the clean white walls, the way the sunlight fell through the single window, drawing shapes on the far wall. The pale blankets that hung over the edge of the bed, and she could still hear the racking cough, the one that always, ALWAYS made Blitz tense up and swear under his breath when he thought Dash wouldn't notice. The way her mother's frail hand ran through her hair and the noise of the busy clinic. The beep of the machine was slow and she hated it, hated the building, and hated them-

The laughter of foals pulled Dash out of whatever day dream she had been trapped within, as one of the three other nurses in the room sat on the edge of the bed with a filly Dash judged to be hardly more than seven. They were playing paddy cake together, hands clapping with the filly giggling as they played. Dash's eyes couldn't ignore the fact that the blanket over her legs was quite a bit shorter on one leg than the other.

Dash wasn't given time to dwell, as Redheart stood beside one of the beds, where a pale colt with a drip of something clear going from a bag on a pole above his bed and into his arm sat. He smiled up at Redheart, giving her a bucktoothed smile. "I did really good at school this week! Only got kinda sleepy just the one day. Do you think I'll be able to keep going back every week again?"

Holding a hand out for Dash, she accepted the first clipboard, and opened it again, flipping through the pages to the colt’s file while making gentle smalltalk with him. "I'm glad you feel better, Mudd Stomper, but remember what Dr. Hooves said. You’ve been very sick for a long time. If we let you run around too much, it might make you sick again. Give it a few weeks of three or four days of school, and if you're looking as strong as you do today, well, I don't see why the doctor would have any reason to say no."

"Just you watch. I’ll be back in school full-time before Winter Wrap Up!" Dash watched as the clear drip continued, but it was the foal who broke the silence. "Hey, aren't you Rainbow Dash?" At her nervous nod, he grinned. "You were way ahead on points towards the end of the race, even if you'd lost a lot of distance in the process. Why'd you drop out? Same with Applejack."

Stunned into silence by the boy's questions about the race, Dash looked to Redheart for some form of support, and found the nurse smiling. "Mudd is a keen fan of foot races. He is also the youngest colt to ever complete the four hundred meter Mud Bog Muck-about unassisted."

Grinning, the colt pulled on the blanket, revealing his feet to Dash. "That's how I got my cutie mark!" Revealed to Dash was the colt’s right ankle, and a fat globby mess of mud with a very visible clear path of footprints.

Still trying to catch up, Dash, stumbled over herself. “I- well, it’s just that I could- No, really it’s-”

Redheart winced, and smiled at Dash before standing up. “How about you two stand and talk while I do my rounds. No reason to keep everypony waiting.” Looking to Mudd, she gave him a grin. “If Dash gets too excited for you, just signal for one of the other nurses. I’ll be back in a half hour or so once your treatment is finished, alright?”

Reaching out and squeezing her hand with his good arm, Mudd gave her a grin. “Don’t worry! I’ll keep Rainbow Dash busy telling me stories! I’m sure she must know so many, right??”

More comfortable here, Dash grinned a little and gave Nurse Redheart a nod. “Yeah, go ahead. Me and Mudd will talk a while and see if he’s ever heard of Junior Speedsters. Because I have tons of stories to tell about my time as the star racer!”

Excited, the colt gave her a happy nod before waving goodbye to Redheart, before turning back to Dash. “So, um… Dash? What did happen at the race yesterday?”

Dash turned back to the kid, and made herself offer him a grin. “Oh, it was kinda sad. See, a friend of mine and Applejack’s, Bronze Feather? She got hurt bad while in the Everfree Forest. When we found out, we were really worried for her, and rushed to catch up with Dusk and come help him out any way we could.”

At the name, Mudd looked towards the the floor, and bit at his lower lip. “She’s… she’s the pegasus guard they have down in isolation, isn’t she?” Shocked, Dash gave him a small nod, about to ask how he knew when he answered that question for her. “I-... We get bored some nights. And the night staff nurses are stretched a little thin… Sometimes we go for walks and stuff. Except I’m the healthiest, so it’s usually the little ones asking me to get them stuff. Last night, I went downstairs, and all the other guards were sitting around outside the isolation room and talking. And the really pretty unicorn with wings came out and looked really sad. Is she going to be okay?”

Dash took a moment to look at the earth colt, struggling to place his age due to his height. She’d really only seen the kids around school. “He is probably around twelve, right? Just like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, sure.” Rather than struggle with how much she should tell the kid, she just pushed forward. “I hope to go visit her this morning if Redheart will let me. But, Mudd, what’s wrong with Bronze isn’t just physical. Something in the Everfree hurt her, hurt her mind. Now she’s gotta deal with all the bad things it made her think. Look, kid, I don’t think she’ll wanna see me, she still won’t see Dusk, and she and Dusk… they were, well-”

Mudd nodded a little, and smiled up at her. “Like Doctor Horse and Nurse Rhymes? They care for each other and he gives her flowers or picks up night shifts to be with her sometimes.”

Dash was once again struggling with the way the colt kept up and kept making suggestions that managed to keep pace with her so easily. “I… oh. Yeah, like that. She and Dusk like each other a lot, but I don’t know if they’re willing to admit it.”

“I hope she'll be okay. The guards and the nice lady talked for a while about taking her home today. Usually, you only get to go home for two reasons, if you're better, or if-"

Dash couldn't hear this. She wouldn't hear it. She cut the kid off with a grin and a nudge on his good shoulder. "So, uhh... How about you tell me about mud bogging. I've never heard about a muck about. Is it hard?"

As the excitable colt began to rave on about his own favorite sport, Dash tried to push away uncomfortable memories and gave him an occasional nod to show she was still paying attention. When one of the fillies wandered over to the foot of Mudd's bed he stopped his story and smiled down at the girl. "Plumb~! Go back to your bed. You know how worried the nurses get when you go walking around!"

The filly shook her head, extending an arm so thin, Dash could count the bones. Dash felt her stomach attempt to rebel as she watched the bald filly. "She's probably not even six years old. Looks just- just like ma."

Plumb looked up at Mudd and shook her head. "No. I wanna hear story too!!"

The bone-thin filly stared up at Mudd and pouted. The earth colt gave a sigh, and smiled at the girl, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. But only if you climb in the empty bed and wrap up properly. It’s getting colder and you catch colds too easily."

The filly hugged Mudd's arm tightly for a moment before walking to the empty hospital bed just a few feet away, climbing in and wrapping up in the thin blankets. Dash looked around the room, finally taking a proper account of the room's occupants, while Mudd returned to his story for the delighted filly Plumb. Nurse Redheart was gone, but two nurses, both mares in their late twenties or mid thirties, were across the room busy with their work. One was helping a filly around Mudd's age brush her hair, while the other was assisting a colt who looked around 8 years old change into normal clothing. The last occupant was the earth filly with a missing leg, who had sat up and scooched forward in her bed so she could hear Mudd's story better.

"Just... just breathe, Dash. Just breathe and keep calm. Just... in and out." Unable to suppress the memories, Dash felt like her heart was pounding harder than it had ever had before. With her head whirling, she shifted around, hands on her knees as she struggled to steady herself despite sitting on the edge of Mudd's bed. "I- It's too much! I gotta-"

Just as Dash lurched to stand up, the sudden dolefully smiling face of Derpy appeared before her, those askew eyes and her good-natured voice, all were like an anchor of calm that Dash could lash onto. "Oh! Hi, captain! I didn't know you were going to be volunteering here too, Dash!"

Dash was a little wobbly on her feet as Derpy walked over, but the foals were all quick to welcome her, giving Dash a moment to clear her head and get her balance back. Focusing on the mare, Dash tried to act natural, and stay calm. “What? Oh no, I don’t really volunteer here normally. I just, well, you know-”

Derpy beamed and stepped forward to hug Dash for a moment before nodding. “Oh, well, it doesn’t matter!” Looking Dash up and down, she frowned a little. “Hey- wait a second. Why do they let you wear a uniform! That’s so unfair! You don’t know how cute I think Dinky would look when we come visit if she got to wear one!”

Dash finally felt like she had caught up with the world, and shook her head. “Oh. No, it’s not like that, Derpy. I’m just here for the day as Nurse Redheart’s assistant, to pay her... back.” Dash stopped, trying to picture the little filly spending time with the sick children, somehow, it seemed… well, nice.

Derpy gave Dash a warm nod, but then turned, as if she’d only just realized that Plumb was sitting nearby and watching her with a small grin stretched across her thin lips. “Rosewater Plumb! What are you doing over here! You know now that you’ve got this bigger room you don’t have to sleep so cramped together next to Mudd!” Derpy’s grin however told a different story, and as she walked over and knelt beside the filly’s bed, she cooed at the girl. “Was Mudd telling an exciting story again? I know I like his stories too.”

Grinning, the sickly filly extended both arms and wrapped them around Derpy’s neck, nuzzling into her cheek and giggling openly. “Yes! Story. Story about the mud! Mudd tells best stories about mud!”

Watching the way Plumb’s too-thin arms wrapped around Derpy’s neck ruined everything. Memories, too many all at once roared back and Dash felt her stomach flip, while her eyes began to water against her will. “I... er… Derpy, I’m just …. just gonna go to the bathroom.”

Rushing out of the foal’s room, Dash nearly bowled over Nurse Redheart, stopping for a moment and stuttering before finally spitting out. “I- sorry, Red.” She pushed past the nurse and rushed to the change room, turning on a sink and shoving her head under the rushing cold water. “Just… just like ma. No strength. No muscle. Just wasting away, rotting in her own skin.” With her knees knocking, Dash crashed to her knees, resting her damp head against the cold porcelain of the skin.

Strong hands pushed a white towel around her shoulders, brushing the thick cotton through her hair, Redheart’s strong voice calling for her back from the real world. “Just breathe, Dash. Just calm down and breathe. Look, you did great. Most can’t handle more than five or ten minutes in the foal’s room. Nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s just a little depressing, right?”

Dash leaned into the heavy towel, struggling to keep from sobbing now that somepony else had come into the room. “Huh? I’m fine. Really- I didn’t … the foals didn’t bug me, I just… wanted a drink of water, really.”

Redheart rolled her eyes, laughing a little. “Dash, you’re on your knees kneeling against a sink, a sink that thankfully, isn’t full of things you should have found a toilet for instead. I’ve had nurses with years of experience breakdown in the foal ward, so stop acting tough, alright?”

Swallowing, and looking up at Red as her tone got harder, Dash looked up, and caught a hint of sympathy in those eyes. “It’s… It’s not like that, really Redheart. Look. It’s the filly. Plumb, right? She’s dead, isn’t she? Whatever she’s got, whatever it’s called. It’s eating her from the inside out and she’s just the walking dead who hasn’t realized it yet, right?”

Standing back and crossing her arms, Redheart’s voice got defensive and cold. “That’s rather harsh, Dash.”

Dash turned her head away from the nurse, trying to force her emotions back into place, while clenching her jaw tight, losing the struggle to hold back the words. "I know what I'm talking about, Red. I watched it happen to my mother. Watched her wither from near about a hundred and sixty pounds down to seventy-six. That was in the first eight months. Don't tell me that filly's got some bright and shiny future ahead, okay?"

Redheart was silent for a moment, then Dash felt a comb pushing through her damp hair, while a hand rested on her shoulder, strong fingers kneading into the tense muscles of her neck.

Dash slowly gave in, relaxing back, and leaning into Redheart's kneading fingers. The nurse's voice finally caught her attention again. "So that's why you're so jumpy around the hospital? Because of how you lost your mother?"

When Dash slowly nodded, Redheart gave a sigh. "You are probably right about Plumb. She probably has figured it out by now too, but she stays happy and encourages the others to fight. She's the reason Mudd talks to us. Nine months ago, he was refusing to take his meds and was getting so weak we had to change his bedsheets twice a day. But Plumb was in the bed beside him, and one day, she grabbed his hand, and asked him to tell her a story. He refused. Every day he kept refusing. But she kept asking. Now, Mudd's made so much progress, we're about to let him return to school full-time. We'd even let him move home in a few weeks, but when we talked to him about it, he said he wants to stay. He wants to help us take care of Plumb and the others."

Dash slowly nodded, relaxing forward while Redheart continued to rub at her shoulders. Dash realized it was her turn to speak. It was hard, hard to even take a breath, but she did. And as breath filled her lungs, Derpy’s words came back to her. "So. You guys take volunteers here?"

Redheart gave her a shoulder a squeeze as she answered. “Yes, though Derpy’s usually the only one who volunteers regularly.”

"I... I was thinking. If it wasn't... if you and Dusk and Cadence hadn't... well, if you hadn’t taken an interest in Scootaloo, she'd probably have ended up in that room too, right?"

Redheart sighed, and sat down on the wood bench behind her, nodding a little at Dash. "Probably, Dash. She wasn't getting any worse, but if she'd have gotten hurt, I don't think her wings would have been able to heal. These days? I tested one of her pinion feathers a week ago, and Princess Cadence's concoction has nearly killed off all but the faintest traces of wingrott."

Dash smiled a little. "Maybe me and Scoots can come volunteer sometimes? She's a tough punk and could probably show the others a thing or two, right?"

Redheart laughed warmly, taking Dash by the hands and forcing her to stand up. "Better now? Good. Then let's get you cleaned up. We can talk to Scootaloo about volunteering after work tonight.”

* * *

Derpy nearly couldn't hide her delight as Dash and Nurse Redheart returned. She'd seen them crash into one another as Dash left the room, almost at a run. To see them return, eased her worried heart. "Poor Dash. She's a good captain, but she really is still a filly when it comes to life away from work and adventure."

Amber Harvest gave Derpy a smile, gently brushing her fingers through the filly's hair. "So, Amber, what do you want to do today? We could draw, or write a letter. Maybe you'd like to play with dolls?"

The filly looked around the room, watching the other foals for a moment, smiling at Mudd who was helping little Plumb read from a picture book. Turning back to Derpy, she pointed at the mare. "Can you tell me about the first time you fell in love?"

Following the filly's gaze, Derpy laughed gently after taking a moment to watch the young pair reading. "Alright, Amber. But it all starts in a small hospital much like this, so I won't be telling you about grand heroes or even the time I met the princess." When the filly nodded, Derpy shrugged and began her story. "It all started fifteen years ago, in a small hospital on the outskirts of Canterlot..."

* * *

I was nineteen at the time, and the doctor I had been seeing for years refused to see me anymore. He'd decided that I was unfixable. But one of his nurses, she had a sister who'd recently opened a new little hospital in Canterlot, so I collected what little I owned and left my parents behind in Cloudsdale to try and find my future in Canterlot.

[What I’ll never tell the poor filly, is that in truth, I often wonder if my parents were happy to see me go. While I’d never caused a lot of damage, over the years… I… I began to feel a gulf between us.]

At nineteen, alone in the big city, I did what I knew was important first. I found a local mare boarding house and set up residence, and was lucky enough to find work at a cafe in the lower marketplace. The little hospital was very new, and far closer to the poor parts of Canterlot than any others that had been built, so the demand was high, and I ended up with a few weeks of waiting before I’d get my first appointment.

[I didn’t really mind the wait, I had real freedom, like I’d never had in Cloudsdale, and every day I felt like I met somepony new and interesting. Like the baker’s boy down the street from the cafe I worked at. If things had gone differently... he might have been Dinky’s sire instead… Oh, right, the story. Better continue it before she thinks I’ve drifted off.]

One afternoon, during my shift at the cafe, a rather charming young stallion came for a late lunch, all the time flashing these awe-inspiring golden eyes. I could tell the mare serving him fancied him; who wouldn’t? Even with his pale blond hair damp from sweat, he had a smile that melted your heart. I think she even asked him out that day; well, who wouldn't have? A handsome unicorn stallion who came to our little cafe outside of the usual breakfast or lunch people? We were too small and remote for any real important business ponies to come visit.

What? Oh right, sorry, the story!

Well, a few days later, I finally had my first doctor's appointment. It was scary, but the Doctor was a kind, if gruff, mare, and she had made me take a journal home, to record when the headaches came, and how long they lasted, what I took to help with them, you know, all that little stuff doctors like to do to find patterns in why you felt sick. Anyways! As I left the hospital, there was the stallion again, his purple horn sticking out through matted blond hair. He was wearing a soaked pair of pale blue scrubs that really made his golden eyes glow, and even leaning against the wall while talking with a doctor, I felt myself blushing.

The doctor stallion was apologizing that it would be a late lunch for the blond, and offered to take him out for dinner as an apology. I admit, I used the excuse of feeling light headed to sit down and listen to them talk. When the stallion admitted he would just go back to my cafe, I… well, I knew I had to get the chance to talk to him.

It was easy to get one of the other mares to trade shifts with me, afternoons were always dead after lunch, and we got almost no dinner rush. But when the stallion arrived, one of my coworkers walked over and kissed him, right there in public! Oh, I felt so out of place, and like such a huge fool. I’d traded a friday night off just to stalk some cute stallion!

What? The mare? Oh, I don’t remember her name, she turned out to be a cousin of his. No! Not that kind of cousin! Please, just let me tell the story.

Well, I saw him a few times over the next few months, mostly at work, occasionally at the hospital. My next appointment a month later, he said ‘Hi.’, and I was so embarrassed because I was sure he’d remember me showing up at work that day just to wait tables on him, that I couldn’t bring myself to answer. A few times, I got to serve him, and I was so sure I’d make a fool of myself again. I took a lot of time, and probably would have lost any tip from anypony else. He let me have five bits instead and told me he’d probably see me at the hospital when my check-up came next week.

You could have boiled eggs on my face I was blushing so hard, and he waved goodbye to his cousin and left, all the time whistling to himself. I finally got the courage to ask her his name, she told me. His name was Gilded Panacea. Three days later, I was in the clinic and the head doctor was looking at my eyes again while asking questions from my journal when there was a knock on the door and the stallion of my dreams entered. You see… well… it turns out-

See, some unicorns have magic talents. Really, really strong ones can learn magic outside their talent and get really good at it. Gilded? He was even rarer. He could heal! Not one unicorn in a thousand can do that! What? No, not even Dusk. Well, okay, he can heal little things, like papercuts. But not like Gilded Panacea. I remember watching him set a broken arm, and then focus, and the glow spread over the arm, and then the poor foal suddenly started crying and hugging him, with the formerly broken arm!

What? Oh right, the appointment, sorry! Well, it turns out the head doctor had asked for him to come in, and I was so embarrassed and shaking a little, because suddenly he was getting all these personal details about my life, and my headaches and my heat cycle and … well, everything. I could hardly sit still, but he simply smiled and asked me to put on a blindfold. Then he took my hand and got me to walk a few laps around the hospital, all the while, he was holding my hand and talking very softly. It was strange, cause my head kept feeling fuzzy and yet as we continued, I eventually felt calmer, and when he let go of my hand and had me continue walking beside him just by the sound of his voice, I did it. I think we talked and walked for an hour, maybe even two. In the end, he took the blindfold off and he’d walked me all the way home! Well, here he gave me a little smile and grinned. I don’t even remember exactly what he said, but he promised they were sure my headaches could be fixed, and that unless my eyes ever hurt me, they wouldn't be worrying about them again.

It felt so good! To have doctors taking my headaches seriously while not letting my eyes get in the way of finding a cure! A week later, they had me lay in an isolation pool at the hospital. What? Oh, it’s a pool of water that they use to cut out all outside distractions. Just silence, darkness, and water; you float in a world filled with only your own thoughts. I felt so alone, and then Gilded’s voice entered my mind and whispered to me in silky tones. I felt my brain tingle and ache, and then it was hours later, and he was drenched with sweat and laying over a chair. I wanted to rush over and check on him, but even in the dark, I was naked and embarrassed, so I wrapped a towel around my body and rushed out of the room.

It was a few weeks later when he came to the cafe again, and I hadn’t had a headache since that night. When I said ‘Hi’’, he smiled, and I felt so good! I nearly kissed him then and there. It took six more months before he and his aunt, the head nurse, were satisfied that they’d burned away the bad thing in my brain that made my headaches. The next day, I asked him out, and he said yes!

* * *

Derpy continued to stroke the filly’s hair, smiling gently and leaning back in the bed. When she was quiet for too long, Amber looked up at her while leaning against her chest. “So? And then what?”

Unable to help herself, Derpy laughed a little. “A lot happened. Not all of it was good, but not all of it was bad. Dinky was born from it, though, so I’d go through it all over again. Because, I love her.”

Amber gave her a solid nod, snuggling in closer and grinning. “I don’t want to make Plumb jealous, but I think you tell just as good of stories as Mudd does, Derpy.”

* * *

Silk looked over the sergeant's paperwork, at last shoving it back to him and nodding. “Alright, fine. I’ll accept it for now. Look, your orders are the same, just shut up and don’t let anypony else into the room, right? And if any of your guards have a habit of including too many details in their reports, make sure you edit out these extra names, alright?”

Confused, the guard simply gave her a sharp salute, nodding at the spymaster. “I think I understand. Nopony else came here, and nopony else entered the room. Princess Cadence was left undisturbed with her patient all day.”

Silk gave him a nod and then looked over her shoulder at the two short unicorn mares behind her, nodding to them before leading them into the isolation room. Inside, the sterile smell filled the air, and Princess Cadence sat on the edge of the bed, humming softly to herself while her fingers stroked across the scar on Bronze Feather’s forehead.

When they entered, she looked up, and for a moment as she looked over the mares following Silk, a look of confusion filled her eyes, before one of them threw her hood back, revealing a mane of deep pink hair and even paler pink horn. Understanding, Cadence gave a small nod. “Hello again, Summer Orchards. I apologize, I didn’t know you were coming back, I thought we were going to wait until I brought her back to Canterlot.”

The elderly mare gave a small shrug, stepping up to the bed and letting two fingers trace the line of Bronze’s jaw, sighing a little before looking up at Cadence’s towering figure. “I know. I would have left it be, but Dusk’s letter this morning worried me, and I simply had to come. Princess Celestia is very worried, and-”

From behind, the other mare removed her hood, stepping up to the other side of the bed, stroking the other side of Bronze’s face. “And Princess Luna has seen her dreams. She fears the mare has taken her thoughts while under the influence of the Poison Joke deadly seriously, and she now harbors thoughts and feelings that make Princess Luna very, very worried.”

Cadence gave a nod, quickly picking up on the code the two short unicorns were using, and attempted to follow it. “I’ll repeat my report to the princesses here. I’ve begun delving into her memories. Mostly through hypnosis, a little with my magic. I know she’s harboring somewhat suicidal thoughts, but other than refusing to see any guests, I think she’ll be fine, it just might take a few months of care to help her feel better about herself.”

Summer Orchards shook her head a little, moving to stand so she could hold Bronze’s hand. “Princess Celestia has asked that I attempt to impress on you how important it is she recovers. Currently, she is a weight on Dusk’s shoulders and a massive delay to the their plans for the stallion. He is feeling very guilty, and we don’t think he will feel better until she is better.”

Cadence looked to the younger unicorn, crossing her arms over her chest. “What about you, Moonlight Dreamer? Does Princess Luna wish me to push the poor mare faster than I feel appropriate?”

The pale azure-haired unicorn stared at the sleeping Bronze Feather in silence for some time before finally answering, her voice distant and sad when she finally did answer. “Princess Luna asked to impress upon you the danger of the Wolf of the North, but at the same time, she abstains from putting forth any vote on this matter. She knows how fragile a mare’s sanity can be, and doesn’t wish to risk breaking the poor mare by rushing her recovery by a second.”

Cadence turned to Silk, glaring at the spymaster. “Then I vote against any further action beyond what I outlined in my letter to the Princess. And that means we are tied, one for, one against, one abstained. Silk, do not dare give the answer I don’t want to hear.”

Guilt darkened Silk’s eyes, and she looked down at the ground. “I… I abstain as well.” When Summer turned around and stood taller, Silk shook her head, but refused to look into the short mare’s eyes. “I’m sorry, but as angry as Princess Celestia might be at me, I’ve seen what happens to a soldier pushed too far. I’ve put down a stallion I caught eating a griffon’s liver. I’ve had friends who just sit and laugh or whisper to themselves for hours at end. I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Summer hissed a sigh between her teeth, but slowly sunk down again, and gave Cadence a slow nod. “Alright. Then I will explain to Princess Celestia, and we will delay all plans until Bronze Feather recovers. She won’t like this. We are losing so much time.”

Walking around the bed, Moonlight Dreamer put a hand on the older mare’s shoulder. “We understand, dear sister, but breaking her just to rush this process forward is wrong. We can spend this winter looking for more signs of the Wolf. Besides, Dusk could use the time, to rest, to recover. We-”

Summer cleared her throat at Moonlight, and the mare went quiet while Summer took over the conversation. “I agree. I will explain to my Princess. She will understand. I’m sorry if I sounded disrespectful.” Turning slowly to Cadence, who still glared at her in return, Summer gave a single nod. “Please bring Bronze home to Canterlot as soon as she wakes up today. I can not be away for too long, but I can help, even if I am not as good with minds and healing as you are, dear.”

Princess Cadence bowed low to the old healer, smiling a little now. “I remember, teacher. You taught me so much, I’m sure you still know some secrets of the mind I’ve yet to discover. You’ve had so much more experience than I do.”

Author's Note

A little shorter, but I felt the change of tone after this makes this the logical point to break the chapter off. Also, it's my 31st birthday on the 9th so I may take a while with the next part. Thanks for all your ongoing support and see you soon.

Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 2

Saturday, October 10th, 1700 AFE

Dusk stared at the half-written letter, his jaw slack while the tip of the quill twisted and spun, dancing against his nose. Frustrated, he again turned to the half-written page, scrawling his eyes over what few details he had written. “It is with the deepest respect that I request... “ And, this was where he was stuck. Groaning, Dusk shoved the unwritten letter aside, looking for some sign of hope below it.

Of course, such hope was fleeting; it was why he had been in such an abundance of insecurity to begin with. With a fleeting moment of hope, Dusk pulled out the point form list of characteristics he had jotted down about the mare, and struggled to see more than the shallow details offered.

"Dear Princess Luna, I have spent far little time with Zecora to properly provide a detailed profile of her as I've offered before. Failing more time to research and interact with her, I can provide these few details below."

Dusk winced even as he read that opening, and shoved the page aside without reading the rest. Shoving that page aside to join the letter to Princess Celestia, Dusk turned to the final paper in the pile before him, and let his breath out and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind before lifting the page and reading the final paragraph again.

"I understand if this is asking a lot of you, but I promise it comes from only the best of intentions.

Dearly awaiting your answer, with lov, deepest regard, fondest hope,

Dusk Shine"

"That's, that's simply painful. I need to just rewrite it all over again." Deflated by his inability to finish any of his personal letters, Dusk looked to the outbox, full to overflowing with completed letters from his work as Ponyville’s magistrate, all had been finished while putting off writing his more important personal work. "Maybe... maybe I could look over the mayor's tax report again... I'm sure I missed something!"

Dusk gave a sigh, shaking his head and looking back to the letter to Bronze that lay before him. "What about: 'regretting your absence'? No... too negative. 'Longing for a reply?' No, too needy. What about: 'with hope for a second chance.' Hmm... better. Better..."

Hands slipped over his shoulders, long, slender fingers working into the tense muscles of his neck. As nails dragged into the knotted tense muscles, Dusk's eyes rolled reflexively back as endorphins flooded and stress was relieved. Relaxing back in his chair and into the mare's expert touch. "Rarity, your fingers really are magical."

Hushing him, Rarity wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, leaning in and looking over the paperwork upon his desk. "You have been overworking yourself again, Dusk. Barbara says you hardly touched lunch, and were up and working before she got out of bed. Now I find you all tense and stressed. What is it, Dusk? Is it Zecora? Is it Bronze?"

Dusk drew an easy breath, enjoying the scent of her perfume, a hint of rose and lavender mixed with something he couldn't name. "It's both, Rarity. I... I know you said to write what was in my heart, but I do not wish to scare her, not when she is already so scarred by what the poison joke did to her."

Leaning on him with more of her weight, Rarity placed her lips on the lobe of his ear, nibbling two times before answering. "Dusk, we've talked about this, so just relax, breathe, and listen to me, carefully. You said you care for her, so you can offer her a hand, and if she accepts it, we will find a way to make it work, I promise. Now write. I'm going to pick up an early dinner. I think I'll ask Derpy to come pick up this personal letter for the last train to Canterlot this evening. So you'd better have it ready."

* * *

Derpy couldn't help herself. Dipping down, she wrapped her arms around her foal and snatched the girl up into her arms, spinning in place and planting a warm kiss on the girl's nose. "Dinky! You naughty little filly! Why do you always keep me waiting after class?"

Blushing with embarrassment, but happy at the same time, Dinky hugged her mother tightly in return, shaking her head. "It's not like that, mom! I just like to volunteer for classroom cleanup! It only takes a little while, and Miss Cheerilee is always really friendly and talkative while doing her work as I cleanup."

"Oh, Dinky! You're such a good girl! Always looking out for others!" Settling the filly across her shoulders, Derpy squeezed her knees to help her keep balance and started to walk home, happily humming to herself.

Dinky's question ended that, her unexpected comment catching her off guard. "Was... was dad like that too? I know you've talked about his work at the hospital all the time. But you don't talk much about your personal lives back then. Can I ask, momma?"

Derpy hadn't seen this question coming, and had no quick answer ready, so she instead let her wings unfold and fan them both gently. "Oh, I, well, I... err. Yeah, he liked ponies. Liked to help anypony in need. It was always great to see him at work. He... he was kinda like Dusk, you know? You did get to see him the other day when he helped out at the school with magic classes, right?" Dinky gave a nod, so she tried to continue, piecing together her thoughts as best as she could in the hope that she found a good conclusion at the end of her line of thought. "He gets this little smile, and dives into his task with great vigor. I saw it when he was writing some paperwork for the princess while I waited. It's almost delightful... he does remind me of Pan in that way."

Dinky sighed, but hugged her a little tighter, leaning closer as she shivered a little against the wind. "And... your relationship? What was life like?"

Lost in thought as to how to phrase her answer, Derpy finally smiled and gave her foal a nod. "I’ll tell you what. Let me tell you about our first date, okay?"

* * *

Derpy still felt weird about entering the clinic when she didn't have an appointment. It felt odd, watching the poor; and the sick mill about while waiting for their appointments. But Soothing Rain was at the reception desk, and quickly motioned her over; the pegasus was passing some paper back to an old earth mare before her, and turned back to Derpy as the woman left, her wings involuntarily flexing behind her back. "Oh!~ Dr. Panacea's just a little behind. Sorry, Derpy, but could you... I mean, you don't mind just waiting in his office, right? You know the way up and all, and we’re a little crowded here is all."

Embarrassed, the mare flushed and Derpy suddenly didn't feel so out of place. Walking up to the counter, she gave her hand a squeeze. "I can help out, if you want. I’ve been watching you work, and I can show people to their rooms and such."

The frazzled mare looked around the room and for a moment, she looked torn between answers before another elderly mare walked out of one of the exam rooms, a paper from the doctor in her hand. That ended Rain's concerns and she pushed a folder from the top of the pile to Derpy. "Oh, thank you so much, Derpy. Just call out the name and lead the pony to the room number I write on the front cover of the folder, okay?"

Glad to help, Derpy snatched up the folder and grinned to the overworked mare. “No problem, Rain! Just let me know what else I can do to help! Maybe if I help, we can still still... um... well, you know."

The nurse laughed at Derpy as she went from confident and happy to help, to a flustered mess at the idea of a date. Petting Derpy's hand, she gave her a grin. "Oh, don't worry! Panacea is a really nice stallion, I'm sure it will go well. Now go! I've already got one mess to deal with, you goof!"

* * *

Derpy released the old mare's arm and let her take a seat in the exam room before placing her file on the desk. "Alright! Just catch your breath, and the doctor will be right in before you know it!"

Patting Derpy's arm as she got near again, the old mare gave her a toothless grin. "Thank you, dearie. So nice to have a sweet young filly around to help the poor nurses out. Why haven't I seen you around before? Do you volunteer here often?"

Derpy felt the heat creep into her cheeks at the old mare's question, nervously shaking her head as she backed towards the door. "I- what? Oh! No, no. See, me and Gil- err I mean, one of the doctors, he um... well, then, umm..."

Derpy found herself drifting off into incoherent mumbling, and despite her shame, was thrilled when the candid old mare swiftly caught on. "Ohhh. Here for one of the handsome young doctors and helping old mares is just a way to pass the time? Well then go, dearie. And if you’re going to wear a dress to try and catch his eye, I'd recommend something sleeveless; you're a cute mare, no reason not to show off for a handsome stallion!"

Derpy nodded enthusiastically as she bowed out of the room rather than have to answer the senior citizen and her suggestively wiggling eyebrows, not to mention, her cackling laughter. Halfway down the hallway back to the waiting room, the sound of raised voices made her stop despite herself. "Th... that's Gilded Panacea! What could have happened to make him take on such a tone!?"

Turning to put an ear to the wall she had been resting against to catch her breath, Derpy strained to hear what was going on inside the soundproofed room. She still couldn’t really make out anything that was being said on the other side of the wall, but occasional words were harsh enough that she knew an argument was happening, even if she couldn’t tell who the other pony was.

Looking up and down the hallway, Derpy couldn’t see anypony around, and carefully made her way to the exam room door, leaning in again to try to hear better. Instead, the sound of wood being thrown against wood, as well as something light clattering to the ground and bouncing, was followed by silence.

Just as Derpy began to worry, Panacea spoke up again, his voice terse, but struggling to remain restrained. “I don’t want your job, and I don’t care about your money. If your friends want my help, they can come to me and wait for their turn just like anypony else. I’ve seen what your clients are like and how they treat other ponies. Go away, old man… ju- just go. We’re done talking.”

As the sound of footsteps on the floor suggested somepony was approaching the door, Derpy moved away from the door and tried to walk back to the nurse’s station as if nothing had happened. Just as she entered the main room, an old unicorn dressed in an expensive silk business jacket pushed past her, storming out of the hospital. Pressed aside, Derpy had to catch a hand on the wall to avoid tripping over her own feet as the stallion stormed off.

Catching her breath, Derpy looked around the nearly abandoned front desk and struggled to smile back when Soothing Rain gave her a little smile. But it was the sudden pressure of a hand slipping into her own that shocked her and made her blush. Even before the stallion spoke, his soft scent and gentle nature told her who it was. “Sorry for keeping you waiting so long, Derpy. I know we missed our appointment for lunch. With things finally quiet, maybe we can go to an early dinner?”

Almost frozen by the gentle way he held her hand, Derpy struggled to give him a small nod and meekly smiled, glad to hear that his voice had returned to its natural tone. “I- wh? I mean, yes! Yes, of course. I’d be happy to have dinner with you, Gil-”

Shaking his head, the stallion cupped her chin with his free hand and made her look up into those carefree eyes of his. “Derpy, I’m asking you on a date and I made you wait for hours. Please, get mad and tell me I’m a bad guy! Or at least make me promise to buy you flowers or something to make up for it, okay?”

Shocked, Derpy looked around for support, but Rain was smothering her laughter in a patient’s chart and she didn’t recognize anypony else in the waiting room. Forced to look back at him by his assertive grip on her chin, Derpy attempted to nod, then frustrated with that, pulled away and made herself stand tall, flaring her wings out to help with it. “I... I, um… I demand you buy me roses for dinner! And somewhere nice, too! Not just at the little cafe I work at! And maybe then I’ll let you call it a date!”

Panting for breath, the sound of soft clapping and open laughter made Derpy look around, and realize that while Rain had been the only pony she recognized in sight, a few of the others had been listening in, and were cheering her on in their own small ways. Exhilarated by the attention, Derpy puffed herself to stand up taller and managed to even hold a glare at the stallion for a whopping five or six seconds before losing it. “I- err… Was that better?”

From her station, Rain cut in before the doctor could answer, whistling sharply by placing two fingers between her lips, then answering Derpy’s question. “Be a little more careful with your wings next time, you nearly knocked a few pictures off the wall, but good for you, Derpy!”

Happily laughing along, Gilded Panacea stepped forward and gently took her hand again. “You did great, Derpy. Just don’t take Rain’s encouragement too far. She still think’s I’m only asking you out because I’m scared of dating another doctor like her younger herd sister.”

Rain laughed at them and waved as they stepped outside, while Derpy worriedly tried to search both of their faces for hints that this was more than a simple joke. When she found nothing but soft laughter from both, she let it go and leaned a little against Pan as they walked down the street, away from the hospital, only to feel her heart jump as he finally spoke again. “Now, as for dinner? It’s a good thing we’re going for an early one. If it’s roses you want, it’s roses you will get, and Le Doux Bleu Floraison fills up quickly!”

Shocked, Derpy looked down at her simple dress, before looking back up at Pan and his wrinkled dress shirt and white slacks. “But- How will we ever get in? And Pan… I can’t possibly afford th-”

Squeezing her hand, Pan put a finger to her lips to silence her, a gentle smile curving his lips. “Derpy, you don’t need to afford it. It’s a date, and it’s my treat. Besides, they have a few small and private dining rooms on the second story, and I went to school for years with the owners. They are always bugging me to come visit, so I will. Now smile. And if you’re nice, maybe they’ll invite us up to see little Tavi after dinner. She’s the cutest little filly!” Hand in hand, Pan led her on, off to a fantastic dinner, and yes, afterwards she even got to see the young filly practising her cello.

* * *

Derpy censored most of that memory for Dinky’s sake. No reason for her to know much about her grandparents, or the way Derpy only just remembered as she looked back on that day, of how waxen Pan’s skin looked by the end of the night... No reason to spoil a fun story of a romantic night with all of the truth! In the end, it left Dinky satisfied and smiling as she ate dinner and asked questions about the date, and how it felt to meet somepony famous when they were a child.

It wasn’t until Rarity knocked at the door that she really came back from those memories, and even then, thoughts of the old hospital staff made her regret leaving Canterlot. Trying to push the bad memories aside, Derpy focused instead on the smiling mare at her door. “Sorry it took so long to answer, Rarity! I was just showing Dinky how to prepare flowers for a fondue! How can I help you?”

Rarity offered Derpy a small bouquet while she stayed out on the step and made a small gesture towards Dusk’s library. “I just wanted to check when the last mail train goes to Canterlot, and to ask of you another small favor, my dear. Oh! And of course, to bring you this bouquet to apologize for all the extra work Dusk has made you do as of late, as well as apologize for being a boor and only adding onto it all!”

Derpy accepted the flowers, and was amused to see they were a mixture of yellow and purple lilies. She turned and handed the flowers over to Dinky before turning back. "The last mail bag gets picked up off the hook at midnight, but the last train that stops to check for deliveries is the 10 pm passenger train. Should I come stop by and pick it up personally? And if it's Dusk's and it's important, why don't I just take it direct? It's no bother, really! I like helping him out, even before he became magistrate!"

Taken back, Rarity took a step back despite Derpy's warm grin, shaking her head. "What? Oh! No, no. It's not that drastically important of a thing. It's just a letter of love and support to the poor guard mare who got hurt while helping Dusk search the Everfree for that smuggler. I'm just trying to get him to finish it, so I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I threatened him to try and make him hurry it up..."

Derpy saw the hint of shame in Rarity's eyes as she admitted the mostly idle nature of her threat. Grinning a little she slipped a hand around Dinky's shoulders and squeezed her filly close to her side. "Tell you what. I could use a good flight to Canterlot to stretch my wings, and Dusk probably has lots of important paperwork that needs delivery, right?"

Worried, Rarity looked from mother to daughter and back again. "What? Well, he has a large stack in his outbox, but really, Derpy, it was just an idle threat. No reason to bother making a trip to Canterlot this late, really."

Derpy gave her a warm smile, and stroked her fingers through Dinky's hair near her horn. "No, no problem! I'll be over in an hour or two after dinner and after I change into my official uniform."

Derpy relaxed and waited, watching as Rarity looked at Dinky for support before finally letting her win. "Well, he does have a big pile of paperwork in his outbox. If you're sure that Dinky and Amethyst don't mind...?"

Dinky stepped up to Rarity's side and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry! I already finished my homework during class. I can help Amethyst with the dishes after dinner, and she's good at helping me review my homework."

With that decided, Rarity gave in and smiled down at the young filly. "You're as cute and kind as Sweetie Belle, did you know that? Alright, thank you, Derpy. I'll go home and then go to Dusk's and check up on him. See you soon, Derpy, and thanks again."

Waving at her, even as she left, Derpy gave a happy sigh, and looked down at Dinky. "You're a good girl, Dinky. Let's go eat and let Amethyst know. I'm sure Dusk’s friend can't wait to get his letter."

* * *

The wine had been good, and Derpy wished she remembered what it had been called, but that had been a few hours ago. Now she simply leaned into Pan's arms and rested her head against his chest. As the porch swing shifted under their weight, she gave a sigh and nuzzled at his exposed skin.

Leaning his head down, Panacea's voice dripped on her ear like honey. "So, all it takes is a few glasses of wine and a nice summer night to soften you up? I'll have to remember that for date six..." Then, to drive home his point, and to torment her a little extra, he began to nibble around the edge of her earlobe.

Unable to stifle her moan of pleasure, Derpy let a hand squeeze tightly on his knee. Sitting up when he released her ear, Derpy wrapped her arms around his neck, looking deep into his eyes. "Do... do we have to say goodnight, Pan? I'd... I want to stay over. Please?"

The way his cheeks reddened and the way he looked from her to the wine bottle and back again made her grin a little, and before he could ask, she pushed that question out the door. "No, I'm not that drunk. But, I, well, I love you, Pan.”

Overwhelmed by her admission, the stallion had blushed a little, but didn't delay, instead cupping her chin and drawing her close so he could kiss her. To Derpy, it felt like forever. And after? And after, they had gone back into his apartment, and had consummated their love. And then slept together under the stars’ radiant glow.

* * *

Derpy's fingers shook a little as she struggled with the tiny white buttons, wondering, not for the first time, why they insisted on having such a high collar. Straightening her shirt with both hands, she admired the crisp white uniform, and grinned at how good it looked, even if the soft blue apron did make it clear she was different from the nurses.

"Besides. That's just a matter of time, now! Today, a nurse's helper, tomorrow, who knows?!"

Giggling a little at her own thoughts, Derpy stepped out of the change room and ignored the tiny growl in her belly; she'd been too excited this morning, and Panacea had said he wasn't hungry, so they'd both skipped breakfast. Now looking around the hospital, she found herself missing their new morning ritual; even if they'd only been together for a few weeks, it had been so much fun eating breakfast together.

Walking out to the admissions desk, Derpy gave Rain a little wave, before walking behind the desk to join her. "What's in store for today, Rain?”

Shaking her head, the nurse put a few folders back into the file cabinet and turned back to Derpy. “Well, the good news is that we’ve got few appointments scheduled for today, so that’s a plus, but at all times, good news comes at a cost. Two of the nurses in the foal wing have both reported in sick, and that leaves us scrambling for an extra pair of hands. Think you could handle helping them upstairs? I know you haven't got any experience with kids, bu-"

Giddy, Derpy waved her hands excitedly. "I love foals, really! I don't mind at all! Should I go report in with the nurses right away?"

Rain laughed, shaking her head. "You're way too relaxed, Derpy. Remember, these are sick foals, and they need a lot of time and effort to care for properly."

"Don't worry Rain! You'll see! I'm a natural with foals!"

* * *

Derpy gently stroked her fingers through the whimpering girl’s hair, all the while speaking in a low, soothing tone. It was magic, watching Pan and the other doctor work together. The real shocker was when the filly stopped whimpering and started moving and jerking around as Pan tickled some soft spots near the tip of her wing.

Forced to hold the foal down with the assistance of one of the nurses, Derpy leaned in closer. "I know you're excited, and I know doctor Panacea is playing a mean trick on you by tickling your wing, but you gotta stay still until they say so, sweetheart. OK?"

The filly tried to hide her excitement, but gave in to Derpy’s strong grip and kind words. Tears in her eyes, she repeatedly flexed and unflexed her wing, at last answering Derpy. "Okay... and... and tell him thank you. I got my wing back!"

Derpy grinned, and returned to stroking the girl's hair. As glad as she was, it had been frantic. She'd been on her way to the break room when the other doctor had kicked open the door and a cart with a foal on it was pushed into the middle of the hospital. The source of her wailing was easy to identify, as her right wing hung on by the joint of the bone alone. The noise, the screaming, everything was in total disarray, until Pan had taken command, and started throwing out orders. When the blood and the wailing of the filly had sent one of the nurses running, he'd called Derpy’s name, and even walked her through what he needed her to do.

Looking down at her nice white uniform, Derpy was shocked at how much blood it had absorbed. Even the pink band around her hips to show she was just a helper was now a rich crimson from absorbed blood. "But this foal will fly again. With something like that, what does a silly uniform matter!"

As the other nurses came and helped the little filly onto a gurney and started to move her upstairs, Derpy walked to Pan's side, linking arms with him since the girl’s severed wing had coated them both rather equally in blood. "I think you've earned a coffee, doctor. Perhaps join me for one... after I change, of course."

Pan smiled at her, but a pale tone to his skin made Derpy worry; he wasn't even sweating after all that time he worked on the girl’s wing, and his eyes had such a distant look. The longer he didn't answer, the more it worried her, and it wasn't until her smile had drained away completely that he finally managed to stutter out a reply. "Nah... nah, Derpy. Think... I think... I'll take off early today."

Something in that lifeless reply hit Derpy like a knife to the heart, and she looked around, panic welling up in her chest now that his calm voice no longer whispered reassurance. Looking around frantically, she found a friendly face in her panic . "Rain! Help! Something... something’s wrong with Pan!"

* * *

Derpy wiped the tears from her eyes, and knocked again at Dusk's door. "Can't tell even part of that story without reliving the rest... oh... Pan." A sigh hissed between her lips and she looked down at her mail bag, fingering the fancy embroidery on the new bag that had come with the royal uniform. Secretly she admired the new uniform that had arrived at her home after her run-in with Princess Luna's private guard.

The crimson leather boots had needed a slight alteration, same with the matching gloves and beret, but the contrast created by the tan dress shirt and pants made the crimson hue of the jack really pop. Embroidered on her lapel were two small bars. She had no idea what they meant until she and Amethyst had asked Dusk.

Rarity opened the library door, and gestured for her to step inside, her eyes wide and Derpy was sure she was admiring the crimson messenger’s uniform. "I'm very sorry, darling! He just finished rewriting his last letter...again, and I'm sure he'll be ready for you in just a minute. Is the new uniform comfortable? I'm sorry we keep harassing you for assistance like this.""

Unfolding her wings and letting the gray feathers flare out, Derpy let herself show off for a moment, ashamed, yet delighted by the small noises Rarity was making. Stopping at last and facing the fashionable mare, Derpy offered a shrug. "I don't mind, really! I just can't wait to try it out! It's still a little weird to wear what kinda feels like a military uniform, Rarity. But I like how it has Dusk's emblem on the right breast and the gold buttons on the left; they look really snazzy! And Amethyst made a lot of small alterations to make it fit better. But are you sure it won’t make somepony mad? I'm no military mare, and you said lieutenant is an important rank. I'm not that confident I'd make a good lieutenant... I'm just a mail mare! I couldn't dare to bring myself to take this beautiful suit out for a test flight."

Rarity's soft laughter made Derpy feel better, and the mare gripped her wrist. Rarity gave her that warm, comforting smile, and it soothed some of her frayed nerves. "But you ARE an important person Derpy! You carry mail that could change ponies’ lives and other ponies need to know that. And Derpy, if it needs more alterations after tonight, please, come to me. It's the least I can do for all the extra work we've made you do."

Derpy considered arguing, but one look in those eyes made her pause and finally nod in agreement. "Sure, Rarity. I don't mind, and Amethyst likes doing alterations, so I’ll have to ask her first. I'll let you know when I get back!"

From the library, a voice called out and was followed by footsteps. "As for the emblem? It's just something I doodled one time back in school when we were told to invent family crests, so crossed scrolls over a book. It felt really appropriate, since my whole family has been shaped by books, study, science, and law." Dusk stepped around the doorway, a thick bundle of paperwork and letters carried together by his magic. He grinned at the mares and passed Derpy the stack to file it away while wrapping an arm around Rarity's hips, kissing her aggressively before turning to Derpy again. "Derpy, I want to thank you for this. And the top three letters are most important. One for each Princess, and the third for a very important patient in Princess Cadence's personal care."

Derpy snapped off a sharp salute at Dusk and gave Rarity another nod. "Then I'd better get going! It's already late enough, don't want to wake up anypony by trying to deliver too late!"

Dusk gave her a serious look then suddenly grinned and saluted her back. "Thank you, Derpy! It's good to have a friend I can count on caring for my mail. Do you need a few bits for a place to stay while in Canterlot overnight?"

Deepy thought about it a moment before shaking the idea off. "No, Dusk, but thank you for offering. Too many bad memories of my days in Canterlot. I'd rather just fly home after I make your deliveries."

The sudden look in Dusk's eyes spoke volumes of questions about her past he was preparing to ask, and Rarity took a step forward, reaching to try and take hold of her shoulder. Derpy didn't have the heart to relive those memories, not tonight, not without Amethyst's support. Snapping off another playful smile and salute and keeping her distance, she turned on her heel and stepped to the door. "I'd better leave now, Dusk, Rarity! No reason to make the princesses wait for these letters!"

Derpy ignored his attempt to call her back and question what she had meant, and took flight, letting the whistling wind dance through her feathers. She enjoyed the cool breeze, letting it blow through her hair, even as she pushed herself to soar higher, racing towards Canterlot.

But as the silence of the sky grew more prevalent, she felt her mind slipping back into the memories that still hurt to remember. She knew she had to reorganize her thoughts in a way she could explain to Dinky that wouldn’t frighten the mare until she was old enough to understand, but now was not the time. As she shifted her goggles down to cut the wind, she tried to ignore the rush of memories, but found no escape.

* * *

Pan's aunt, with Rain’s help, settled him into the bed, having helped to strip him of his bloody doctor's coat and clothing beneath. He was still so pale, and his breathing was shallow as well. It made Derpy worry even more, even as Rain and Pan's aunt did their best to reassure her.

At last, nearly an hour later, he woke up again, turning bleary eyes to look around the small room. Through cracked lips he called for her. "Derpy?"

Derpy shifted her chair closer; wrapping her hand around his, unable to help herself; she realized she was crying. "I'm here, Pan, I'm here. Are- are you okay?"

The stallion smiled, letting his eyes close again. But he held her hand, sure and strong. "I'm fine, Derpy. I’m... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I probably scared you pretty bad."

Trying to present a courageous front, Derpy shook her head, then realized his eyes were closed again. Instead she gave his hand a squeeze, her voice strong. "Nuh- no. It's okay, Pan. Really. I'm just glad you're okay. You... you are okay, right?"

Rain's hands on her shoulders told her more than even Pan's long silence. At last he opened his eyes, looking into her, but smiling so warmly it blew away her fears. "I'm sorry, Derpy. I'm not okay, and I probably never will be. I've got a condition. I won't bother you with long names that even I struggle to pronounce. We call it the Drained Soul. It means, when I use my magic, it makes me very tired. Someday, I'll go too far while helping somepony, and I'll be unable to use my magic again. It may go too far and it'll probably kill me, someday." He rolled over, still looking into her eyes; that smile was so loving, she could have lost herself in its depths. "But if I can keep helping ponies... helping ponies like you... It’ll be worth it in the long run, Derpy. Because I made somepony's life better."

Derpy squeezed his hand and leaned down, gently kissing his lips, wiping a tear away before resting her head on his chest. "I'll stay with you, Pan. I promise. I'll help you make so many ponies’ lives better."

* * *

The crack of thunder pulled Derpy from her thoughts and back into the present. Suddenly finding herself busy fighting an unscheduled storm, she pushed on for Canterlot, finally free of the memories.

Hours later, Derpy circled the castle grounds and was shocked to have two bat pegasi soar up to join her, the armored stallions signaling for her to follow them down. Unquestioningly, Derpy found herself escorted inside the castle and into a private chamber, presented with an audience with all three princesses at once. A different bat mare, around her age and scarred, offered to take her messenger’s coat before she handed Derpy a towel to dry herself off with.

It took a while, but at last Derpy could place the mare. "Oh! You're the mare who was protecting Princess Luna's room!"

Realizing she had blurted the words out loud, Derpy blushed and was just about to apologize when Princess Celestia interrupted. "You remember ponies very well, Derpy. I'm impressed. That mare is Princess Luna's spymaster, Silken Flight. The man taking notes at the desk to your left is Shining Armor, the captain of my guard, if you remember him. You can give him the mail... unless you have important letters for anyone personally?"

Derpy felt embarrassed, attempting to switch gears between thanking Silken for the towel and being addressed by Princess Celestia personally. In the meantime, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and emptied the majority of the paperwork onto Shining’s desk. “This much in the last few days? There are letters about summer harvest in this stack, I know it! Is he even sleeping these days?” It was his muttered words that really made her smile and helped her make her more comfortable in the presence of so many important ponies.

Deciding that being candid before the princesses had worked once, it couldn’t hurt to try it again. "I do, princess. One for each of you. Dusk looked really happy to have them all finished."

Stepping up to the gathered goddesses, Derpy placed the thickest letter on the table before Princess Celestia, and the thinnest before Princess Luna. The last, she clutched tightly before carefully placing it before Princess Cadence. "Dusk... Dusk said you would know who this was for, Princ-"

Shock silenced Derpy as she stared into those eyes, her mind flipping back to the worst day in her life, so many years ago. Still clutching the letter, she fought against tears and forced away memories, carefully setting the last letter down. "Princess Cadence... I-... forgive me... I know you were just a foal at the time, but.. the filly that was with you... is she... Did- did she make something of her life?"

Shocked, Cadence did a double take, staring back at Derpy before a look of horror dawned on her. "Do... do you mean the red-headed filly I saved from that house that burnt down?"

Derpy saw the growing look of horror, but the memories were demanding. They needed an answer now. For Pan, she had to ask. "Yes, she had the little blond highlights... she- she was Pan's last patient... I remember you brought her in, and I figured you must know her, right?"

Derpy had never seen a mare so torn up, and suddenly wished she had never asked. But Pan's words, the memories of their last two weeks together... they hurt, and that demanded an answer. Cadence looked to Princess Celestia for help, so Derpy turned to look to her as well. Celestia was silent for only a moment, her answer was tired and distant, but it soothed Derpy's bad memories. "That mare? She joined my school for a number of years, Derpy. But recently, she's decided to continue her studies far away from Equestria. It... it's been too long since we've heard from her, but we didn't leave off as friends... maybe someday I will try to speak with her again. For now, know that she is still alive and last I heard, she continues her studies to this day."

Derpy bowed low to the Princess and smiled again at last. "So she became a student? That's good. Thank you, your majesty. It's... it's nice to know that Pan got his last wish."

* * *

Dismissed by the trio, Derpy had taken her dried jacket and stepped back into town, thanking the guards who offered her an escort, going alone instead. The downpour had become a small drizzle, and Derpy knew where her feet were going, long before she arrived.

Canterlot was a big city. A city ever growing and changing. The ruins of the hospital were not there when she left the lower market, but she'd known that in the back of her mind, she'd flown over this section of Canterlot on deliveries to not have noticed. "What had it been in the end? A fire I think... three or four years after Pan-... after it all ended." His aunt had offered her a job, but the hallways felt empty without him. She simply couldn't go back. And his aunt had died in the fire a few years later, she was sure she remembered that much. Amethyst must have mentioned it at some point. Sitting down on the edge of the marble fountain that had once been a decorative part on the park on the hospital grounds, Derpy stared off into the distance.

* * *

“How much longer, Rain? I… I don’t think I can wait!” It had been two weeks since Pan hurt himself by using his magic to reattach the filly’s wing. Now the mares sat together in the laboratory, watching the mares at work.

Derpy sat in the empty chair, watching the two mares behind the laboratory counter, fidgeting and kicking her feet to try and kill time as they waited. Laughing at her, Rain reached over and gave Derpy’s hand a squeeze. “Look, hun. Just remember that you’re only getting your results back today since it’s so quiet around here today. And my shift was over an hour ago, so just… try and relax or... something?”

Blushing and looking down, Derpy squeezed Rain’s hand in return. “I know, I’m sorry. But you're like, my only good friend here that I can trust with stuff like this. I mean… It’s been a week since Pan started working again. I want to have good news for him!”

Rain laughed again, shaking her head. “You’re sweet, Derpy. Don’t worry, Pan loves you. No reason to be sad if this comes back negative.”

Bored and frustrated with waiting, Derpy stood up and gave Rain a little nod. “I’m… I’m gonna go for a little walk. If you don’t mind waiting?” Rain gave her a nod, and Derpy stepped out of the lab, wandering the hospital and humming quietly to herself.

The hospital doors were thrown open with a crash, snapping off their hinges and crashing to the floor. Derpy stood in shocked silence, watching as a young filly stormed through the open doors, another filly's limp body carried in her arms with the support of a powerful magic aura.

Her few weeks of helping the nursing staff wasn't enough to keep Derpy from feeling overwhelmed by the sight of the filly being brought in, and her knees quaked as she turned towards the reception desk; her voice felt like a squeak, her throat swollen, and her mouth too dry to speak. But she must have, as suddenly a storm of bodies rushed towards the door, a gurney, and Derpy found herself helping them lower the bloody mess to the bed.

But it was the other filly that made everypony freeze, and pay attention when she sobbed out, pushing the nurse who had said something wrong aside and clutching the hand of the mutilated filly. "She's not dead! Can't you feel it!? I can! But she's hurt too bad! I- I can't heal somepony hurt this bad. Why won't somepony get Princess Celestia, or Summer Orchards! They can do it!"

Derpy's heart froze when Pan pushed his way past the gathered staff. He was pale still, whatever he claimed and yet she knew what he was doing, and she could see it in his eyes. Taking the filly's hand, he drew a slow breath as if measuring something unseen, before smiling and looking at the little foal. "You’re very strong to sense her, little princess. I'm afraid I'm the best doctor here, and even I struggle to find her. Do you think... if I show you how to heal her, do you think you can manage it yourself?"

Derpy only realized the mare wasn't a unicorn when Pan added that little extra title, the girl’s wings were folded tight against her back, and hadn't been visible until he looked over the girl’s shoulder and thick hair. But the girl was already answering Pan, and despite the worried look in her eyes, she had pulled herself back together so quickly, Derpy felt jealous. "I can sir. I can heal. I'll heal anything! Just show me where, and how. Please! It's... it's my fault. I taught her the spell. Now she's-"

Pan put a finger to the filly's lips to silence her and guided their linked hands to the crushed girl’s skull, his voice a soft whisper Derpy could no longer understand. Together, their magic spiraled out in twin glowing lines, wrapping around the broken filly and pouring into her body.

And they continued for what felt like forever. Pan whispered and the filly agreed, her fingers following his from the skull to a dozen points on her chest. The sudden gasp of breath from the filly shocked the whole room, but while some clapped, Derpy saw Pan's knees wobble.

She pushed her way around the gurney and wrapped her arms around his neck, wishing she could pour her strength back into him. She'd take back the bad headaches and the constant vertigo if it gave him strength. Under her, she felt him give a little sigh, before his weight leaned back into her arms. His magic faded from the glow, but his voice continued, nearly whispering directions for the filly to follow.

Nurses started to dress the girl’s lesser wounds, and wash the blood from her brilliant crimson hair, the striking blond highlights a vivid contrast. Derpy felt Pan's shallow breathing and had to choke back tears, struggling to support him, and grabbed one of the watching nurses by her uniform. "Help him!"

She'd barely been able to choke out the words. And then-

* * *

"No time for more memories." Derpy pushed away the thoughts and looked at all the homes that had replaced the hospital. It must have been hours that she had sat there, lost in that horrific memory. She wondered, just for a moment, if she might be able to find Rain... to see if the mare was still around. But the sound of a distant watch-stallion calling out the hour as 2 am reminded Derpy. "Home. Home and Dinky. That’s where I belong. Not knocking on doors and bothering strangers." Taking flight, Derpy turned for home.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay guys! Got a little hung up on Witcher 3 and Derpy's background. More to come soon!

Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 4

December 19th, 1700 AFE

Dusk pulled at the collar of the royal red dress shirt, again wondering if this is what Shining Armor had been talking about all those weeks ago. "Stiff collars and flowing jackets... Such a strange combination; it makes me wonder who originally designed the official uniform to be this uncomfortable?"

The carriage ride from his observatory to the party in town was taking forever, and it made Dusk wonder if it had been a mistake even staying in his old home. It had been convenient; he and Rarity had plenty of space, and lots of time to prepare. However, as they rode into the upper quarter of Canterlot built into mountainside nearly level with the capital and the school grounds itself, they found a massive traffic jam blocking all the roads. Squeezing Rarity's hand, he blushed. "Sorry, dear. I was sure we'd be early enough to avoid this crowd. I suppose it's been too long since I paid any real attention to the nobles’ habits before their parties."

Rarity was too busy admiring what she saw outside the carriage. She only looked at him long enough to let him finish what he was saying before leaning past him, pointing with excitement towards a distant manor. "But, Dusk! That's Sapphire Shores! See? Her regal blue hair?! That means that house must belong to Emerald Lily or Regal Diamond!"

Dusk couldn't help it, Rarity's excitement was a fever he couldn't ignore. Turning to look at the house she'd pointed out, Dusk let his eyes hunt for the little signs that would tell him who really owned the massive mansion. A subtle golden plate by the front gate finally gave him an answer. "It's Hoity Toity's. See the engraved metal plate by the gate?" When she nodded, he continued. "I think he is some fashion guru of some sort."

Laughing, Rarity slipped into his lap and smoothed his hair with her deft fingers. "He isn't just some fashion guru, Dusk! He is THE HOTTEST DESIGNER, five years running! A simple nod of approval from him can insure a designer has months of work from his boutiques!"

With better grounding, Dusk made a quick mental note to do some kind of proper research into fashion and design. "Besides, it means so much to Rarity. It's the least I can do to better understand her world."

As their driver fought to make some headway through the ever-growing crowd of ponies making their way to Fancy Pants' family manor, Rarity filled the air with cries of shock and awe at the sights as they passed. From this, Dusk began to build a somewhat basic system of reference, as she poured out small comments on everything, from what one pony was wearing, to her delight that another celebrity he didn't recognize was bringing back a style in couture she hadn't seen in years, and was doing a smashing job of it in the process!

Feeling somewhat adequately prepared, Dusk waited, nodding along with her until he at last found a combination of pony, style and activity that he could identify that Rarity had not yet commented on. With a gap in the conversation opening, Dusk filled it by gesturing towards a distant mare. “Say, Rarity? Isn’t that Spitfire and Fleetfoot by that fountain? Isn’t Fleetfoot wearing one of those dresses you mentioned before, the umm… the Royal Pin ‘Noble Lady’ classic from a few years ago, right?”

Following his direction, Rarity gasped again, shaking her head. “What?!! Oh my! Dusk, you’re right, it is a Royal Pin! But look at the lace edging and the embroidery across her chest! That isn’t a ‘Noble Lady’! I think she must have hired a Royal Pin to produce that dress for her privately! She must have convinced him to come out of retirement, or maybe she got a first run version of his new line? Ohhh! I hope we have time to talk with her later!”

Dusk couldn’t help but laugh, even if he felt a little embarrassed at her corrections on the small details. Squeezing her shoulders, he leaned in against her, using his thumbs to stroke, squeeze and rub at the muscles around her shoulder blades. “I’ll look into it, Rarity. If there is any chance to speak with her, I’ll see if we can fit it in.”

* * *

Rarity nervously fidgeted with the napkin, tugging at the corner and chewing on her lower lip. Things had been so hectic when they first arrived, and the wedding had been so beautiful. Watching the noble grooms-stallions march up the aisle together in time was wonderful, and she'd heard more than a few murmurs of praise from those around her.

When Fleur had entered in her father-in-law's arm, Rarity stopped caring about their words. This was inspiration manifest. Fleur-de-lis was an elegant lady, towering tall for a unicorn, she was nearly as athletic as Rainbow Dash, yet willowy thin. Her wedding dress was a sight that made Rarity jealous, and she spent half the wedding trying to figure out how she had laced together such wafer thin sheets of silk. "All of them look so fragile! Surely she must be some kind of prodigy! An artist too humble to show off her work until the day of her wedding...! I simply must talk with her!"

Just as they began their vows, Rarity finally saw it, and couldn't keep her jaw from dropping. She had reached for her magic to help her hear the sound of the distant priestess, an earth mare of the Church of the Light. But just as she did, she finally saw the secret of Fleur-de-lis' dress. Instead of lace or thread, she'd sewn the dress from threads of pure magic, so thin and fine that they were almost invisible. Rarity thought she was jealous before, now she was truly envious of the mare. Her massive wedding before so many famous ponies, dressed in an artwork that most probably couldn't even recognize as art. Finally, she let go and simply enjoyed the rest of the wedding ceremonies, and soon servants had appeared from somewhere hidden, serving drinks as quiet conversation began to spread as the official part of the night ended, and the ball began.

It was during appetizers and drinks that the first pony came to talk with Dusk. She was an official-looking old mare, wearing a fine ruby dress and with a golden emblem on her necklace indicating her as some old teacher from Starswirl University. While they talked, another quietly lined up behind the first, and before he'd finished with the old teacher, two more had joined the quickly-forming line.

As salad arrived, and servants refilled the wine, Rarity listened in on Dusk's conversations, shocked at the broad variety of questions and concerns that ponies had as they came to him. "Three have asked him to speak with Princess Celestia on their behalf. The rest all seem to just be hunting for favors. Poor Dusk, does he not know how to handle so many fawning fakes?"

It was when the fourth gently pressed Dusk for the third time to speak with Princess Celestia on her behalf that Rarity had finally had enough. She cleared her throat as she spoke up. "Forgive me, dear mare, but Dusk has yet to touch a meal today. You know how it is, so busy helping out others, he forgets to think of himself. Maybe during the dance we might spare time for more conversation?"

The mare looked incredulous, but backed down when Dusk realized what Rarity had said and politely excused himself. The rest of the line picked up that his time was now being claimed and moved on. Some returning to their abandoned tables, while others went to join different lines that had subtly formed by many other prominent ponies about the room.

Resting a hand on her own, Dusk leaned close, so he could whisper without others at nearby tables overhearing. "I'm sorry, Rarity. I guess after Amber Firefly's visit, I just got caught up in answering ponies’ questions. But why the lie? We ate a good lunch."

Rarity squeezed his hand back, shaking her head as she laughed a little. "Because, Dusk. It's been two hours since they started lining up. It's nice of you to talk to strangers, but there is no reason to spend your whole night doing so! Now come, did you see the fantastic sewing work on Fleur-de-lis' dress. I just HAVE to ask her how she figured out how to do that! I've never heard of sewing with threads made of pure magic!"

* * *

Rarity blushed as Fleetfoot squeezed her hand and spun her around on the dance floor. The Wonderbolt mare was a fantastic dancer and dipped Rarity low, her fingers squeezing on Rarity's shoulder to keep her from tipping too far back. Then as suddenly as she'd dipped her, they were off again, swirling through the dance floor. A little drunk, but delighted at the chance to dance with the famous mare, Rarity had nearly forgotten why she'd asked Dusk to introduce them.

When at last a new song started and Rarity could catch her breath again, she moved in close with Fleetfoot as the slower song encouraged a more intimate kind of dance. Reaching up to lay both arms across Fleet's shoulders, she rested her cheek to the graceful pegasus’ neck. "Now is as good a time as any..."

"Fleetfoot, I'm sorry, but I had a more personal reason to ask for Dusk to introduce us."

Fleetfoot laughed, resting her cheek atop of Rarity's head. "You're kidding right? You wound me, noble lady! And here I thought it was my charming smile alone that brought such an elegant mare to keep me company while Dusk steals my date and talks about boring politics and how they both hate to dance."

Rarity couldn't have missed the dripping sarcasm in Fleetfoot's words, but her smile and the way she kept laughing made it clear the mare wasn't bitter, and perhaps even liked the fact they were busy dancing, not sitting like Dusk and Spitfire. Losing her train of thought to a question begging to be asked first, she gave in. "Dusk’s suggestion wasn't unwelcome?"

Fleetfoot grinned and lifted their linked hands high over Rarity's head, twirling her about once despite the slower nature of the song before pulling her back in close again. "Spitfire is a good commander. I'd follow her any day. But she's two left feet on the dance floor, and I, for one, enjoy the company of a pretty mare, most of all one who can dance. Now what was your real question, sweetheart?"

Shocked at the mare's husky words, the way she openly flirted and her strong hands gripped her, Rarity let herself relax and enjoy the attention. "The truth? It was your dress. I know a lot about dresses, but yours begs me to ask: did you convince Royal Pin to come out of retirement?"

Fleet threw back her head, laughing warmly and shaking her head in delight. When she caught her breath, she squeezed one of Rarity's hands. "No, no, darling. So before you make me laugh any harder, stop. Now, first, can you keep a secret?" Rarity had to nod, she'd agree to almost anything right now to hear the truth of the second best dress at this ball. Fleetfoot watched her for a while before giving in and continuing. "Royal Pin is a gelding, hun. A handsome and noble fellow and my father's lover. Last year he started teaching me to make a dress, and together we came up with this lovely alteration of one of my favorite designs of his. I'm glad you like it, Spitfire and Blaze both told me it was fantastic, but I'm glad to hear from somepony with your skill likes it, Rarity."

With that mystery solved, Rarity felt an uncontrollable swell of pride. "Thank you, Fleetfoot, that was fascinating! How do... how do you know of my work? I'm hardly half as well known as the least popular pony here."

Fleetfoot shook a finger before her eyes. "The grooms-stallions’ uniforms are simply fantastic. They are regal, noble, and lordly, yet the men move with grace. They already can't stop gushing about just how comfortable their new suits are. Don't be surprised if you start getting requests left and right."

Giddy at the thought that her suits had been good enough that the noble stallions liked them so much that they had been gushing about her work to anypony that would listen. "I- well, thank you for sharing, Fleetfoot. I do enjoy new challenges, and these suits were a great one, figuring out how to get them to bend and stretch while still looking official! It was a thrill!"

Fleetfoot laughed, and spun her again, before pulling Rarity in close again. "Hmmm. Maybe we can get together and trade tricks sometime. Really, I don't have many I can talk about sewing with besides uncle Pin, of course." Then together, she guided them off across the dance floor, arm in arm and cheek to cheek.

* * *

Dusk winced as Rarity poured him yet another glass of the nearly silvery clear wine. It tasted so fine that he'd been struggling with resisting another glass and now it lay before him, the tiny bubbles frothing in the crystal glass. Feeling a trickle of sweat run down his cheek, Dusk wiped it away and began to reach for the glass.

Sudden joyful voices that rose above the din of the crowd snapped Dusk's concentration away from the all-too-tempting glass of wine. "Magistrate Dusk Shine! What an absolute pleasure to have you here! My love, you remember hearing about him, right? His brother Shining Armor was the stallion who forced a draw when our school challenged the universities to a tournament five or so years ago."

The bride held her stallion very close, respectfully bowing to Dusk, before joining the conversation. "It's my pleasure to meet you, dear magistrate. I'm honored to have so many royal dignitaries come to my humble wedding. Your teacher, Princess Celestia, said we simply had to come talk to you when we had free time, and how could we refuse a royal command."

The laughter that danced in her eyes was playful, and Dusk suddenly felt far more comfortable being himself with the couple. “Well hello, Fancy Pants, Fleur-de-lis. Tonight has been a real eye opener! I never really attended any kind of functions like this, but it’s been a lot of fun, I got to meet some of the Wonderbolts who were friends of Shining Armor, and I haven’t had a chance to just talk with Spitfire in years.” Turning to Rarity, Dusk gave her hand a squeeze. “Plus, Rarity got a chance to talk with some rather fashionable people tonight. It’s been a very nice change of pace.”

Rarity took a sip of her wine as Dusk talked, but as soon as he finished, she sat up, grinning at the couple who stood before them. “He is right, it’s been a fantastic night. The wine, the company, the food. It’s really been delightful!” For a moment, Dusk thought she looked hesitant, but she leaned forward, her voice low and more cautious. “And… Fleur? If you don’t mind me asking? How ever did you come up with an idea so marvelous as sewing together a dress with threads of pure magic? It’s simply wonderful, and so nearly seamless I must have spent half the night trying to figure out how you did it!”

Fleur rested a hand upon her slender chest, her palm out as she laughed, shaking her head with quiet delight. “What? Oh, no, no Rarity! I love the attention, but I promise, this was just some trick I came up with. I really didn’t think it was all that special or creative. I’m sure somepony with flare like you could do something far more impressive than what I came up with!”

As the mares started talking, Fancy Pants walked around to Dusk’s side, and grabbed a free chair so he could sit down beside him. Leaning in closer, the stallion idly tapped two fingers on the golden pommel of his dress rapier. Something was clearly on his mind, but he wasn’t quite yet ready to broach the subject. In hopes of making things easier on the older stallion, Dusk lifted the bottle of silvery wine from the ice bucket with his magic, pouring a fresh glass for the groom and pushing it into his hands. “In all seriousness, though, Fancy, did you two really talk with her majesty? I saw her here for a while, but I couldn’t get away to talk with her.”

A look of shock shot over Fancy’s face and he looked torn for a moment, before accepting the offered glass of wine and taking a heavy pull at the silvery liquid. “The truth is, magistrate… the… Princess Celestia has asked me to assist a few others in teaching you and the other Elements of Harmony some basic self-defense. I know that Rainbow Dash was first in her class in combat arts, and Applejack has proven to be a very strong mare, but even with your own magic, the truth is, she’s worried you all could use some proper training.”

Dusk digested the stallion’s words, trying to stay calm and impartial. His mind, however, shot straight to the obvious. “She never said anything about this after Gilda or Trixie. But she’s been thinking about this all along, hasn’t she… like with the Dragon and the Wonderbolt Cadets. Or Zecora and the Royal Guard. She’s been worried we can’t protect ourselves without using the Elements of Harmony.” Then a guilty second creeped forward from a corner of his mind. “Is that why she kept sending poor Bronze Feather to help too?”

Instead of blurting it all out, Dusk picked up his own wine and took a swift pull on the fine silvery wine, letting it burn down his throat while he hissed a happy breath between his clenched lips. Hanging his head, Dusk finally pulled together an answer. “I’m guessing that you’d suggest swordplay? I know it’s what most of the noble unicorns take up, and I know SSU is more famous for teachers of magic.”

Fancy laughed, draining the rest of his glass and set it down on the table once empty and waved off Dusk’s offer of a refill. “You’re just right, magistrate. I could probably find a few minor things I’ve learned about magic that you don’t yet know, but none of them would be as effective as simply teaching you how to use a blade properly so you can defend yourself from creatures when your magic is not an option.”

“I can’t argue with you, Fancy. After...” Dusk couldn’t help it, he lifted a finger, stroking with great care at the scarred line on his horn before sighing. “After what Gilda did to my horn, I can see the value of a weapon to protect ponies I care for, besides my magic.”

Balling his hand into a fist, Fancy gave the tabletop a light blow, grinning wildly. “Right! That’s that, then! I’ll contact your secretary and look into some time to come visit you in Ponyville. We will show her majesty how well you can handle a sword!”

Dusk drained his own glass, and placed it beside Fancy’s nodding sharply. “Thank you, Fancy. But please, in the future, call me Dusk. First of all, you’re going to be my teacher, and secondly, I’ve never been fond of the overuse of titles. I’ll happily call you teacher, and show you all the respect in the word, but we are both ponies, and there is no reason to treat me as somepony greater than anypony else.”

Fancy pants laughed, and gave Dusk a sharp nod. “I’ve no problem with that request, Dusk. I know most think that the noble families are inconsiderate, but Fleur introduced me to the foals at her mother’s nursery, and once I met them, how could I ever look down on another pony ever again?”

* * *

Dusk leaned against Rarity for support, but found her leaning against him at the same time, supporting one another as they staggered back to their carriage. Blood warm by the exquisite wine, it took real effort to keep his eyes focused and his mind straight. With an arm around the mare’s hips, he did his best to guide them. Thankfully, a guard came to their rescue and helped them inside without ever commenting as Dusk failed twice to climb the steps, and in the end needed to be helped up the last two.

With a jostling and rocking motion, the carriage began to move away, and Dusk found his head resting in the crook of Rarity’s arm. Nuzzling into the sweet-smelling mare, he gave a happy sigh, and pulled her hand to rest upon his chest. A nagging memory from hours before crept up though his half-drunken mind, and he kissed the mare’s cheek before letting it speak its mind. “I thin… I think I should try visiting Cadence and Bronze in the morning. Something in… in what- what… Fancy Pants said. Made me think … made me worry that Princess Celestia… well? She’d put herself in danger for me so many times. Makes me wonder, you know?”

Rarity squeezed him tightly as he settled down, and finally spoke up as he finally came to the end of his rambling speech, her voice silky in his ear as she cooed at him. “That’s a good idea, Dusk, hun. I hope she’s feeling okay, the poor thing was so sad last I saw her…” she sighed and squeezed him tightly holding him close and nuzzling his head with her cheek. “I hope she’s doing better now, with all of Cadence’s help.”

As darkness enveloped him and drug him away into the depths of sleep, Dusk found himself muttering quietly under his breath as he struggled to piece together more that was on his mind. Trying to shake off the weight of drink and exhaustion, he squeezed her hand, and gave a little nod. “Yeah. And after all the danger she’s taken on, I’d feel guilty if I didn’t try to show her I’m grateful…”

As he fell into the darkness, Rarity's lips brushed his head, and her voice whispered something that sounded soothing, but he missed it as he floated off into a deep sleep.

* * *

Dusk lifted a chess piece from the board, turning it around in his fingers and inspecting it from another angle. Two well-dressed swordsmen, one a stallion with azure hair, the other a mare with pale magenta hair. Side by side, they fought as a united figure. Slowly lowering it to the board again, Dusk looked up at his opponent’s pieces across the board, and gasped in shock as a feral dragon roared, snapping its jaw and whipping its tail before charging across the board. Before he could react, a pale mare figure lept forward, her pink hair’s heavy locks violently trailing behind her as she struck the dragon and drove it off, protecting the other figures on her team from the beast’s drooling jaws.

Across the table, his opponent cursed in a language he couldn’t comprehend, watching as the figure of the dragon dissolved away. Immediately another figure was pushed forward, a griffon female with golden feathers. She charged forward, knocking over a figure Dusk could empathise with, a stallion with a scarred horn.

As realization began to dawn, Dusk could see the chess board before him was recreating the last few months of his life. The griffon had to be Gilda, and now a figure of a mare with blue feathery wings was grappling with her, wrestling the larger griffon to the ground and pinning her arms behind her back. There was a sudden violent echoing noise, and the griffon figure moved off the board, standing alone on the sidebar, yet still on the table, unlike the dragon that had dissolved away.

Now Dusk looked up at the shadowy figure on the other side of the table, unable to even see the truth of the figure who opposed him. Hands squeezed his shoulder, and from behind his back, a familiar voice whispered in his ear. “Take care in the piece you choose, Dusk. Sometimes the obvious move is not always the best.”

Unable to move, unable to speak, Dusk sat still as he watched a new piece appear from thin air in the middle of the board. A mare with a blue horn, clutching her head and screaming at the top of her lungs. “Trixie… always, it returns to Trixie…”

For a moment, he nearly hung his head in shame, letting his eyes run down the line of figures before him. His hand lifted, and lingered over his own figure, but he froze up, and his eyes refocused on the line again, unable to help himself, Dusk plucked up the yellow winged figure representing Fluttershy, placing her alone forward, beside the icon of Trixie. There was silence, and the hands on his shoulders tightened up, squeezing down as he moved the figure, and let go. He could hear her inhale sharply, and he wanted to look around, to see who it really was.

As he lowered his hand to rest on the table again, everything was still and silent, and he drew in a sharp breath in anticipation. The figures turned to face one another, and the figure continued to scream, but the figure of Fluttershy winced only once, before stepping forward, and gently hugging the mare. There was silence and none of the figures moved for the longest time, then suddenly the pegasus put an arm around the other mare’s shoulders, and the two figures in contest began to walk off the board together.

Just as they approached the edge of the board, a roar came from the figure across the table from him, and violently, the foe pushed one of its biggest figurines across the board, into the path of Fluttershy and Trixie. A black cloud that pulsed with power, its darkness flared up, and enveloped the sobbing mare, while forcing away Fluttershy’s consoling figurine. The mist and the mare vanished from the board, only to reform again in the line of enemy troops again, this time, the mist’s hand was clearly visible on the mare’s shoulder.

Hands releasing his shoulders, Luna stepped forward, attempting to pull Trixie’s figure from the board. “No fair! That didn’t happen! You can’t change the rules and reshape the game, fiend!”

Instead of reacting, the cloaked shadow simply crossed its arms patiently over it’s lap and stared levelly at them both. Realizing her action was futile, Luna’s shoulders slumped, and she stepped back to Dusk’s side. “They have never played by the rules. I’m sorry, Dusk. I know you’ve enough guilt already. We will try again, when he deals her out again. Just try to be ready when the summer comes. The next hand is about to be dealt.”

* * *

Dusk shot up, panting for breath. His body, soaked in sweat, and the piercing line of moonlight that cut through the open drapes offered only enough illumination to see he was in his bed, Rarity’s naked body beside him, breathing quietly in her sleep. Standing up, he paced over to the window, pushing open the shutters to let the cold winter breeze in to cool off his sweating, soaking body. As the wind whipped over his chest, he felt a hand on his shoulder again, squeezing down, and he turned, to see the towering figure of Princess Luna looming high over him.

Shocked, he dropped to a knee, glad that Rarity had only taken off his shirt, and had left him at least wearing his pants. “Princess! I’m sorry, I… I was dreaming about a chess game. But my opponent was…”

Princess Luna’s lips curved into a grin, and she silently laughed, throwing her head back and shaking her shoulders. Yet she made no noise, and put a finger to her lips. Cupping his jaw with a hand, she let her fingers trace the veins of his neck. Whispering in his mind, her voice was tender, and distant, almost echoing in his thoughts. “That is just one small piece of the game that has been fought since the dawn of civilization. You will face many more rounds in this battle, now is simply a brief quiet period between rounds. Enjoy this peace, and prepare any way you can. Study with the the knight, and if you wish to visit the poor mare, know she is still refusing all visitors. She even rejects the gentle dreams I send her.”

Looking up as she held his head, he began to try and form words, but found her fading away, even the pressure of her touch thinned until he could feel it no more. Knowing time was limited, he forced words from his mouth. “I will be ready, your majesty. I will make sure we all are.”

The mare smiled down at him, and whispered something too quiet for him to hear before fading away entirely. The whipping cold breeze shot down his back, reminding him he sat before an open window. Shaking his head clear and standing up again, he closed the window again, returning to his bed. Unable to ignore it, his eyes roamed Rarity’s sleeping form, and he stroked a hand across her jaw. “We will be ready, Rarity. You’ve already shown so much growth. I’ll try to keep up.”

* * *

December 20th, 1700 AFE

"Dusk, I don't know if I should even let you in... she... she hasn't even read the letter you sent her. I've been working with her every day, but she still won't talk to me. I don't think a confrontation with somepony so closely related to her trauma will help."

Cadence paced her office, her wings ridged against her back and her arms crossed tightly across her chest. It was rare to see her so stressed. It was rare enough that Dusk began to worry for his first friend.

Crossing the room, he gently squeezed her elbow and put one hand carefully upon her rigid wing. "Look, Cadence, I know I've only started reading those books you suggested, but I want to help. Let me at least try and see her. She might not answer me, but I want to let her know that she has friends waiting for her to get better... waiting for her to come home."

The mare stared out the window in silence as he spoke, but at last turned, letting her stiff back relax a little, and her wings unfold. Suddenly surging forward, she scooped Dusk up into a hug, wings and all joining in and holding him close. "Oh, Dusk! You're just so dedicated to helping her, aren't you?! I'm so proud of how much you've grown since you moved to Ponyville!"

At last releasing the hug, Cadence set him back down on his feet, gently using her fingers to smooth down his mussed up hair. "Thank you, Dusk. I think I will come along, but if she lets you in, I'll give her space."

The matter settled, Cadence led the way from the room. Dusk still longed for a few more hours of darkness and silence, and while the royal hospital was calm on the upper floors, the brilliant light that came from the magic imbued roof tiles reminded him to avoid drinking so much again, at least any time soon. Following her across the floor, past a dozen different patient rooms, Dusk’s eyes picked out the folders resting in each door, and he realized the same pattern of names. "Cadence? Are you and Dr Good Will the only psychiatrists on this floor?"

Following his gaze to the folders on the wall, Cadence shook her head and linked arms with him, guiding him on. "What? Oh, no! No, Dusk! We are just the doctors in charge on this floor. If other doctors send patients to our floor for psychological care, their doctors can still come here, but have to check in with us. Most of all if they are recommending any medication."

"Oh! I think that I understand now. So you get sent the special cases and work together with their normal doctors."

Cadence’s nod and content smile was all the confirmation he needed. The rest of the walk they made small talk, and their arrival at Bronze Feather's room was signaled by Cadence snagging down the folder, flipping through the pages a few times, before pulling out a single sheet, and staring at him. When his patience reached its limit he finally spoke up. "I don't need to see anything confidential, Cadence."

Realizing what he had said, she seemed to see him for the first time, and passed him the page. "No. This isn't like that, Dusk. It's... it is the only thing we've been able to get her to tell us. It's rather morbid, and she feels incredible guilt for even having these thoughts."

Dusk accepted the single sheet, reading rapidly at the thin, precise script.

* * *

Patient Bronze has continued to calm, and while refusing to talk normally, she opened up this afternoon to provide this single memory before asking to be allowed to return to her bed. She has been eating, but continues to refuse all contact. Dusk Shine's letter remains unopened.

Below is a word for word account of her story:

Bronze Feather: I was lost in the forest, Princess. The haze of the drug had washed over me. I couldn't stop thinking about things... things that I'd been daydreaming about before, but now I found myself trying to think of ways to piece together a way of getting it... him. Ways of driving off them... the .... his mares. *sob* I pictured ways of killing them both if they didn't let me have him!

Princess Cadence: Bronze, please. Calm down and take a breath. You didn't do anything wrong. Like you said, you were fighting the drug as best as you could. You ran away from them to try and buy some time to fight it off. You-

Bronze Feather: I remember planning where to hide the knife and how to wash their blood and any traces of magic that might have lingered. I might not have done it Princess, but I did everything short of killing the mares he loves. Can I go to bed now?

* * *

Dusk cringed as he read through the report, but the raw guilt in the transcript bled through her words, and he couldn't ignore the sheer horror she felt at what she'd been considering. Passing the page back to Cadence, he made himself relax before speaking. "I see... that is horrible. I'm sorry, Cadence, just sending a letter of support clearly wasn't enough."

Reaching out, she returned the page to its folder and placed it again into the door. She knocked on the door, but didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she pushed the door open, calling into the dimly lit room. "Bronze Feather? You've got another guest. It's Dusk this time. Will you see him?"

Thanks to the faint illumination inside the sparse room, Dusk could only just make out the outline of Bronze Feather’s limp figure in the bed, a thin sheet pulled up to her shoulders, the hint of a white top barely visible. The mare gave no response, only her breathing was loud enough for him to hear. Looking to Cadence, she only gave a small shrug, and squeezed his hand.

Dusk was glad for Cadence’s soft touch, and carefully lifted the wooden chair that rested in the hallway beside the door. Carrying it inside, he set it beside the bed, and sat down, so his knees were an inch from the edge of the bed. Still, Bronze refused to react, staring at the far wall while he settled, and waited to see what would come next.

Twenty minutes passed, with only the distant sound of somepony walking in the hallway to hint that anyone moved. Dusk’s eyes adapted to the dim lighting, and he studied the way Bronze drew her ragged, gentle breaths, still refusing to look at him. Unwilling to break his gaze, Dusk called to Cadence gently. “Can you close the door? I think some privacy while we can talk might be best.”

Cadence’s indecision lingered in the silence between them. Dusk knew she was fighting with the idea of leaving him alone with the unstable mare. At last, she stepped out of the doorway, swinging it closed and cutting out most of the light in the room. Still, Dusk kept the silence, watched the rise and fall of the silent mare. Only the small twitch and shift of her tightly folded wings as she took each carefully measured breath.

When his eyes had finally accustomed to the tiny light that leaked under the door, and the one roof tile that only very dimly glowed at its dimmest setting. Finally, Dusk finished sorting his thoughts, and finally called out to Bronze. “Did Princess Celestia or Princess Cadence ever tell you I died once, Bronze?”

The mare’s sharp inhale of breath told him he had her full attention. She still refused to move, but he pressed on, speaking slowly, picking his every word very carefully. “It was when Nightmare Moon attacked Ponyville. Even as she cut through the guards, I tried to help. I’d been taught a little combat magic by Princess Celestia, and I’d practised even more with my brother occasionally. When I realized no magic I knew was strong enough to break her armor, I pulled at my life force as well as my magic. So many of the royal guard were already dead or dying, I couldn't let their sacrifice become pointless. She cut me down and I passed away into a darkness.”

Bronze Feather’s breathing was totally off time now, her rhythm was lost and she was breathing hard. Dusk worried he might have gone too far, but maybe… maybe he could help. “I… I still remember it. I was in that darkness, and the rest of the world was fading away. But just as I accepted it and stopped fighting, I heard a voice, a whisper calling me, screaming for my help, begging for it. It was a tiny thing at first, and I just wanted it to go quiet, to leave me be. To let me enjoy the peace and calm of the darkness.”

Dusk slowly leaned forward, and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing down and willing up his magic, to let a tiny warmth pour through his hand, into her body. “But the voice I couldn’t place called out again, louder, harder. Aching for any help possible. It roared through me, and suddenly, I knew the truth. It was Princess Luna, begging for my help from her self-made prison of darkness. I came back because I had to tell somepony, anypony, that Princess Luna was alive after all of those years. It hurt so bad, my body was broken. Bruised ribs, broken bones... But when I realized I could help Princess Luna, I knew I had to keep pressing on… To find some way to save her.”

Dusk fell silent again, and Bronze still refused to move. In the growing silence between them, Dusk felt a few tears fall from his cheeks land on the edge of the bed. He ignored his tears, but waited for his breathing to calm, his hand on her continued to pour soft warmth into her body, and her breathing was beginning to slow down. She began to calm. When he knew he could talk again without his voice cracking, Dusk pressed on again. “I still remember that silence, that calm of the darkness. But I don’t want to go there again. Every time I tell a story that makes a filly smile, the warmth and joy reminds me why. The same goes with helping out my friends, the taste of a fresh apple, and the burn of rich wine that trickles down my throat.”

Bronze Feather still didn’t answer, and Dusk let his grip soften, his voice still strong. “I miss you, Bronze. I can’t stay here all day, but I’ll give you every second I can. Think about it as long as you want, and I’ll come back next week and every week after. For as long as it takes. I’m sorry I failed you, Bronze. It’s not your fault you wandered into that patch of Poison Joke, it’s mine. When you’re ready, we can talk. Until then, remember… I’m waiting. And I care for you… Bronze Feather. Come to me, please?”

* * *

December 24th Just before Midnight, Hearth’s Warming Eve.

Cadence pushed the file back into the door, turning the locks in the room and walking swiftly back down the hallway. Unable to fight back a yawn, she covered it with one hand over her mouth, blocking it with the sleeve of her white doctor’s robe. Walking down the quiet hallway to her office, Cadence pushed open the door, and nearly dropped her clipboard. In the chair behind her desk, Bronze Feather sat, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees.

As Cadence tried to catch her breath, Bronze turned her head up, her eyes red with tears. “Princess… why does he forgive me? Why does he? After what I almost did? After what I wanted to do... wanted to do so badly?” Sobbing still, she threw Dusk’s letter from so long ago down on the desk, and went back to hugging her knees again.

Cadence struggled to step forward, swallowing back her joy and panic, and carefully picked up Dusk’s letter. It was long, personal, and specific. The last three paragraphs made her blush a little, and yet the final request really made it clear why she was so upset. Folding the letter back up, Cadence put it back into the envelope that lay discarded on the desk before stepping around to Bronze’s side, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Dusk cares because he has felt loss in a way few others can empathise. You are one of the few living mares who can sympathise with him. You nearly lost yourself to a greedy need to possess what you wanted the most.”

Bronze turned, wrapping her arms around Cadence’s hips and hugged her tightly, yet another shock that made Cadence reevaluate the mare again. Stroking a hand through the mare’s hair, she tried again, looking into the pegasus’ eyes. “Bronze, now that you’re talking, you’ve read his letter and are out of your room, I want to ask you something. Would you take him up on his offer? Will you be his Vicarius?” When the mare looked only confused, she tried again. “His Deputy. His second when he must be away. His guard when he needs one. His shield.”

Still holding Cadence at the hips, Bronze never blinked the entire time while Cadence talked to her. “Do… do you think I could do it?... That I deserve it?”

Cadence let her fingers stroke the troubled mare’s hair again, relaxing, letting out a small sigh. “I think you could. But that doesn’t matter. Do you think you can?”

Bronze was very quiet for a long time, and Cadence began to worry the stress had been too much for the mare. Suddenly, a ripple went through Bronze, and her wings unfolded, relaxing for the first time since she had come into Cadence’s care. Staring up at her, Bronze gave a stiff nod. “For him? Anything. His shield, his spear. And if he ever goes into the darkness again... I’ll be the voice asking him to come back again.”

Author's Note

Winter begins to draw to a close for Dusk and his friends. There will probably only be one more part, two should I get carried away with myself. [Like I often do >.>;;]

I hope you all enjoy this ongoing story, and sorry for the slow updates. The Witcher 3 had me possesed, and now I battle a new [or rather new to me] foe. Dragonball Z Xenoverse is a heck of a lot of silly fun even with the abysmal drop rates.

Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 5

December 25th, 1700 AFE, Ponyville

Dusk carefully adjusted the element on the stove, using his magic to lower a thermometer into the boiling water in the ceramic teapot. Beside him, Barb was busy with the frying pan, and even he was beginning to enjoy the smell of her idea of an old fashioned Hearth's Warming breakfast.

With great care, he pulled the thermometer from the water, and couldn't help but give another little squeal of glee. "Ohhh! 373.15°K, exactly! That's perfect! I hope the girls all get here soon, Barb!"

Laughing up at him, Barb flipped some of the bacon, picking out a few more and placing them on the tray. "Dusk, I really don't think it matters if you get the water to the precise boiling point or not. Hot cocoa is just as good hot as it is boiling!"

Adjusting the thick framed pair of reading glasses to sit at the bridge of his nose, Dusk looked down at Barb, blushing a little. "But, Barb! It's our first Hearth's Warming in Ponyville! And I've invited so many important people over to visit today, so everything has got to be right!"

Turning from the stove, Dusk pulled out his list, and reviewed it again. "First, it's breakfast and Hearth's Warming gifts with my best friends and their families! Then, the mayor and her family are scheduled for a 9 am tea. Mr. and Mrs. Cake should have finally caught up with their baking, so they’ll come over for an early lunch at 11 am, when Derpy and her family are scheduled to come. Then, in the afternoon, Lyra and her landlord Bonbon are bringing over Octavia and her marefriend Vinyl Scratch. Things calm down after that, with only Nurse Redheart, and some mystery guest to come visit us tonight, but Shining Armor and Cadence have also promised to come for a late dinner if things are quiet enough in Canterlot.”

Barb rolled her eyes, shaking her head a little and pulled the pan from the element, tossing the last few chunks of meat into the holding pan. “Dusk! Calm down! You’ve checked that list a dozen times. And before you start! Yes, yes I double checked your Hearth’s Warming gifts for everypony. They are all complete, and properly wrapped! I promise, okay?”

Barb laughed at him and picked up the tray with her contribution to their breakfast out to the library, settling it on the crisp, white linen sheet Rarity had made just for the counter.

Dusk followed after her, admiring the brilliant white sheets that covered most of the library. They had spent the night before hanging several of the sheets over most of the bookshelves that the fillies hadn't decorated, as well as the library counter, Dusk's desk, the coffee table and the sofa, combined with colourful decorations, the bold white cloth made the library a warmer and happier place.

A sudden, rapid knocking on the door made Dusk stand up a little taller, and called Barb back from her trip to the door. "That energetic of a knock... this early? It's gotta be Pinkie. Let me get it, or she’ll bowl you over. No reason to soil your dress or the front rug this early!"

Barb laughed, lightly punching him in the arm. "Sure!~ You just want your first kiss of the day!"

Dusk ruffled his fingers through her head spikes before walking to the main hall and pulled open the door before he even looked through the small window, and was bracing himself for Pinkie's sudden and inevitable hug attack, when a very different voice than expected made him look at who was really at the door. "Dusk Shine, forgive me arriving unannounced, but by winter's deep freeze I am getting quite trounced."

In shock, it finally registered who stood outside his door. Dressed in every piece of cloth, leather or fur she owned, a very miserable and shivering Zecora stared back at him, her teeth chattering and her lips turning faintly blue. Finally, his brain kicked back into gear as he realized the severity of her situation, and lurched forward, ignoring protocol and dragging the haggard-looking zebra inside and closed the door behind her. "Barb! Clear the fireplace and start it, quick! We have a bad case of frostbite!"

Ushering the unresisting, but stiff, mare into the library and helping her to sit down before the suddenly roaring fireplace, Dusk began rubbing at her shoulders and down her arms, until he found where her hands were hidden in the folds of many different types of cloth. Bitter cold, he ignored it, and pulled her hands into his own, squeezing them both on his hands. Satisfaction for that was instant, as Zecora's nimble fingers relaxed, entwined with his own fingers, and squeezed back. "What about your toes, Zecora? Can you feel them? Wiggle them?"

With Barb staring at them, Zecora kicked her feet out from under the many layers, resting them on the smooth, warming bricks around the fireplace. "The flames; they soar. But my toes; they roar. Does the winter's cold know no end? Or have we a Windigo on hand?"

Dusk couldn't help but laugh a little at the zebra's rhyming tongue, and continued to rub her fingers. Delighted to see her warming up, he sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from behind so he could continue to help her warm up. Just as he considered advising she remove the many layers of cold impromptu-clothing to help her warm up faster, another rapid series of knocks rang from the front door. "Barb, can you see who that is? And let me know if the wind has died down. I'll load up some coal in the fireplace and go fetch somepony from the hospital."

"Alright, Dusk! I can keep Zecora company, besides, her feet are in my favorite seat anyways!" The plucky little dragoness turned, pulling on her thick wool coat so she could answer the door comfortably.

From the doorway, Dusk heard as Barb opened the door, her high voice pitched higher by the cold wind. "Oh, hi Pinkie! Come on in, sorry but we-OPHFF!"

Barb's voice was suddenly cut off and the noise of two bodies tumbling head-over-heels and into the doorway of the library with a crash. Pinkie had somehow managed to make sure she wound up on the bottom, hugging Barb tightly to her chest and burying the little dragoness' face in a flurry of kisses. "HAPPY HEARTH'S WARMING, Barb!!!"

Following Pinkie, Applejack was only half visible through the crowded doorway, the look on her face still trying to decide between being amused and cross with Pinkie's antics. "Really, Pinkie? That's why you asked me to carry your stuff? Well, can't ya just move a few feet out of the way? You're a road block keeping everypony standing outside and turning blue from the cold!"

Just as Pinkie half-heartedly began to scoot out of the way, Applejack looked towards him, and Dusk couldn't quite help wincing when she spoke about somepony freezing in the cold. Still rubbing Zecora's arms, Dusk half-stood up. "First, to answer your question, no Zecora, there are no Windigoes around, thank Celestia, but this has been a rather cold week. I'll be right back, stay close to the fire and we will get the door shut and get you warmed back up as quickly as we can."

Crossing the room to Applejack's side, Dusk started taking packages from his lover while she tried to stammer together an apology, having quickly spotted the mare's blue lips as she shivered by the fireplace, despite the roaring coal fire. Using his magic, Dusk took the wrapped gifts off his friend, pointing a finger towards the kitchen. "Any food that needs preparation can go in there; anything else can be put on the library counter. I need to run off to the hospital, but if you can settle in and get the fire stoked, I'll try to be back as quickly as my magic will allow."

Piling in behind her, Big Mac, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith, each with their own load, save the plump old mare who simply muttered dry curses at whoever was blocking the doorway. Stopping Applejack and pulling her into the kitchen for just a second, Dusk squeezed her hands. "Look, you didn't know. I'll make this teleport quick and I'm sure somepony will be on duty... I'll... well, if I have to, I'll teleport us both back. Just keep her warm and don't let Apple Bloom worry too much." Applejack squeezed his hand back and began to nod, but Dusk was already forming the spell, focusing on the fountain at the hospital as his destination. For a moment, his power swelled up, and -

* * *

-he winked back, his feet on the freshly shoveled bricks before the towering statue of Princess Celestia. The cold seeping through his thin socks, he turned to rush to the nearest door, while rubbing his hands together to warm them up. “I really need to experiment with teleporting more. I like that the spell moves me a few feet to the side of my destination to avoid running into anypony or anything, but I keep forgetting about little things, like putting on a jacket and shoes in the winter. And Barb bugs me about making lists of important things! Ha!”

Pushing through the door and into the waiting room beyond, it came as a shock at how quiet the hospital was this early on a holiday. Stomping his feet and still rubbing his hands together, Dusk went straight for the desk, where the on-duty nurse’s aid was already rushing to stand up, her eyes widening in shock at seeing somepony come in from the cold dressed as he was. “I- Oh my! Nurse Snowheart! Nurse Snowheart! Come quick! Somepony looks half frozen!”

As the mare rushed around the desk to Dusk’s side, another came from one of the nearby exam rooms, rushing to join them. Holding up his hands, Dusk did his best to calm the mares without wasting time. “Hault, hault. I’m not the one in need. I’ve a pony at my library, the zebra Zecora, who is suffering from awfully bad frostbite.”

The nurse Snowheart ignored Dusk’s words, and pulled his hands up, checking the pale hue and rubbing one of his hands between both of her own, the earth mare’s strong hands insistent enough that he didn’t dare pull his hands back. “Zebra? What ever do you mean, nobody’s seen a- No, nevermind that!” She cut herself off, and nudged her assistant with a foot, her voice serious as she pushed aside useless questions and switched Dusk’s hands, to help warm the other. “Cuddles, get my emergency bag, and ring the bell for Honey Drops. Maj- Dusk, you live at the library right? This Zecora is there?”

Dusk nodded, gesturing with his one free hand across town. “Yes. She’s inside and I’ve got a warm fire going for her, and there are a few others looking after her, but her lips were a vivid blue when I first got her inside, and she still shivers, badly.”

Letting go of his hands at last, Snowheart rushed over to a locked closet by the entrance, a brass key opening the lock and pushing it open. Inside she pulled out a thick white winter jacket that went past her knees, the medic’s badge sewn on her left breast. As she returned to his side, the nurse, whose name failed Dusk beyond being Cuddle-something, but that didn’t matter now. Pushing over the worn leather medic’s bag to Snowheart before speaking to them. “Honey Drops is getting up, and I’ve got some coffee on for her, go ahead, we’ll be fine here.”

Without a word, Snowheart accepted the bag, nodding once and heading towards the door, but this time, Dusk cut her off, gripping her elbow to stop her, for all it took most of his strength to do so. “Stop please, nurse. I have a faster way.”

For a moment the nurse stared at him, then it dawned on her just why he had been able to get so far across town in his socks and without getting his own case of frostbite. “Oh? Then let’s do it, magistrate. I’ll try and hold down what little of my Hearth’s Warming breakfast, yet alone my poor cold tea.”

That mutter made Dusk laugh, and he slipped an arm around the mare’s hips, pulling her close and reaching his mind out to focus on the mental image of his distant home, probably crowded now with his gathering friends and their families. Drawing a breath he grinned up at her. “Don’t worry, even if you lose it, we’ve a proper traditional breakfast set up, you’ll be well compensated.”

* * *

Dusk was shocked at how easy it was to teleport two ponies at once, the drain on his magic hardly felt like any kind of serious effort, like it had the times before. They had landed on the small landing three steps up the staircase, exactly as Dusk had picked out as his target, knowing it was unlikely anypony would be in their way there. Releasing the nurse, Dusk rushed towards the sound that came from the library, the many softly-speaking voices.

He stepped through the doorway to the library and almost stopped and stared at how calm the gathered ponies were, but the presence of the nurse behind him motivated Dusk to step inside and out of her way, taking in the cheerful room while Snowheart rushed to Zecora's side.

Pinkie, Applejack and Granny Smith sat together on the couch, each with a steaming mug of Big Mac's mulled spiced apple cider, while Mac had taken position behind the library counter, serving food to whoever came close, tending to a heavy brazzer where the cider rested. Rainbow Dash leaned against the wall on the other side of the door he had just stepped through, giving him a too casual nod before motioning back to the biggest gathering on the floor at the center of the room.

Somepony had wrapped Zecora in Dusk's heaviest blanket, the rest of her furs and other rags missing. Under the blanket with her, Fluttershy had an arm around Zecora's hips to pull their bodies close together, while holding out the ill mare's wrist to the nurse. On their knees behind them, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo were industrially at work, the first brushing the mare's tail out on the floor, the second doing the same with her black and white hair, while the third sat between them, offering them the different brushes, combs and oils from a bag he recognized from Rarity's pack. He overheard Fluttershy as he began to move around the room with care for the crowd. "When I realized her core temperature was so low, I made her strip off her freezing garments and we got under this warm blanket so I could help keep her warm, like they taught us in first aid."

Dusk finally found Rarity behind his desk, bent over and hard at work with a fine needle in her hands, her sewing kit set up on his desk, her efforts were turning out a fine looking thick winter dress, heavy purple velvet edged in gold silk. Designed with slits that ran from the ankles to both hips and Rarity's second needle, supported by her magic, sewing gold buttons into one side of the long slits. Rarity noticed his attention, and winked up at him. "In a foal's nursery book, I saw a design like this of a dancing priestess of the sun goddess. I've always wanted to try my hand at it, and purple would look SO pretty against her black and white hair!"

Unable to help himself, Dusk laughed gently, squeezing her shoulder with a hand before crouching down beside her. He waved to Pinkie as she sat tall and gave him the rapid wave of her hand in greeting when she noticed that he was back. Watching Rarity work, Dusk took a stab at the reason for her extra work. "And the buttons mean you can convert it into a warmer winter dress, a very nice idea." Placing a hand on her shoulder and waiting for her to focus on him for a moment, Dusk gave her a subtle gesture towards the three fillies. "It's nice to see Scootaloo here already, did Sweetie invite her along?"

Rarity shook her head, something in his words giving her reason to wear a wolfish grin that Dusk didn't recognize. "No, they talk sometimes, but I don't think they're really friends. It was Rainbow Dash. She says Nurse Redheart asked her to take care of the foal until she got off work, and Dash asked me if it was okay last night while I was walking home. How could I have said no? The poor filly lost two parents this year, and even though she'll never admit it, I know that she’s been hurt, and Dash can see that too. They’ve both been hurt on the inside, but together, they might be able to help heal one another."

Still crouching low, Dusk squeezed her nearby hand, offering her a quiet nod. "It sounds like a good way to make the best of two bad situations." When she pulled her hand free so she could resume sewing, Dusk let his head rest on her shoulder. "Still no sign of Blitz? I suppose the weather in Cloudsdale is bad enough that he didn't dare try to make the flight in the end?"

Rarity gave him a nod. "She was talking about going to check up on him, but the weather's bitter enough that even Dash doesn't trust her wings. Blitz might be Dash’s dad, but he’s no fool. I’m sure he stayed home where it was safe. We’ll hear from him if it clears up in the evening.”

Dusk gave her a nod, then leaned in close to lightly kiss her cheek. “Then I'll get my share of breakfast, and we can finally start our Hearth’s Warming, properly this time.”

* * *

Draining off the last of his steaming mug of cider, Dusk gave a long and happy sigh. He couldn’t even really remember how much time had passed, and it took a minute to see who was still in the room. Derpy and Amethyst sat on the couch with him, and since his thoughts were muddled because of Mac's brewed drinks, he struggled to remember how he’d gotten this far. Pinkie sat under the blanket before his blazing fire, having joined Zecora and Fluttershy, happy to cuddle in close. Barb slept, curled up between the zebra’s legs, snoring peacefully. Turning his head to look for Rarity, he was finally able to find her, still behind his desk, working on a second dress of blue and white with silver buttons instead of the gold and purple of the previous dress.

Something in what the ponies were doing around him pulled Dusk to pay attention to Derpy, Amethyst and the Cake's conversation. Derpy gave a small gesture to Ms. Cake. "Sorry if you're still waiting before you announce it, but I just can't hold back anymore! I just... well, me and Amethyst have been thinking about having another foal, and you're positively glowing!"

Instead of being embarrassed or annoyed, Mrs. Cake laughed and reached over, gently petting Derpy's knee. "It's okay, Derpy, really it is. We were waiting for some tests from the hospital before we told anypony, but it's true." Giving a diddy little giggle herself, Mrs. Cake wiggled with excitement in her chair. "Oh! I'm so excited! We've been trying so hard to have foals!"

Biting her lip, Derpy looked past Dusk, and mouthed something at Amethyst. Confused, he turned to look at the mare on his other side. Just as he did, Amethyst placed her hand on his knee, her voice vibrant with excitement. "Oh! You're so lucky! With how well things have been going for Derpy since Dusk moved to Ponyville, well, we've been talking about having a second foal ourselves."

It took a moment for the math of Amethyst's suggestive hand on his knee and her words to add up, and Dusk realized he had been caught up in their joy and was nodding along with the conversation. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he could tell that Rarity had stopped sewing, and was now watching their conversation intently.

With sudden clarity, doing the work of several hours of sleep and a hot coffee poured down his spine, Dusk sat up tall, and pushed the half-full mug of cider away and attempted to casually cross his legs. "Oh? That's charming to hear, Amethyst. For our part, we've only briefly talked about foals, but with Applejack helping to raise Apple Bloom, and Rarity helping to raise Sweetie Belle, it just doesn't feel right to think about having foals yet."

The silence that followed was palpable as Amethyst slowly drew her hand back after it fell from Dusk’s casually shifting leg, and as he turned to try and catch Rarity's reaction out of the corner of his eye, only then did he realize she had moved from his desk, her work abandoned. Just as he prepared to turn in his seat to search for her, long slender arms extended around Amethyst's neck, hugging the mare against the couch. Watching him with silent approval, Rarity gave the mare a kiss on the cheek, before speaking with great care to select her words. "Of course, Dusk, there are always stud services. It is a very popular way for mares in small towns to have a foal without worrying about the lack of available stallions."

As Dusk watched, Rarity reworked their conversation in a very different light, slipping around the couch without ever letting go of her gentle grip of Amethyst's neck, moving to sit down on the arm of the couch beside her. With care, she lifted Amethyst's hand and placed it on Dusk’s thigh again, smiling up at him. "See, Dusk, in small towns, a mare pays a stallion a stud fee, and in return, any foal born of their copulation is the mare's alone. It's a good way to ensure that mares don't fight over popular stallions, and it means a healthy young stallion might make some good money before settling down with his herd." Leaning past Amethyst, Rarity nipped at his neck before sitting back again. "Besides, you and Derpy are such good friends after these last few months of working together, it'd be rude for you to refuse her polite request. I'm sure Applejack would understand. Just name a reasonable price, and Dinky will soon be the proud older sister to a little filly or colt."

Shocked at Rarity's openness at him fathering a foal with another mare, Dusk swallowed hard, turning to take in the rest of the room. Pinkie was kneeling between Mrs. Cake's knees, her head on the mare's belly while she made ridiculous baby noises into the mare's round belly, giggling as always. Fluttershy had also left the blanket’s cover, and was holding one of Mrs. Cake's hands, laughing gently as they tried to talk over Pinkie's antics. Mr. Cake laughed at Pinkie and had relaxed, no longer the tense stallion Dusk remembered from so many early morning visits to the bakery for one emergency or another. And Zecora-

Zecora, in all of her nubile glory, had left the blankets behind. Ignoring the slack jaws and staring eyes of everypony in the room at her casual nudity, she knelt down between Amethyst's knees, her head resting to the side, one ear to the small mare's belly. A wicked grin crossed her lips and she gave a slow nod to Amethyst and Derpy. "Your traditions? I do not know. But for a foal? This mare is good to go. If a guarantee you need? A potion could ensure the deed, and make sure you breed."

Reaching out with her magic, Rarity picked up the finished purple dress, shoving it into Zecora’’s hand and clearing her throat, aggressively. “Be that as it may, darling. Please, put some clothing on, Sweetie Belle is napping in the next room! I don’t want to have to explain the meaning behind some of your tribal tattooing to her just yet, please?”

Accepting the dress and pulling it over her shoulders, Zecora gave Rarity a small nod, before looking from Derpy to Amethyst and then to Dusk, the zebra gave each a slow nod, before explaining herself if only briefly. "A repayment for your kind hospitality, I'd happily make this foal a reality."

“A foal… I…” Dusk slowly looked around the room, and suddenly, he found he was surrounded by a half-dozen smiling mares, all looking to him for a response. “Could I really handle being a father? I… I do like Sweetie. If she’s the example of a good foal, she’s a fine example. Sweet natured, forgiving, considerate, and very smart.”

As Dusk turned to face Amethyst, Derpy reached out, and wrapped him in a hug from behind, and his eyes shot around the room looking for some sort of escape. Then his eyes met Amethyst's, and looking into those soulful depths, he saw nothing but hope, love and joy. “She’s been such a good mother to Dinky. How could I deny her a foal of her own.” His heart melted, Dusk placed both hands on the mare's shoulders, Dusk squeezed down and gave her a small smile. "Alright, Amethyst. I- I don’t mind helping you two have a foal, if you're really serious, and if Applejack is okay with it, then I'll do it."

Squealing with delight, Amethyst joined Derpy in hugging him, and he gently patted the top of the unicorn’s head, then turned his head to look at Rarity, hoping he read her right. Rarity leaned over Amethyst, snatching up his lips in a kiss, her hands bracing on his chest, she rolled her weight onto her knees and sat up to lean over Amethyst, without crushing her. When she broke this kiss, she leaned against him still, her free hand joining Dusk's in stroking Amethyst's hair. "What about the price, Dusk? A proper stud fee is important."

Looking from Derpy to Amethyst, Dusk bit his lip, shaking his head a little. "That... well, I guess it's important. But Derpy's a friend. I wouldn't want to charge her some unfair fee."

Derpy climbed up his back so she was kneeling on the couch and hugging him around the neck. "I don't know, Dusk! I'm sure whatever price you name, we'll pay it. I promise."

Looking again into Rarity's eyes, Dusk saw the tender love that danced in them. Unable to help himself, Dusk leaned forward and gave Amethyst a kiss on the top of her head. "Then I'll make the price two bits, because Derpy's been such a good friend."

* * *

AJ turned, looking at Big Mac as he lugged along the cart of presents and empty kegs; silent as he normally was, he had a distant look to his eyes. Unable to let this pass, she leaned over, giving him a lazy nudge in the ribs. “What’s wrong, Mac? You’re never normally this quiet after a good Hearth’s Warming Feast. But instead, you just got quieter and quieter as the day let on. Heck, I’m surprised Mrs. Mayor didn’t mention anything, you two usually have so much to talk about!”

Shaking his head as if to cast off a distracting thought, the stallion leaned into his work, ignoring her rough nudge. As Granny and Apple Bloom leaned forward in the cart to see what had made him stop for a moment, he gave their inquiring looks a dismissive grunt. Applejack had begun to think he’d refuse to answer her at all until he suddenly spoke up as they walked the freshly plowed trail home. “I was wondering if we could do something to help out that unfortunate mare. Dusk an’ Fluttershy an’ the nurse got her fixed up, and they cleaned up one of their only spare rooms for her, but still, being stuck in Ponyville, away from ‘er home all winter? That’s a miserable way to spend three months, right?”

Grinning, Applejack leaned over, hugging him around the shoulders and messing his lanky blond hair. “Aww! And here I thought you’d gone cold, you mushy old romantic! Sure we can look into doing something for her. She’s about the right age for you anyways!”

Mac’s snort of dismissal and suddenly quickened pace was all the proof she needed to show she’d pegged his thoughts just right. “Poor Mac! Likes a mare, but after Carrot Top? I suppose he’s gunshy. I suppose I should get Rarity’s help, she’s more the expert on this kinda thing…”

* * *

After Derpy, Amethyst, and the Cake's left, Dusk had taken Rarity’s advice and took a nap. That had really helped, as had the shower. As Dusk stepped out of the shower, he felt like a new stallion again. Using a towel to brush moisture from his tail, Dusk could hear the distant sound of voices starting up a new conversation.

“Dusk did what? Really?” It took a moment, but as he devoted more of his attention to the conversation, he was finally able to place the loudest mare. It had to be Nurse Redheart. Reaching for his pants, Dusk could hear only part of the ongoing conversation, as Redheart drowned out the others. “Of course I know Derpy. But still-” Some muttered response followed, and things calmed down a little. Finally, Redheart seemed to be relaxing, though he could still hear her through the door. “Alright, but before anything else, I’m booking them both for a medical. You too, Rarity. And I’ll ask Applejack sometime privately. Does he have any other lovers we should test as well?” Silence as someone answered to quietly for him to hear before Redheart’s raised voice returned again. “Is that the whole list? Good. What? No! It’s for your well-being! Do you know how quickly an STD can move around a large herd like you have formed?!”

Pushing through the door and stepping back into the main hall, Dusk tightened the buckle on his belt, then pulled his shirt over his shoulders and started working on the fiddly little buttons on his shirt. Hair still damp, he let his tail sway across his hips as he stepped into the hallway with care, sneaking up behind the nurse. When he could tell that Scootaloo had gone off somewhere with Barb and Sweetie Belle, Dusk winked to Rarity, and slipped his hands around Redheart’s belly and shoulders, pulling her into his strong grip and whispering into her ear. “What’s all this yelling about? There are foals around. I do apologize, Redheart, I know you’d made your interest clear, even as I was recovering from our fight with Nightmare Moon, but we’ve both been so busy with other things, my work, your work and Scootaloo, most of all.”

Flushing darkly at his hold, and his lips at her ear, Redheart’s lip curled and she gave a disdainful snort, though Dusk felt it sounded like she was suppressing a foalish giggle. Placing her hands on his arms over her belly, she turned her nose up and gripped down on his wrists, pulling herself free of his arms before turning around, lightly tapping him on the nose. “It’s alright, Dusk. I’ve found someone positively dreamy to keep my company occasionally, I’m no wild mare in heat hunting for a stud.”

Dusk was momentarily taken back, stepping away from the mare and staring as she held a stern gaze, lifting a hand to rub where she’d tapped on his nose, he was starting to collect an answer when she broke, and burst out laughing. “You’re relaxing a little, Redheart. That, if nothing else, is good to see. Care to let a befuddled stallion in on your joke?”

Rarity was the one who answered however, stepping beside the nurse and passing her a tall glass of pale red wine, before linking arms with her. “It’s simple really, Dusk. She’s just getting her chance to nip off a piece of your ego. After all, how many mares have fallen into your lap this year? Half a dozen? Most stallions would kill to have that much attention.”

Redheart accepted Rarity’s offered glass, downing it all and releasing a heavy sigh of pleasure. Letting Rarity lean against her, and even nodded at Rarity’s answer. “Exactly. We can’t have your ego getting too bloated, Dusk. You’d get careless. Besides, with so many young mares around a stallion, a mare gets a little self-conscious about her age.”

Realizing they were serious, Dusk took a careful breath, leaning against the wall at the entrance to the library since they were blocking the doorway into the library proper, watching them as he thought back to all that had happened in the last few months. The sudden steady knock at the door, pulled his attention back. “Humble. Right, I guess I’ll work on that too. Thank you ladies, really.” Stepping forward and ignoring the door for a moment, Dusk reached out and squeezed Redheart’s hand with the empty wineglass, taking it from her on the motion. “And Redheart? Never think your age is something I’d think is important. You’re a very attractive woman, and if somepony else has caught your eye... I will admit, I’d be a little jealous of that lucky pony.”

Stepping to the door before the knocker could get frustrated and knock again, Dusk was delighted to see that Shining Armor and Cadence waited on the other side of the entryway. “Brother! Cadence! Thank you for coming so far; I hope this isn’t taking you away from anything important!”

Taking advantage of the open door, the couple stepped inside, Shining Armor grabbing Dusk by the arm and pulling him into a hug, his free hand patting Dusk heavily on the back. “Thank you for hosting us, Dusk! The celebrations in Canterlot were simply fantastic! You should have seen the fireworks the universities put on today! It really had the kids going, not to mention Princes Luna! She was near as giddy as any foal in the crowd.”

Glad for his brother’s good mood, Dusk returned the older stallion’s happy, one-armed hug, nodding. “Oh, yeah! I suppose she’s probably never seen fireworks before, has she? I don’t recall reading about them in any of the history books in my studies…”

As Dusk drifted off for a moment of thought, he was shocked when Cadence cupped up his cheeks and leaned in rubbing noses with him, her voice whispering a playful coo. “Sunshine, sunshine, Ladybugs awake, Dusk!”

Snapping out of his dream, he laughed again, and hugged his foalsitter around her hips. “Clap your hooves and give a little shake.” Grinning up at her and nuzzling her nose in return, he relaxed, and gave a happy sigh. “Hello, Princess Cadence! It’s only been a few days, but it already feels like it’s been far too long!” Darting his eyes around and leaning in, he whispered again in low tones. “I… I apologize, I don’t want to get too serious, but, well… has there been any improvement?”

Grinning at him, Cadence released his face and reached under her winter coat, into the collar of her radiant pink silk dress, and withdrew a small unsigned white letter from a hidden pocket . Shoving it down the collar of his shirt, she simply leaned in, whispering in return. “You worked a miracle, Dusk. Remember that.” Ignoring his stunned look, she pushed past him, handing off her coat to Rarity, making small talk as their coats were put away.

Fishing out the little letter, Dusk snapped open the seal, but couldn’t ignore the growing conversation, keeping one ear to their talk as he read, grinning as he heard Cadence meet Zecora. “Oh, my! And you’ve done well too, haven't you, Rarity? You made her this fantastic dress all by yourself today? I’m quite jealous.”

It was Zecora who answered first, her voice holding a humbled hint he’d not heard from her before. “The seamstress made me this dress, to help keep away winter’s cold and stress. I feel as if I’m some noble queen, but before a true goddess, I feel far unclean.”

Idly stroking the blank white seal on the letter, Dusk needed only a moment to recognize the handwriting, but now, as the others’ conversation moved off, he could reread the letter again; this time, Dusk pictured it in Bronze’s voice.

“Dear Magistrate,

Dusk Shine, I would be honored to take up my lance as your second. Please forgive me, as Princes Cadence says I shall need a few more months to properly recover.

Your loyal Vicarius,

Bronze Feather.”

Folding the letter closed, Dusk squeezed it tight to his chest, and finally took a breath. As the importance of the signature at the bottom sank in, and Dusk felt the lingering dread in his heart lift.

Cadence’s voice pulled him back into the present and away from the letter. “You honor me, dear priestess. And the dress suits you far more than I. The purple might go well with my feathers, but I think the pink and gold would clash. It looks far more resplendent on you, dear. Besides, I think I’d die of embarrassment if I were to wear something slit so far up the hip!”

Glad they were all getting along, Dusk folded up the letter and put it into the pocket of his shirt for later. Piercing his lips and whistling to himself, Dusk followed the others back into the library, a happy, lighthearted feeling washed away months of worries that had been piling up in the back of his mind.

* * *

Luna yelped at the sudden burst of noise from the nearby university courtyard, dashing from the table and abandoning the paperwork that lay spread over the map of Equestria, her nearly childlike joy warming Celestia's heart as the brilliant lights and noise of the second fireworks show for Canterlot's Hearth's Warming Celebrations lit up the night.

Lowering her quill to an inkpot, Celestia gestured to Silken, her voice gentle. "You might as well go to her. She's probably going to be distracted by this show for a while. Besides, celebrating our peace is just as worthy a cause as fighting for it."

Silk hadn’t been paying any real attention to their meeting since Luna left to watch the show, something in the fireworks brought out another, softer side in Luna that kept distracting the spy-mistress. She attempted to rally at Celestia's words, and turned back to the map. "I'm fine, really, Princess Celestia. We have months of planning left, and summer is fast approaching."

Shaking her head, Celestia leaned back in her chair, crossing her hands over the heavy wine glass. "I'm serious, Silk. All we do these days is plan for eventualities that may never happen. I've spent most of the last thousand years planning for things that never happened. Take tonight off, tomorrow when Luna is herself again, we can continue."

For just a moment, it looked like Silk was about to argue with her, but a sudden gleeful laugh from Luna as a rapid series of rainbow-colored explosions went off in successive order from one end of the spectrum to the other made her look away, finally relenting. "Thank you, princess. I promise I'll do my best to enjoy tonight."

Watching as the lanky mare stood up and moved at a hardly subtle run to Luna's side, Celestia allowed herself to relax as well, taking a long heavy pull at the thick wineglass. Luna didn't wait for her spy to join her. Instead, she rushed over and linked arms with Silk and pulled her back to the balcony with her, holding her around her hips and began to repeat the explanation that Shining Armor had told her only a few hours before of how the fireworks worked.

Celestia reached for her glass again, and found the bottom of what little wine was left. In the mood for some celebrations, she reached for the bell with her magic, planning to ring up a servant, but stopped herself, grinning a little. "Let them have a quiet night. After all, I'm sure they'd all be watching the fireworks as well. Besides, the wine cellar isn't that far of a walk."

Just as Celestia turned the corner to walk deeper into the castle, she heard her sister's voice fill with wonder. "They are so much more brilliant at night! It's almost as if the whole world celebrates my nights with this show of magical rainbow light!"

* * *

January 5th, 1701 AFE, Dusk's Library

Dash let her cup dangle from two fingers as she returned to the sketch, shaking her head. "What? No, no way, Dusk! I'd never need two staircases to the master suite! And why'd you make them both such wide spirals? It's way to 'unicorn fancy' for a proper pegasus home! Why not just take them out completely!?"

Laughing a little, Dusk pulled her teacup off her fingers, refilling it with the teapot suspended by his magic. Pushing the fragrant herbal tea back at her, Dusk lowered the pot before launching into his rebuttal. "First of all, Dash, we agreed to build the core framework of the house on ground level this spring before the special crew from Cloudsdale show up, and do the cloudwork, right? Well 90% of Ponyville's labor force are Earth ponies. They'll need a staircase of some kind to do the normal construction of the wooden framework and floors. Plus, if we do this..." Dusk paused and took a moment of concentration, scribbling into the design sketch the rest of the staircases, scribbling notes and math for the architect to double check later. Finishing, he leaned back from the drawing table set up on his desk, letting her get a better look at the sketch in the light. "The staircases serve an extra purpose, by meeting at the doorway to the main suite, they form a small balcony that overlooks the main hall. That way, if your weather team has a big meeting going on, everypony can see you on the balcony and you get a good vantage point to watch them as they gather below. Plus, should we have to host another group of the Royal Guard, or even better, the Wonderbolts, they could use your home for a command and control center, making organization and operations easier."

Watching Dash grow more and more excited after he brought up the balcony effect and the Wonderbolts, Dusk pushed on the last reason for the design, knowing she'd care far less for it than the others. "Besides, the large curve on the stairs minimize the floor space the stairs take up, maximizing the space in the main floor."

Sipping at her fresh cup of steaming tea, Dash was silent, but the way her wings puffed up and twitched as he talked about her hosting the Wonderbolts betrayed her stoicism. Attempting to act casual, Dash lowered the cup from her lips and leaned against him where he sat, nodding with agreement. "Alright, alright! You've got a decent point there, Dusk. And I like the dimensions you've got in the plan for the master suite, but I gotta ask, why put my bedroom above the kitchen and store rooms? I've stayed over at Applejack's before, things get damn noisy way too early in the morning over their kitchen."

Laughing at her latest gripe, Dusk responded with a question of his own. "Do you have roommates of any kind? A stallion who gets up early and cooks you breakfast in bed often?" As she blushed and stammered, he grinned and pressed the advantage. "I'll take that as a no, then. So the only time your kitchen will be noisy like the Apple's is when you are hosting guests of some kind or another. And if those guests are Wonderbolts... well I'm sure you'd certainly want to be up, right?"

Groaning a little, Dash finished off her tea to help suppress her embarrassment at the good points he made so easily. Finally surfacing, she leaned further into him, and drove a thumb knuckle into his head, but kept the pressure at only a teasing level. "You’re such an egghead, Dusk. But you're a useful egghead. I think I'll keep you around."

Grumbling a little at her aggressive attention, Dusk straightened his messed up mane to get the wild bangs out of his eyes, before striking back by leaning back against her and kissing her just behind the ear, relishing in the way she whimpered and squirmed at even that light pressure on the only sensitive place he'd managed to find. "I don't know, Dash. I like your unbound energy. I'll try to keep up with you, too."

* * *

January 9th, 1701 AFE, Pinkie's Room, Sugarcube Corner

Dusk flinched as he watched Pinkie round the corner of the staircase into her small bedroom, adjusting his weight in the chair she'd set up beside her bed, while a massive plate of frosted pastries was settled between the two plates on the small table. Sniffing at the strong spices that wafted up from the plate of still-steaming treats, he offered her a small smile. "Wow, Pinkie. You must have been working really hard on this. I can identify at least ten different glazed or frosted pastries. Are they all for me? I don't know if I have that strong of a sweet tooth-"

Laughing at his worried look, Pinkie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. Swift and sugary like her pastries, she didn't linger, but instead leaned back, and grinned at him while holding him around the neck. "No, Dusk, you silly-billy! I just made these as a feature for dessert! Mrs. Cake helped me make a candied cranberry and almond salad for dinner, as well as a lemon and herb salmon. We used the backyard oven for that so the smell didn't override everything else in the bakery!"

Remembering the unfamiliar strong smell on the wind he had caught as he walked to the bakery, Dusk laughed a little. “You know? You’re right, Pinkie. I was wondering what that smell was as I walked here. Makes more sense, now.” Gesturing to the other chair, he gave a shrug. “Do we have long? When do they need you to take over in the diner?”

Giggling happily, Pinkie ignored his gesture towards the free chair and hopped into his lap, resting her palms on his shoulders and nuzzling her nose against his own before answering. "I made sure that I got a lot of free time off today, Dusk! I've gotta take over in the diner from eight until close, but that gives us almost four hours to have dinner and whatever comes up afterwards! We could go for a walk, with all this fresh snow falling today; it'd be like we are all alone together in a big white fluffy blanket! Oh! Or even better! We can sit on the roof and talk about whatever you want, and watch the stars come out! The bakery’s big ovens keep the snow off and the roof nice and warm even in the winter!

Settling his hands around her hips, Dusk grinned, and lightly tugged at a handful of her fluffy tail hair. When she squeaked and giggled, before hugging him back harder, he held her in return, laughing along. "Sure, Pinkie. A quiet walk together would be nice. Now then, how about that dinner?"

Her giggles and snorts were cut off by a gasp of shock at having gotten carried away and forgetting their food, Pinkie leapt from his lap and rushed out the open bedroom door. Even from his comfortable seat, Dusk could hear her bound down the stairs, and her rushed apologies as she squeezed past Mrs. Cake on landing below. Then she was out the back door, the sound of her absence nearly as loud as her presence.

Alone, Dusk began to look, REALLY look, around Pinkie's bedroom for the first time. Just like her personality, it was a wild mess of colorful objects, ranging from spare party supplies to stuffed animals to unidentifiable frilly pink things that Dusk dare not attempt to identify.

The one thing that stood out among all the organized chaos that cluttered every inch of wall, shelf, dresser, and desk space was a single photo in a sterling silver frame. Crossing the room to pick the frame from her desk, Dusk shifted the photo to catch the dim light from the bedroom window.

With a wild grin, Pinkie was center frame, her arms stretching out to hug the shoulders of three other mares, two young fillIes grinning a little while a third, slightly older than Pinkie stared at the camera, her face emotionless, spartan of any real reaction.

"Her herd sisters. The glum one is Maud. The little fillies are Inky and Blinky." Standing in the doorway, the slight swell of her belly now obvious to anypony, Mrs. Cake watched Dusk with a wistful smile. "The older mare is Maud."

Realizing he had been caught prying into other’s property, Dusk felt his face flush, and he settled the silver frame back to where it belonged on the desk. "Oh! I'm sorry, Mrs. Cake. It's just, well, everything else in the room is so bright and colorful, except-"

Stepping through the doorway and putting her right hand on his elbow and squeezing gently, Mrs. Cake picked up the frame again, smiling a little warmer. "No, really, Dusk, it's okay. I think Pinkie doesn't like to think about them too much cause they live so far away. Her family runs a rock farm, you see."

Relaxing at her touch and soft tone, Dusk laid his free hand on her own where her gentle grip held his elbow. Picking his words carefully, he tried to pry a little more. "Doesn’t seem to be a very happy family; they all seem so dour, at least, compared to Pinkie."

Mrs. Cake laughed a little and put the picture back on the desk, wiping away a few sniffles that had fought to escape before turning to smile up at him. "No, no, nothing like that, Dusk. I don't really know that much, really. Her sister Maud stayed over once on a trip from a dig on the way home, and you've never seen Pinkie so excited!" Thinking about it for a moment, Mrs. Cake laughed again. "Besides, Dusk. Next to Pinkie, everypony looks less excited in comparison."

Dusk didn't need time to think; the mare's point was well made, so he joined her laughter with a happy chuckle. From the doorway, the sound of rapid footsteps rushing up the stairs was joined with the unique scent of roasted fish. Stepping through the open door, ever the vibrant source of joy, Pinkie settled the steaming platter on what little free space was left on the small dinner table before turning to see what had Dusk and Mrs. Cake's attention. "Oh! I'm so sorry you had to come entertain Dusk for me, Mrs. Cake. Do you want to join us for some dinner? I'm sure Dusk wouldn't mind! And I can just sit in his lap to make room for you!"

A sparkle of mischief in her eyes Mrs. Cake ushered Dusk back to the table by the elbow she already held. "No, Pinkie, it was my pleasure to talk with Dusk. With things being so calm this winter, why, we haven't seen him knocking on the bakery door so early in the morning. I doubt even Princess Celestia has started to try and wake the sun that early!" Releasing his arm, she swept up beside Pinkie, hugging the mare close and kissing her cheek. "And no, no, I won't intrude. It's rare you ask for time off, Pinkie. I want you to enjoy yourself, stop worrying about making everypony else smile for once!"

Giddy to receive the attention from Mrs. Cake, Pinkie waved to her as she left the room, humming happily to herself before turning back to Dusk again. "Well, let's eat!"

* * *

The evening breeze was crisp, but Dusk found it too nice to bother with his gloves, not when Pinkie had grabbed his hand in her own as they left the bakery and started to wander the quiet streets of Ponyville, watching as the sun set and the stars began to appear.

Walking through the cleared streets with no particular destination in mind, Dusk enjoyed the eerie calm, attempting to join Pinkie's breathy murmured song by softly humming along with whatever he could pick up, eliciting laughter from Pinkie when she realized he was trying to keep up. The distant sound of laughter grew closer as they crossed into a random clear side-street. "Dusk! If you want to learn to sing, just tell me! If I could teach Dash to stay on key, I can teach anyp-"

Whomph! The sudden roar and splatter of a wet and loosely packed snowball cut Dusk off from all outside sound. A perfect throw, he had to use both hands to clear the mess off his face, while his ears still rang from the impact.

Able to see again, even if not hear, the sight of three familiar foals sheepishly lining up before him and Pinkie was almost enough to make him laugh. The oldest, Rumble, looked the most ashamed, but was pushing the younger two forward. Pinkie stepped up, and while Dusk couldn't quite make out what she was saying, the suddenly nervous looks the foals shared began to worry him a little.

Wiggling one finger in an ear, Dusk finally heard a loud pop, and the deafening ringing noise at last faded away. He was just in time for him to hear Pinkie cry out. "That's it! Aura, Dinky! SNOWBALL WAR!!!"

Cackling with mad glee, Pinkie scooped up a fistful of snow with each hand, expertly balling them both at the same time and before the shock had worn off on the fillies, lightly lobbed a ball at each girl, just slow enough to be caught and still somehow stay intact if they missed.

That was Pinkie's soul act of mercy. Before Dusk’s eyes, she became a one mare snow war. She pulled him with her to safety behind a defensive snowbank and started building up a stock of ammunition. At the same time rapidly firing off the occasional easy lob behind her head to ward away the still-shell-shocked foals.

Finally catching up with Pinkie's antics, both Dusk and the foals began to laugh. The youngsters ran for cover, while Dusk began snatching spare snowballs from the pile Pinkie was building. Taking care, he tossed one over the barrier that the fillies had selected for cover, used his magic to carefully take a hold of it, and curved it sharply to the right, and hit Rumble's shoulder from where he hid behind a second snowbank.

Laughing along with all the others, Rumble cried foul at Dusk’s trick. "Hey! No magic! That's not fair!" Suddenly he was pelted from the side by another snowball thrown by Aura. Rumble roared at her betrayal, making a move into better cover from both sides, lobbing a snowball back at the filly. "Four on one?! That's fine! I'll take you all on!"

Giddy with laughter, Pinkie continued to battle with the foals, taking no sides, nor prisoners. The true highlight was when Rumble surrendered. Undaunted, Dinky refused his surrender and attempted to recreate Dusk’s curve ball with her magic. However, she applied too much pressure, and instead ended up showering the colt with ineffectual, fine powdered dust.

After retrieving Rumble from his new fortress, Dusk returned to where Pinkie waited with the fillies. Together they walked the foals home, arm in arm. Dusk made a mental note to look into the upcoming entrance exam they would have to host for Rumble.

* * *

Shaking the snow from his jacket, Dusk pulled the library door shut before calling for Barb. "Any chance you have a pot of water boiling?! Pinkie got us caught up in a snowball fight, and I could really use a good warm drink to thaw out."

It wasn’t until Dusk had took off his boots, hung up his jacket to drip dry, and closed the closet door that he realized nopony had answered him, and he began to worry. “Barb?! Zecora?! Anypony around?! Don’t tell me you both went out!” As he began to move around the house, he felt an intense heat radiating from the direction of the library, a momentary flare of panic clutched his heart. “Oh no! Don’t tell me they both went out and left the fireplace roaring!”

Charging into the the library, the first thing he saw was the closed gate on the fireplace, overstuffed with coal and roaring with heat. Curled up on a blanket set up right before the raging fireplace, Barb lay on her belly. She had opened her dress in the back to expose the small green spikes that ran down her spine, her scales glossy with oil. Curled up right against her, also asleep, Zecora still had the half-empty bottle of oil.

As Dusk felt a flood of relief at the knowledge that everything was okay, he couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the cute scene laid out on the library floor. Leaving them to sleep, Dusk moved with care, walking the long way around to the kitchen, and filled the teapot with water.

Just about to place it on the element upon the stove, an effort saving idea popped into his head. "Rather than waste a little magic regulating the element, I might as well take advantage of the roaring fire in the fireplace. As long as I'm careful, they're sure to never wake up!"

Returning to the library, he carefully walked around the sleeping pair and placed the pot on top of the fireplace. "A perfect solution! Now I can keep an eye on the overstuffed hearth and watch them sleep while getting some paperwork caught up!"

Giving it time to boil, Dusk returned to his desk, and sorted through his paperwork, but found nothing he felt worth focusing on. Pushing the pile aside, Dusk lifted the folder of half-written profiles, flipping though a few of the pages, before selecting the pages for Rumble, Aura and Davenport. With his memory still fresh, he made short work of the three letters before filing them in the outbox for later.

Just as he began to stand up to stretch, the pot started to whistle, forcing him to pick the teapot up with his magic. "Oh! Shit! Oh! Shit! Oh! Shit!" Rushing with the teapot back into the kitchen, all the time wincing at the noise it made. Searching through the pantry, Dusk found no sign of the leftover cocoa mix that had seemed so bottomless on Hearth’s Warming. Resigned, Dusk took out the box of calming tea Redheart had left as part of her Hearth’s Warming gift.

Standing over the pot and breathing in the steam that continued to waft out of the pot after he had added the tea bag, Dusk could already feel his muscles begin to reflexively relax, his head lolling over in the soothing vapors.

The soft tap on his shoulder came as such a shock, Dusk knew he must have passed out drinking in the tea’s smell. Reflexively, he tried to jump, but his legs were so numb from the soothing tea, he landed on his ass, his legs spasming from delayed orders only just arriving from his brain.

Zecora knelt down before him, laughter dancing in her eyes as she offered him a hand. “How flustered I was to be found asleep, after giving little Barb a massage quite deep. Yet my embarrassment seems to have fled, upon seeing you asleep in front of a teapot instead!”

Laughing at himself as he rubbed his aching calves, Dusk looked back up at the kneeling mare, shaking his head. “It’s the tea, I swear. Nurse Redheart keeps giving me boxes of it all the time. It’s just… I have stress and sleep problems.”

Confident, Zecora pulled out the bottle of oil from before, pushing his wet pant legs up to his knee, and poured the oil over his legs. Shocked at how cold the oil felt when she poured it on his aching legs, Dusk needed a second to catch his breath. In that time, Zecora took a grip of his right leg, working both of her thumbs aggressively into the tense muscle. “Relax my humble host, I’ll make you feel like you've just taken a trip to the coast.”

Unable to help himself, Dusk snorted a little at her forced rhyming. "Two questions, Zecora, if you don't mind? First, why the coast?"

Grinning back at him, Zecora gave a nod, and listened intently as he asked her. With her smile creeping wider, she gave him a wink. "That's easy, my dear host! To truly relax everypony you must try a soothing trip to the coast!"

Enjoying her confident answer as much as her tenacious approach to massaging his sore legs, Dusk pressed on. "And just where did the zebra rhyming slang tradition come from, anyway?"

Offering an unconcerned shrug, Zecora remained mostly focused on his legs. "I've no right to boast, my kindhearted host. Our oldest priestess might not even know. But maybe here-" she paused, gesturing to his expansive library. "We may find the answer lost long ago"

Finally standing back up, Dusk used his magic to fetch a second cup of tea, pouring them both from the still steeping kettle while giving her a hand up. "I doubt it, Zecora. That might just be a mystery that nopony will ever solve."

* * *

March 17th, 1701 AFE, Mayor Mare's manor.

Amethyst clutched Rainbow Dash’s note tightly, rushing up the steps two at a time. Her cheeks were flushed with the effort of rushing to see the mayor, but if anything, Dash had given her more than enough to go by. "This is it! It's my big year! Just you wait, I’ll finally get my chance to do it all! Not second! Not assistant! Not even co-planner! This year, I'm going to be the one to make sure everything goes right!"

Forcing herself to stop outside the mayor's office door, Amethyst caught her breath and straightened her hair. Fingers shaking with excitement, she lifted her hand, knocking once.

Opening the door herself, Mayor Mare beamed at Amethyst before waving her inside, but to Amethyst’s shock, they were not alone. Dusk sat in the big chair the mayor kept by her window, quietly reading over some paperwork. He grinned, and gave her a small wave, but continued to read. Sitting in the rays of sunlight, backlit by the glow, it softened his hair to lighter tones of blue, purple and pink, but did nothing to take away from his handsome features. “Ohhh! Just a few more weeks! Nurse Redheart gave me the go! I hope he’s ready by my next heat cycle!”

Amethyst realized that the mayor must have asked her something, as she stood waiting for her answer, a hand motioning to the tray of drinks she had waiting. Amethyst ignored them, and gave the mayor an informal salute. “City Planner, Amethyst Star reporting for duty, Mrs. Mayor!”

The smile the mayor gave her told Amethyst that her willingness was appreciated. “Well, I must admit, I admire your enthusiasm, Amethyst! After the disastrous Winter Wrap-Ups we’ve had these last few years, I’m kinda surprised anypony is willing to take the job of trying to squeeze so much into a single day!”

Grinning back at the mayor, Amethyst shook her head. “I admit it, Mrs. Mayor, it is a daunting task! But I’m ready for it, really I am!”

Sorrow swept into the mayor’s expression, and she looked to Dusk for a moment, almost as if she was embarrassed to even continue on such a negative topic before Dusk. “It’s just, remember the disaster we had seven years ago, when Blank Cheque was in charge and everything got so backed up it took nearly two weeks to get everything sorted out?”

Suppressing a laugh at the mayor’s dramatics Amethyst gave her a nod. “Of course I do. I was co-assistant to the Chief Planner that year, remember?”

Almost as if she didn’t hear Amethyst, the mare continued, throwing an arm over her eyes. “Or last year, when Derpy accidentally went west to fetch the southern birds and we were so busy tracking her down, that everypony fell behind on snow melting and sky clearing?! We were so close to getting everything finished according to plan! I still think that’s the real reason why Wishful Thinking moved away in the end.”

Shaking her head a little, Amethyst cleared her throat, harshly, to get the mayor’s attention again. “Mrs. Mayor, really. It’s okay! I was Wishful’s assistant last year, remember?! I’ve copied his plan from last year, with a few small modifications to make sure everything goes smoothly this year! You’ll see, it’ll be just like the good old days, when Diligent Dove was in charge!”

The mayor managed to relax a little when Amethyst cleared her throat, and gave her a little smile. “Oh, of course, of course, Amethyst! And that’s why I’m proud to name you Chief Planner for Ponyville’s traditional Winter Wrap-up!” Her eyes skirting to the side, the mayor attempted to surreptitiously gesture towards Dusk, her voice barely able to conceal a hint of frantic worry. “But, you see, well… It’s just... Magistrate Dusk Shine has offered his assistance to the city on some other matters, like finding out who spent half the year’s miscellaneous funds on Hearth’s Warming gift’s for every foal in town.”

The mare looked momentarily annoyed, while Dusk pretended to be invested in the paperwork he was clearly ignoring. Cutting into that gap in the conversation, Dusk’s voice gave away his indifference. “A matter I’m looking into, but would far rather simply pay the city the difference back from my own funds. I think seeing the smile on Sweetie Belle’s face alone was more than worth a few hundred Bits from the miscellaneous funds, Mrs. Mayor.”

Attempting to ignore Dusk’s easier solution, the mayor turned back to Amethyst, clutching her hands and squeezing them tight. “So please, Amethyst! Whatever happens, please consider asking Dusk for some help. I know this is your big year, but it’s just been one disaster after another lately, and I really- I mean, Ponyville really needs this to go well!”

Shaking the mayor’s hands, Amethyst puffed up with confidence and shook her head. “It’s alright, really, Mrs. Mayor!” When she saw that there was still desperation in the mayor’s eyes, she at last relented a little. “Dusk, are you still scheduled for your physical next Thursday? If I have any questions, do you mind if I come ask you then?”

Folding up the papers, Dusk laid them flat in his lap, giving Amethyst a smile that made her shiver in ways she’d not felt for anypony save Derpy in years. “Of course, Amethyst. I was going to ask you and Derpy for tea that afternoon anyways. My library, or your place?”

Shaking off the warm, tingly feeling, Amethyst smiled. “You’ve got a busy day, let us host you, Dusk! It would be our pleasure, really!”

With that settled, the mayor looked to finally relax, returning to her desk and leafing through her paperwork. Noncommittally, she looked over a page at Dusk. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter who spent a few bits on gifts for all the foals, does it? It was money well spent on making sure nopony went without a present. If you still insist on just paying for it and pushing the paperwork under the table, I won’t argue anymore, magistrate.”

Amethyst had to hide a giggle behind her hand when Dusk rolled his eyes at the way the mayor acted so only she could see it as she went to the door, waving goodbye to him. Clearly, the mayor had only wanted to make sure she had done everything possible to prevent another bad Winter Wrap-Up. “That doesn’t matter, really! She’s just doing her job!” Nearly slipping on the way out of manor, Amethyst was as giddy as a school filly. "I can’t believe it! This is it! The end of winter! And with Celestia’s blessing, I'll plan our first truly successful Winter Wrap-Up in years!"

Author's Note

At long last. Winter is over, and the wrap-up begins soon! Thanks to all of you for waiting for me to finally get this done and I hope it pays off and amuses you all!

Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 1

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Derpy and Amethyst's home. 3:40am.

Rechecking her figures, Amethyst compared her detailed notes against the simplified versions she'd agonizingly prepared for Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She compiled notes for timing and order of importance, with secondary jobs listed for subgroups to complete in parallel to the main group and projects that the other groups needed to complete before they could continue with their own projects.

After hours of pouring over the paperwork, her eyes felt raw, her nerves feeling shot. But it was all worth it. A sense of satisfaction that couldn't be dismissed had kept her working when her hand cramped, and here, at last, her work was complete.

Feeling satisfied and feeling triumphant, Amethyst capped her ink well and slumped back in the kitchen chair, relief and exhaustion battling for supremacy. Eyelids too heavy to fight, Amethyst let them drift closed, her arms hanging at her sides. "Just... just catch a five, ten minute nap. That's all I need. Then head upstairs and sleep properly. Derpy doesn't... need... to... get... up... for... three... or... four... more... hours... ye-"

The sudden noise of the door knocker pounding against the wood door, no matter how gingerly somepony attempted to be, snapped Amethyst awake with a violent start. Jumping to her feet and staggering with mixed exhaustion and vertigo, she needed a moment to rest against the kitchen wall to catch her breath and clear her head.

Out of the corner of her eye, it was impossible to ignore the golden light that began seeping through the glass doors of the porch. "Oh, dear Celestia! I must have really drifted off. It's gotta be after six by now! Did Derpy sleep in too?!"

As if summoned by Amethyst's thoughts rather than the second light series of knocks, a very bleary-eyed Derpy stumbled down the staircase and noticed Amethyst, waving at her only briefly in passing as she rushed to silence whoever was at the door.

"But that's Derpy for you. She overslept, but still got out of bed faster than I could stand up to answer the door. No wonder she makes a great mailmare." Feeling that her head had finally calmed down a little and the pounding headache had reached a more manageable ache, she followed after Derpy just in time to see the door open to reveal a familiar looking tall stallion with colbalt blue eyes and dirty blond highlights that were barely noticeable in his otherwise dark brown hair. Strangest of all was the hint of his cutie mark, the top half of an hourglass, just barely visible due to his open winter jacket.

As if embarrassed at seeing the two mares who opened the door, the stallion pulled off his hat and bowed a little to them. “What? Oh, my! I do apologize, ladies! I know I said I'd send you a letter before moving into the room, but, well, with one thing and another happening all at once, I forgot until the train was already leaving for Canterlot. By then it was too late, and I hope I haven't shown up too early, though I really do want to apologize if I woke you both!”

Derpy turned to stare back at Amethyst, her eyes blurry and blinking out of rhythm with one another, confusion clear in her still-dreaming eyes. Rushing to Derpy’s side, Amethyst squeezed an arm around her hips and grinned up at her lover. “Derpy, hun? It’s late. I think we both slept in. You’d better head to the train station to check on the new mail, I'll deal with Time Turner, alright?”

Finally hearing words that made sense, Derpy snapped her head and straightened up, grinning a little. Holding Amethyst’s cheeks she turned her head up, and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. When the kiss broke, she smoothed some of Ame’s hair back and grinned a little at the stranger. “What!? Oh! Right, sorry! Hello, mister stallion, I apologize for not recognizing you! Amethyst must have told me a dozen times you'd be back to rent our spare room. But I need to run along, so you two talk!” Grabbing her mail sack from behind the door, she paused on the way past the stallion, looking back at Ame. “I’ll bring back something sweet from Sugarcube Corner on the way back, that way we can have breakfast together and talk while I sort the mail!”

Realizing she was now alone with a stranger, Amethyst glued on a smile and stepped forward, offering a hand to the tall, dark-haired stallion. "I apologize if I am a little slow this morning, really. I just finished some work on a big project for town hall and the local magistrate a few hours ago and didn't get any sleep. If you want to step inside, I can show you to the room and we can talk while you get moved in. Do you have more bags on the way?"

To her surprise, instead of following her right inside,the stallion hesitated on the inside of the door, pulling it to a close now that Derpy was gone before settling a single small suitcase on the floor by his feet. He was polite, but equally as concerned, as if worried by something. "I do apologize, my dear lady Amethyst. I never meant to interfere with your morning, really. I do have a few bags coming but this one holds enough for now. It's bigger on the inside than it looks. But forget that, if you need a few hours of peace, I was thinking about a visit to the market; I'm sure they'd have a whole manner of things I could fiddle with."

Amethyst couldn't help it, the stallion’s carefree and polite attitude was infectious, and she found herself laughing at the way he was always fidgeting with his walking stick. "No, please, come inside. Dinky will need to get up for school soon anyways. You might as well settle in. Do you have any work lined up yet? Or are you still looking for work, Time Turner?"

Accepting her words, the stallion removed his stylish winter boots and set them aside so the slush that had clung to them on the walk from the train station wouldn't get on the carpet. Still nervously toying with the cane, he extended her a hand, his eyes brilliant with wonder. "Work? I’ve managed to make enough money from my past jobs, I’ve found money really isn’t much of a bother anymore. And please, I've found myself more comfortable with the pseudonym 'The Tinkerer'. I’m going to make my life’s work toying about with mechanical devices, fitting, right?"

She led him past the kitchen to a door that was opposite the staircase that led to the master bedroom and Dinky's room, as she laughed while petting his arm. "The Tinkerer?! Well, that is a fun name! Don’t worry, I'm sure you'll fit in around Ponyville. We've only a few ponies around town who like to fiddle with mechanisms but I’m sure they’d be happy to help! Vinyl Scratch and Pinkie Pie are the best, but a few others do sometimes make stuff as well"

"Here it is! Like I promised, I cleaned it up and painted it after your visit. You've a private bathroom and hot running water for the shower. You have full access to the kitchen and living room basically whenever you want, as well as the deck and porch, but we might ask for help shoveling snow in the winter.” Pausing for a moment, Amethyst started ticking things off the top of her head, trying to keep track of everything she needed to list. “We do tend to a moderate flower garden in the summer, but if you help out, we're happy to share what grows. Oh! We are both very early risers due to Derpy's work as mailmare, but we are quiet and tidy ponies. If you ever want to have a party or more than one or two guests, we do expect a few days of warning if possible."

Stepping into the still room, the stallion admired the new fixtures, a hand tested the springiness of the mattress and checked the couch that rested against the shared wall with the kitchen. When she'd finished, he grinned, turning to face her again. "This will do quite well, thank you, Mrs. Star. I love fresh flowers, so I'd be happy to help out. Is there any chance you do laundry? I'm afraid I’m simply a failure at washing clothes or darning socks. I'd be more than happy to pay a few bits extra for the inconvenience."

“What? Socks? Oh! Well I do most of our laundry. I fixed up Derpy’s uniform and I’ve been learning about how to make dresses from Rarity over the last few years! I’ve got no problem adding your laundry to ours. It’ll only be worth two or three bits a month. If you need something extra made, I’d suggest talking to Rarity instead. She’s the only professional seamstress in town year round.” Nervous, she found herself rubbing her hands against one another, still watching him inspect the room.

Adjusting his grip on the cane, Time Turner wandered to check on the private bathroom, before turning back to her and grinning. "Fantastic. Thank you very much, my dear. Say, I was thinking about setting up my own little workshop in town. Do you know if somepony has an empty space I might be able to take over?”

"Oh, gosh. Well, Filthy Rich and the mayor own most of the best buildings in town. I can ask her tomorrow during Winter Wrap-Up, but if you need a little space and don't mind occasional company, the mail barn at the train station is massive, and Derpy's mail lockup only takes up a little space, Not even a third of the building. I'm sure if you asked, she'd let you rent the empty space."

Worried, the stallion paused his fidgeting hand and looked directly into her eyes. The intense blue of his piercing eyes pulled Amethyst to stare back in wonder. "Are you sure that's okay? After all, it is a government building. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble."

For just a moment, Amethyst felt herself unable to break the stallion’s concerned but powerful gaze. However, just as suddenly as the intense feeling arrived, it relented and she giggled a little as the sensation let go. "Oh, no, it's alright. She just has to document it and report it at the end of the year. The crown takes half to put against repairs and upgrades, and we get to keep the other half. The only reason nopony likes to stay there very long is because it gets sweltering hot in the summer and is as cold as an icebox in the winter. Derpy even has to keep a little kettle stove burning by the lockup to keep the lock from freezing closed in the worst of winter."

Perking up, the stallion clapped his hands together, nodding excitedly at her explanation. "Fantastic, fantastic. Then unless the mayor has a different recommendation, I'll talk to Derpy sometime this weekend. Winter Wrap-Up you say? It has been years since I've been part of such a classic celebration. I do hope there will be room for one more pair of helpful hands?"

Amethyst laughed, and gave his hand a shake when he held it out towards her. "We would welcome a hundred more. Ponyville may be small, but winter, winter is huge."

From the stairs behind her, a small but happy voice joined their conversation. "Oh! It's Mr. Clockcane! You really did come back! Did you add anything even stranger to your cane than the clock in the handle?"

Shocked at Dinky's sudden arrival, Amethyst let go of Time Turner's hand and walked over so she could scoop up the filly. "Now, Dinky, just because he has a fancy cane, doesn't mean you shouldn't call him by that name. This is Time Turner. But if you want, he said he likes the nickname 'The Tinkerer'. Want to try and say hello again?"

The stallion’s bright eyes danced in wonder as Amethyst returned, carrying the small thirteen year old mare in her arms. Dinky was a good girl however, and grinned up at him, before reintroducing herself. "Sorry, Mr. Tinkerer. I'm Dinky, my mums Derpy and Amethyst said you seemed like a nice stallion, so I'm happy to be one of the first ponies in town to greet you." Fugitively, she looked around before grinning up to him with foalish glee. "But your cane did change! The hands and numbers used to be gold! Now they are silver! It looks nice against the black wood!"

His brilliant eyes gleaming with mischief, Time Turner knelt down and held out the pommel of his cane to the filly. "You've got very keen eyes for small details, little lass. The old watch broke a few weeks ago, so I had to make this new one myself, and I also think the silver looks better with the wood."

The sound of banging from the front door broke the awed silence that had held Dinky as she examined the silver watch face embedded in the pommel of the cane. Twisting free of Amethyst's arms, she bolted to the door and pulled it open, just in time to reveal Derpy awkwardly juggling around her bulging mail sack, a white box of treats from Sugarcube Corner and three parcels. Delighted, Dinky rushed forward and pulled the heavy mail sack from Derpy’s hands, leaning in to give her momma a small kiss on the cheek. "Come in, momma! I'll sort the mail for you while you eat breakfast with Amethyst and Mr. Tinkerer!"

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Canterlot Royal Guards' Training Yard. 9 am.

Bronze froze up as the blindfold tightened down over her eyes. Finally this close, there was no way she couldn't recognize the scent, and in seconds it made her knees weak and her pulse quicken. Forcing herself to breathe through the mouth to reduce the addictive scent, she started the mental exercises that Princess Cadence had spent weeks making her practice in the hospital, breathing in and holding each breath.

The soft grind of wood on stone came only a half second before she felt the sting of pain in her right shoulder, even through her thick leather padding. "Silk has never pulled a punch in this last week of combat training. I suppose I shouldn't expect any mercy now."

The intoxicating smell kept whispering its quiet demands into a tender place in her loins that nearly made her legs quiver. The musk was so strong, she'd never gotten so good a whiff. But her stinging shoulder was a fantastic reminder to block out the scent and focus on her ears, and the whispering steps that Silk took, circling her, ready to strike any second. Carefully drawing a breath, Bronze tried to pull in every available whisper of sound.

She recognized the low rhythm of Silk's breathing behind her! The bat-mare was whisper-quiet on her feet, but had let her careful breathing form a recognizable pattern. Glad for her keen ears, she spun, hefting her padded practice staff, and lunged forward, her wings kicking up a mighty gust in the single beat that accompanied her leap. Still unable to tell exactly where the old mercenary was due to her blindfold, she whipped her staff around in a wide arc at waist level, hoping she was fast enough to keep the older mare from jumping over or ducking below the wild blow. An impact with something solid was exhilarating, and against her will, she drew a sharp breath through her nose, inhaling a lung-full of the intoxicating smell.

Struggling to keep her head clear of the side-effects of that mistaken breath, only now did Bronze realize that her staff’s blow had stopped, but was now being held. Before she could react, the padded tip of Silk's staff bopped her on the top of the head, the old mercenary finally breaking their silence. "Mediocre, Bronze. Didn't you think I might try and catch such a broad attack?"

Ripping off the alluring blindfold and throwing it to her feet, Bronze glared at the spymaster. Standing hardly four feet away, Silk still held onto the shaft of Bronze's staff in place, the padded head still resting where it had impacted her ribcage. Stomping one foot hard on the cloth, Bronze turned her head and spit in the dirt at their side. "Come on, Silk! That rag was soaked in Dusk's musk! How was I supposed to stand up straight, let alone fight you while blindfolded!"

Smirking with confidence that made Bronze's still weak knees quiver, Silk drew her staff back and planted one end in the sand between them, resting her hands on the other tip as she leaned forward, stretching her spine as she pressed against the wooden pole. "Once, when I was only a year or two older than you, Bronze, my company was patrolling the woods on the borderlands with the Griffons."

The mare waited for Bronze to catch up before unfolding her wings and stepping back from the staff she had planted. Laying the staff across her shoulders, she gripped each end in her hands and began to twist her shoulders, trying to touch the sand with the hand she extended towards the ground. "Well, as a younger member, I was mostly on scouting duty. So with only a pair of daggers, I crept through the bush, trying to stay low and out of sight. Just as I prepared to head back for camp, three shadows passed overhead, a griffon patrol. I did as trained, and dove for the first bush I could hide in and waited for them to pass. Only they didn't, they landed in the clearing right before me. That would have been fine, but the bush I chose to dive into? It was weird shit they call Mare’s Heat. You ever heard of that shit, kid?"

Now it was Bronze's turn to flush, and she slowly nodded. Her own anger cooling, she began to copy Silk's stretching exercises as they talked. "I have. Dusk thought that was what I'd wandered into while we were hunting the smuggler. It was only later that he figured out it was really Poison Joke."

Nodding slowly, Silk relaxed and continued her stretches. "Then you can imagine how I felt. That powerful heat flooded my body and it was a struggle to stay silent while watching the griffons stop and eat. Then, as if daring me, two flew off again while the third came to the bush I hid in to take a piss. I could have freaking screamed in disgust, but the flowers’ smell had me drunk with lust. It took everything I had to stay quiet and wait for him to turn away. Then I jumped him and put a gag in his mouth. It took both my daggers, pricking his spine to make the brute march back to our camp and twice he nearly overpowered me with brute strength alone. Then, when we got back to camp, my captain wanted to reward me with the capture by letting me take part in the interrogation. It was nearly fourteen hours before I could finally wash that vile smell from my lungs. Until you've had to deal with that kind of torture, nothing I do is cheating."

Trying to picture having that smell cling to her for so long, and fighting to drag an unwilling adult griffon, probably a foot taller than her, covered in his piss and blood and mud, for miles across an unfamiliar forest, Bronze finally gave up, shaking her head in wonder. "In the end, was it worth it?"

Laughing, Silk tossed her staff to a waiting attendant of the training yard, and grabbed Bronze around the shoulders, dragging her back towards the mares’ sauna. "I was made second of our scouts. It was worth every second and every damn inch I dragged him through the mud. Now come on, you're due back in Ponyville this afternoon."

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Ponyville Hospital. 9:40am.

Thunderlane couldn't keep his right leg from nervously twitching, sitting in a chair and watching as one pretty mare after another, took turns talking to Rumble, taking blood samples from him, checking his pulse, his breathing, his lung capacity, his wings and Celestia knows what else! This was it. The end result of the few years he'd been raising Rumble since their mother had been forced to take long term contracts after their sire’s death. He felt like every quiet word whispered between the six mares was another judgement on how he'd done caring for his younger brother. And every time one of them grumbled or wrote something down, he worried about just where he might have gone wrong.

Just when he felt like he couldn't take the pressure any longer, a glass of water appeared before him, and a bubbly mare in a uniform with pale pink highlights grinned at him. "Don't worry! They're almost done, I promise. Do you need anything else? I'm Cuddles, a nurse’s aide, by the way."

Smiling back at the grinning mare, Thunderlane took the plastic cup to be polite and took a deep drink of the cool, but odd tasting, water. Something in the flavor reminded him of the smell of hospitals, stale or purified or something. Leaning closer so the busy nurses couldn't hear him, he tried to whisper to the nurse in confidence. "Do they always go into such personal detail with a foal? I mean... one of them was asking Rumble about his sexual history not five minutes ago! He's my kid brother. He shouldn't be having sex, right? Not at least until he's a stallion."

The aide's face flickered through several emotions from pity to amusement before settling on a more considerate but serious tone. Placing one white-gloved hand on his shoulder, she squeezed and gently rubbed at his tense muscle as she talked. "The truth is, ponies under the age of eighteen do sometimes have sex. So the nurses have to ask those kinds of questions. The blood tests and such can sometimes tell us the truth, but it's better to give the foal a chance to admit the truth before things happen rather than after it's too late."

Thinking about that, Thunderlane momentarily flashed back to his own relationship with the twins, and gave in, nodding a little. "You're right Cuddles. I remember a few times I was close to a filly when I was still a colt. I suppose I never saw the opportunity, even when it was right before me. Strange to think back to those days, haha." Still nervous about why the nurses were taking so long, Thunderlane's laughter came out forced.

Wiping a little of his damp hair from his brow, Cuddles gave him a big grin. "Look, how about you finish that water and I go check in at the lab. They've taken all the blood samples they need and his urine was collected when you first arrived, right? If the lab notices something wrong, they will tell us about it." Smiling down at him, the mare again gave his shoulder a squeeze before leaving the room

After she left, it was only a few more minutes before all the other nurses had left, save the last remaining mare. Turning to look at Thunderlane, Redheart cleared her throat. "Before I leave you two alone, I need one more favor from you both. All the wing tests in the world can't tell us as much as pulling a flight pinion. And since you're his paternal sibling, testing his against one of your feathers could give us the quickest results. If you don't mind, I promise it won't affect your flight in the least."

Thunderlane looked to Rumble, who now nervously rubbed a hand against his pinion feathers on one wing, watching him closely, his eyes wide with worry. "Do they tell foals in school about wing rott these days? The fact a cure for some types exists must make it easier to talk about. But still, I heard the stories from dad about how bad it used to be in Cloudsdale... Foals stoned by their own family until they ran away or fell from the clouds too weak to fly." Taking a careful breath, Thunderlane unfurled one wing towards the nurse and gave her a quiet nod before looking to Rumble. "It’ll hurt a little, kid, but don't worry, it's like when you molted a few years ago. The feather will grow back in time, and it'll just be a little sore for a while."

Watching him as the nurse selected one of his larger feathers and carefully isolated it from the rest of his feathers, Rumble was clearly scared, so Thunderlane put on a brave face for his brother as the nurse applied her tweezers to the base of his feather and gave a steady tug at the root. Offering his brother a strained smile he tried to stay brave. "See? It's not so bad. Just a sharp little tug is all."

As if she'd been waiting for him to say something brave like that, the nurse's second tug on his pinned feather popped the root free. An expert, she popped the stolen tip into a sample vial before turning back to him and applying several small white cloths to soak up the sudden gush of blood. Nodding at Rumble, she smiled and pushed the white cloth into Thunderlane's hand. "Your brother’s right. Thunderlane, just squeeze down so you don’t disturb your other feathers. It'll stop in a minute or so. Rumble, if you're ready?"

Attempting to take it like a champ, Thunderlane held the white cloth against his stinging wing. "At least she picked one I could hold without it being really awkward, but by Celestia I forgot how much that hurts!" Unable to hide a wince, he gave Rumble a thumbs up and slid to sit on the exam table on his brother’s left side so the nurse could get at one of his right feathers. "See kid? No problem at all. Hurts way more when you gotta shut down a hail storm, and I was flying as Dash's second last time; she probably never felt the worst of it! Honest!"

Still looking weary, Rumble unfolded his wing for Redheart, and a minute later, his gray feather sat in a second vial next to Thunderlane's. Glumly, Thunderlane wondered if the nurse had gone easier on the colt, but left it alone. He was glad things had gone over well enough. Rumble grinned up at Redheart, still holding pressure on his wing to stop the bleeding. "The way Thunderlane grimaced, I thought it was gonna hurt a lot more. Was he just making silly faces?"

Laughing and collecting the vials, Redheart ruffled the colt's hair. "Or you're tougher than your big brother." Winking at Thunderlane while Rumble puffed out his chest and made muscles, Redheart headed for the door.

Just as she opened it, Cuddles turned the corner, an embarrassed flush to her cheeks. "Oh! Good, Nurse Redheart! Doctor Horse apologises, but asks if you could read his preliminary assessment for Rumble. Apparently, a good dozen ponies have all 'suddenly' come down with what he calls 'the pre-Winter Wrap-Up flu'. He looked very agitated."

Groaning a little, Redheart looked to the clock on the wall, and shook her head. "Fluttershy's appointment was due to start ten minutes ago. Can you run over and tell her I'm on my way and apologize to her for me?"

Dipping a small bow to Redheart, Cuddles grinned, even though the nurse was already back to reading the notes left behind on the chart by the doctor. "Of course, Nurse Redheart. Should I also watch out for the magistrate? His appointment is scheduled to start in twenty minutes."

Wincing, Nurse Redheart gave Cuddles' her attention again, biting her lower lip for a moment in thought before nodding to the aide. "After you're done with Fluttershy, go to the lab and make sure his results are all in. We did all his tests yesterday, but better to make sure everything is ready to go. And Cuddles? Thanks for the warning."

Beaming, the mare marched off to do her duty, brimming with pride. Redheart was finally back at the notes again, and cleared her throat, something in her tone sent a chill down Thunderlane's spine. "Well, as for Rumble's health... Doctor Horse likes his lung capacity and wing strength. It’s clear he doesn't smoke, and that's far safer if you're serious about joining a weather team. Shortness of breath is a killer at high altitude, and that's just to start with. He doesn't like your weight, says for a colt of your age should be five pounds lighter unless you are seriously trying to bulk up. He wants to recommend a 1500 calorie diet, but will leave that in your file for the doctors at weather school to consider because of how hard they will be working you." Pausing to look at them directly around the notes, she coughed gently. "For now, I'd recommend getting some mare friends to show you how to make a salad. I've see you two eat out enough, I know that's probably the real problem, right, colts?"

Both winced a little and gave the head nurse a sheepish look, trying to avoid having to admit the truth of their shared inability to properly cook. Knowingly, Redheart returned to the notes. "Further tests on your wings and heart at altitude are advised since your sire died at a young age, though we doubt there is anything hereditary. Tests on your pinions will take a few days, but since agaIn there are no known hereditary illnesses, you should be all clear." Snapping the metal lid closed on the clipboard; the head nurse smiled at the colt. "Well, are you excited to go to weather school?"

Stunned by her candor, and the mostly glowing report, Thunderlane stared on as the nurse made small talk with his younger brother. Finally regaining his composure, Thunderlane cut into a gap in their conversation. "So, besides needing to eat better, everything is fine with Rumble?"

Redheart offered him a shrug and nodded. "Of course. You've done a fantastic job of taking care of him these last few years, Thunderlane. You'll probably make a good sire one day yourself... if you ever learn to make a salad."

Wiping sweat from his brow, Thunderlane had to ask her more. "Then why were all the nurses muttering at me and scowling so much!"

Redheart's laughter was good-natured, but still made Thunderlane blush. "That wasn't your fault at all, Thunder. Rumble's is just the ninth physical we've had to do in the last week because of requests from Magistrate Dusk Shine. Some of the mares feel a little overworked, but they really just need a little bit of a shake up, they've gotten too used to quiet winter days. Now get out of here, you two. I've got work to do, and you need to learn how to boil corn or something!"

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Derpy and Amethyst's home. 10:05am.

"Blueberry Muffin? Pegasus. Rainbow Dash's team." Amethyst muttered quietly to herself, settling down another sheet onto the pile she'd made before the blue binder, scribbling the mare's name down on the list inside.

Another page was lifted from the main pile of residents, and Amethyst scanned the details. "Brass Blare. Unicorn. Anim-" Amethyst paused as she reread the stallion’s talent, and reconsidered. "No. Put him with Applejack. He's known to be rather noisy, and the critters can't stand a loud pony when they're just getting up."

And another page. "Bright Bulb. That's an easy one. Unicorn. Animal team. I'm glad he didn't volunteer to head up Wrap-Up again after the travesty three years ago. Always good ideas, but he never follows up on them."

Glancing at the clock, she sighed. "Not even noon. Dusk, for once I admit I could use some help sorting all these ponies for jobs." Sighing, she reached down, and picked up the next page.

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Ponyville Hospital. 10:20am.

Puffing a little for breath, Dusk pushed through the hospital door. Late, winded and feeling guilty, he was shocked by the amount of ponies sitting around the waiting room. Before he could make his way to the nurse’s desk, a gleeful blond mare rushed to his side, hooking an arm with his own. “Magistrate! You’re here! Good. We were worried when you didn’t show up on time, Nurse Redheart says you’re such a stickler for scheduling. Come with me, we have your room ready, Nurse Redheart’s just finishing her interview with Fluttershy.”

Shocked, and being dragged along by the strong earth mare, for a moment, Dusk wondered if Pinkie had simply dyed her hair and started to volunteer at the hospital before his mind sparked the memory of a brief encounter just a few weeks ago. “Cuddles?! Are you sure it’s okay for me to go ahead of so many waiting ponies? I wouldn’t want to push ahead of others just because of my rank.”

Looking back for only a moment at the full waiting room, Cuddles leaned in close and conspiratorially whispered up at him. “Truth is, most of them are probably faking illness to get out of Winter Wrap-up tomorrow, Dusk. A lot of ponies get lazy when big projects like this come up, and it’s up to us to try and sort them out and remind the lazy ones it’s their duty to help. Poor Doctor Horse already seen fourteen ponies and it isn’t even noon! We nurse’s aides are getting extra training by going to everypony waiting and taking a list of their symptoms, and the nurses try to organize a list of the emergencies, and more important cases from there.”

The idea of somepony ducking responsibility by pretending to be sick was so alien to Dusk, he needed a moment to think, and followed Cuddles more willingly as he did so. Just as they turned the corner and started towards a closed door, the neighbouring one opened, and Fluttershy barreled squarely into Dusk’s chest, her eyes red and her breathing was heavy as she tried to suppress a sob. Unlike Dusk, the mare needed only a fraction of a second to recover, and was suddenly pressing into him, her arm wrapped around his chest and her face buried into his light winter jacket. Voice warbling, the mare looked up at him with watering eyes. “Duussskkkk!~ Why does she ask such personal questions! I’ve never done such things with anypony! Even Rarity is very careful to take it slow and let me get used to what she says everypony does! And here she’s asking about really really personal things!”

Pillowed by her heavy chest, Dusk had to carefully adjust to hug her, not used to the oddity of having such an awkward buffer between his body and some other pony. Doing his best to cradle the mare close and waving for Cuddles to give them a moment, he waited for her to take a breath between wet sobs so he could cup her chin and look down into her eyes. “Now, Fluttershy. I don’t want to sound pushy, but if Nurse Redheart was asking personal things, don’t you think that maybe it was important, even if it is really personal and uncomfortable to talk about? She is the head nurse here. She wouldn’t just ask those kinds of questions for fun, right?”

That had been directed to the mare who now stood in the doorway, both embarrassed and suppressing laughter at the mare Dusk was attempting to comfort. Laughter danced hardest in her eyes, but she appeared to have managed to keep an otherwise professional stance. Clearing her throat a little, Redheart spoke with clinical detachment, probably for Fluttershy’s sake. “Dusk is right, dear. If we were at Berry Punch’s bar, I might have asked those kinds of questions as a joke. But in the hospital, I am very professional. Because of Dusk’s relationship with Rarity, as well as your own with her, it is important that we know some very personal things about your health, as otherwise one of you might make all the others ill.”

A little soothed by Dusk’s presence, and both of their carefully selected words, Fluttershy’s breathing slowed, and she looked up at him more willingly, at last taking a fortifying breath. Clenching her fists into balls as she held his shirt, she turned her head to look at the nurse again, her breathing carefully controlled. “Nurse Redheart, I’m willing to continue your interview. I don’t want anypony to get ill just because I was scared of some questions. Most of all Rarity or Dusk. They’re very important to me.” As she spoke her words grew slower and she blushed, now refusing to look back up at Dusk despite holding his shirt tightly. “Can Dusk sit in and hold my hand? I know it’s embarrassing, and a little unorthodox, but Rarity is really busy with making the vests for everypony for tomorrow, and I think I would feel a little better if somepony I can trust is in the room.”

Redheart looked from Dusk to the mare in his arms, her face covered by the loose straight strands of her pink hair. Lifting her clipboard, she bit her lip for a moment, but finally gave a small nod. “If Dusk is somepony you can trust, I will get him to sign a little paperwork, but yes, he can sit in with you. But only if you’re sure you can’t handle it alone.”

Fluttershy relaxed a little and pulled Dusk after her, into the small exam room, nodding at the nurse. “I am okay with it, if Dusk doesn’t mind?”

Unable to refuse offering support to his fragile friend, Dusk gave Redheart a shrug, but smiled for Fluttershy. “I’d be honored to help you, Fluttershy. If you ever feel things are getting too personal to share with me, let me know, I’ll plug my ears or leave.”

That settled, Fluttershy gave him another hug before leading him to the two small chairs in the exam room, while Redheart returned to the larger doctor’s chair that had been abandoned in the middle of the room. Straightening her paperwork, the nurse cleared her throat once and attempted to continue where she had left off. “Now, Fluttershy. As I asked before things got too uncomfortable for you to continue: Have you ever been penetrated by another pony, or a member of any other species? That can include oral, anal or vaginal and if that other pony was using a tool or toy of some kind.”

Shocked at how quickly the nurse restarted, Fluttershy’s gaze shot back to the floor, but her grip on Dusk’s hand tightened while she stammered with worry and embarrassment. “Pen… penetrated!?? You mean like… like when I’m having a really bad heat, and Rarity gets out her small silver toy and helps me let off pressure?”

Calmly, Redheart gave the mare a small nod of her head. Dusk was impressed with the nurse's self control, fully aware he probably wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face if forced to look at the trembling mare who clutched his hand right now in the eye. "But would I break down and laugh or cry. Oh Fluttershy... I'm sorry."

Attempting to regain her composure, Fluttershy brushed her free hand through her long pink hair, chewing slightly at her lower lip. "Rar... Rarity has put the silver vibrating toy in me. And her fingers. But that is all. I... I suppose I did the same by myself once..."

When Fluttershy’s voice drifted off to a barely audible whisper, Dusk took a creative risk, and reached over with his free hand, squeezing her knee and speaking softly. "I'm sure that's okay, Fluttershy. As long as you cleaned up afterwards."

Relaxing a little and breathing easier, Fluttershy smiled up at him and mouthed a silent word of thanks. Redheart finished scribbling her notes and cleared her throat for their attention before continuing. "Then finally, Fluttershy, I just have to ask two things: Do you understand the recommended safe sex procedures in a herd relationship? Do you understand the effects of shared heat? Because I do have some reading material you can share with your partners. Shared heat is the most important, as spending too much time around another mare in heat can bring on your heat, greatly increasing the risk of pregnancy."

When offered the white pamphlets and soft colored pictures of undetailed ponies with soft shading, Fluttershy accepted them, and seemed to relax as she scanned over the paper. Looking up at the nurse she gave a small nod. "These look very helpful. Thank you, Nurse Redheart! Do I need to wait for the blood test to come back or... are we... are we done now? Please?"

Redheart smiled, and stood up, walking over to Fluttershy's side, and carefully sat beside her on the arm of her chair, picking up Fluttershy's hand that clutched the pamphlets and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I want you to promise me, Fluttershy. Read these. They are really important, okay?"

Looking up at the nurse, Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but froze for a moment, and then finally nodded to her. "I will, Redheart. I promise I will."

Grinning, Redheart brushed her free hand through the mare's hair, giving a happy sigh. "Good. And because I know you, Fluttershy, if you do have anymore questions, please feel free to come talk to me at home if that makes you feel more comfortable. I know that's a more comfortable place if you need to have a more personal talk."

Fluttershy gave a sigh, but nodded at Redheart and grinned. "Okay. Thank you, Redheart. I'll try to only bug you at home if something concerns me."

While they both bade Fluttershy goodbye, Dusk was surprised when Redheart quietly linked arms with him and leaned a little against him. Giving a tepid sigh she spoke softly. "Take care of her, Dusk. She's a real innocent mare. Don’t break her heart, or I'll have your fool head."

The nurse was talking quietly, but her words were serious, and he gave her a little nod. "I promise I will try to take the best care of my friends that I can."

"Good. Now let’s go to the other room, I've got your report waiting there."

* * *

Tossing the clipboard aside, Redheart began to pace the room, shaking her head. "I know the Princess was concerned about your health after what happened during the Summer Sun Celebration, but you really don't need these monthly physicals anymore, Dusk. You're probably the healthiest stallion we've ever had to request so many."

Dusk shrugged, but used his magic to fetch up the discarded chart, pulling it back. "I know, I know, and I promise I'll stop coming in for the regular monthly checkups. But they were drawing blood and asked for me to provide a semem sample, so I figured it couldn't have hurt to get the physical done... sometimes I wake up at night and my horn simply aches for hours and in the end I give up on sleep." He looked up over the clipboard and saw the question forming in her eyes. "Yes, even after a pot of your tea. I think it's left over from the time Gilda scarred my horn."

Redheart shook her head as she stepped in beside him, resting her ass against the bed to take some weight off her sore feet, grabbed the clipboard, and shut the metal case. She placed her head on his shoulder while holding the clipboard against her thighs. "Tell you what. Princess Cadence is coming to check up on Scootaloo's progress next month. If they continue, we can get her to see if she can find something. I don't dare risk trying a stronger sedative, the dose in your tea is for a stallion of Mac's weight."

Dusk gave her a little nod, and leaned against her in return, chewing thoughtfully on his lower lip. "Thanks, Red. I'm sorry we've been creating a few extra headaches for you lately. I'll write her sometime this week."

The nurse snorted, and stood up again, reopening her clipboard. "Enough of that, onto the lab's reports." Reading a paper buried much deeper in the stack, Redheart went suddenly very quiet and stared at him for a moment before rereading the paper. "Dusk, you... you didn't mess with your sample in anyway, did you?"

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Dusk tried to look unconcerned and shook his head. "Well... no. Not really. Rarity was waiting for me in the private room and... well, she helped me collect the sample, but that shouldn't matter... right?"

Shaking her head with amusement, Redheart left that alone and finally read out the important numbers. "Dusk, I'd recommend you get retested before offering to stud again, as I almost don't believe these numbers... and leave Rarity out of the collection part, please? But here are the facts: Your sperm count is rather low for a healthy stallion, only a quarter of the average. However, in exchange, you also have an unusually high count of 'Y' chromosomes in the sample. The average stallion only has 8-12%. Champion Studs rarely break 20%. You might hold a record, as you've nearly 29%."

Stunned, Dusk needed a moment to realize just what she was talking about, before shaking his head and looking at her to see if she were making some kind of joke. "Chromosomes? As in how a foal turns out a colt vs a filly? That can't be possible, can it? Those are ridiculous numbers."

Redheart squeezed his arm. "Dusk, before you go cause an uproar, I request you give a new sample right now. The low count makes this result odd enough before even considering the highly unusual chromosome count."

Still a little dazed, Dusk gave her a nod and stood up, clearing his throat. "I will. And I don't plan on sharing this. It's very odd, and a little worrying, isn't it?"

Redheart collected a sample jar from one of the small room’s drawers, and started to head for the door. "It is, but maybe it's just genetic. After all, your sire had two colts. Are colts common in your family tree?"

Accepting the sample cup and following her so he could lock the door after the nurse left, Dusk shook his head. "No. Not as far as I know. A colt is born every few generations but mostly fillies..."

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Approaching Ponyville. 11:14am.

Bronze Feather thrilled in the sense of freedom as the wind whipped through her wings. Even though the flight to Ponyville was too long for her to carry much luggage, it was a joy to make that flight. "Let luggage play catchup on the train. This is the only real way to travel!"

Behind her, the light escort Silk had demanded she take with her for the flight back to Ponyville still followed at a respectful distance, but as Ponyville entered her view, she pushed them from her mind and started a long, broad spiraling dive, letting her speed pick up as she descended into the town while the wind whipped through her feathers. “I’m such a foal, getting so excited over flying. But the sun is golden, the day is warm, and Dusk… he promised to wait for me!” Brushing off her embarrassment, she giggled and curved her dive towards the library, preparing to break for her landing.

Beating her wings and skipping the last few steps to the door, she paused and took a moment to straighten her collar and smooth her flight jacket, the silvery material a contrast to her dull feathers. Behind her, she could just hear the two guards land as she lifted a hand, and lightly rapped a professional-feeling triple knock. Silence dominated the world for a moment, and she felt her wings puffing up against her will as she waited, and then-

Opening the door and looking down on her, a towering mare built like a tank with light green hair made Bronze freeze up for a moment, her mind a chaotic mess. “NO! Dusk was supposed to answer the door! And then we were supposed to kiss or hug, or, well… other stuff!”

Lyra looked her over, and then over at her escort, thinking for a moment, before giving a small nod. She then greeted them with a cheerful, yet serious, tone. “Bronze Feather, right? Dusk is still a little behind due to some problems at the hospital. I’m Lyra…” She coughed, and cleared her throat rather carefully. “The ‘music teacher’ for Ponyville School. I don’t think we ever met, but Silk told me to expect you.”

With the romantic daydreams of her return flushed away, Bronze tried not to deflate from disappointment, so she looked up at the towering unicorn and ran their conversation in her head. “Wait… Silk? So then, you’re-”

Shaking her head, Lyra crossed her arms over her chest and gestured with her head inside the library. “Look, Dusk asked me and Barb to set up the spare room for you, alright? So come in and we can talk privately... without everypony in town watching?”

Turning to the guards that had followed her to the door, Bronze offered them a shrug. “Sorry guys, no big show. I don't know what your orders were after I arrived, but thanks, alright?”

As if they’d only waited for that, the two stallions together stood up and gave her a small salute, before taking flight again. Adjusting her bag to sit more comfortably, Bronze stepped into the library. “Wonder why she’s so upti-”

Two steps into the house, her thoughts were cut off as the roar of at least two dozen voices roared from the library. “Welcome back, Bronze Feather!”

Packed in the hall, more ponies than she could name waited, some sitting on the couch, others gathered before the bookshelves, and Dusk Shine and Pinkie Pie stood together at the doorway. Shocked at the sight of so many ponies including Dusk all at the same time, she could only stand and stutter, until Lyra’s strong hand came to rest upon her shoulder, her voice a careful whisper in her ear. “Look, kid. Just smile and say thank you to everypony. Dusk’s friend, Pinkie Pie, she likes these kinds of parties, okay? She promised to make it short, because of Rumble’s exam, but it’s at least polite to say thanks, alright?”

Swallowing back a rising tide of panic, Bronze glared at the taller mare, and summoned up all her willpower, taking the first step into the library, and instantly she was swallowed up into a hug by Dusk and Pinkie, the roar of the crowd and a thousand words of congratulations and support. The drinks came quick, and the cake was great.

Holding out to the end, it was only just after Pinkie and Lyra left at last that she found herself alone with Dusk, quietly emptying what little was in her pack. As he placed her two spare shirts into the second drawer of the desk, he turned, his voice full of surprise. “So you really came without your armor. I’m just shocked, Bronze. I can’t remember when I last saw you without a suit of at least chainmail on.”

She tried to surreptitiously place her delicates and socks into the top drawer without freaking out at the stallion who stood so close and smelled so good... Biting at her lower lip, she cleared her throat, and tried to answer calmly. “My armor? I… well, I don’t have to wear it all the time, right? Unless, I mean, if you like my armor? I don’t mind wearing it all the time if that’s what you’d like. And I’ve got lighter armor too, the chainmail and stuff. It’s all coming on the train with the rest of my clothing. I-”

Dusk’s hand was suddenly on her chin and pulled for her to look into his eyes. His lips were so close, and his eyes danced with an inner light that held her, mesmerized. “Bronze Feather, you don’t have to try so hard. I’m not so hard to impress. Just take a deep breath, and cal-”

Surging forward, unable to resist any longer, Bronze pressed a kiss to those tender lips, while both of her hands rose to gently clasp his powerful jaw. For a moment, he froze up, and her heart stopped. Just as she began to worry, he finally relaxed, and at last returned her kiss, his arms wrapping around her hips to hold her close.

Finally, the kiss broke, and she lowered her head to rest on his shoulder. “I… I’m so sorry, Dusk. I really missed you. I promise I’ll give you your space. I just... I just want this moment to last... please?”

Stroking a hand tenderly though the mare’s hair, Dusk smiled for her, and her alone. She felt his hands slide down her hips and then back up to the small of her back, where his fingers laced together, and his thumbs shifted to stroke at the base of her ribcage. “Bronze, life is complicated. But a quiet happy moment? I like those. Never be afraid I’ll cast you aside. You’re a good friend, Bronze. Never think any less.”

Settling her weight against him, she gave a sigh, and enjoyed their moment together, even as the distant sound of somepony knocking on the library door told her it wouldn’t last.

Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 2 [Dusk x Rarity x Fluttershy - Mild Pet play, Soft Oral/Vaginal]

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Outside the Golden Oaks Library. 12:25pm.

It took everything Rumble had to lift a hand and knock on the door of Dusk’s library, before he quickly stepped back beside Thunderlane and tried to look confident for his big brother. “Do… do you think Dash and Bronze will be ready? We’re a little early, and Dusk was supposed to be at the hospital this morning, wasn’t he?”

The sharp sound of Thunderlane clearing his throat made a shiver run up Rumble’s spine, and the pressure of his hand as it came to rest on his shoulder was a gentle squeeze. When Rumble looked up into Thunderlane’s eyes, his older brother answered, but spoke very carefully. “Don’t worry. Magistrate Dusk Shine left the hospital sometime ago, and Pinkie arranged a very small and private party for Vicarius Bronze Feather’s arrival. As for Weather Captain Rainbow Dash? I stopped to check in on her while you were having lunch and a shower. She’ll be here in a minute or-”

A sudden roar of laughter made Rumble turn, while Thunderlane turned red with embarrassment. Above them, Rainbow Dash was just starting to come in for a landing, and winked at Rumble before looking at his older brother. “Oh, by The Light, Thunderlane! He’s your kid brother, let him be a kid for a few more days at least! I mean, Dusk and Bronze? They’re just ponies, right? Sure, the’re important ponies, but do you know how often Dusk asks people to drop the titles? It’s every day.” When Thunderlane held her gaze and refused to back down, she shot Rumble a look that made his body freeze. “Look, Rumble? I get to judge a full third of your mark, right? You call him Magistrate, me Weather Captain, or her Vic… Vic… Vic-whatever the hell that damn title is! I’ll give you all zeros, flat across the board. I’m serious.”

Before Rumble could blink, the door behind him finally opened, and Dusk cleared his throat, before coughing once into his balled fist. “If everypony is done being silly, I’ll remind you, Dash, that a grade like that could be just cause for a review of Ponyville’s weather team. Remember, the old stallion that you replaced used to take bribes all the time. You wouldn’t want to attract that much attention, right?”

While Rumble was sure Dusk was joking, the change in Dash’s behavior as she almost meekly walked up to his side and whispered into his ear nearly made him laugh. If it wasn’t for how flustered Thunderlane looked now that nopony important was paying any attention to him, Rumble probably would have gone to his brother to talk about how odd the important ponies acted. Instead, he turned around and tried to stand at attention like Thunderlane had drilled him on last night, squaring his shoulders and straightening his back. He crossed his arms behind his back, so his knuckles rested just against his tail.

Then the mare who was inside the library with Dusk stepped outside, and he could feel his heart leap into his throat. Golden sunlight fell across her tanned skin, and muscles that made Dash look like a unicorn rippled as she moved. The duller metallic bronze hue of her feathers somehow looked like liquid silk with the sun on her back, and her eyes were like the sun filtering through the leaves of a tree in the fall, a bronze hue with brass and copper flakes. “She’s so tall, so strong, so perfect! No wonder he chose her as his vicarious… has anypony ever seen a mare this perfect? She’s as beautiful as Princess Celestia herself!”

The vision of beauty gave him no time to admire her fluid movements. Instead, she stepped past Dusk as he and Dash talked, the pair of them moving a little further away, and flowed with grace until she stood before him, her deft fingers reaching out and clasping the joint of his wing, carefully making him fully unfurl the wing while her fingers traced his pinions. Then she spoke, and he felt his knees knocking together at the song that was her voice. “You’ve beautiful feathers, Rumble. Strong wing bones, too. I suppose the nurses told you that when you got your physical, but trust me, I can tell just by feeling them. I’ve been training since I was a foal a fourth your age, and you’ve probably got better wings than I had when I was accepted as Shining Armor’s squire.”

Feeling like a puppet with its strings cut, Rumble tried to make his body work, though his mind felt like it was swimming through mud, and it was impossible to make his wing retract when she let go of his feathers. The faint scent of her perfume made him think of cinnamon and steel, but there was a background hint of rust he couldn’t ignore, yet somehow, that tiny flaw only added to the allure. Finally, after what felt like forever, he managed to squeak out an answer. “I… I’ve been drilling with Thunderlane for years, ever since Mom had to start taking jobs outside of Ponyville to support us.”

Bronze smiled at him, and ruffled her hand through his hair, and he found himself pressing into her touch a little. His face felt like it was on fire and his hands were shaking, but he couldn’t make his body do anything he wanted it to without what felt like an hour to warm up. His hands clenching into tight balls, he tried his best to get his body back under control.

Dusk saved him in the end by returning with Dash, his arms behind his back, in exactly the same way Rumble realized he himself was still standing at attention. Clapping his hands together, the magistrate turned a smile on him. “Now then, Rumble. Since you are underage, we have elected to break your exam into two separate parts. When you are ready, Thunderlane will fly a series of maneuvers. I need you to wait for him to return to the ready position and then try to copy his flight path and actions as carefully as possible. Remember that posture, speed, accuracy and control are all being judged with equal weight.”

With the magic broken, Rumble finally felt his wing relax and fold back into place. Worried it might happen again, he turned his focus to Dusk and nodded at the towering unicorn. “Yes, sir. I made sure to study the entrance requirements for Weather School with Miss Cheerilee. Thank you for giving me this chance.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Thunderlane grin and Dash grumble at his use of ‘sir’, but felt comfortable that this was far enough from formal titles that he might keep both happy. Dusk’s hand on his shoulder was the real shock, however. “Rumble, I’m not doing this just for you. I’m doing it for Ponyville, because there is such a shortage of Weather Makers, we don’t have one on our Weather Team. I’m doing it for your brother, who has spent years seeing the potential in you and trying desperately to coax it out. For Dash, who, despite whatever she tells you, likes you kid, and-” Dash hit him on the arm here, but other than the momentary break in his sentence, Dusk went on as if nothing had happened. “Who wishes she had your skill with making weather. And last, but most importantly, yes. I am giving you this chance, because you’ve got a talent that could help many ponies. But if you can not control it, you will kill somepony someday. I know that is very heavy for a foal, but you are no foal today. Today, you prove you are a stallion. Okay?”

Those eyes, those words, that serious tone... All of it came as a shock, yet as he looked back into Dusk’s eyes, he felt more confident than he ever had before. There was something inside those eyes. Faith? Trust? Hope? Rumble couldn’t name it, but suddenly it wasn’t Thunderlane he feared disappointing. Instead, it was the calm but powerful stallion who held his shoulder. Iron flowed into his weak knees and reinforced them. Steel flooded his spine, and he stood a little taller. Mithril flooded his wings, and he could feel every feather flex and shift against the afternoon’s quiet breeze. A smile spread over his lips, and he grinned up at Dusk. “I promise, Magistrate Dusk Shine. I will do you all proud. I just hope I can be good enough so that one day, I can feel comfortable calling you a friend, Dusk.”

Something in both Dash and Thunderlane’s tone as they each muttered something he couldn't make out told him he’d said the right thing. Dusk gave his shoulder another pat, and then released him, nodding a little and pointing to the sky. “Then get up there. Show us everything you’ve got without whipping up a storm, okay?”

Snapping off a salute that Thunderlane had been making him practice on and off for months, Rumble grinned up at Dusk, and gave a nod. “I will do my best!”

* * *

After an hour of watching the foal attempt to recreate everything his older brother did, Dusk passed his clipboard to Bronze and gave her a nod. “So it’s a consensus then, right? We are all agreed the kid is an easy pass on the basic flight, and he only failed three of the twelve advanced patterns. With scores like that, even the Wonderbolt Cadets would consider taking him into their junior academy, right Dash?”

Dash scribbled a few more things in the margin of her page, but gave a small nod. “He held control over his cutie mark, too. When we made him repeat the sixth step and go through that cloud, I was sure somepony was going to get soaked, but he came out on the far side dry. I don’t think the Bolts would take him without at least another year, but I’m sure the Weather School will love him. It’d be even better if he can keep up with me this afternoon when we do some REAL weather tests.”

Bronze added her signature to the bottom of the page Dusk offered her, passing it to Dash while she nodded absently, still watching the two brothers as they stretched out and cooled down from their extended flight some ways away. “I wish he had a more aggressive instinct, but he just isn’t that kind of kid. He’s soft, and from what Miss Cheerilee wrote, has only been in one or two fights at school. He is still young enough to go to try out for the Royal Guard, if Weather School doesn’t work out. Besides, strong colts like him are always needed in Canterlot.”

Dash rolled her eyes and signed Dusk’s paperwork before shoving it back at him. “Really, Bronze? Come on. Thunderlane, I could sacrifice to Canterlot as just another grunt who gets to fly one of the royal carriages around. He’s stronger than Rumble will ever be. But Rumble’s got a gift, and as much as I hate admitting it, Dusk was right earlier. I can manage the weather here most of the time. But that’s because we have Cloudsdale within a few hours’ flight most days, and Canterlot if there is a real emergency. Let the kid go to weather school, then in two years, Ponyville will have a proper weather team.”

Dusk gently squeezed Dash’s knee before speaking, adding his own signature to the exam sheet so it could be sent on to Cloudsdale for review. “Dash, we will still need a new captain when you join the Wonderbolts. Have you ever considered who could step up and take your place?”

She looked mad for a moment, but then pointed at the two mares who had just approached Thunderlane and were talking with him and Rumble. “Between those three, any one of them would do. When things calm down this summer, I plan to send all three to Cloudsdale for training. I found that part in the budget paperwork you wouldn’t shut up about. ‘Annual Training Allowances and Expenses to Foster the Development of Future Talent’ or whatever it was called. I’ll send all three of them together, then we have three possible new choices for captain, right?”

Relaxing, Dusk laughed and gave her a nod. “The twins. Right, I should write Princess Luna about them! I feel embarrassed, I haven't even sent her a letter about Thunderlane when he is your second.”

Barb’s return with two boxes of baked goods from Sugarcube Corner ended their conversation. Leaving them to relax with one box, Dusk took the other and promised to return as quickly as possible. It was time for tea with Derpy and Amethyst, and probably the most embarrassing conversation he was ever going to have… at least, until he had to repeat the same details with Rarity and Applejack.

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Derpy and Amethyst’s home. 1:39pm.

Dusk stopped on the porch and straightened his hair with his magic. Double-checking to make sure that he looked presentable, he finally adjusted the danishes in one hand and lifted the brass knocker with the other, before being suddenly pulled off balance as the door swung open and a stallion started to step through. The stranger pulled up short, his eyes full of shock. “I- I-... Oh my! I really must apologize! I was just on my way out and didn’t notice you were there. I must at least introduce myself before I rush off. I am Time Turner, the Tinkerer, and freshly arrived new renter. Are Derpy and Amethyst expecting you, sir...?”

Realizing the stallion was very politely waiting for him to supply his name in return, Dusk reached out, and shook the stallion’s outstretched hand. “Well thank you, Turner. I am Dusk Shine, currently the magistrate for Ponyville. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I hope when we both have more time, we might have a better chance to talk properly.”

Turner’s grip was strong, confident and reassuring. Releasing Dusk’s hand, the stallion stepped carefully out of his way and waved to the open door. “I’m sure we will have much to talk about, my lord, but until then, I’m off to the market. I do hope your visit with the ladies goes well.”

Giving him a small wave as he walked away, Dusk couldn’t help but laugh. “If you only knew the half of it, my friend. Good luck on your business, and I’ll try to make time to properly welcome you in a few days.” When Time Turner gave him a wave and left, Dusk leaned against the open door, knocking once before calling inside. “Derpy? Amethyst? I just met your new renter. Seems like a charming stallion.”

At the sound of his voice, Derpy came to meet him at the door, the blond mare grinning at him as she swept up and cupped his free hand tightly between her own. “Dusk! Oh, you got to meet Turner? Isn’t he great?! And so good at talking to fillies! Dinky and him were talking up a storm before she had to go to school!”

Letting her lead him back into the house, Dusk settled the box of freshly-baked pastries on the table and gripped both of her hands. “That’s fantastic to hear, Derpy, really it is. I have important news, however. Is Amethyst around? We really need to sit down and talk.”

Ever irrepressibly cheerful, Derpy squeezed his hands back and gave him a happy nod. “Of course, of course! Don’t worry about it Dusk. She’s… Oh my!”

The way Derpy’s golden eyes went wide and her jaw fell slack, Dusk knew the sound of footsteps on stairs had to be Amethyst, but by the way Derpy had reacted, he knew she must have something really incredible waiting behind him. Bracing himself, he turned to look at the mare who waited on the stairs.

For all his time with Rarity in the last year, Dusk was shocked to realize another mare could rival her delicate unicorn beauty. Far shorter than his love, Amethyst waited on the landing, a dark blush making her face match her pale violet dress and bright hair, standing out even more due to the purple highlights. Unlike Rarity, her dress was a ball gown, with white beads lining the trim. Sleeveless, the dress exposed her arms, and she wore a silver bracelet on her left wrist, with a ring on her right hand, the twin stones reminding him of Derpy’s eyes. Her lips curved into a smile and she gripped her long dress between two fingers, dipping into a polite curtsy before speaking. “Magistrate Dusk Shine, a pleasure to have you honor our home this afternoon!”

Looking at Derpy, Dusk encountered a smug grin and a shrug. Suppressing a laugh, he straightened up, and stepped up to the base of the staircase before sweeping into a proper bow, remembering years of training in etiquette from a dozen noble ponies. “Lady Amethyst Star, I am delighted to be able to answer your summons today. I do hope this afternoon has treated you and your consort well?”

Extending a hand up to Amethyst as he stood back up, the mare accepted his grip, allowing him to guide her down the staircase, where she took command, and led him past Derpy, who latched onto his free arm. Together they guided him to their living room, and Amethyst sat right away, still holding his hand daintily. “Please, sit Dusk. I overheard you saying you have something to talk about?”

Dusk took the offered seat beside Amethyst on the couch, and was glad that she had dropped most of the ‘Canterlot Elite’ act; somehow it felt wrong coming from a down-to-earth mare like her. The gentle squeeze of pressure as she gripped his hand made Dusk push all of those feelings aside as he smiled at her. “First of all, the good news. My stud test came back, as well as my detailed physical. I am clean, as are Rarity, Applejack, and the others.” The mare perked up and was grinning as she nodded at him, but before she could reply, he lifted a hand to stop her and shook his head. “The other news I received was a little confusing, and according to Stud Law, I am required to inform you of the details. My sperm count came back with some confusing numbers and Redheart was worried enough that she had me produce several extra samples so they could send them off to Canterlot for reexamination.”

Here Derpy squeezed his shoulder, sitting on the coffee table beside him and looking up at him with great worry. “Dusk? Is everything okay?”

Smiling at Derpy, Dusk gave her a little shrug. “According to the lab results, I produce a very low sperm count. A fourth of the national average, and in the lowest 95 percentile. Oddly, I am also in the highest 98 percentile of siring a colt. Redheart estimates I come in at around a 30% chance.”

When both mares stared blankly at him, Dusk reached into his jacket and took out the lab report from the emergency second test Redheart had ordered. Unfolding it, and passing it to Amethyst, he gently squeezed her hand again. “Nurse Redheart said in simple terms, I have a very low chance of siring a foal, but there is a very high chance of any foals I sire being a colt. I know that isn’t the kind of news you were looking for today, but I wanted to tell you both everything, so you could back out of our contract.”

Amethyst was still looking at the paper that Dusk had handed her, but as soon as he stopped, she looked up and shook her head. “What? Oh no, Dusk. You shouldn’t be so worried. Colt or mare, a foal is a foal!”

Shocked, he looked at Derpy, only to see she was still smiling. She took his attention as a sign to slip off the coffee table and onto the couch behind him, gently gripping both of his shoulders from behind and turning her thumbs into the soft spot between his shoulder blades, shocking him at how much it relieved the pain he kept feeling there. “She’s right, Dusk! You shouldn’t worry so much! We want a second foal, we don’t need that today! Just whenever it happens is good with us.”

As if a hidden weight had been released from his shoulders, Dusk suddenly felt much better, and leaned back into Derpy’s touch while breathing a sigh of relief. “You mean… the fact I might not be able to sire for you sucessfully doesn’t matter?”

Amethyst laughed at last and tossed his lab report to the coffee table before leaning forward and kissing the top of his head, even if she did have to nearly stand up to be tall enough to do so. “Dusk, you're a great friend to Derpy, a strong stallion with good morals, and the only permanent magistrate Ponyville’s ever had. You’ve done us all good so far. I’ve waited years to have my own foal, waiting a few more won’t hurt anypony.”

Looking from Derpy to Amethyst and back again, Dusk finally felt a little better. Smiling again he sat up and took each mare by the hand, squeezing them gently and releasing all his pent-up tension in a long sigh. “Thank you, really, mares. You’ve made this conversation a lot less difficult than I expected. How about we have that tea and talk a little more? I don’t have to be back for Rumble’s Weather Exam for another hour or so.”

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Fluttershy’s Cottage. 3:00pm.

Still feeling a little light in his step, Dusk grinned at Derpy and stepped aside, letting her cross the small bridge to Fluttershy’s cottage first. Also in a good mood, the mare gave him her best attempt at copying Amethyst’s curtsy. “Dear Magistrate Dusk Shine! You are such a no- whaahhh!”

Off-balance from the inexperienced attempt at copying Amethyst, Derpy’s foot slipped out from beneath her on a wet patch of the small bridge, and Dusk only just managed to catch her in time from falling backwards into the tiny stream. Hands around her hips, he laughed a little and pulled her back upright, barely able to speak from laughing. “Oh my, Derpy, just… just give me a second. I know that fall wouldn't have hurt much beyond your pride, but it’s cold. Can’t have you catching a winter flu on the very last day of winter!”

Laughing with him, Derpy accepted his help to right herself, and walked very carefully off the bridge before attempting the curtsy again. This time, too far away from Dusk, when her feet tangled together, she wound up planting face-first into the snow, where her laughing fit started up again. When Dusk tried offering her another hand up, she shook her head and rolled over to her back, watching the sun wistfully. “No, no need this time, Dusk! I for one like the winter. When you trip or stumble as often as I do? Winter is a blessing, there are pillows to catch yourself everywhere!”

Giving her a minute to collect herself and stand back up, Dusk looked to the distant field, just visible on the far side of Fluttershy’s cottage and the edge of the Everfree Forest. Counting off the top of his head, he could already pick out more than a dozen pegasi who had gathered, and in the sky above, at least as many more were flying in. Even with a third of them being foals, that meant Dash had called in most of the weather team, and that made him feel a little better. “Did Dash explain to you why she needed the weather team here today, Derpy?”

Brushing off her cotton leggings, Derpy grinned at him, nodding. “Not that she had to! It’s a weather exam. Dangerous to do one so close to town, but Fluttershy’s animal friends flatten her fields pretty good, and this close to the Everfree, there is little chance of an out-of-control storm doing any damage to Ponyville. We’re just insurance to make sure nothing bad heads towards town, you know?”

Reassured, Dusk gave her a nod. “I see. I’m glad you all understand the situation. Rumble’s got a rare talent and we need to foster it, if possible. But it’s dangerous too, and if it gets out of his control, we could have another crazy storm like we had back in the fall. This isn’t the time of year for ponies to have their windows smashed out by hail, or worse.”

Confident, Derpy puffed out her chest and thumped a fist against her collarbone. “Don’t worry, Dusk! The Ponyville weather team will do you proud!”

“I’m glad, I really am, Derpy. Now let’s go, can’t be late!”

* * *

Rumble’s wings ached as he followed Dash into the cloudbank. He could hardly breathe, and Thunderlane’s hand-me-down goggles didn’t fit properly, even after they’d spent half the night with Flitter replacing the padding and adjusting the strap. But he could ignore that, because Dash was letting him make a snow cloud! He watched as she circled around a cloud roughly the size of his house, and then suddenly flipped one wing, soaring high overhead before plunging down again, splitting the cloud in half. He took one side and pulled it away from her half, moving closer to the Everfree Forest while watching her work.

Dash was good, and while she returned to circling the cloud, she called out orders to him, things to feel for inside the cloud. The water most of all. It had to have enough moisture, and you had to make it want to turn into snowflakes. All of this had been covered in the basic training for the weather team, but hardly half of his class had been able to do it successfully, and it left most of them simply exhausted unless they had found a cloud that was ready to do it on its own. Dash suddenly kicked her cloud and the light flakes began to fall free, dancing on the air while she turned to face him. Instantly, two members of the weather team surged forward and gave her snowcloud a light push into the Everfree forest before returning to their positions. Against the light breeze, he could hear Dash clearly. “Alright, kid. So here is your shot. No blizzards. No hail. No rain. Just some snow. If you can make that cloud snow for a good hour or so at a controlled pace, you’ve got it made.”

Rumble could feel the eyes of so many ponies on him as he began to circle his cloud, shaping it first. Dash hadn’t needed to do that. It was probably something that came with experience, but he could feel the inner forces of the cloud, and it felt wrong for a snow cloud. Pushing it tighter while trailing one hand just against the outside ridge, he tried to get a better feel of how much moisture the cloud contained, and panic welled up. “There is no way this will ever hold enough moisture to snow for an hour! Dash picked a bad cloud! Did… did she doom me on purpose?!” Panicked, he slowed a little and looked for Thunderlane, but caught no sign of his brother. Instead, it was the twins he saw, grinning at him and shooting him a thumbs-up together while making silly faces.

Swallowing back his fear and forcing it into his belly, Rumble pulled off his glove and shoved his arm into the cloud up to the wrist, ignoring the painful cold as he continued to circle. “Make it fit. Make it hold all the extra water it can. Maybe If I just… yeah! If I can make it draw in a little more from the air around it, it should last a good forty minutes. No way she can say I didn’t do the best I could at that point, right?”

On his ninth lap, he felt it. The ice crystals were forming, but now they were too tightly packed, it was heading for hail. Ignoring the numb feeling that had crept into his fingers, he tightened his lap, and shoved his arm in further, right up to the elbow. Determined to make it work, he forced the ice crystals to spread apart, and form soft snowflakes, not the tight, hard balls of hail. The chill in his arm kept spreading, but he ignored it, pushing the feeling aside and making sure everything was balanced evenly.

Finally, on his thirteenth lap, he felt it. The moisture was collecting exactly as he needed it, and the cloud had formed diverse, thin fragile crystals. Ignoring the aching feeling in his arm, he finally pulled free of the cloud and copied Dash’s earlier wing flick to twist towards Celestia’s sun. He let that heat coat his face and his eyes shut, then braced himself for the unexpected, and dipped into a dive, kicking the cloud as he passed it on the way down to where Dusk stood, watching and quietly talking with Fluttershy and Rarity. Clutching his aching arm to his chest, he dove on, turning back only in time to land before the stallion, bending his knees and landing in a crouch to soften the speed and force of his impact.

Silence met him as he got his balance back, Dusk’s conversation had ended the moment he landed. Fluttershy was suddenly on top of him, pulling his aching hand into her own and inspecting his fingers. She forced him to move them, and he was just as shocked as she was when the white layer that had coated his hand broke off and fell to the ground, revealing his hand. Apparently the cold had simply built up a protective coating of snow, and he showed no signs of frostbite. As she helped him stand up, something cold landed on his nose, and a roar went up from the crowd that had gathered all around him. Gentle flakes had taken some time to travel the distance to the ground, but they now settled on him and the gathered ponies, foals and adults alike.

It was only when Thunderlane hoisted him up onto his shoulder and started marching around the crowd that it sank in. He’d done it, and Dash had set him up. And everypony else had known it. He looked at the smug mare as she grinned at him, and called out at her, over the crowd. “That was never a snow cloud, was it?”

Punching him in his good arm, she laughed and gave him a nod. “That’s the point of Weather School, Rumble. It’s to take something that’s never going to be the weather you need, and finding a way to force it to do the job you need done. It’s hard, and you’ll hate me for it in the long run, but you did well. Just remind everyone at the pub tonight that I get to buy your first drink, okay?”

Shocked, Rumble looked around. But her words sank in and he relaxed a little. He was a stallion now. He’d found his cutie mark and he’d be off to Weather School soon. And if he did well, he could return home someday, and show everypony they were right for trusting him.

* * *

Thursday, March 23rd, 1701 AFE. Rarity’s Boutique. 7:40pm.

Dusk waited at the door as the soft echo of his knock faded away. Rarity had been acting oddly, and Fluttershy had been very clingy. She'd practically demanded he let her hold his hand throughout the exam and much of the walk back to town, looking resentful when he split off and turned towards the library.

Rarity’s invitation had also been incredibly specific. Dress up, but plan to go home to sleep, rather than their more recent habit of staying the night. As the door opened, the sight before him suddenly answered a few questions, but created even more.

Rarity waited for him inside, but Fluttershy was the one that answered the door. Dressed in a short skirt that hardly covered her ass, and made it clear she had no undergarments on.- Dusk could already tell what was going on. The powerful, wet scent of Fluttershy’s heat was so thick in the air he needed a moment to focus, fighting the instincts that smell brought about.

Unbidden, his eyes roamed the rest of her outfit, and he was finally able to place it. He'd seen it before in Rarity’s closet in a back corner, a black maid's outfit with a white undershirt. Only on Fluttershy, the top was clearly too small and had to be left unbuttoned, revealing the flesh of her breasts from collar to navel, where at last the buttons could be done up. In vain, somepony had used black laces to tie together the black top, but that only pulled the fabric against her massive bust harder, leaving lines that he was sure would remain for hours, if not days when Fluttershy finally got the outfit off.

As if in contrast, Rarity was in a white silk dress, one he had never seen before. The cloth was so impossibly thin he could see her flesh through it, and it was impossible to miss the fact that she too had skipped wearing any undergarments.

Still in shock, it took Fluttershy greeting him a second time to get his attention. "Good evening, sir! Madame Rarity told us to expect you! Please, come in. Dinner will be ready shortly."

Entranced by the smell of Fluttershy’s musk, Dusk ignored her odd behavior and dipped his head a little to her, following her lead and acting like etiquette required, at least the Canterlot Elite version. He'd never been drilled on proper behavior for a brothel or how to act when visiting a 'madame'... Let alone a Madame who is also a member of his own herd!

Walking as casually as he could to Rarity's side, he wasn't surprised when she offered him her hand. Following the rules of etiquette, he knelt, kissing her knuckles once before gazing up at her, not quite able to keep the shock out of his eyes. Her hand was drenched in the smell and moisture of Fluttershy's musk, damp enough they had probably been fooling around before he had arrived. "Madame Rarity. A pleasure as always."

Laughing softly at him, Rarity let her fingers slide into his hair, pushing his long bangs back and catching some of the hair behind his ears. "Hello, darling. I hope you understand that tonight is a very special night."

Nodding a little and standing up when she motioned for him to rise with her, Dusk wasn't surprised when she looped an arm around his and began to guide him to the private show room used when someone needed a special order and was paying big bits.

The room had been carefully prepared, the walkway was gone and the curtain lay closed. Red velvet drapes covered all the windows, and a table waited in the middle of the room. Standing by the table, quivering in a way that reminded Dusk of Pinkie's rampant energy, Fluttershy waited, holding a chair. When Rarity motioned for him to sit, he did as bidden and was shocked as Rarity slipped into his lap, her thin dress hardly putting any distance between his groin and her plush hip.

Cupping his chin, Rarity kissed him, aggressively biting down on his lower lip and tugging. When she released him she leaned over his shoulder so she could whisper into his ear. "Before we start, Dusk, the rules. First, know that this is consensual, Fluttershy requested it. Second, her safe word is ‘rosewater’. She says it, you stop everything, understood?" When he nodded, she smiled, and kissed his cheek. "We are going to start very slowly to see what she can handle. I'm going to blindfold and gag you and cuff your hands so she feels comfortable. If at anytime you want us to stop, use your magic to let me know. Are you comfortable with the rules?"

Realizing just how much of their personal relationship he was being let into, Dusk very slowly nodded. Whispering back, he tried to give Fluttershy a smile, but the mare refused to look him in the eye. "I do. Let ‘lily’ be my word should she be comfortable enough to let me take off the gag."

Amused by his confidence, Rarity let her fingers stroke through his hair again, suddenly gripping down tightly and pulling his head back, her weight shifting around until she managed to straddle his lap, squeezing his hips with her knees while her free hand braced on his shoulder to support her weight. Finally taller than him, she hovered her mouth over his and kept his head pinned in place while she raked her teeth across his lower lip. When he strained to try to press a kiss to her lips, she pulled harder at his hair, preventing him from closing the gap. “No, no, no. Bad stallion. You just hold still, you don’t have permission to move yet.”

Picking up the rules of this new game as best he could, Dusk put aside the lust that had built up due to Fluttershy’s powerful scent, and made himself relax, his hands on the arms of the chair and his spine arched to take some of the pressure of his neck and spine from Rarity’s powerful grip. It felt like forever as he watched Rarity’s eyes, a hunger in them reflected the roar of his own lust, but in truth, it was probably no more than four or five minutes before she relaxed her tense grip and leaned down, pulling his lip between her teeth and dragging at it, tormenting him for a moment as she leaned back, letting the trapped flesh pop free of her lips. Finally, she leaned in and kissed his lips properly, linking close and grinding her hips against his own.

She only stopped when the sound of Fluttershy’s whimpers became loud enough to interrupt her fun. Shocked as a guilty look crossed Rarity’s face, Dusk watched as she gripped the other mare by the back of the head and pulled her close, thrusting her tongue between Fluttershy’s lips before pressing into the kiss. Fluttershy’s whimpers ended immediately, her knees grinding against one another still, but she seemed to relax a little, her wings still twitched occasionally. What Dusk couldn’t pull his eyes from, besides the two sexy mares in the middle of making out before him, was the slick moisture that ran down Fluttershy’s thighs, only making the smell that flooded the room even stronger.

At last, with a wet pop, Rarity broke the deep kiss, ignoring the way Fluttershy whimpered and pressed against her. Standing up, she cleared her throat, that action alone making the horny pegasus back down and take a step back. Turning to the table, Rarity opened a bag, and began pulling things from the depths. At last selecting out two sets of pink fuzzy handcuffs, she returned to the chair, clamping one end of the cuffs around Dusk’s wrist, the other around the arm of the chair, repeating the process with his other hand. Cupping his jaw and leaning in close, she kissed him softly this time, before whispering against his ear. “Remember, if you ever want us to stop, simply use your magic to light up your horn. I promise.”

Dusk lingered on her lips as long as she allowed, but when she moved to his ear and started to whisper, he relented and smiled up at her, breathing carefully. The sensation of having his arms restricted was a shock, but he trusted Rarity to keep her word, and lay back in the plush chair. He took a deep breath to keep himself calm, only remembering too late how thick Fluttershy’s musk was in the air, and how much it made his body ache for release.

Rarity ignored him and returned to the bag, selecting a purple ballgag and two matching black leather blindfolds. She went to Fluttershy this time, cupping the mare’s chin and whispering something to her that Dusk couldn’t make out. The effect was instant however, as Fluttershy stiffened up, standing up tall and putting her hands at her side. Rarity kissed her cheek, then slipped the blindfold over the pegasus’ eyes before speaking again. “That’s a good girl, pet. Now, until Mistress needs you, kneel and wait. Can you do that for me?”

Fluttershy nodded sharply, and moved to carefully kneel down, just a few feet away from Dusk’s chair. But he had no time to enjoy the view, as Rarity took the gag and blindfold from the table, and slipped back into his lap again, grinding up against the terrible pressure in his pants, and giving an appreciative moan of pleasure as their bodies fit together comfortably. “Now, as for you, Dusk. Just behave. I know you have a little movement in your hands, but please, don’t touch her, ok? She’s nervous enough as it is. And when you feel like cumming, it’s okay.”

Giving him no time to answer, Rarity put the purple rubber ball up to his lips and popped it between his teeth. The twin straps slipped around his head, above and below the ears, and while he felt her pull the buckle tight against the back of his head, the pressure wasn't enough to hurt, even if the taste of the new rubber ball was unappealing. Shockingly, she left behind the blindfold, putting a finger to her lips and hushing him.

Returning to the table, she put away the second blindfold and pulled a leather leash from the bag, along with a matching collar. Both were too thin and light to be of any practical use, but he quickly realized what she was intending when she clipped it around Fluttershy’s waiting neck. The leash was far too long, and as she gave a small tug on it, Fluttershy crawled in the direction her mistress pulled.Watching, Dusk thought to himself, “They’ve clearly done at least this much before. She responds so quickly to the leash. I wonde-”

The sudden pressure of Fluttershy’s body against his knees cut off his thoughts, the blinded mare being carefully directed by Rarity’s soft words and steady tug at her collar. For a moment, Fluttershy appeared much more reluctant as Rarity tugged her to slip between his knees, but rather than force her, Rarity knelt by her side, whispering carefully. Under that continued support, Fluttershy crawled the last few inches forward she could, until her cheek rubbed against his groin. Here she froze up again, but this time, she didn’t wait for Rarity to say anything. Instead, her lips parted and she sniffed deeply, a smile spreading as she turned her head to look at Rarity despite being blindfolded.

Laughing a little, probably at the cute way it looked when Fluttershy was clearly trying to beg for something, Rarity stroked a hand through the mare’s hair. “Of course you can play, pet. That’s why he’s here. You get to play, and he isn’t allowed to do anything. Take your time and have some fun.”

The joyful noise that Fluttershy made sounded almost like a squeal of delight, and the moment that Rarity’s petting stopped, Fluttershy turned back to him and thrust her nose back into his groin. At first, all she did was breathe deeply, occasionally nuzzling at the tight mound in his pants that his hard cock formed. The sensation was odd, and while it felt like forever, he ignored the ache as she tormented and slowly tested him, growing acquainted with the smell and feel of his flesh.

Then, as if some hidden switch had been flipped, her mouth opened, and she dragged her tongue across the mound of his cock through his pants. As worked up as his body was from the rich smell of her heat, Dusk thought that he might cum right then and there for a moment. Panting against the thick rubber ball, he shot a look at Rarity, who put a finger to her lips, but the laughter in her eyes showed she had already guessed what he was thinking.

It was so odd being unable to act. While Applejack had overpowered him occasionally as they had sex, she’d never pinned him like this and left him feeling so helpless. Fluttershy seemed to grow only more excited as she parted her lips and found the head of his cock through the wet fabric of his pants, sucking the tip between her lips and rolling her tongue across the trapped head, soaking it further. Her hands lifted and found his hips, holding them as she applied more pressure, beginning to suckle and pull against the erect cock.

The more Fluttershy played, the more Dusk squirmed, his hips shifting in place and his knees grinded against her sides. The first time they came in contact, she froze up, yet quickly relaxed, and soon she was pressing her weight back against his knees as he writhed in pleasure, giggling a little and finally letting her lips pull away from his trapped flesh. “Does… do stallions always squirm so much, Mistress?”

Finally joining in, Rarity knelt beside Fluttershy, licking some of the saliva from her pet’s cheek, just barely managing to squeeze in with her between his knees. “When you tease them this much? Yes, that’s normal. It’s like when I made you lay in bed and used the feather on your sex, remember?”

Gasping, Fluttershy first sat tall, and then wilted, pouting a little. “That’s terrible, Mistress! Can’t… can’t I relieve that feeling for him? That stress and pressure is so exhausting!”

Beaming with pride, Rarity reached out, and took a hold of Fluttershy’s left hand. Pulling it back, she placed it on his belt buckle, her voice soft. “Then open his pants. Unbuckle the belt, pull down the zipper, and pull aside his boxers. And be ready, as much as you like the smell between my thighs, I promise, this will smell even better.”

The giddy way Fluttershy rubbed his groin through his pants with her free hand while she followed Rarity’s instructions made Dusk ache for release all the more, but at the same time, he tried his best to remain calm. Unsurprisingly, considering how much she had been teasing him, the moment she unzipped his pants far enough, his hard cock did the rest, forcing aside his boxers and leaping up to stand proud, its precum-soaked tip slapping against Fluttershy’s cheek, leaving a milky strand on her flesh.

Again, Fluttershy locked up for a moment, squirming in place. Then the smell of his own musk reached her, and she groaned in delight. “Mistress! It smells so good! Are… are you sure he doesn’t mind?”

Rarity’s eyes flashed up to his own, and her eyebrow raised in a silent question. Nodding his head and groaning against the gag, Dusk panted with need. Rarity clearly felt that was answer enough, as she leaned in and licked the wet pre from Fluttershys cheek, enjoying the taste before finally answering her pet. “Why don’t you continue and find out yourself? You’ll know you’re doing something right the more he squirms.”

Unable to make it out, the sudden moan from Fluttershy, and the squelching sounds that joined it, must have been coming from Rarity’s other hand, probably playing with Fluttershy’s damp sex. That thought alone was enough to cause Dusk’s pent up cock to jettison another small string of cum, this one landing on Rarity’s cheek. The mare didn’t say anything, but the look she shot him told him she’d remember that, even if she looked to be mostly laughing at how badly he wanted release.

Leaning in close to his cock and drinking in the scent, Fluttershy sniffed again at his cock, murmuring happily at the smell and letting her tongue just barely slip past her lips. Dragging it slowly across the wet head of his cock, she pulled that thin taste of his cum back into her mouth and swallowed, before murmuring happily. “Oh… Oh my! Mistress! Does it always taste like this? Smell like this?!”

Dusk could tell Rarity must have shoved her fingers further into Fluttershy’s sex, as the pegasus arched her spine and moaned. When Fluttershy relaxed and started trying to catch her breath again, Rarity finally answered, seemingly holding back a laugh. “What a stallion eats makes a difference to the taste. The smell is mostly specific to a stallion, but can vary a little. Remember that you’re in heat, pet. It changes how you think about these kinds of things, so don’t expect it to smell and taste so good if you ever try and play with him again when you’re not in heat.”

Fluttershy seemed to wait for Rarity to finish talking, then nodded carefully and leaned in again, dragging her tongue from the base of Dusk’s shaft up to the tip, clearly taking her time to enjoy the taste, the smell and the heat he gave off. Breathing a sigh of delight against his shaft, she giggled as he squeezed his knees against them both, groaning with need against the gag in hopes of reminding her how badly he needed to get off.

Fluttershy seemed to pick up on his hint, and stopped tormenting him so slowly, her lips parting so she could draw his head into her lips, dragging her tongue over his tip and stroking it in slow circles over his aching dick, while she suckled with steady pressure. Delighted at how much attention she was giving him, he was shocked when she suddenly thrust her other hand between his legs, cupping the weight of his sack in her hands and rolling his balls between her fingers. She was hardly an expert and he could tell she was clearly experimenting every time she tried something new, but he hardly cared, as her playful teasing more than made up for her inexperience.

Overwhelmed by Fluttershy’s continued attention and his own pent up lust, Dusk moaned out against the gag, his hips bucking forward and straining against the binds, and her tight mouth. Shocked at his sudden motion, Fluttershy pulled back, but took one second to steal just one last small lick of his cum-soaked cockhead. At last he climaxed, thick hot shots of his seed firing wildly into her face and hair. But her shock was quickly overwhelmed when Rarity thrust again deeper between her thighs, hitting some sweet spot and driving Fluttershy to lock up in her own orgasm while his seed coated her flesh.

Panting against the gag in his mouth, Dusk hardly heard the tiny whisper that came from the post-orgasmic pegasus, but Rarity clearly did, as she suddenly was dragging the shivering mare a few feet away from Dusk, whispering in her ear and stroking her head. “Just breathe, it’s okay, pet. Relax and breathe. It’s okay, you did good, you did very, very good.”

Finally Dusk could make out what Fluttershy had been repeatedly whispering as she shook and clung to Rarity. “Rosewater. Rosewater, rosewater, rosewater.”

After five or six minutes, Rarity had calmed Fluttershy down enough to walk the still-blindfolded mare to another room, leaving her be for just a minute so she could return and ungag Dusk. As she removed the binds from his arms, she pulled him into a hug and stroked his cheek. “She did wonderfully. I’m just sorry she freaked out so much when you came. I hope you don’t mind going home now.”

Panting for breath, Dusk pulled up his pants and buckled the belt, reminding himself to rinse them as soon as he got home, or risk having Barb ask far too many uncomfortable questions about his evening at Rarity’s. Hugging her back for a moment, Dusk smiled and kissed her cheek. “This was really eye opening, ‘Mistress’. I do hope we will have another chance to try again someday when she’s ready?”

Rarity laughed, and hugged him back, resting her head on his chest for a moment before shaking her head. “No promises. This was nearly four months of build-up, Dusk. Her heats are very rare and she is different every time. I was shocked when she asked for you to come today, to be perfectly honest. Now you’d better head home. I think I’m in for a long night, and you might as well get some proper sleep.”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Dusk’s Library. 3:55am.

Dusk shot up in bed, sweat streaming down his spine and soaking the bed. Panicked, he struggled to remember what he had been dreaming of, yet came up empty. The darkness of his room seemed to stare back at him as he tried to remember, his breath growing shorter as he pushed against the empty veil, hunting for the lost memories.

Searching his own mind, Dusk worried at just what else he might find. "For all these years, I've had a nearly eidetic memory. That includes my dreams; what could scare me so much, and simply fade away?!"

After nearly fifteen minutes of hunting, he had found nearly nothing. He had blacked out a few times in the past, and had gaps in his memory, but he'd always been so exhausted at the time; there were no gaps that worried him like this. Of course, there was that one crazy day when he got his cutie mark... "No. I was still young, I forgot things all the time back then. Besides, I remember that day so well, hatching Barb, getting my cutie mark, the first Sonic Rainboom in nearly a century..." Dusk cut off that line of thought, as it only created more questions, like who had made the Rainboom. Dash would have only been a year old, in no condition to fly, let alone to create such a powerful reaction. "Besides, Princess Celestia looked into that for years and never found an answer. She really got her hopes up when Dash finally managed to pull one off years later, but again, it was impossible for Dash to have made the first-"

Dusk cut himself off, that kind of circular logic always left him with migraines and today he didn't need one. Despite having showered and rinsed off his clothing when he got home from Rarity’s, he now felt like he needed another shower. "Probably best if I change my bedsheets, too. Barb will have questions either way, but why leave this mess for her to deal with?"

Ripping the sheets from his bed and bundling them up, Dusk began to form his mental checklist for the day, but worried about the large section he had simply marked off as 'Winter Wrap-Up'. He'd read up on the past disasters of Ponyville’s old-fashioned tradition of dealing with winter with brute force, and the help of whatever pegasi happened to live locally. But between Amethyst and the mayor declaring it a very important tradition, and after Applejack's excitement when he tried to bring the topic up, he'd decided to leave it be. Trekking downstairs to the shower, he wanted to whistle under his breath, but the sound of Barb’s snoring through her open door made him stay quiet. He heard no sound at all coming from Bronze's room.

Slipping into the bathroom and tossing his blankets into the hamper, Dusk went straight for the shower, taking his time and enjoying the heat as it eased the stiffness from his muscles. Creeping back upstairs in his robe and dressing, Dusk reviewed his list again. "There is just nothing productive to do until they start Winter Wrap-Up. Maybe... well, I could always work on some more profiles for Princess Luna. I still haven't written about Thunderlane, the twins, Filthy Ri-"

The sight of a teal-haired mare jogging past his balcony for the second time, at a pace that felt too casual, caught Dusk’s eye. A quick mental inventory of Ponyville’s population left few possibilities, but to be sure, he pulled on a heavy sweater and formed a thin line of warmth at his feet, guiding the magic forward to melt a path he could use to walk to the edge of the balcony. "Why are you up so early, my lad-" Dusk stopped, cutting off his train of thought and starting again. "My dear spy? Out for a run this early?"

Another six or so minutes passed, and Dusk had to refocus the warmth spell to his hands and feet to keep off the chill when he heard the distant crunching of snow. At the far end of the street, shi appeared, still jogging at hir steady pace. Lyra wore only an extremely light and thin sweater with matching pants, but he could tell shi was sweating hard by the discoloration of hir clothing.

He waited, letting the magic he used to stay warm light up his horn gradually, until it acted as a small signal flare in the darkness of the pre-dawn. As Lyra's footsteps approached, he could make out hir breathing now, rapid with exertion, yet controlled. When shi was close enough to his balcony to be heard without yelling, Dusk called down, keeping his tone conversational. "Jogging alone so early in the morning? And on a day like Winter Wrap-Up? And here I thought I was the only pony who had bad dreams."

Lyra's pace slowed as shi came to a stop, and shi looked up at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know anything about bad dreams. This is just the best time of day to go for a run. I have to stay in shape if I'm going to do my job properly."

Dusk arched a brow, leaning over the balcony a little and made a small gesture with his head. "Climb on up. We should talk about your job."

If the lack of staircase on the outside of the tree was an inconvenience for anypony, Dusk doubted shi'd be the pony to complain. Spreading his warmth spell out over the whole balcony, he got creative and tried to reshape the spell, making it fit more like Shining Armor's shield spell. Vaulting the railing of the balcony off a lower limb of the tree, Lyra remained calm, and pulled off hir soaked sweater, tossing it onto part of the deck that was steaming from Dusk's heating spell.

With only a strained sports bra across hir chest, shi crossed hir arms over hir head and began stretching hir back and shoulders, before finally watching him at last. "So, you've finally asked to talk to me. What did you really want to talk about? Surely a simple nightmare can't really be enough to panic you."

Dusk realized he had winced when shi cocked an eyebrow at him, and forced himself to straighten up and shake-off the lingering dread that was still haunting him. Trying to recover his momentum, he gave her a smile. "Let’s just say that it was the first nightmare I've had since Princess Luna's return and it gave me a lot to consider."

When shi only waited, watching him, Dusk pressed on. "I don't know enough about you, Lyra. Silken Flight provided me with papers on you, but it didn't even include such basic details as your real sex, or any of your extra training beyond the public records from SSU. So before anything else, Lyra, I want to apologize to you. If I'd known you were a child of Evening Rose, I'd have been more considerate and thought of a better cover job for you."

A scowl crossed the mare’s lips and shi hissed a breath between hir clenched lips. “Alright. You’ve a point, Dusk. It was damn uncomfortable having to tell a school full of foals that kind of stuff. I still get an odd look sometimes from a few of the parents, and that makes doing my work around town hard sometimes, when everypony knows who you are and watches you.” Turning away and scuffing a foot against the wood, shi rolled hir head back, looking at the first hints of the rising dawn sun. “I suppose I can answer some questions for you, though. We do need to work together, after all.”

Dusk drew a towel out of the distant closet in his room, floating it out across the deck to hir waiting hand. Tossing it over hir shoulder, he walked past her to lean against the balcony, staring at the rising sun. “And your training? Besides Silk, I mean.”

Lyra spat over the balcony, but began drying hir back with the towel, leveling a glare at him before reluctantly giving him a few more details. “I spent three years with several trainers. Princess Celestia was grooming me to take over for one of her spymasters. I learned a lot of hand-to-hand, fighting with any number of weapons, including improvised weaponry. Stealth magic, and any number of infiltration techniques. And the fitness drills. It’s why I jog three to nine miles a day, and spend at least an hour at the twin’s gym. They have respect for a mare’s privacy, and as long as I pay for damage to the training dummies, don’t do much else but offer a towel... “ Suddenly darkly blushing, shi looked away. “Well, mostly.”

Dusk let her have her private moment, and made some mental notes. “So, suppose I asked you and Bronze Feather to help show Dash, Applejack and Pinkie a little bit of what you know. The Apple farm is a big place, I’m sure we can arrange some privacy so nopony knows you are involved.”

Lyra threw the towel down on the railing of the balcony and picked up hir sweater again, shaking it out and admiring how Dusk’s magic had dried out the thin wool. Pulling it back on, shi slipped hir weight onto the railing, sitting as shi let hir legs kick idly before looking down at him. “Bronze? Yeah, between me and the kid, I’m sure we can figure out some kind of basic regimen so they can protect themselves. Why, is this about Fancy’s visit next week?”

Dusk sighed, and leaned his weight down on his crossed arms, hovering his head just over the wooden railing. “That’s a big part of it, Lyra. I realized just how helpless I am without my magic. Applejack, she’s strong, far stronger than Dash or I, but I don’t think she’s ever raised a hand in anger. Dash talks about the training she got at Flight School, but even she admits it was rather basic. And Pinkie? She’s like AJ, but a lot more energetic. If Princess Celestia is going to keep giving us duties like that dragon last year, we need to be ready, and not just to use the Elements of Harmony. If even one of us are hurt, they’re useless. It’s like… it’s like they are a glass cannon. Incredibly powerful, but dangerously fragile. We need to be more self-reliant, we can’t expect the Wonderbolts or you or Bronze to always be ready to rescue us when some mundane danger arises.”

Lyra gave him a nod, then hopped from the balcony railing, landing on hir feet and warming hir legs up by jogging in place. “Then make your plans. I’ll be in touch with Bronze.” Shi had just started to move away when a thought came to mind and shi turned back looking at him again. “What about Rarity, and Fluttershy?”

“Rarity… I might be able to convince her to take up fencing. She already admires Fleur-Dis-Lee, if I can get Fleur to come visit, that should go a long way to convincing Rarity to take it up. As for Fluttershy... I think that may be a lost cause… I don’t know of any way of making her rise like she did against the dragon… Frankly, I’d be scared to even ask her to try.”

“You’re right… I suppose I’ll let you know if I think of anything that we could add. Get ready for the day, Dusk. They’ll want you front and center to watch the festivities. I don’t think a magistrate has ever been in Ponyville for Winter Wrap-Up. I think you can expect them to try and show off no matter where in town you try to hide.” Not waiting for his answer, shi turned back to the path shi’d worn into the street, giving him an idle one-handed wave before disappearing into the sunrise.

As the sun rose , he considered her words. “Lyra may be right. Over the last few days, I’ve had a number of offers regarding different events I could watch. Nopony ever asked me to join in and help their team... well, nopony but the mayor.” Shaking that thought off, Dusk turned back towards the house, walking back inside. “I suppose I could always work on profiles for Princess Luna… I’m sure I can finish Thunderlane, the twins, and possibly update Lyra’s before Barb and Bronze get up.”

Heading to his desk in the library, Dusk went straight for his ink and quill. Already lining up his thoughts, he began his letter for Princess Luna.

“Dear Princess Luna, today Ponyville celebrates their version of ‘Winter Wrap-Up’ a traditional way of handling the change of seasons that traces back to the town’s Earth Pony founders. That, however, is not why I am up so early. Last night, I had my first nightmare since your return, and strangely enough, it is the first time I’ve had a nightmare I can not remember. This led me to a long conversation with Lyra, and these three letters. First comes Thunderlane, the older brother of Rumble and a rare pegasus with a very resilient streak...”

Author's Note

Another step in the right direction? You be the judge!

Chapter 11: Winter Wrap-Up - Part 3

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Ponyville Town Square. 7:40am.

Dusk gently hoisted Barb onto his shoulders, ignoring the little dragoness' resentful muttering. Dressed in her heaviest winter coat and pants, she had quickly approached the shape of a ball, and had been threatening to return to the warmth of her bed if he made her walk any further.

Offering Bronze his arm once he had Barb properly balanced, Dusk led her on to Town Hall, where already a growing crowd of ponies had begun to gather. Watchful of the sheer number of ponies, Dusk altered the topic of their conversation. "I'm glad you decided to come along this morning, Bronze. I'm sure Dash will have some work you can help out with, and if you feel too crowded, you can always go back to the library to cool down for a while."

Bronze had looped her arm around his, and was leaning against his side until he got to the part about returning to the library. Then she stood up tall, and leveled an evil glare at him as she squared her shoulders and attempted to casually unhook her arm from his elbow. "If I get tired doing work with the weather team, I'll take a break and sit on a cloud while I catch my breath. I'm doing quite alright otherwise, thank you very much, Dusk."

Dusk couldn't hide his grin as the mare started walking a little faster to get ahead of him, and snorted with laughter when she indignantly snapped her tail in hardly-veiled frustration. "I'm very proud of you, Bronze, really I am. Few ponies have your fortitude."

If Bronze heard him, she tried her best to hide any sign of it, but her tail gave a flick that showed she’d relaxed a little and returned to a more natural sway in time with her hips. Before he could think any more on her, a very oily voice oozed its way to his side, reminding him that he needed to pay more attention in public if he planned to continue avoiding its owner. “Dusk, my boy! A wonderful morning for Winter Wrap-Up, isn’t it?”

Filthy Rich threw an arm around Dusk’s shoulders and gave him a winning grin, while internally, Dusk began looking for the quickest way he could find to escape the older stallion’s company. Putting on a brave face, he gave a nod to the wealthy stallion. “Mr Rich. A fine morning, indeed. I’m glad to see you’ve come to help out with Winter Wrap-Up. Here I thought you’d be too busy with your business to help out.”

Filthy Rich gave Dusk's words a moment of serious thought before answering, always the cunning rogue. "No, no. When it comes to important civic events, you'll never find me or my darling filly Diamond Tiara far from the center of things! Just the other day, we donated the fabric to Rarity so she could make the vests up for all the teams. Or during the Running of the Leaves, where I supplied the water stations and paid for the shirts for the runners. It's all about promoting yourself, Dusk. And you could learn a thing or two about self-promotion. True, you're the youngest Magistrate in years, but you're stuck here in Ponyville. Work with me, and I'll see that Princess Celestia promotes you to a position on the Magistrate Council of Canterlot in no time! I know of at least one mid-city magistrate looking to retire somewhere in the countryside in the next two years."

Dusk couldn't help but admire Rich's business savvy, but blanched at the idea of rushing back to Canterlot permanently, not to mention the casual way Filthy tried to get involved in matters like royal appointments. From behind his shoulders, Barb stirred, the sleepy dragoness' smart mouth ready to fire even this early. "At that rate, he'll be Prince in the next four years."

Putting on the official serious face he'd learned from his mother, Dusk gave Mr. Rich his best smile and shifted the mouthy dragoness across his shoulders, away from Rich before trying to smooth over her comment. "That is simply fascinating, Mr. Rich, but as much as I do admit I'd love to see my hometown more often, how could I abandon Ponyville in its time of need? Besides, Applejack would never leave her farm, and Rarity might love Canterlot, but her little sister goes to school here. Her family, her customers, they all rely on her; it would be devastating to Ponyville's economy if either of them left town, let alone both!"

Clearly stifled by Dusk’s emotional plea for the well-being of Ponyville, Filthy half-stuttered in his stride, staring a moment in shock before quickly recovering. "Quite right, quite right indeed. I must say, you really are a forward-thinking lad. Besides, as small as Ponyville is, more and more of Canterlot's elite discover it as a home away from home in the summer! Why, I have it on good authority that Fancy Pants and his bride Fleur-De-Lis are planning to visit sometime next week. I'm sure rubbing elbows with the smartest of Canterlot's nobility will go a long way to serve you in the future, right?"

Winking conspiratorially as if he was sharing with Dusk some secret tip, Mr. Rich backed away, finding another pony to rub elbows with. Dusk couldn't ignore the lingering thought of Rich's final remark. "Does that mean everypony in Canterlot knows about Fancy's plans to train me? Or did Rich really not know and simply thought he was sharing an opportunity with me in hopes of currying some favor or another? It is still so tempting to overturn his plans by tossing that wrench into the gears... I wonder if he'd be impressed or annoyed by the idea that I already know Fancy Pants? More to the point, why didn't he know I was at their wedding?"

Putting all of those thoughts on the back burner, Dusk pressed on towards Town Hall, offering a small wave to Carrot Top and her mother Golden Harvest. They waved him over and invited him into their conversation about the summer planting season, which to them, meant carrots. Dusk joined in the best he could, and immediately felt more at peace than when talking with Filthy Rich. "At the very least, they don't try to swindle favors. I wonder if Mac and Carrot ever made peace?"

Approaching the stage setup just outside Town Hall, the mares split off into the crowd, who had left a little path open up to the stage. Getting used to this pattern by now, Dusk followed the clearing and found the mayor, Filthy Rich, Diamond Tiara, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Amethyst all waiting for him on the stage, each wearing one of the three team jackets. Letting Barb off of his shoulders, Dusk let her sit down on the stairs before joining them on stage.

Now Dusk suddenly felt out of place, made worse by his heavy black magistrate robes compared to the colorful vests everypony else wore. As he took his place on the stage, Bronze suddenly appeared at his side, having acquired one of the blue weather team vests.

When she saw that he had moved into position at her side, Mayor Mare launched directly into an inspirational speech she'd clearly been preparing for days. "Thank you, everypony, for being here bright and early. We need every single pony's help to wrap up winter and bring in spring!"

For a moment, she fell silent, and the crowd roared with a shared cheer of joy. Waiting a moment for silence, the mayor gestured to the gathered team captains on the stage with her. "Now over the last few days, you all should have been assigned a team and been given your team vests. Members of Rainbow Dash's weather team, gather by her house, members of Pinkie's ice carving team, meet her at the big pond north of town. Members of Applejack’s snow removal and seeding teams, meet her at the south edge of town. Members of Rarity's nest building team, gather outside her boutique. Finally, those in Amethyst's animal team, head to Fluttershy’s cottage. Oh, and anypony without a team, please wait here and I'll try to assign you to whatever team you can best assist."

Again the happy chorus roared from the waiting crowd, and Mrs. Mare waited for them to fall quiet again before turning to Dusk, giving him a nod. “Now, Magistrate Dusk Shine is here to say a few words before we begin Winter Wrap-Up!”

Bowing to the side, Mayor Mare waved for Dusk to take up position by the microphone and adjusted the angle for his height. "First, I want to say good morning, everypony! It's the perfect weather for the first day of spring, am I right?!"

Dusk felt like he was finally getting a feel for handling crowds, as they roared back at him, laughing and cheering, all overflowing with exuberant pride. In the lull as he waited for the audience to calm down, Dusk noticed Apple Bloom had perched on top of Big Mac's shoulders and was waving at him, frantically trying to get his attention. Giving her a wave back he laughed a little at how much she beamed, then stepped back up to the mic. "Now, this is my first traditional Ponyville style Winter Wrap-Up. And I know some of you were really looking forward to putting on a show for me. Now, I don't want to let you down too hard, but I'm not the kind of stallion to stand around watching other ponies doing work. So if you see me around, do not be afraid to ask for my help. I'll try my best to get to see how everypony does their thing; and I apologize if I don't make it to everypony, but you do outnumber me near six hundred to one."

Again the laughter, and Dusk let it drown him out for just a minute before clapping his hands together near the mic. "Now then! If everypony is ready!? Let's Wrap Winter Up!"

As the crowd began to disperse to follow the mayor’s directions, feeling Applejack’s hand across his back and over his hip came as a pleasant surprise, giving him an excuse to lean against her for a moment and flash a grin at the towering mare. The roar of wings behind him made it clear Dash and Bronze had taken off together. “I hope nopony had anything really big planned. I just don’t see the point in wasting their time, right?”

Applejack’s hearty laughter was reassuring and she squeezed him against her side for a moment in a hug. “You did fine sugarcube, really you did. I can’t wait to see you at the farms. Try and make it around noon, we’ll be starting Sweet Apple Acres if everything goes by Amethyst’s schedule.”

Dusk laughed a little and looked back at Amethyst. "What do you think? Is there any easy way for me to visit the major projects? I'd like to try to get a hand in with everypony."

Flipping through her schedule, Amethyst gave him a nod. "It should be easy enough. Just go catch up with Dash before she takes off. Once she gets airborne, she isn't scheduled to return to ground level for quite some time, probably not until dinner time, really."

Watching the last of the crowd trickle away, Dusk made up his mind and straightened up. "Alright, then that's settled. I will try to catch up with Dash since she's already headed off to the rally point at her place, and afterwards make my way around town. Until then," Dusk slipped from AJ's arms and gave Amethyst's hands a squeeze. "Take care of things, Amethyst. I'll be around if you need help re-organizing anything."

Turning to Rarity, Dusk was met with a strong hug and a matching kiss, which probably lingered a little uncomfortably long. The true shock was Fluttershy, who waited at Rarity’s side. Taking both of his hands and squeezing them, Fluttershy blushed darkly for a moment before stepping in against him and kissing his cheek. Her words, whispered so low he could hardly hear them still managed to make him blush. "Thank you for last night, Dusk."

Still distracted by the openness of Fluttershy’s action, the impact of a snowball thrown by Pinkie caught him completely off guard. Wiping away the slushy mess, Dusk turned a glare at the whooping mare who was already bowled over with laughter despite the best glares the others had leveled at her. Confused himself, Dusk had to ask. "Pinkie... why?"

Hardly able to stand up, Pinkie was bent in half and still snorting with laughter, but she made the attempt when Dusk stepped closer, resting her hands on her hips for support and offering him her wickedest grin. "Two reasons, Dusk! First, because after whatever Fluttershy whispered to you, you looked all hot under the collar and I thought it might cool you down."

If Fluttershy had a reaction to Pinkie's teasing answer, Dusk couldn't see it, so he wiped away the last of the slushy snow from his cheek. "And the other?"

Snorting, Pinkie snatched up Dusk’s hand and the remainder of her snowball, and splattered herself in the face before giving him a broad cheeky grin. "Because if I didn't take the time to hit you with a snowball today, it'd be nearly a year before we can have another snowball fight together, duh!"

Face still coated in the slushy remains she'd smacked herself with, Pinkie swooped in on Dusk and kissed him several times, in rapid, aggressive succession. Finally satisfied, she used her dryer glove to wipe his face clean and turned to run over to Applejack. "Well? Come on, AJ! Let's go!"

Shocked and a little unimpressed, AJ gave Pinkie a slight push before jerking her thumb to point to the north. "Just what in tarnation do you mean ‘let’s go’? You’re the one foaling around and trying to start snowball fights with Dusk! Besides, your gathering point is a duck pond to the north of town, while my groups gathering at the south end!"

Giggle-snorting a little, Pinkie slapped her forehead. "Oh, wowie! You're right AJ. I swear, I'd lose my head if it wasn't screwed on!"

As Dusk scooped up the slumbering Barb and left them, a rather timid voice broke up the banter on the stage. "Excuse me for cutting into your conversation, dear mares. But, Amethyst, might I lend a hand today?"

Turning as one, it was clear nopony else knew the stallion, so Amethyst made introductions quick. "Time Turner? Oh, my. I apologize! Ladies, this is Time Turner, my new tenant. Mrs. Mayor named the others here earlier, but I should properly introduce you all.” Stepping beside Applejack she smiled up at the towering mare. “This is Applejack, she runs the biggest farm in the area for her grandma with her brother’s help. The unicorn is Rarity, owner of our local boutique, I think I mentioned her earlier, right?” When she queried him, Time Turner gave them both a small bow of the head. “This is Fluttershy, our local vet, and Pinkie Pie, who will probably want to put on a welcoming party for you today, but I think I can convince her to wait until at least tomorrow since everypony’s so busy today, right Pinkie?””

Pinkie had inflated with delight as Amethyst talked, but when she was introduced, the reality hit her and she gave a sigh, stepped forward, and hopped from the stage, suddenly hugging Time Turner tightly. “That’s true, Amethyst. I’m really sorry, Time Turner, normally I wouldn’t let a day go by without properly welcoming somepony, but it is Winter Wrap-Up after all. Will you forgive me for being a bad host?”

Shocked at suddenly being lifted off the ground by Pinkie’s hug, Time Turner patted her arm and coughed in an effort to recover his breath, at last convincing Pinkie to let him down on his own feet. “I- err... Right. I don’t see the harm in waiting for a quieter day to have a party, Mrs. Pie. After all, my landlord told me I have to give her a few days warning before hosting anypony.”

Pinkie Pie, ever the exuberant card, laughed at him and shook her head. “Psssh, I'm not a 'Mrs.'... well, not yet anyway, but I hope to be some time in the future! Anyway, just call me Pinkie; all my friends do and I want you to be my friend! Will you? Huh? Huh?! Pretty please with a ton of chocolate marshmallow frosting with a really big cherry on top?!'”

Amethyst was glad he had managed to at least temporarily derail Pinkie’s train of thought, and admired him for a spirited attempt, but she knew Pinkie well enough to foresee her finding her way back on topic after such a simple distraction. Instead, she interrupted them to get things moving. “I didn't really think you'd be interested in helping out with Winter Wrap-Up, Time Turner, what with all you were saying about the long and exhausting trip to Ponyville. Of course, if you want to help, we’d gladly accept it! What is your special talent? Anything that might help out any of our teams?"

Suddenly the center of attention from a half-dozen mares, Time Turner looked more hesitant, but tried to keep his cool. "Well, not particularly. Unless fixing the bell in the Town Hall clock tower is on the list. It's nearly seven minutes slow!"

As if that was all the answer she needed, AJ hopped off the stage and offered the stallion a hand to shake. "Nah, the clock can wait, right Amethyst? Like Amethyst said, I'm Applejack, but you can call me AJ. It's a pleasure to meet you, Time Turner. You're a strong-looking earth stallion, and we always have extra plows to push or ground to seed. If you don't mind a little hard labor, we'd be happy for the help."

The matter settled, Applejack took a spare green vest from Rarity and led the stallion away while the rest of the team leaders split off, each moving to prepare for spring.

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Outside Rainbow Dash’s home. 8:17am.

The gathering crowd of pegasi that waited around Dash's home had taken perch on every available space; on neighbouring roofs, several fences, and even her freshly shoveled yard. But at Dusk's approach, a path opened up, some taking flight and circling overhead when no convenient perch was available.

Dusk was impressed. Unlike the gathering at town square, the pegasi were organized, already collecting into groups and preparing. A few more ambitious ponies had already begun clearing nearby roofs, shoveling with care into carts set up around the base of homes. Spare earth ponies came to collect the carts to haul the snow to designated melting fields outside of town and away from the farms. That made sense as many were scheduled for planting in the next few days, and careful planning allowed them to avoid any flooding in the freshly cleared fields. The efficiency of Amethyst's plans impressed Dusk, but the expansive ambition of her plans was daunting, and he couldn't help but wonder why they were so concerned with getting everything done all on a single day. "I've double checked the town grain reserves. Even accounting for a bad spring that Dash couldn't get a handle on, they've stored up more than enough to last until late summer. More than enough time for the early crops to start coming in."

Shrugging it off, Dusk carefully pushed past the last few pegasi, still carrying the sleeping dragoness on his shoulders and at last found Dash in consultation with Thunderlane, Flitter, and Raindrops, while Cloudchaser was demonstrating something with a cloud to Bronze Feather and a few of the younger ponies, her voice just loud enough for him to make out over the general hubbub of the crowd. "But you have to be careful, because it hurts if you try to make a cloud soak too much snow at one time. Bronze, would you like to try first?"

As Dusk watched, Bronze took a hold of the small white cloud with both hands and seemed to concentrate, pushing it into a nearby snowbank. At first, the effect was minimal, a slight shrinking of the cloud as it pressed into the snow. Then, the snowbank began suddenly to retreat from contact with the cloud, while the cloud itself expanded in her arms. Soon, what had once been a pillow-sized cloud was now nearly six feet across, and from the strain on Bronze's face, it had taken more effort than she'd likely admit. But the four-foot snowbank was gone, and at Cloudchaser's whistle, Rumble rushed over and accepted the cloud from Bronze.

Dusk missed out on hearing her directions of where to dump the overstuffed cloud when Dash's circle broke open and she swaggered to his side, wearing a wolfish grin. "Well well, Dusk, I'm glad you came by. This might seem kind of cool, but back in Cloudsdale, they could put on a real show. Picture it: forty pegasi flying wingtip-to-wingtip, all pushing a single massive cloud and soaking up an entire field of snow in a single pass. I’ll admit, sometimes on days like today, I miss Cloudsdale. Winter Wrap-Up is like a parade there."

Dusk shifted his weight to lean in close to her while he watched the three ponies she had been talking to begin picking out ponies from the crowd and reorganizing them into five groups. "Impressive coordination and organization, Dash. But I suppose two-thirds of the pegasi in Ponyville already work part-time with the weather team, they are probably used to how you like things done."

Dash laughed and subtly shifted her hips so she was inconspicuously leaning against him in return. "Thanks, Dusk. Don't worry, we can move all the snow from town no problem. With clouds for the worst of the snowbanks, and carts to help lighten the load, it will be a snap. I'm just glad I wasn't here last year. Man, the stories everypony tells me, it was a real mess!"

Cloudchaser soon took off to join the other ponies organizing the five groups in the air, and Bronze, trailed by a collection of foals came charging over, her face flush with mortification. In a tone that hardly masked her annoyance and embarrassment, she hissed at Dash. "Can you tell me why I'm being given foal-sitting duties, Dash!? I'm a stronger flyer than half your team! I can pick up the cloud stuff easily enough, it's just been a few years since I had to."

Dash rolled her eyes and straightened up, grinning and giving the foals a wave before hooking a hand across Bronze's shoulders and pulling her close so they could talk without many others overhearing. "Now look, Bronze, it's nothing personal, but I could tell, soaking up that snowbank made you light-headed. No need to admit it, it's just not something that you’re used to doing, right?"

Frustrated, Bronze bit her lip until it went white, and for a moment, Dusk was worried she'd make it bleed before she finally let it go and answered back. "Alright, so you got me there. I don't remember squat about weather, and what I do know is rusty as Tartarus. But foal-sitting?!"

Dash tried to rally some of Bronze's enthusiasm. "You're not foal-sitting! You're cleaning up the town flower garden. The foals are just your assistants. Look, nopony under ten is allowed; they're all being foal-sat. You’re just showing the younger members of the weather team how to clean up an important civic place that just so happens to be fenced in on all sides, all right?"

Bronze's embarrassed glance at Dusk told him she wanted to be in the sky, showing off with the other pegasi, so he decided to make it a little easier on her. "Think about it this way, Bronze. Once the garden is fully cleared, a small team of earth ponies will come to plant seeds and flower bulbs, and do some maintenance work on the stonework. If you ask them, they might like having your foals help out, since most of the younger earth ponies will be helping with the snow plows or the planting sledges. If they’re okay with it, I’m sure you can catch up with Dash then, right?”

Dash looked relieved at his offer of help, and gave Bronze a light punch in the shoulder. “See? A solution. That’s Dusk for you. Besides, I’m sure the foals will be more interested in hanging out with their school friends by then, instead of continuing to work on projects.”

Bronze deflated, but a glimmer of hope shone in her eyes, and she made herself straighten up and grin at Dusk. “Alright. I’ll polish the garden and then show these kids a few tricks from the guards. I guess I can do that much, right?”

Dusk threw an arm around her shoulders and gave her a sideways hug. “Exactly! Show the foals the skills and strength the royal guard taught you, and if you can’t catch up with Dash, come find me, I’ll probably be somewhere around town. Or go to AJ. She’ll never turn away a helping hand when things are so busy.”

Part of that brightened Bronze up, and she leaned into Dusk for a moment before shaking free of his arms and pulling a brass whistle from under her shirt. Blowing a chord that Dusk now recognized, she gave him a nod before rushing over to the foals who had recognized her signal and were attempting to mimic their parents and older siblings by forming an organized line.

For a few minutes, Dusk and Dash watched in silence as Bronze organized the foals and then, managing with surprising success, led them marching away, mostly keeping them in formation. At last, Dusk gave Dash a small nudge. "So how can I help out your team, Dash?"

Shocked she gave him a serious look, and unfolded her wings, flapping them a little. "Really Dusk? I mean, not to get personal, but without a pair wings, I don't know if you could keep up, let alone do very much to help."

Flustered, Dusk stammered as he searched for some answer to her words, keeping himself busy, he settled Barb on the steps of Dash’s house and turned around, trying to reach for something, anything he could use as a defense. Desperate, his mind brought back Rumble's exam from the day before. "Well... but I can do this!"

Reaching up with his magic, Dusk tried to catch one of the clouds with his grip, but found the effort of grabbing the fluffy white mass simply ripped the fragile cloud in half. Cursing under his breath, he tried again, softer this time, but with similar failure when his focus broke as he blinked.

As he tried a third time, Dash took a hold of his hand and whispered in his ear. "You have to push clouds. They're way too fragile to hold directly. Come on, you know how to do this, right? Rarity let me read the sports section of her gossip magazines. They said you were great at handling those anti-magic balls, right?"

Dusk was shocked by her comparison, but saw what she meant, and shifted his focus from trying to grip the cloud, and instead formed a net of pressure on one side of the cloud, pushing it east, away from town. Sweating from the focused effort, he gave Dash a grin. "Well, see? No need for wings, right?"

Dash laughed, and swept him into her arms, wings folding around him and holding him close. "You did great, Dusk. But you should understand why we stay high most of the time, and move fast. I'm sure you can help a little, but why exhaust yourself here? You can help the others better without tiring yourself out."

Dusk was shocked by Dash's affection and kind words, but relented to her logic. "Alright, you win, Dash. Go join your brigade. But try to let Bronze help out with some of the real work? It'll do her good to feel useful."

Dash laughed, biting his lower lip and tugging viciously before releasing him and hopping into the air. "That I can do, Dusk. Trust me, I know how she feels, feeling useless is soul crushing. Now go pick Barb up and move on, and I'll try to do some kind of paperwork this year, since I know that makes you feel helpful." Dusk could only laugh and wave at the cheeky mare as she flew away.

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Outside Rarity’s Boutique. 8:25am.

The light, musical sound of Rarity’s voice let Dusk know where she was in the crowded yard outside her boutique long before he could see her. Her yard had been meticulously cleared of snow in a perfect square, and tables were set up like some bizarre kind of craft show. At one table, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon watched as an older stallion, whom Dusk half-remembered seeing work as a butler at Mr. Rich's home, weaved dried straw into a bird's nest, using a very small amount of a clear resin to ensure it would hold together.

Impressed by the agile handiwork of the old man, Dusk gave Sweetie Belle a small wave, readjusted Barb’s sleeping figure on his shoulders and then detoured to Diamond Tiara's table. A small crowd of onlookers had been watching the stallion's demonstration, but parted to make room for Dusk as he approached. "A mighty impressive job. You're Randolph, right? Mr. Rich's Butler? That was a fantastic job you did with that nest."

The old stallion straightened up as if he'd only just realized that he was being observed, but as he lifted one bushy eyebrow to study Dusk with a piercing intensity, Dusk couldn't help but find himself a little off-balance by the odd old stallion. As quickly as Dusk noticed the stallion’s odd behavior, he lowered his brow and gave Dusk a small bow. His dry voice was raspy, yet he moved with effortless grace, making Dusk wonder just where the truth of the stallion lay. "Of course, sir. I've been in the employ of the Rich family for nearly seventy years now. These days, I am lady Tiara's man-servant. Now if you’ll forgive me, sir, I must return to work on the nests, I can't let lady Tiara fall behind the competition."

The rest of the crowd took that as a sign to wander away, returning to their tables and continued to build nests. Dusk, however, could see at least one thing that bothered him in the old stallion's answer. While there were plenty of supplies on the table for making nests and extra ribbon for giving them some flair, they were all piled before the butler, the two fillies simply leaning against the table and talking once the other onlookers had melted away, leaving the real work to the elderly butler. Rather than point out Diamond and Silver's laziness, Dusk gave the old man a nod and raised his hand to offer him a wave. "Well, you certainly make the highest quality bird’s nest I've ever seen, I'm sure Diamond will be proud of your help... if she ever happens to notice."

The old stallion shot Dusk a glare for that attempted joke, and began work on another pile of twigs and straw, clearing his throat and dismissing Dusk with his tone. "We are quite proud to be of help to Lady Tiara, magistrate. Thank you for your interest."

Dusk took the warning in the butler's tone seriously and moved away, still wondering just what about the old stallion had made him uneasy. As he began to cross the crowded yard to the table where Sweetie Belle was working, he saw Rarity pat Berry Punch on the arm, and was just able to hear her reassuring words. "It's okay, really it is! You've done simply marvelous for your first try! Now, if you just shift this end a little this way, and reinforce this side a tad, you'll see that you have made a perfect, snug little nest for any lucky bird!"

Berry watched Rarity’s adjustments closely, then tried to repeat the changes. She finally relaxed as the nest took shape at last. "So then just add the resin and let it sit? I didn't use any ribbon like you did, is that okay?"

Rarity laughed, and gently patted Berry's arm. “Of course it's okay! Some animals like to decorate their own nests, while others like nests that don't stand out and can be camouflaged easily. In either case, you've done very well! Remember, if you need anymore help, just call for me, I'll be around helping others, or at my table with Sweetie Belle, okay?"

Dusk crouched down beside Sweetie Belle who was industriously at work on a nest of her own, a vivid green ribbon entwined as both a support and showpiece of the nest, and he could see she was nearly done. That didn't prevent him from smirking as, deep in concentration, Sweetie's tongue popped out between her teeth on the right side of her mouth and stuck upwards, as if somehow it was assisting her efforts to weave together the nest.

Dusk waited and watched her technique, admiring Sweetie's persistence and focus, even with all the noisy ponies all around her. At last she finished, and raised the nest up to admire, turning it this way and that to take in the shape and how the light hit it before giving a satisfied sigh and settling it on the table. Finally, Dusk reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "A fantastic job, Sweetie! I think your sister would be proud."

As if she'd been unaware that anypony was around, Sweetie Belle jumped at his words and touch, twisted around to stare at him for a moment before recognition dawned in her eyes and the filly relaxed, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly. "Dusk! Good morning! You like my nest? I think it's nice too, but I don't think that mine are nearly as nice as Rarity's."

Dusk laughed a little and hugged Sweetie Belle in return, his fingers tenderly stroking through the foal’s hair for a moment before giving a shrug. "I think it looks awfully good, and that's all that matters, right? Now how about you show me how to make a nest. I've never done one before, and I might as well help out a little while I’m here, right?"

Giddy, Sweetie nodded, straightened up and smoothed out her dress, grabbed his hand, and directed him to the pile of straw and ribbons waiting on the table. Settling Barb down on the empty side of the table and making sure she was still sleeping soundly, he left her to nap, knowing how badly the cold affected her, even as mild as it was today. Following Sweetie’s directions, Dusk began to weave together the base of a bird's nest, while she watched him intensly. Halfway through the construction, Dusk began to feel more confident and reached for a purple ribbon, to give the nest a hint of flair. He didn't even realize anything had gone wrong until Sweetie made an odd noise and reached over to give one piece of straw a little tug before muttering to herself. "That's odd. Just... just let me try to fix this Dusk."

Letting the filly take over, Dusk stepped back a little and gave a look at his attempt. "It does look a little... slumpy compared to yours, doesn't it, Sweetie?"

The foal, still busy with her efforts to repair his sagging nest, gave him an inquisitive look. “I- what? Slumpy?”

Dusk laughed a little and shook his head, smoothing some hair from his damp brow. He couldn’t believe he was so nervous about something as simple as making a proper bird’s nest, and now he was panicked as the foal attempted to fix his mistakes. “It’s… I think I made it up. It’s like both a slum and dumpy, right? So it’s a slumpy nest.”

Catching on, she looked up at him her eyes going wide. “Wow… you can make words!? That’s really cool, Dusk! Can you make more words? Or are magistrates limited to a few new words a day?”

Embarrassed at the scenario she was making him picture, Dusk tried to push the conversation back to the little nest she was still fighting with. "No, it's not like that, Sweetie. Anyways, have you figured out what I did wrong when I made that nest?"

Her tongue once again sticking out of the side of her mouth in effort, Sweetie pulled at two of the threaded pieces of straw and tugged them free of the bundle. Fluffing up the nest with satisfaction, she grinned up at him. "You just got the weave twisted around itself, so half the straw was pinning the other half down! See, doesn't it look-" as she spoke, the nest began to sag again, one side sinking down while the far side began to curl overtop of the rest, making the nest resemble a broken eggshell. Defeated, her shoulders slumped and she finished her sentence. "-so... much... better. ARGHH! Stupid bird's nest!"

Shocked awake by Sweetie's frustration, Barb sat up and turned to look with bleary eyes at Dusk's nest and Sweetie Belle before she shook her head and rolled her eyes. "That nest needs to be condemned!"

As if summoned by Barb’s words, Rarity appeared at Sweetie's side and cupped Barb’s checks, shushing her and gushing for just a minute over the sleepy dragoness. "Oh hush, Barb darling! I know the cold makes you drowsy, but you needn't be so harsh!"

Soothed by the attention from Rarity, Barb slumped forward a little, and Dusk stepped up beside the table, supporting her weight against his chest and scratching behind her right ear hole where he knew she was sensitive. As her leg began to twitch, Dusk looked at Rarity, who had joined Sweetie in inspecting the catastrophic nest. "I think it may be a lost cause, Rarity. Sweetie's been trying to repair it for a good ten minutes and... well, just look at it!"

Rarity lifted a finger to hush him, then drew her hand back so she could carefully pin her bangs back behind an ear. "Now Dusk, don't be so harsh on yourself. It only needs a little love and care!"

As if the nest were listening to them, three pieces of the straw suddenly snapped, curling up with a twang. Taking that personally, Rarity began to try reweaving the straw nest. Yet as she worked, the nest battled back, a straw breaking here, while three others got entwined together and knotted around one another. Dusk could see Rarity's eyebrow twitch in frustration before she paused, clearing her throat. "...Sweetie, get my red reading glasses from my sewing room, please."

As Sweetie rushed back from the house with an engraved silver glasses’ case, Rarity removed her fashionable winter jacket, revealing her white blouse beneath. Wasting no time, she rolled up the sleeves on both arms and unbuttoned the collar before accepting her red-rimmed glasses from Sweetie Belle. Pushing them up squarely with the bridge of her nose, she swiftly launched back into the fray.

For a while, Dusk didn’t think she’d manage it, as for every piece of straw she straightened, two more got gnarled. For every knot she cut out, another piece of straw needed to be removed, and for every new piece of straw she weaved in, another got interweaved in the mess, and refused to come free. Yet at last, brow drenched with sweat, Rarity stood triumphant over the nest, standing over the table, her hands on her hips. “There! See, Dusk?! No trouble, really!”

Impressed, Dusk stepped up to the table, leaning in and inspecting the practically-rebuilt nest, admiring how Rarity had managed to keep the old purple ribbon as part of the new nest. Stepping forward, he slipped a hand around Rarity’s hip, and pulled her close, kissing her forehead and grinning down at her. “You did very well, dear. I dare say, some bird is soon going to be a very… happy…”

As he spoke, Barb got up and waddled over to the nest, her thick, stiff winter clothing making it hard for her to walk. Poking one finger into the straw nest inquisitively, she flinched, and Dusk held his breath, but when nothing happened, he let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and smiled. “- homeowner.”

With a slow and inevitable grinding noise of straw twisting around straw, the nest began to intertwine around itself once more, until with a pop and a crack of breaking threads, a dozen new pieces of straw snapped and shot out of the once more ruined nest. For what felt like an eternity, Dusk held his breath.

Rarity’s voice finally broke the stillness, tepid, but level. “Dusk?”

Very slowly releasing her, he tried to timidly answer, wishing all the while he wasn’t present. She continued before he could reply, however. “Get her out of here. Now.”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Just outside of Ponyville. 9:10am.

As Barb stopped to stare up at the three pegasi walking clouds across the roof of a house at the edge of town, Dusk’s impatience tried to rear up again. He'd already let her down so she could walk. "Well, waddle, really. Now she has stopped to watch the pegasi for the third time, when she already slept through our visit to Dash."

Exasperated by the delays, but keeping it bottled up carefully to avoid looking angry at Barb, Dusk was surprised, and a little delighted, when the little dragoness offered a thoughtful remark on something he had not considered. “Those three must be some of the best Dash has for handling the clouds. That’s gotta be the third time I’ve seen other pegasi come to take the full clouds from them in exchange for smaller ‘empty’ looking clouds. Plus, every time somepony comes to take away the full clouds, it’s been a different pony.”

Looking up at the three industrious pegasi, Dusk made the same connection that Barb already made, his impatience replaced with sudden admiration. “You know, you’re quite right, Barb! I hadn’t even thought about that, but it really does make sense. From what little I’ve researched about weather magic, it’s far easier for pegasi to push around a cloud, even one engorged with moisture, than it is to make a cloud absorb snow the way they are. It makes sense; have your stronger flyers push around the full clouds, while the others who are better with magic fill more clouds. Far more efficient.”

Shaking herself out a little, Barb suddenly began peeling off her outer jacket and one pair of her snowpants. Watching as she folded them up together, Dusk couldn’t help but stare a little. Looking a little sheepishly at him, she offered him a shrug and pushed the neatly-folded bundle up at him. “What?! It’s warming up is all, and it’s really hard to walk with that extra layer on. I still think it’s too cold out to be running around like this!”

Glad she’d admitted defeat, even if she was indignant about it the whole time, Dusk accepted her spare clothing, tossing it over his right shoulder and decided against starting a fight. “Well, if you’re ready, Barb, we should hurry. Pinkie and the others shouldn’t be too far out of town yet. I really do want to see what the ice carvers are doing.”

Thinking for a moment as they started walking again, at last, Barb still watched the pegasi work, and asked another question that Dusk needed a while to consider. “Wouldn’t it be easier for them to fly me up there and let me carefully melt the snow with the heat of my breath? I think I could sustain it for a few hours if I was careful and ate properly the day before. Then they wouldn’t have to fool around with all those silly clouds and could just freight me around instead.”

Impatient as her pace slowed while she worked out her thoughts, Dusk tried to scoop her up only to be rejected as the dragoness backstepped surprisingly quickly out of his reach despite how bulky her winter clothing made her look. “Dusk, I’m serious! I could be helping them out, couldn’t I? The ice carvers can wait, I want to know, alright!?”

Grumbling to himself, Dusk stood back up, crossing his arms over his chest and looking squarely down at the little dragoness again. “I’ve never studied weather magic very deeply, but I suppose you might be able to help a little. But then, I don’t know if it would really help out much in the long run. You see, if I remember correctly, when water evaporates, the water itself collects in the air and, if not dealt with quickly, will cause future problems for the weather team.”

Barb stared back at him, toying with her tail and chewing on her lower lip. At last, she gave him a little nod. “So you’re saying that I might be able to help, but if I do, it might make more work for the weather team down the road if we don’t do it in the right way?”

Stepping forward again, Dusk scooped her up, successfully this time, balancing her weight on his other shoulder and finally making progress away from town. “Exactly, Barb. But it’s okay, really. I think you gave me an idea. Maybe we can stop by the melting fields and help them out by using some of your fire breath to thin out some of the snowfields, but that can wait. Let's hurry to go join Pinkie, and if any of the pegasi come by, I'll ask them to check with Dash, alright?"

Puffed up with pride at the idea of possibly being able to be of some help, Barb hugged one arm around his head while her other toyed with some of his hair. Her voice was dreamy and distant, but since she was no longer slowing him down, Dusk let her day dream. "Yeah. And think of how much I can help when I'm finally all grown up!? Then I could breathe a gentle burst of heat to thaw out all of Ponyville in a single breath! Then everypony could celebrate how helpful it is to have a useful dragoness around! Rarity might even make me a special vest for helping out. I'd be the champion of Winter Wrap-Up!"

Enjoying Barb's infectious good mood, Dusk continued on, the distant sound of Pinkie's singing voice began to rise, growing louder and clearer as he used it to guide him through the thin trees. Passing one small pond, Dusk was impressed to see somepony had set up numerous signs around the perimeter. Stopping for a breather, Dusk read one sign that had been set up nearby.

"WARNING! THIN ICE! The ice carvers have already treated this pond. Beware of melting ice or thin spots!"

Shifting Barb's weight again, Dusk gave a shrug and turned towards Pinkie's voice. "Wonder if they get some overlap between different teams skating on the same pond?"

The answer, it turned out was quite unexpected, leaving Dusk to wonder how many of Amethyst’s notes Pinkie had really read. Skating alone upon the large pond, Pinkie moved with impressive ease, crossing one leg over another as she crossed without any regular path or pattern he could identify. Walking up the path to a bench that waited right beside the white ice, Dusk leaned on another of the warning signs, and watched Pinkie’s technique, again trying to see if she at least had an overall plan to how she danced across the ice and where she planned to end her pattern. All of that ended when Pinkie suddenly called out to him.

“Dusk! You made it! That’s so great! Watch this! Weee~” Twisting her body, Pinkie suddenly leapt into the air above the sheet of ice, her built up momentum propelling her body through the air while she held her hands over her head, for just a moment, in all her chaotic behavior, this moment of majestic glory seemed to make time slow. Dusk could only stare as she glided on a trail of air while her body spun two full revolutions.

“She’s… simply glorious! Floating like a pegasus through the air without wings, her face so peaceful, even her smile is calm, revelling in the simple joy of the moment without her usual aggressive happiness she directs to anypony in sight. Does Rarity know she’s this graceful? Maybe more?”

Dusk’s inner monologue was cut off as Pinkie impacted the ice, and with three quick pumps of her legs, she crossed back over the ice to his side, her normal glee radiating off her like the sun. “Dusk! Did you see? Did you?! I’ve been practising the triple rotation jump all winter and you got to be the first one to see it!”

Realizing Pinkie was about to rush off the ice and tackle him, Dusk had to think fast. He pulled Barb off his shoulder and settled her on the top of the backrest of the bench, just in time for Pinkie to rush off the ice and give him a savage hug, burying her head in his chest. The impact of Pinkie's rush to hug him staggered Dusk, forcing him to take a minute to catch his breath. Placing a hand on the depthless pink mass of hair against his chest, Dusk found it too deep and wild, and abandoned his plan to pet her head and simply tried to soothe her more verbally, freeing his hand from her hair and stroking her back instead. "I saw it, Pinkie. I really did. You were very impressive. Have you been skating for long?"

Giddy, Pinkie pulled away and returned to the ice, launching herself across the ice in a single powerful stride, gliding in a broad circle before turning back to the shore, arriving at his side at a more casual gliding pace. "Uh-huh! My big sister Maud taught me how to as a filly. See, on the rock farm we'd leave a field to go fallow for a year or two, and in the winter, because it was so flat, we could make a really fantastic skating sheet. It was the bestest part of winter."

With a thousand new questions suddenly all demanding the right to be asked first, Dusk forced himself to remain calm and keep focused on business. "Remind me to ask you all about Maud and your rock farm, I have a lot of questions. For now, Pinkie, how can I help you out? Is there something I can do for the ice carvers?"

Delighted, Pinkie again stepped off the ice with ease for how awkward the heavy metal skates looked to Dusk."Oh, of course you can help, Dusk! I brought lots of extra skates. We'll just find a pair that fit your shoes and you'll be dancing across the ice in no time!"

An icy ripple of horror shot up Dusk’s spine, the memory flooding back even before Barb cut in with a snide remark. "Dusk? Skate? If you haven't already seen what a disaster he is on the dance floor, I can't wait to see him on skates!"

Barb’s words hurt, and not just because they brought back embarrassing and somewhat painful memories. Trying to ignore her, Dusk quickly followed Pinkie to another bench beside the pond, sitting down while she pulled a heavy burlap sack from under the bench and suddenly grabbed his right leg, pulling it back and holding it up before her face, so she could compare the underside of his boot with the width and length of the wooden base of a few of the different pairs of skates. At last, on the fifth skate she tried, she found one that was big enough for his foot, and without a moment’s pause, she braced the corked blade against her shoulder, pinning it in place with his foot before grabbing the leather straps and lashing the buckles as tightly as possible, to make sure the skate couldn’t slip. Only then did she sit back a little, popping the protective corking off the blade and lowering his foot to the ground. “How does it feel, Dusk? Good? If it’s too loose it might slip off and you’ll probably fall on your butt.”

Forcing himself to stand up, Dusk instantly felt off balance. He took several careful steps towards the ice of the pond, his legs unsteady, even shaking a little with each step as he wabbled his way to Pinkie’s side. “I think… I think so! I… It’s been years since I tried skating… Princess Cadence did a ton of tests to see if I had a problem. They all really proved nothing, so it’s always just been a nightmare I’ve yet to properly understand.”

As if to torment him, Pinkie gracefully stepped back onto the pond, skating away from him with slow grace while holding out her hands for him. “Oh, don’t be silly, Dusk! You look just fine to me! See! They fit you perfectly, Dusk! Now come on, join me! I’m sure I can help you out with whatever wobbly-legged what's-it’s! Princess Cadence probably just never thought to give you a proper skating lesson!”

Attempting to follow her out onto the open ice, his knees banging together with every step, he took one step after another, all the while watching as Pinkie casually raced backwards with even strides, then suddenly shifting her steps in a way that Dusk couldn’t understand, and before he could conceive what she’d done, she was rushing towards him at breakneck speeds. Shocked, he continued his small steps, all the while trying to figure out just what she was doing, panic rising in his throat and he took two steps to the right, yet Pinkie only matched him by shifting her stride, still rushing directly at him. Panicked, he straightened up and stopped walking, his hands lifted in an act of self defense while he struggled to search for the pattern for Shining Armor’s shield spell. “PINKIEEEE!!~~~ Stop!!!”

As if it were all a lark, Pinkie shifted her weight again, once more in a way that Dusk simply couldn't conceive, a spray of snow powder firing off as she curved around him to the right in a broad arc, her momentum changing in a way he had never seen, swiftly circling around him, while the tip of one hand tickled behind his left ear before she suddenly tumbled into his arms, pulling them around her hips to make him hold her close. Then with grace and care, she began to stride forward again, pulling him after her as they crossed the pond again.

Pinkie was moving him so quickly, Dusk couldn’t even take steps anymore. He struggled to keep his legs straight, and somehow, due to the way Pinkie pulled him, it made him move with her, following after her graceful pace with his own awkward flow. “The strangest part is, she does lift her feet, but somehow she isn’t taking steps! Skating, it’s simply impossible!”

Twenty minutes and a few dozen guided laps around the pond later, Dusk tried to swallow back his fear as Pinkie suddenly pulled her hand out of his own and stepped away from him, far out of his reach as she took off across the ice. “Come on, Dusk! Enough Practice! You can do it! Catch me!”

Gliding along on what little momentum that Pinkie had left him with, Dusk strained to take his first step, trying to copy the small steps that Pinkie used to pick up speed, thrusting his step to try to pick up his pace again, driving forward across the clean sheet of ice Pinkie had been avoiding until now. From the shore of the pond, Barb sat up, her hands lifted to cup around her mouth. “Come on, Dusk. I think you really can do it! You haven't fallen over once in nearly twenty minutes! Maybe Pinkie’s right, you did just need some lessons in skating to bring out your natural-”

Just as Barb began to cry out her support, Dusk’s right foot shot out uncontrollably, sending him off balance. Panicking, Dusk struggled to pull his legs back together, suddenly finding himself off balance as he now raced on at an uncontrolled stumble, unable to find any way to get his foot back on the ice, as every time he tried to put it down again, the blade of the skate bounced off, making his wobbling stride only more dangerous. Overwhelmed, he cried out. “Pinkiee!!!!~~ Help!”

Pinkie turned at his cry and began to pump her legs in a rush to get back to his side. With only one sign of hope, Dusk reached out for Pinkie, but just as she took a grip of his hands, his right foot finally caught on the ice, way too hard, suddenly pulling him off weight, and tugging her with him, they twisted together into an off balance struggling mass that skittered off the edge of the pond and directly into the bench that Barb still sat on.

Lost in the cloud of snow thrown up by their impact to the snowbank beside the pond, Dusk lay in silence for a while, waiting to see if anything had broken in the violent impact. On top of him, Pinkie shook free some of the snow while laughing in her own little fit. “Dusk, you down there? I think… hahaha… I think I can feel you breathing, I really do! Barb, if you can get off me, I’ll try and dig him out of the snowbank.”

Breathing carefully, Dusk didn’t bother to answer, and Barb suddenly filled the silence instead. “You are a natural, Dusk. A natural disaster!”

Pinkie, digging him out of the depths of the snow, laughed a little, brushing the snow off his face before leaning in and kissing him lightly on the lips. Laying down half atop him and half in the snowbank, she stroked her fingertips across his jaw, and turned his head so she could look into his eyes. “Now, Barb!!~~ Don’t be mean. Dusk just isn’t a natural skater. Take it easy on him. Besides, he just wanted to help!”

Enjoying the soft mare’s touch and gentle kiss, Dusk relaxed a little, leaning into her, nuzzling at her touch to his jaw. “Pinkie, you’re kind to be so supportive, but I think Barb’s right. I think… I think I should move on when I get my breath back.”

Giddy, Pinkie slipped her arms around his chest to cuddle in tighter while resting her head against his chest, right above his heart. Dusk almost wondered if she was listening to his heartbeat for a moment before she finally answered back. “Then you should go see Fluttershy next! She’s part of the group that’s tending to the sleepy animals. I bet she hasn’t even woken Harry the Bear up yet!”

Giving a sigh, he gently scooted out from under Pinkie and forced himself to stand up and brush snow off of his clothing before turning back to Pinkie and offering her a hand up. Holding her hand for a little too long, Dusk heard Barb’s frustrated grumble and, at last, he let go, blushing darkly. “I’m sorry, Pinkie. I suppose we should go. Let me know if there is anything else the ice carvers need, alright?”

Leaning in to kiss him on the bridge of the nose, Pinkie giggled, and swatted his tail playfully. “Go on! Go, go! And don’t forget Barb’s extra pants! I think they’re still on the bench!”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Near Fluttershy’s Cottage. 10:00am.

Trailing a cloud of doom behind him, Dusk marched on towards Fluttershy's cottage. The small number of ponies he passed on the way regularly offered him greetings as they paused for a moment from their work, but in his sour mood, Dusk found himself barely able to offer them more than an official smile and a small wave.

Barb, trailing behind, had gone quiet. Her second layer of jackets had been removed as the sun came out and the snow around them started to seriously melt. She must have sensed his mood as she didn't say any of her usual quips and occasionally stopped to talk with ponies they passed, as well as the still-sleepy animals they were tending to.

Two familiar voices ahead caught Dusk's attention, drawing his eye from the slushy path. "But mith Cheerilee! If the porcupine hath thpiketh to defend itthelf, how do you gently pet it to help it loothen up and warm up? The ferretth really liked that and it made them thuper energetic in no time."

Cheerilee laughed a little as Peppermint Twist scooted back from the small and spiky hedgehog, who was still drunkenly wandering around in small circles and pausing regularly to yawn, its tiny muzzle opening broadly every time. Trying to puzzle out the solution to Twist's question himself, Dusk stopped a moment to watch.

To both Dusk and Twist's surprise, Miss Cheerilee pulled her glove off her hand, and gently stroked her bare hand from the top of the hedgehog's head to hip. "It's just a matter of being very careful, Twist, dear. If you only pet them from the head towards the tail with care, you can help them wake up and warm up. But you do have to be quite careful, so for now, how about I give you these gloves, okay?"

Dusk watched for a few more minutes as the freckled filly pulled on a protective pair of gloves offered by the teacher and slowly began to scratch and pet the sluggish little hedgehog. As the creature warmed up to her, she became braver, continuing to work over the hedgehog's tiny form until, with a sudden happy noise Dusk could only call a trill, it suddenly bolted off into the trees.

Disappointed, Twist's shoulders slumped a little as she watched the still-rocking branches where the hedgehog had disappeared. Cheerilee squeezed her shoulder and gave her a grin. "Very good, Twist. Come on! Let's go to the next burrow. I bet we can have some real fun with a squirrel, right?"

Excited, Twist nodded to her and hopped up, peeling off the protective gloves and offering them back to her teacher. Finally noticing Dusk behind Cheerilee's back, she gasped a little and gave him a country girl’s rough attempt at a curtsy. "Did you thee it? Did you magithtrate? Wathn't it the cutetht hedgehog ever?"

As Cheerilee bolted to stand up in shock and turned to face him, embarrassment clear on her face, probably linked to not knowing that he was behind her, Dusk simply gave the foal a shrug, finally feeling a little bit of hope that today was going to start to be a little better. "I did, Twist. It seemed like you've got quite the understanding of how to help wake animals. Maybe your talent has something to do with them?"

For a moment Cheerilee's lips curved into the smallest hint of a frown or scowl, but before Dusk could decide which direction it was heading, she slipped into a tender smile. "Magistrate! Oh, forgive me, I mean Dusk! Already looking forward to helping out with the animals? I still argue it's the best part of Winter Wrap-Up."

Carefully making a mental note to find out what was the cause of her subtle mouth movements, Dusk gave a shrug and tugged an arm around Barb's shoulders, hugging the dragoness against his side. "I think this might be something that I can really help out with. After all, I've been taking care of Barb since she hatched!"

Squirming against his grip that had trapped her head to his hip, Barb wriggled around until all four of her limbs were pressed against his thigh, and then applied all her might in forcing him to give her more room. Finally popping free and dropping onto a pile of snow, the dragoness overdramatically panted for breath and glared up at him. "Are you kidding? For years Philomena and Night Light did all of the real work! You couldn't even hold me properly until you were seven!"

Remembering, Dusk felt his cheeks darken and turned to look down at her, still a little shocked. "Barb! I meant well, really! But they had me in school all day and I just wanted to show you how much I missed you! Besides! Back then, it was hard to tell your head from your tail! How was I to know you were upside down!?"

Grinning a little to herself, Barb flashed him her teeth. "Didn't me biting your tail kinda give you a hint that you were holding me upside-down?"

Now fully flushed, Dusk very quickly changed the subject and looked back at the teacher whose eyes were now full of laughter. Feeling a little frantic, Dusk spoke in rushed tones, trying to get this suddenly very uncomfortable conversation over with. "Aaahh! Anyways! Do you know where Fluttershy and Amethyst are? I want to see Fluttershy before reporting to Amethyst to see if I can help out!"

Clearly thoroughly amused by his antics, Cheerilee jabbed a thumb down the path towards Fluttershy’s cottage. "They are both sticking to work close to Fluttershy’s home, so that way if one of the other groups needs help, Amethyst can be found easily, and Fluttershy can assist anypony with a sickly critter or one who needs extra help waking up."

Glad to hear the news, Dusk scooped up Barb, making very sure he was holding her the right way up, and then gave them a small wave. "My thanks, ladies. I hope you have a fun Winter Wrap-Up! I'd better go!"

Giving them no time to reply, Dusk rushed down the path and out of sight. The foal watched him for some time, before slowly turning to her teacher. "Mith Cheerilee?"

Tucking the heavy gloves into her belt by her tail, Cheerilee looked back down at the foal. "Yes, Twist?"

"If... if magithtrate Duthk Thine thtill hath embarrathing momentth like that... doeth that mean I might be thomepony important thomeday too?"

Cheerilee gave a happy sigh and hugged the foal softly across her shoulders. "Dear Twist, you can be anything. From a world famous candy maker to a private chef who works exclusively for Princess Celestia alone."

* * *

Fluttershy's sing-song voice carried through the clearing as she bent down, teasing the sleepy badger with a wagging finger under the jaw. Delighted by her attention, the stout critter striding out of it's hole, blinking at the brilliant sunlight and taking a moment to rub against Fluttershy's hand before marching away from its den. Trailing behind their mother, three badger kits each took a turn repeating their mother's affectionate nuzzle against Fluttershy’s hand before following her off into the bushes.

"Oh my! I see you've had a very exciting winter, Mrs. Badger! I hope your kits have behaved!"

As if to answer Fluttershy, the badger turned back at the edge of the bush her kits had rushed into and made several noises while nodding her head. Blushing a little, Fluttershy clapped her hands together and tried to shush the critter. "Oh, my! Mrs. Badger! Please! What if somepony else heard you being so graphic! Well, I'm glad you and Mr. Badger are getting along well!"

As if she'd summoned him with her words, Dusk came out of the bush, picking broken branches out of his hair as he escaped into the small clearing with Fluttershy. "What a relief! I kept hearing your voice through the bush, but when I yelled back at you, I couldn't seem to get your attention." Brushing the last few leaves from his shoulders, he looked behind him to check on Barb, who trailed behind him at a safe distance to avoid the trail of broken and falling tree branches he left in his wake through the woods.

Fluttershy froze up and clamped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and tail rigid, as if she were staring straight through him. Her whisper-quiet voice came out muffled from behind her clenched hands. "Oh! Hi... Dusk. I- well, er... you didn't hear any of what Mrs. Badger just said, did you?"

Looking from the shocked mare to the tail of the retreating bager, Dusk began to wonder, not for the first time, just how well she understood animals. However, he decided to save that line of questioning for a day when he hadn't already messed up three times in a row. "No, sorry Fluttershy, I couldn't make out much of what you were saying. I was just glad to find you through the thicket! I never realized how thick the woods are around your home until now!"

Fluttershy watched him very closely for a minute and appeared to be lost in her own thoughts, but just as Dusk began to step toward her, worried she had more on her mind than whatever her animal friend had been talking about, she suddenly snapped out of whatever was distracting her, rushing to his side and grabbing both of his hands with her own and squeezing them against her cheeks. "It's so good to see you, Dusk. I... I'm- Well, that's all!"

Due to her still-flushed cheeks, Dusk needed to only look into the limpid pools of Fluttershy's eyes to see what was on her mind. Coughing a little to help break up the tension, Dusk pulled his hands back, if a little regretfully. "So, Fluttershy! How is your work going? Best Winter Wrap-Up yet?"

Smiling up at him and turning around to admire the hints of green that had begun to appear through the melting snow, Fluttershy lifted her hands and gestured for him to take it all in. "Oh, Dusk! It's been fantastic! I've been able to see so many of my little critter friends that I haven't seen in ages! If only you'd come earlier, you could have helped me wake up Harry the Bear! The sleepy baby rolled over on me the first three times I tried to get him up! I'm afraid I had to get a little rough on the poor guy."

For a moment, Dusk tried to picture meek Fluttershy getting rough on somepony as big as Harry the Bear. His mind reeling, the only viable comparison he could think of was their recent encounter with a feral dragon. Worried for Harry's sake, he simply had to know more. "Oh, dear. I... I hope you didn't hurt him too badly."

For a moment the innocent look of total confusion that crossed Fluttershy's face made Dusk feel guilty for ever even considering the idea, before a devilish grin crossed the mare's lips. "I don't play nice with grumpy sleepy heads who refuse to get up! So I pulled out the big guns!"

Barb's sudden grip on his right hand nearly made Dusk jump, but the tiny dragoness' voice was filled with just as much trepidation as he too felt. "Wh- what did you do to him Fluttershy?"

Suddenly giddy, Fluttershy covered her mouth with both hands, and tittered with delight. "Why, Barb! I made a giant pot of acorn cinnamon oatmeal with extra honey! You should have seen how quickly he was up out of the cellar and suddenly begging like a cub! It was simply adorable!"

Relief flooding them both, and Dusk let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding for some time, bending down to scoop up Barb into his arms. He scratched a trail down her spine, working his nails deeply between her scales until her stiff spine softened a little at last. "Really Fluttershy? That's... Simply fascinating. Well, I’m very glad to hear that you can handle yourself around somepony eight times your weight.”

Fluttershy stepped in beside Dusk and cupped Barb’s cheeks, leaning in close against him while her thumbs rubbed each of the dragoness’ cheeks. “I adore critters of all kinds. From any cute little dragon to the biggest and grumpiest bear. Care to help me out for a little, Dusk?”

Barb, her eyes rolling back in her head from joy, stretched both arms out to wrap around Fluttershy’s neck, pulling out of Dusk’s arms to cling against her neck before opening her slitted eyes just enough to look back at Dusk, her voice a near purr of content. “Do anything she asks, really. Just don’t you dare let her stop scratching!”

Sharing some soft laughter with Fluttershy, Dusk placed an arm across her back, below the wings, and rested his hand on her hip. For a moment she froze up and blushed, then just as quickly relaxed into his side, her tail coiling around his own. He looked down at the little dragoness who was clearly relishing every single hint of attention she received, most of all the light scratching of Fluttershy's nails around her jaw and the underside of her chin. Walking along a path he hadn't been able to see until Fluttershy led him into it, Dusk laughed and gave Barb a nod. "You're the boss, Barb my dear. Fluttershy, I'll try whatever I can to help you and your critter friends out today!"

* * *

Kneeling before the open burrow, a sudden sense of imminent disaster had returned to flood the depths of Dusk's stomach until it lay threatening to overflow from the back of his throat. Swallowing, he lowered a knee to the snow and looked over at Fluttershy, who stood a little too far away for comfort, holding the still-wiggling-with-delight Barb in her arms. "So... Fluttershy, just what kind of critter was this again?"

Cradling Barb against her throat, Fluttershy had to look over the happy little dragoness to meet his eyes. "Oh, that burrow belongs to Miss Skunk. But don't worry, she is really affectionate. She'll only spray in self-defense, honest!"

As if he was watching the pieces of a puzzle drop into place, Dusk added that fact in, and immediately felt like he had a full picture of what was about to come. Carefully lifting the small silver bell Fluttershy had given him, Dusk gave it the smallest jingle he could manage. "H-Here little critter. Time to get up Miss Skunk~"

The softest sounds of dirt shifting came from the depths of the hole, and Dusk was sure something was moving around. The sudden sound of a pair of beating wings overhead pulled at his attention, but focused on avoiding another disaster, he ignored whatever pegasi were joining them, and stayed focused on the hole.

Rainbow Dash's suddenly jovial voice came from just over his shoulder at a volume that nearly made Dusk jump out of his skin. "Helping Fluttershy wake the animals, Dusk? Good! We’re stuck in a holding pattern until the last of the critters are finally out of their holes." Turning away from him and speaking towards Fluttershy, Dash pressed on. "I mean, come on Fluttershy! I know you like your little animal friends, but we can't open the clouds and let the snow melt until Amethyst gives us the all clear. We're so close to falling behind, I sent Derpy ahead alone to go find the summer birds cause I couldn't spare anypony else to help her!"

* * *

Derpy tightened up and stopped in midflight, taking a moment to turn around in place as she bit down on her lower lip. “I swear to The Light, I heard somepony talking down there… I know Rainbow Dash would go down and look into it… Sh… should I? I… I just don’t have her courage.”

Suckling on her trapped lower lip, Derpy looked to the west to the distant flock of birds she could swear were just flying in circles just to frustrate her with endlessly chasing them. Looking back down at the trees she could swear she saw a shift in the branches, and the continued distant conversation was growing louder, just enough for her to hear. “Dreamer, this is far enough. It should take a good week or so from here.”

“Fine, Winter, but bury it deep, we need the time. It can’t escape too soon, or it might starve before it reaches town.”

“Better than letting it reproduce first instead. We don’t need a forest of these.”

“That’s it! I gotta look into this. Whoever these ponies are, they gotta be really lost to be wandering this far from town!” Turning towards the ground and folding back her wings, Derpy tried her best to copy the emergency dive that Rainbow Dash had been showing off after Dusk left this morning’s weather team meeting.

Her mistake became rapidly apparent as she crashed through the overlapping branches of two trees and misjudged the spacing between them. Impacting hard and getting tangled up with broken branches as her raw momentum carried her through the rest of the thick canopy of trees, she had no time to spread her wings and thus headed face first towards the ground. "Oh, nertz!"

Five feet from impacting the snowbank nose first, a silver light enveloped her whole body. She yelped from the shock of hitting something that felt like an invisible wall and from the pain that jolted up her entire spine. She could barely make out that one of the two mares was yelling as she lost consciousness. "Derpy!? By The Light! Just what is she doing here, so deep in the Everfree?"

* * *

Tension flooding his shoulders, Dusk swallowed a lump in his throat and gave the little bell a second shake, while behind him, Fluttershy took Barb up as a shield of sorts between herself and Dash. "So what?! Derpy is great with birds! Amethyst would have assigned her to my team if you didn't get priority on all pegasi! So just leave us be!"

Focused on the burrow, Dusk tried to ignore their light bickering, writing it off as their way of blowing off stress on a busy day. "Besides, they've been friends for years. I've no place to butt in." A strong hand on his right shoulder made Dusk finally look up, only now realizing that it was Bronze who had landed with Dash.

Her grip firm but friendly, she gave a half gesture to the bell in his hand and the hole before him. "Hey, um, Dusk? I did like you suggested. The earth mares in charge of planting the town garden said they'd be more than happy to watch over the pegasus foals... but... uh... well." Her cheeks turning a fiery red, she looked away from him, her hand releasing his shoulder so she could push the tips of her fingers together while her voice dropped off to a mumble that would have made Fluttershy proud. "You... didn't tell me they'd all be pregnant..."

It took a moment for Dusk to realize what had Bronze so bothered about such a simple thing as a half-dozen pregnant earth mares. Then it dawned on him. "She's been in the military since probably before she had her first heat. Has she even ever had to deal with another mare who was pregnant, let alone a half-dozen?"

Shifting his weight to the other knee and putting the bell down in the snow, Dusk reached out and gently stole one of Bronze's fidgeting hands, giving her a strong squeeze. "Bronze, are you okay? I didn't mean anything by it, really."

Squeezing his hand back, Bronze's eyes were distant but her lips curved into a little grin. "No, they were very nice, Dusk. I've just never had so many mares asking such personal questions, that's all. It was a shock, really... I'm sorry, it's just a lot to think about. Do so many mares get pregnant all at the same time?"

Feeling pressure rubbing against his hand on the ground, Dusk shifted his fingers, idly dragging his nails over the spine of whatever critter was seeking a good back scratch. "No, it's not really unusual, Bronze. There are more than 400 ponies in Ponyville alone, plus the farms around town send all the pregnant mares to work in the town garden since the foals they are looking after can do the majority of the work for them."

The critter, enjoying Dusk's scratching attention continued to pester his hand, so he continued scratching, working in around the ears and the back of the head. Bronze gave a happy sigh and squeezed his hand back before nodding at Dash, whose argument with Fluttershy had turned into some very embarrassing shared whispering while they both watched Dusk and Bronze very closely. "That does make sense, I suppose. I guess as a new face in a town as small as Ponyville, I'll just have to get used to all the questions everypony keeps asking."

Looking over to Dash and Fluttershy, Dusk noticed the snoozing figure of Barb in Fluttershy’s arms and a memory flared up, demanding he ask. The critter beneath him curled up against his knee, and was playfully gnawing on the tips of his fingers, crooning at the attention he gave her belly. "Hey, Dash? Barb wanted me to ask, is there any way she can be of assistance to your snow melting team? She thought she might be able to make the snow melt faster with a little fire..."

Dash, almost without a moment to consider, dragged a hand through her hair, running the damp locks between her fingers to squeeze out some of the moisture that had collected in her rainbow locks. She looked at Dusk as the water pooled at her shoulder and ran down the back of her thick blue winter flight jacket, before finally answering. "It's a sweet idea, and I'm sure Barb meant well, but with all the evaporation from Princess Celestia's efforts with the sun, we are already drenched as it is up there. Adding onto that dangerous steam clouds we need to dodge, I just don't know if it's worth it." When she realized that sleepy Barb had sat up and was staring at her with eyes filled with disappointment, Dash got nervous, and began to stammer. "It's, well, it’s like... it's nothing personal, Barb. Really! It's just- well, steam! It's like, nearly impossible to control, alright?"

Fluttershy answered Dash before Dusk could find an example from his time at SSU that fit Dash's explanation, and while her voice was unsteady, she had taken Dash's hand in her own and squeezed it to get Dash's attention. "But Dashie, I remember seeing you and the teachers at flight school do just that. The four of you circled that explosion from the storm factory and made the steam coming off it into a rain cloud to help put out the fire. So why couldn't Barb's idea work?"

Dash's attempt to look thoughtfully at Fluttershy in response to her reminding Dash about whatever accident they were talking about was ruined by the way she blushed and stammered the first two times she tried to reply to Fluttershy. Finally pulling herself together, she looked back at her older friend, but let Fluttershy keep her hand trapped. "Well, you see... steam, right? Steam isn't uncontrollable, but it's, well, it's dangerous, Fluttershy! Anypony in Ponyville I asked to help me try and handle a burst of steam like that is risking their feathers molting off from the sheer heat! I-I couldn’t be responsible for some untrained pony getting hurt like that." Looking down from Fluttershy's deep and soulful eyes, she encountered Barb's instead, lifting her free hand to scratch the dragoness around the ears. "Tell you what... when Rumble's fully trained, we can try it, alright?"

Barb, already looking dejected at the conversation that had come from her offer to help, perked up and nuzzled into Dash's affectionate attention. "Really? You mean it Rainbow Dash?!"

Dash laughed, and shifted her hand under the dragoness' jaw to continue scratching there, and gave both Dusk and Fluttershy a look before grinning down at the dragon. "I mean it, kid. You had a good idea. If we could melt the snow faster, we'd be able to reduce the number of earth ponies that are plowing their fields manually."

The matter settled, Fluttershy's attention turned back to Dusk, and she gave a happy little gasp. "Dusk! You and Miss Skunk made friends already?! I'm so impressed!"

Looking down for the first time at the black furred critter who'd been playing with his hand for some time now, Dusk was shocked to notice the trademark white band of fur that warned off all who were wise enough to recognize the warning. Tightening up as a flare of panic spread, he looked down at the critter who was still playfully gnawing on his thumb knuckle, her tail lazily lashing through the slush and snow beneath him. “I... I suppose I did, Fluttershy... I think I've finally gotten something right today..."

As a flood of relief began to push back against the wave of panic, Dusk felt a weight rub against his kneeling leg's ankle, and looked up to Fluttershy. "Hey, I thought you said she was Miss Skunk. Who is her friend behind me?"

Looking over his shoulder, Fluttershy laughed and shook her head. "Oh that isn't her friend. That's Mrs. Snake! I think she's just trying to crawl up your pant leg for warmth."

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Dusk’s Library. 10:40am.

Groaning a little, Dusk sank back into the bathtub of tomato juice, rubbing his face vigorously with the soaked wash cloth. The sudden pressure against his head made him squirm and turn to look back over his shoulder at Barb frowning a little. "You're still wearing the clothespin. Surely it doesn't still smell that bad!"

Adjusting her grip on the hastily-constructed washcloth on a stick she'd put together so she didn't have to get too close to him, Barb scowled for a moment, and hesitantly unclipped her nose to take a tiny whiff of the air. "I-it's not fair, Dusk! Dragons’ noses are way more sensitive than ponies’! Just ‘cause it makes me wanna hurl doesn't mean anypony else might notice. What about your robes? Should I take them to Rarity while you soak for a while?"

Remembering her state when they passed by the boutique on the way back home, Dusk shook his head. "She looked overwhelmed already, dealing with another nest that just wasn't cooperating. Why give her an extra headache? Let's just wash them a few times by themselves and hope the smell goes away when we hang them on the balcony, okay?"

Wincing, Barb gave him a little nod. "Yeah, okay. But you get to lug them around and hang them up. I can't believe how bad they still stink. Did you really have to freak out so badly? The snake was just looking for some warmth in your trousers."

Glaring at her, Dusk shifted in the brilliant red bathwater, and again started vigorously rubbing his face with the cloth. 'I'd like to see if you could do any better with a snake climbing inside your dress."

Barb laughed, and set down her pole, shaking her head. "I'm just saying, I sympathize is all. I'd still rather curl up in bed or go back to napping in Fluttershy’s arms than go outside again right now without the promise of somepony to cuddle up to for warmth. But hey, you tried your best. At least you got to experience most of Winter Wrap-Up before things went catastrophically wrong!"

Tossing the cloth down, Dusk turned his head to look at the dragoness and shook his head. "Oh, no. We aren't done. Applejack is expecting me. And I can't fail her. Not after everything else that's gone wrong today!"

Barb deflated, and gave him a little pout, pleading with him a little. "Well... then can I stay here and clean up the tub or something? I don't think I could take another trip out into the cold!"

Dusk glared back at her, and pointed an accusing finger at her. "You were down to a single coat. It's not the cold that has you making excuses, Barb. Admit it, you think I'm going to mess up again, don't you?"

Embarrassed, Barb wouldn’t meet his gaze, instead staring at her feet and kicking the bathroom rug absently. "I just... I don't wanna see you this upset anymore, Dusk."

Slipping from the tub and pulling on a towel, Dusk set his face in stone and put a hand on Barb’s shoulder. "Then be my cheerleader, my number one assistant! Together we can do this, right?"

Looking up at him, Barb got a dreamy look in her eye and gave him a big grin. "Right! Whatever I can do! After all, I am the world’s best assistant!"

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Applejack’s Farm. 11:30am.

Dusk unbuttoned the top horn button that kept the collar on the cotton shirt closed, running his finger around his neck to help it breathe. "I know AJ bought this shirt for me, Barb, but do you have any clue why they include a top button too tight to comfortably wear when the rough spun cotton is rubbing against your throat with every step? And what is this pattern called? Dark red patches with random green streaks?"

Barb, clearly amused by his choice of topic to focus on instead of the wake of disaster he had built up over the day, laughed a little, rolling her eyes sarcastically before answering. "Well, first: I've never seen AJ wear her shirt buttoned up to the collar, and you always seemed to enjoy that fact. Maybe you aren't supposed to do up the last few buttons. Second: I think Rarity called it Shepherd's Check, but I've no clue what Applejack might call it. Probably comfortable."

Giving her a momentary cross glare, Dusk couldn't help himself, and clapped his hands together. "Alright, that I can agree with. Now let's try to start today again, properly this time!"

Giving Barb a scratch behind the ear as they resumed walking, Dusk let the resilient cotton shirt do its job, enjoying how light but protective the shirt was, even against occasional cold gusts as a group of busy pegasi passed overhead.

If the coming of spring wasn't obvious inside Ponyville, the moment he passed the southern gate, it was shocking just how much they'd already cleared back from the main road south.

While not every field had been cleared, judging by eye alone, Dusk could already tell they'd cleared every field on both sides of the path at least 700 feet back from the path. Possibly even 750 feet if he'd been paying proper attention to Surprise, when she had been drilling the Wonderbolt Cadets on how to accurately estimate distance while they hunted the dragon in the fall.

The sudden sound of whistling broke Dusk’s concentration, and he had to look around to find the source. From the south, nearly too far away for him to see clearly, came a few shapes he could hardly make out in the fields to the west of the road. As they continued to approach, he could finally begin to identify some details.

Roseluck was pulling a dirt plow via a yoke across her shoulders, cutting into the dirt and leaving several lines for seeding as they marched on. Behind her came Golden Harvest, pulling a cart, with at least three foals sitting on the hitch. Heavy bags of seed filled the cart, and the foals were carefully sprinkling the seeds as they jabbered away with youthful joy.

"Oh, of course! They plow the road clear and plant some flood resistant plants along the road! That way they have time to seed whatever fields need the most time to grow first! It all makes sense now! They probably won't be plowing the snow from Applejack’s orchard, but their wheat fields. The orchard can soak up most of the snow melts after all." Proud of his revelation, Dusk grinned down at Barb. "So, think they'll ask us to help with seeding? I’m sure that's something I can't mess up!"

Barb rolled her eyes and poked a finger in his belly. "You? No way! You’re way too big to sit on the cart hitch. Maybe they'll ask me, I'm not much bigger than most of the foals."

Somehow feeling his pride had been poked, Dusk turned up his chin and marched on. "We shall see about that, Barb!"

The rest of their walk was mostly quiet, save the occasional wave to the passing teams of ponies plowing up the dirt and planting seeds. Much to Dusk's relief, it became clear there were at least a dozen teams working to seed both sides of the road, meaning each simply went at their own pace, meaning you never knew what face would pass next.

Approaching the freshly painted gate of Sweet Apple Acres, Dusk could guess what Big Mac must have been up to lately. Besides the gate's fresh paint, the farm yard had been plowed, and ruts in the half-mud half-frozen ground told him Granny Smith's hip had been bugging her again, since only her wheelchair left ruts like that. He could hear the distant sounds of what he could only estimate to be more than a hundred ponies at work, chatting away in easy conversation.

Cresting the hill between the apple orchard and the wheat fields, Dusk finally got a great view of the astounding work and impressive progress the veritable army of earth ponies had already made. Every farm he could see was outlined from his vantage point due to their plowed fields and cleared paths. Even as he watched, a hundred earth ponies crossed the Apple's wheat field, standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder, pushing snow with steel bladed plows in a massive wave. Behind the line of adults, easily three dozen different, smaller plows followed, always grouped together in threes, picking up the small banks of snow that the army had missed, or that were created when somepony had gotten off pace and left a gap in the steel wall.

Far off, near the edge of sight, easily six kilometers away, he could see the building mound of snow that was clearly the destination for the snow from the Apple's farm. Overhead, he could barely make out Flitter and Cloudchaser directing a production line of pegasi, one team dive-bombed the growing snow bank with clouds, soaking up as much snow as the cloud could handle before passing the engorged clouds to a pony of the second team, who carried the fat clouds to the west, somewhere near the border with the Everfree. They returned with empty clouds, and gave them back to the first group, the process labor intensive, yet he couldn't see any snow piles at the other neighboring farms, proving the process worked.

Three fillies with smaller plows passed below the ridge of the hill he stood on, and Dusk recognized Apple Bloom and two of her classmates. Descending the hill to join the filly, Dusk called out. "Hey there, Apple Bloom! It must be good to see the farm ready for spring, right?"

The filly, looking up at him waved excitedly but kept pushing her plow in line with her classmates. "Oh! Dusk! But we’re way behind! Cousin Caramel and the team they sent with him haven't returned from the seed barn yet! And we gotta plow the dirt next, and then there’s-"

Laughing a little, Dusk matched the foals pace and gave Apple Bloom a squeeze on her shoulder. "Calm down, calm down. You're doing great, no reason to work yourself into a tizzy over nothing! How about I go talk to AJ and see if I can offer some help?"

Excited, the filly pointed to a makeshift repair area at the edge of the field. "AJ is over there with Aloe and Lotus. She's trying to fix a few of the busted plows while they run orders to keep everypony else working on schedule. Good luck, Dusk!"

Waving to the filly and turning towards the makeshift repair area, Dusk could see Aloe suddenly step out from under the tin roofed 'shed', turning towards the main road she took off at a run, going directly through the unplowed snow as if the knee-deep snow didn't bother her for a moment. As she disappeared into the distance, Lotus came jogging out from the great line of plows, waving at Dusk as she reached his side and slowed her pace. "Why hello, my dear Mr. Magistrate! You picked a good time to visit! We are just mopping up the snow before the dirt plowing starts! Half the team moves the plows to the next farm while the other half plow the dirt; much easier than the heavy snowplowing!"

Laughing at her playful creation of an odd nickname out of his title, Dusk pointed to some of the thin lines of snow that still needed cleaning up. "Well, hopefully Applejack has an extra plow to spare, I could use the exercise and it would be a pleasure to show I can help."

If he'd called for her, Applejack couldn't have come any faster, pushing one of the full-sized plows out of the 'shed' and into a thin line of snow that ran the border of the field. Busy with her own work, she gripped down at the wooden handle with both hands, hard enough to make the wood strain under her fierce grip. Walking the plow a few feet with only a mild grunt of effort, she gave a satisfied sigh and wiped the sweat of intense concentration from her brow, at last noticing his approach. "Dusk! It's about time you showed! I could've used your help repairing that buggering plow’s wheel! You could have just magicked the oil in place instead of me having to break off the bolts that had fused up!"

Laughing a little and holding Applejack's hand as she climbed out of the freshly repaired plow, Dusk enjoyed the smell of her hair as she leaned over him, and for a moment their eyes lingered-

Clearing her throat loudly and aggressively, Lotus cut in on the quiet moment. "Big Mac is taking a few of the stallions to bring the carts to the far side of the field to start loading up the plows, AJ. He wanted to let you know that once they move them to the next farm, they'll be heading to town to grab lunch from Mrs. Cake. Mac promised to see what was taking your cousin Carmel so long."

Their intimate moment destroyed, AJ and Dusk both snapped back into professional mode, Dusk taking his time to inspect the snow plow’s rather simple mechanics while Applejack walked off in a lazy circle with Lotus talking water tables, soil fertility, and other farm factors he simply filed away and registered in the back of his mind for proper digestion when he could reference the details he only half-understood with a good book on the topic.

"So wheat in the east half of the field, peas in the west. No problem AJ. I can keep an eye on everypony here. You gonna join Mac or go check up in town?"

Bored, Barb wandered into the makeshift shed, leaving Dusk alone to investigate the plow. An easy leap brought him over the side of the plow, and after feeling around for more mechanisms, he took a grip on the push bar. For a moment his feet sank into the loose snow in the holes AJ had left behind, and as he braced himself, Dusk found the plow as mobile as a rock no matter how hard he strained against the bar.

Stopping to pant for breath, the quiet, dry laughter of Granny Smith made Dusk's cheeks flush with embarrassment, before the ancient mare cracked a grin at him and wheeled her way to the side of the plow. "Don't take it personally, sonny, even if you'd remembered to turn off the brake, you're a unicorn. Not one unicorn in a thousand has the strength to push a steel snow plow, right?"

Looking around again, he found the hand brake switch, just behind the push bar, and flicked it to the open position, releasing the pressure that held the plow still. Giving the old mare a shrug, Dusk grinned. "No, most couldn't handle it, Granny. But give me a little faith! Applejack's been working with me for months. I simply have to try and help, right?"

Cuffing him on the shoulder quite a bit harder than Dusk felt was strictly necessary and laughing warmly at him, Granny gave him a wink. "Good for you, Dusk my boy. Do AJ proud and give it your best. Celestia willing, you might make it five feet before passing out!"

His cheeks now simply burning with embarrassment at Granny's version of wit, Dusk shifted his weight and found that he was simply too far from the push bar to get any proper leverage, leaving him with no progress for all his best effort. Freeing first one foot, then another, he stepped into the knee deep snow, closer to the bar to get a better angle and bit his lip, preparing to start all over again.

Leaning into the wooden bar, Dusk ground his foot into the loose snowpack, clenching his jaw as his foot sank ever deeper. His shoulder muscles bulged at the effort, straining to handle the weight, as he put all of his effort this year to use. After what felt like an eternity, his right foot found solid ground, nearly two feet below the snow, and at last found some purchase. Sweat beaded down his neck as he continued what now felt like a futile attempt to force the plow to move, driving his left foot deep into the snow a few feet in front of his already buried right foot.

A sudden cool pressure on his neck nearly made Dusk stop, but he ignored it, pressing against the unresponsive boulder of a plow. Applejack's bare hand squeezed his shoulder as she tried to get his attention. "Dusk, sugarcube, stop. The plows are just too heavy for you. We worked hard this summer, but you can't do it, so don't strain yourself, you'll pull a muscle!"

Unwilling to surrender, Dusk continued his futile battle with the stoic plow, hissing for breath between his teeth. "She's right, Dusk. Look at Apple Bloom. She's nearly a foot shorter than you and the plow they got her pushing is half the size, and you know she's stronger than you are already." Dusk ignored his own thoughts, and ordered them to refocus, like a griffon mid-hunt, on a single important point: The plow. Will. MOVE.

His left foot impacted with the ground beneath his body, finding purchase at last, and he recalled the long summer with Applejack. Hauling wood from deadfall trees, carrying apple barrels and loading the cart, dragging the wooden sledge plow across a fresh field to break the dirt. Hissing for breath, he leaned into the wooden bar, his fingers squeezing down and his eyes shutting, as he poured himself into this one single act.

A voice, familiar only because he had met its owner twice in the last 24 hours, called out. "By jove, is it... did he really get it moving? Jolly good show, Dusk!"

As if the newcomer's words were the last pound of pressure needed, Dusk felt the plow shudder at long last, and the wheels moved, reluctantly making the first shift of a quarter loop. Seizing the hint of momentum, Dusk ripped his trailing right foot from the snow, pressing forward on his leading left, and plunged his right into the gap in the snowbank that the plow had finally cleared.

Dusk heard AJ's proud whistle, and Apple Bloom's voice cheering him on, but he ignored them, just as he ignored the jeers of the watching stallions, some going so far as to offer to help him with the heavy plow. His whole body tightening up with the effort, he pressed on, pushing the plow forward another foot, then two, finally able to at last free his now trailing left foot.

Already out of breath, and his muscles straining with the effort, it wasn't until Dusk looked back at Granny Smith as she called out at him that he realized he had made it nearly twenty feet already. "One unicorn in a thousand couldn't do that, Dusk. Guess that's why my lil' AJ likes you. You're one in a million." Winking at him playfully, the old mare cackled with laughter and wheeled back towards the farmhouse.

Shaking his head and putting one foot before the other, Dusk pushed on, glad the old mare seemed to be joking with him. "I'm glad she likes me. I get the feeling she'd make life hard for me and AJ if she didn't." Looking down at the snow, Dusk made some quick calculations, ignoring the burning pain in his back, a few inches below his shoulder blades. "If I'm estimating this right, I've got another 900 yards to go. My lungs are on fire and now everypony from Applejack to Derpy's renter, Time Turner, is watching to see if I can make it to the end of the field. Am I just creating my own disasters now?"

In the distance, Dusk heard Barb hop onto the roof of Apple Bloom's plow and begin cheering him on again. Blushing once more, he leaned onto the push bar, and turned off his brain to the pain in his muscles. "880 yards to go. Just remember: every single step counts."

Author's Note

With Winter Wrap-Up finally going in Dusk's favor, what comes next? See you soon for Part 4!

Hey guys, sorry for the wait on this chapter! I just kinda got into a rut of writing two or three paragraphs a day and never really managed to break out of it. I hope you all enjoy, and that I can produce the next chapter a little more timely.

As always, I look forward to your comments, critiques and concerns!

Chapter 11: Winter Wrap Up - Part 4

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Ponyville Town Square. 2:00pm.

Amethyst turned as she heard a distant voice calling for her. Confusingly, it was clearly somepony from town, just running up the path to Fluttershy's cottage. Giving the bunny she'd been tending to one last scratch behind her long, floppy ear, Amethyst stood up and called back to the distant mare. "I'm over here, dear. What's the matter? Has something gone wrong in town?"

Her heart riding in her throat, she began jogging through the slush, to meet the mare halfway while she began to imagine the worst possible reasons somepony from town needed her assistance. The mare rounded the last bend in the path at a run, finally free of the last of the trees on the far side of the bridge. To Amethyst's shock, it wasn't a mare at all, but Rarity’s little sister, Sweetie Belle, bolting over the bridge and to her side. "Oh, Amethyst! You just gotta come help! Rarity and half the ponies are all getting so worked up over this one nest that just won't work right, while the other half are all being super lazy and doing no work at all!"

Crossing the bridge in two steps and taking a gentle grip on the worried foal’s hand, Amethyst gave the filly a serious smile, but internally, she felt relieved. "Oh, thank The Light. Just an argument between the nest builders? Well, at least that's something simple to deal with!"

Flashing Sweetie a smile, she nodded towards town with her head. "Alright, Sweetie darling. Let's go have a word with Rarity. I'm surprised she'd get so worked up over a single nest. Is it a special request Fluttershy made for a sensitive animal or something?"

Shaking her head, distress clearly in her eyes, Sweetie Belle took comfort in Amethyst's offer of support and started to guide her towards town. "No, that's just it! I was showing Dusk how to build a nest and something just went catastrophically wrong! Then Rarity got involved trying to fix it, and soon almost everypony else got drawn into an argument on how to fix it!"

Amazed, Amethyst shook her head, calling out to Cheerilee as she followed Sweetie towards town. "Cheerilee, there is some trouble in town. Can you go assist Fluttershy with keeping everypony working while I go fix this?"

Looking up from the huddle of school-aged foals, she was introducing to a litter of young Pine Marten kits. Taking her hand from the fawn's ears and letting one of the fillies take over scratching by the biggest kit's ears, Cheerilee gave Amethyst a little wave. "Good luck, Ame! It'll be easy for me and Fluttershy to handle things!"

Sweetie's steady tug of determination on her wrist grew stronger as the filly continued to try and guide her off towards town. Worried for a second about not contacting Fluttershy personally before heading to town, Amethyst put it aside and moved to follow the intense filly. "Fluttershy will be fine! She's great with animals. A little overprotective sometimes, but how could that cause any problems when Cheerilee is there to keep her in check?"

* * *

Dusk felt like Sisyphus, pushing a boulder uphill in an unwinnable battle, doomed to start again if he slipped and lost even an inch of progress. How long had it been since Applejack had left to grab a bite to eat? He couldn't remember anymore, except how good it had felt when she squeezed his shoulder and cheered him on.

Sometime recently, he had been sure he'd seen a blur of blond and red; had it been Mac? He could have sworn he could remember some other stallion running with Mac, but neither stopped when he'd said hello.

Now his face was drenched with sweat and his legs ached with every step he took, but he could see some movement on the mound of snow before him. The distant sound of something else... was it clapping? His soaked bangs hung over his eyes and obscured his view just as badly as the rivulets of sweat running down his cheeks.

After what felt like an eternity, Dusk stopped, aching lungs burning as he forced them to take in another breath of the crisp air. For a moment, the world around him fell deathly silent, until one voice began to chant. "Come on, Dusk! Just five more feet! You can do it!

Before his brain could identify who had spoken, another called out. "Yeah, Dusk! You're so close! Just another three steps!"

Soon a chant had grown from a crowd he couldn't see through his distorted vision of the world. The growing chant took some of the shooting pain from his back, and the twinge with his every step. Shifting the leather wrappings on his hands to a drier point, Dusk clenched his teeth, and took a step, leaning into the drenched wooden pole.

The chanting voices faded away, and a rhythmic clapping replaced the voices, with a single word echoing forth as they united in that clap. "Dusk!"

He shifted his weight. "Dusk!"

He forced the mighty snow plow forward another foot. "Dusk!"

He leaned his shoulder into the bar, and ground his feet against the earth, grunting with the exhausting effort.

They all fell silent.

Breathless. Nothing left in his body to push the plow yet another inch further, Dusk realized a hand was on his shoulder, and somepony was yelling something. But he couldn’t make it out over the deafening silence. No, not silence, it was the roar of the crowd. They’d gotten so loud and surrounded him suddenly. Some hulking stallion as wide as Big Mac was tall pulled Dusk’s body from the plow and hefted him above the crowd where the roar overpowered his hearing.

One pony pushed him a flask of water, another a platter of sandwiches. Delirious with stale adrenaline and exhaustion, it took a moment for him to recognize the food, and even then he splashed himself with half the flask of water, still too out of it to think about the offered meal. Carried around by the exuberant stallion it only now dawned on him that he'd soaked the man. Still breathless he attempted an apology, "I-sorry."

Unworried or unable to hear Dusk's voice, the titanic pegasus joined in the crowds’ roaring chant, continuing to march him around the packed field.

Drenched, drunk on his own exhaustion and a little twinge of pride, and still sticky from dried-on sweat, Dusk looked around for something that he could use to help him focus on the world around him. It was only when two pegasi swooped down over the plow he was being led away from that he was finally able to see the reason they’d stopped him. He’d made it to the far edge of the farm field, to the waiting crowds who had set up lunch and watched him as he put forward a valiant effort.

Somepony was stuffing surprisingly fresh grapes into his slack jaw, and as he looked over and forced his eyes to refocus, he realized Applejack was deftly plucking them from a bunch in a bowl under one arm, before feeding them to him. Still befuddled, he shook some of the weight of exhaustion away and looked back over at her. “I… didn’t do anything that special, did I?”

Grinning at him and giving Bulk Biceps a stiff nudge in the ribs, Applejack called for a little calm. “Bulk, put him down, please? Unless you feel up to carrying him all the way home.” The giant looked a little crestfallen but complied, and heartily shook Dusk’s hand before leaning him up against Applejack. When they had a more private moment, she led him to a secluded edge of the nearby orchard so they could finally talk. “Dusk, besides Bulk, you don’t see many unicorns or pegasi here, do you?”

Taking a moment to look around, Dusk realized that she was right, and gave a little nod, too tired to speak and too busy enjoying the cold, but joyful tingle of fruit in the back of his throat every time he bit into the grapes she continued to feed him. He hardly realized she was walking him in slow circles until she stopped a moment to give a gesture to the nearly ninety ponies who were just starting to clean up what must have been a massive lunch picnic. “What you did was a real inspiration to them, Dusk. You showed them a unicorn half the size of most the stallions out there still had the heart to try and help out. They’d have loved you for even trying. The fact you really managed to do it? That’s just the fermentation in the cider!”

Looking back again at the trail he’d made as she started making him walk again in small circles while moving his arms and stretching his back, Dusk suddenly grinned a little. “You’re making me cool down, like when you take Dash for a few quiet laps around town after she’s run all day, aren’t you?”

Winking playfully at him, she leaned in close, her whisper having a teasing edge to it. “Maybe I am. Or maybe I just like the smell of a hard-working stallion? You be the judge.”

Accepting another flask of water, Dusk drained it, enjoying the cool water properly this time, but didn’t argue when she made him give it back and return to walking again, this time towards town. “Just… just as long as they don’t expect me to do that again every year?”

Applejack squeezed his shoulder, half supporting his weight while she rested a hand on his far hip. “Next year you could probably get away with pushing one of the foal’s plows, and nopony would give you any guff. Now let’s start heading to town. Nearly all the pegasi have gone somewhere, and those left don’t have a clue what the new orders are. Plus, Mac’s been missing since he went for the lunch order. Between those two, I wonder who's causing more trouble. Come on, let’s go grab Barb. I’ll carry her and you if I have to.”

* * *

Amethyst pulled Rarity away from the table with both hands around her hips, lugging the mare’s body while the rest of the crowd simply ignored them and filed in to fill the newfound gap left in their wake.

Breathing hard, but finally free from the press of bodies and constant barrage of ponies shouting out ideas, Amethyst set Rarity down once they got around the corner of her boutique. Agitated, she panted in an attempt to catch her breath while still trying to find out the source of their commotion. "So, now that we... that we can talk... Just what in The Light was that commotion about, Rarity!?"

Straining to try and see around the corner of her house, her hands beginning to fidget nervously, Rarity looked both anxious and embarrassed at the same time. Nibbling on her lower lip, for a moment Amethyst thought the fashionista might try to refuse giving her an answer before she suddenly broke into an embarrassed ball of nerves. "Oh it's just so embarrassing, Amethyst! It's so easy to weave nests, and I've been doing it for years! But this nest? The one Dusk built? It-it's just impossible! I've asked everypony for suggestions and nothing seems to help! Today's simply a disaster!"

Watching as Rarity quickly worked herself back from embarrassment at her previous behavior into a fidgety mess of frustration and desperation, practically frothing at the mouth, Amethyst was astonished at how quickly the mare got overwhelmed. Taking a steady grip on Rarity’s shoulders, Amethyst pulled Rarity so she looked back into her eyes. ”Rarity, please tell me you didn’t just mean that. That you seriously spent half the day trying to fix one nest? Just… just rip it apart and use the pieces to build a new nest. I mean, honestly!”

Her eyes widening with shock, Rarity looked around as if hunting for something, about to press the issue, until Thunderlane’s voice overhead suddenly broke her concentration. “Derpy’s late again! Clear Skies, Star Hunter, round up two or three more of the high flyers and go look for her along the border of The Everfree; maybe the birds she’s escorting got blown off course. I’m going to go consult with Rainbow Dash, and if you can’t find her during your first pass, don’t enter the forest, come join us, alright?”

As the two pegasi saluted the stallion, Amethyst let go of Rarity and put her hands to her mouth, trying to control her growing panic. “T-... Thunderlane! You… you didn’t send Derpy so close to the Everfree alone, did you!? Th… that wasn’t on the plan!”

Turning around and looking down towards her, Thunderlane looked first shocked, then embarrassed. “What?... Well, I mean, I know you and Dash talked it over and planned for Derpy to take some ponies with her, but Sunshower proved to really be ill after all, and Candy Floss was needed to help with the snow clouds. And, well, Derpy said she was fine with-”

Overwhelmed with a pit of fear, Amethyst turned, momentarily looking back at Rarity who was watching them closely, then back to the Everfree Forest, fighting back the swelling tide of panic in her heart. “Just… Just stop it, Thunderlane! Go tell Dash I’m going to look for Derpy, IN the Everfree!”

Diving down to her side as she marched towards the forest, Thunderlane attempted to cut her off and stand in her way. “Amethyst! Stop, don’t do anything crazy! We don’t even know if Derpy is actually in the Everfree!”

Pulling her magic under her will, Amethyst stopped and stared back into Thunderlane’s eyes. Pulling the two-stone ring from her finger, Amethyst focused all of her thoughts on Derpy, remembering her smile and gentle nature, before pouring her magic into the ring. For a moment, it lifted from her hand and hovered over her palm, the light mulberry aura glowing brilliantly. Slowly, it turned around in mid-air, until the stones pointed squarely towards the forest before suddenly falling back into her hand. That was all she needed to know. Ignoring the fact she’d never tried such a spell before, Amethyst bodily pushed herself past the taller stallion, pushing aside a momentary feeling of lightheadedness, and sneered back at him. “She’s there. Alone. Go find Dash, because I won't leave my mate alone in those woods.”

* * *

Dusk was grateful for Applejack's assistance by the time they returned to town. His exhaustion from earlier had grown worse, probably made stronger due to his poor sleep the night before. For all her work to keep him from stiffening up, he still felt like he had been fed through the wringer.

Approaching Town Hall, Dusk was surprised to see no sign of anypony at all, but in the distance, a commotion of noise reassured him that ponies were still hard at work. Taking that as a comfort, Dusk took the first step onto the steps to the front doors, looking back at Applejack as she watched him, a very pensive look clear in her eyes. “If you’re that worried, send Redheart to check up on me, or Aloe, she’s the better masseuse anyways. I am sure it’s just the exhaustion and the fact that I got a little carried away.”

As if his answer settled things for her, Applejack gave him a grin. “Just go lay down in the main hall, Dusk. I’ll send somepony to check up on you as soon as they are free. If you can, get some sleep, I’m sure Pinkie’s planning quite the celebration for when we finish Wrap-Up.”

Winking at her before he continued up the last few steps, Dusk ignored his stiff muscles. “Just stop by and make sure Rarity is okay before hunting down Dash for me, please? When I left, she was very... frustrated at the nest I’d messed up.”

Rolling her eyes at him, Barb shifted her weight on Applejack’s shoulder, yawning against her hand. “You’re a master of understatements, Dusk.”

Applejack shook her head, tickling at the dragoness’ tail. “Oh, of course she’d be frustrated at something like that! I love her, Dusk, but if one little twig’s out of place, she acts like it’s a catastrophe!” Winking playfully up at him when he looked back to see if she was serious, AJ blew him a kiss before turning towards Rarity’s place. “Just go get some rest, Dusk. I’ll make sure Barb behaves. We'll have everything else dealt with before you know it.”

* * *

Amethyst was short of breath, and needed to lean against a tree while she wiped sweat from her brow, scowling at the oddly calm in the forest around her. She’d made so much progress and never saw a single hint of the usual monsters that kept everypony from the forest. The quiet was eerie, and she was sure she didn’t want to know what had driven the wild forest to hide.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in her horn, she pulled the ring from her finger again, and once more begged for the ring to direct her to Derpy, glad that the spell worked at all. Spinning in the air over her hand, the ring twisted around and hovered a moment in place, pointing towards a gap between two nearby trees.

Forcing herself to stand up and taking an extra second to steady her balance, Amethyst pushed through the last line of trees and was stunned to see a small house, its appearance only familiar because of the winter’s gossip about Dusk’s house guest while everypony gathered around the fireplace, but a pegasus she didn’t remember was just shutting the door, looking up at her. Shocked, Amethyst called out while staggering from between the trees into the small clearing. “Wait, you found her already!? Is she okay? Did-Did Rainbow Dash get things organized so quickly?! Oh, thank The Light!”

If the mare was surprised to see her, she hid it well, squeezing Amethyst’s shoulder and giving a nod towards the closed door. “Zecora is seeing to her inside, dear. Don’t worry, she’s fine. Just had a little bump on the head when she hit a tree. You’d better hurry and go see her, all right?”

Tears running down her cheeks, Amethyst gave the pegasus a tight hug, shaking with relief as she tried to regain her composure. “I... Thank you, so very much. I’m sorry, I guess I was just so worried about her… Can you-” She swallowed the lump in her throat and gave the mare a smile. “Can you please tell Thunderlane I’m sorry for getting so angry at him? Derpy’s just special to me, and if I lost her-”

The tall pegasus wrapped her arms around Amethyst again, pulling her into a tight hug and stroking a hand down the back of her head. “Oh, you poor thing. I’m sorry we worried you so much. Don’t think about it anymore. By the grace of The Light, your love is fine, and should be fine to return to town once Zecora’s checked on her.”

Amethyst felt foolish, yet the soothing touch of the mare was comforting, almost matronly. Pulling herself back together, she straightened up and gave the mare a smile. “Thank you, really. It’s by Celestia’s grace that you’ve found her so quickly!” Turning towards the house, she steeled herself and knocked gently.

Behind her back, the mare winced a little, before taking flight. Amethyst couldn’t make out what she’d muttered to herself because of the sound of her beating wings as she left. Opening the door, Zecora looked confused for a moment, waving her to enter. “What do we have here, another guest? And wearing such a noble vest. The mare’s head has been dressed; there’s no need to feel distressed.”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Town Hall. 2:15pm.

Rarity pulled the nest back from Vinyl, scowling at her. “No, don’t you get it!? I tried reweaving it! It just gets twisted up again!”

Glaring back at her over the rim of her glasses, the mare gave her an annoyed shrug, before giving up and walking away from the table, her tail’s flick of annoyance her ‘last word’ on their arguement. Just as Rarity started to smooth the tangled mess of straw again, a roar of wind overhead turned towards her as a pegasus descended towards her table. “Oh, dear Celestia, is everything going wrong already?!”

Shielding the nest with her body, Rarity didn’t realize who had landed before her until Dash’s prodding finger was matched with her voice. “So, is this why Fluttershy’s so flustered? I don’t know, the nest looks good enough to me.”

Rarity very slowly lifted off the table, glaring at the younger mare and ignoring her for a moment to smooth the slightly crumpled mess of a nest on the table before her, pouting a little. “It’s not your fault, really. It’s just that Dash doesn’t understand how important you are, that’s all!” Turning her head up, she glared at Dash again, frowning. “What are you talking about, Dash? Why is Fluttershy coming to you for help, anyway?”

Dash grumbled to herself, resting a hand to her forehead while she turned around looking at the other ponies who were gathered around and watching them. “I don’t know, she’ll catch up in a minute or two. She said we had to stop melting so much snow, they were out of nests and needed my pegasi to help move a bunch of the critters to high ground to avoid the rising water. Anyway, where are the rest of the nests? Inside your house or...?”

Suddenly very self-conscious, Rarity looked around the many tables with half-built nests and bored ponies all engaged in casual conversation or watching her and Dash. Lifting a shaky hand, she shook her head, blushing a little. “I-well, you see… It’s just, we got caught up on this project, and-I think we might have fallen behind.” Her last words were weak and very worried, as her eyes darted from Dash, to the slowly descending figure of Fluttershy.

Fluttershy fell to the ground with far less grace than Dash, gripping onto the table for support as her legs trembled and her massive breasts heaved. Turning to look with wild eyes, she held a hand out for Rarity, before dropping it to the table again, her head resting on her arms. “Dash!!! Don’t fly so fast! I couldn’t keep up~”

Dash rolled her eyes and walked to Fluttershy’s side, folding her wings up properly and smoothing some of the wilder-looking feathers as she looked up at Rarity. “But really, Rarity? You got off track? It’s not like your job’s complicated! Just keep everypony working on nests and make sure somepony takes a few to Fluttershy to keep providing safe places for the critters! Geez.”

* * *

Amethyst wiped at her eyes and rested her head on Derpy’s chest, taking care to gently hug her around the neck. Looking back at Zecora as the zebra put away her supplies, she tried to relax and smile. “So you don’t remember the mares who brought her here? They didn’t mention anything about where they found her, or anything?”

Pausing for a moment to look thoughtfully at her door, Zecora’s voice went distant, but her lips curved in a faint smile. “Both were proper ladies, but appeared to be in a hurry. The shorter mare stayed long enough to make sure there was no worry. Her hair was a silvery maroon, her skin as pale as the moon. I warned her of the beasts of the forest acting oddly, but she promised it was no problem very broadly.”

Derpy stroked fingers through Amethyst’s hair, looking embarrassed when both turned to look to her again, as if she were aware what their question was she shook her head and answered before they asked. “I still don’t remember much, Ame. I remember hearing some ponies talking while I flew around the outer edge of the Everfree, and got worried somepony had wandered into the forest by accident. And I know Dash always says not to go in alone, but if somepony was lost in the Everfree on a day like today, it would be forever before somepony noticed and went to go find them! So I just had to investigate, I couldn’t let somepony get hurt!”

Amethyst shook her head and wiped away the trail of tears on her cheeks, hushing her mate and kissing her cheek. “It’s okay, Derpy, really it is. I’m proud you were so brave to go into the Everfree Forest alone!”

Clearing her throat and giving a somewhat embarrassed shrug, Zecora gave them a smile. “Not meaning to interrupt your reunion, but cleaning up after a winter away is my form of communion. Your head should be fine, but I’d suggest a visit to the florist. Rush home before whatever has scared the wits out of the monsters of the forest.”

Amethyst winced, but gave Zecora a nod, making herself stand up, squeezing Derpy’s hand. “Do… do you think you can handle walking home now, Derpy? Zecora’s right, and it will only get worse if we wait for nightfall.”

Sitting up and rubbing at her bandaged head, Derpy gave a casual shrug and squeezed Amethyst’s hand in return before standing up. “Let’s take this as a catalyst, and head home now, Amethyst! No need to persist, I really do insist!” Giggling lightheartedly, she stood up, and took a moment to regain her balance before bowing low to Zecora, grinning warmly to her. “I dare not try to boast, but should you ever come back to town, you’ll find me a grateful host! I might sometimes accidently burn toast, but you will find my hospitality warmer than most!”

Zecora was stock-still watching Derpy closely, and Amethyst worried her lover had gone too far in her attempt to replicate Zecora’s style of speech. But at last, her lips curved upwards, then Zecora began to snicker, her dancing with delight. Soon she’d lost all control and was in a happy laughing fit, brushing tears from her eyes and struggling to squeeze out an answer. “I suppose I must submit, a dinner, I’d gladly commit.”

Taking one of Derpy’s arms and heading towards the door, Amethyst held her protectively close, waving a little at Zecora on the way out. “Really, thank you again, Zecora. And be careful out here. I don’t like how quiet the Everfree is today!”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Town Hall. 2:40pm.

Dusk lay on his back on the thick wooden bench, staring at the interlaced beams of the roof. A slow breath inflated his lungs, and pulled at stiff muscles. He exhaled with a hiss between half-parted teeth, and the pressure let go as his chest deflated. Quiet footsteps cross the room from the far side of the room, and a mare cleared her throat. “Magistrate?”

Dusk closed his eyes, leaving his arm over his head, cursing under his breath as he counted to five, trying to think of a polite way to ask the inquisitive mare to leave him be. As he reached four, she stepped in beside the bench he had stretched out on and knelt down, her hands rubbing over his calf. “You’ve been working very hard today, Dusk. I’m impressed, really.”

Opening his eyes and looking at the mare, Dusk hunted for a name to put to her face, and found himself without an answer. Deciding to simply live with admitting the truth, he smiled at her and shook his head. “I apologize, I thought I knew all the unicorn mares here in Ponyville. Are you new in town, miss?”

Laughing gently, the mare moved her hands to his other leg, rubbing thumbs into the knotted muscle of his leg as she turned to look at him, her enchanting smile reminded him of somepony, but he couldn’t place her. “I am simply visiting, Magistrate, don’t feel bad that you don’t know every mare in town. After all, any stallion who knows too many mares tends to acquire... a reputation.”

Dusk didn’t need her suggestive wording to figure out what she meant, and looked away, blushing at the fact he really could already be considered ‘that kind’ of stallion. Drawing a carefully-controlled breath, he tried to recover the situation. “You’d be right, of course, but I try to keep track of everything in town and that includes getting to know most everypony. Do you mind if I ask what your business is?... Or are you just visiting Lyra?”

His one card played, he waited a moment, watching her very calm face, in hopes of catching some change in her expression to tell him if he’d guessed right. She arched a brow at him and sat back, focusing hard until her eyes closed and a silver-blue light formed on her horn, before enveloping his legs. If her hands had soothed his tense muscles, her magic numbed them completely. Finally satisfied, she settled her hands on her legs and arched a brow, watching him. “I am Princess Luna’s advisor during the day when she’s resting. My name is Moonlight Dreamer. As for Lyra, I have yet to see her today.”

Dusk watched her closely, trying to gauge the truthfulness of her words regarding Lyra. But after considering her unreadable face, he let it drop, making a mental note to confront the mare later. “I see. I apologize, but after winter being so quiet, I began to wonder if Princess Celestia and Luna would begin to start testing me again.”

Rolling her eyes at him, she walked around him and settled behind his head, propping him up to sit forward while she ran a finger over the aching bones of his shoulderblades. “I am here for a more immediate problem. Princess Cadence is busy with some studying for her majesty, and asked if I could look into your back pain. Is it localized? Your letters never went into very many details.”

The mare’s touch was icy yet soothing as she poked at his aching shoulders, tracing the lines of pain as if she could see them. He bit his lip and tried to ignore the screaming spike of pain that shot down his spine when she touched the sensitive point just below his shoulder blade. When he’d caught his breath again, he gave a sigh. “No wonder. I apologize, but after overworking out in the field with the earth ponies today, all I feel is pain and stiff muscles. Best that I can offer is that it's been localized to two points just below the joints of the bones in my shoulder blades. The… err... scapula?”

Shifting her touch and exploring the bones in his back, she muttered quietly to herself, or did she curse under her breath? He couldn't tell for sure anymore. A soothing cold soon soaked into the bones of his back, alleviating the pain in his back, just like she’d numbed all the tension in his legs. “You have the general area correct. I need to consult with Princess Cadence, but I think you simply bruised both bones at some point in the past, perhaps your childhood? They appear to have healed, and poorly. Do you remember any accidents from your youth? I’m surprised it wasn’t part of your medical records.”

Growing sleepy from the cold, it took all of Dusk’s mental energy to even hear her, let alone answer. “I... suppose so. When… when I hatched Barb, there was a moment when incredible magic energy surged forth as I discovered my cutie mark, and what we later learned was a Sonic Rainboom burst in the air over Canterlot. Barb grew to a massive size and I was thrown hard into the wall by the backlash of magic. Princess Celestia saved me then, but I blacked out for a few days after. That… that is the only time I can remember passing out.”

Resting her cool hand to his forehead, she hushed him, and smiled gently. “Then you have an answer at last. Now rest a while. Thy pain will soon be forgotten.” Unable to fight the soothing cold and drowning exhaustion, Dusk gave her a little nod, and let his eyes close again.

* * *

Applejack couldn’t believe her luck, Dash was standing with Rarity and Fluttershy, both simply waiting for her! The fact they appeared to be arguing worried her, and she took a moment to scratch her fingers at the joint of Barb’s tail and spine to try and soothe her own worries about what must have gone wrong to get them all gathered together and arguing. Clearing her throat as she approached, she tried to break into the conversation and end their argument. “Dash, there you are! What’s happened? Why are all the pegasi wandering off? Has something happened?”

Dash rolled her eyes and jerked a thumb at Rarity and Fluttershy, who’d ignored Applejack’s question and continued to argue about nests. “It’s these two you need to talk to! Rarity fell behind on nests and now she won't let them out if they aren’t perfect, and Fluttershy won't let us melt any more snow because we don’t have any more nests to move the critters into!”

Rarity thrust her hands onto her hips and scowled at Dash, her attention pulled at last from Fluttershy to Dash. “That’s not it at all! I’ve got everypony back to work, really, I know we fell behind, but it was important to make sure we were making the nests properly!”

Fluttershy crossed her arms and lifted her head, huffing angrily. “The birds could make better nests than this if you think it’s so important, Rarity! I don’t know why we don’t just take all the hay and let them do it themselves!”

Rushing down from above, and stumbling from the speed of his decent, Thunderlane rushed up to the table, sweating hard and panting for breath even harder, but smiling a little. “Derpy and Amethyst are almost back! Zecora found her! Everything is okay now, really!”

Applejack was shocked, stepping up to the table and shaking her head. “Really? That's what this is all about! At least Thunderlane has a decent reason to be worried! I mean, who let Derpy go off into the Everfree forest alone anyways!?” Giving them no time to reply, Applejack slammed her fist down on the table. “Besides, Fluttershy, we need to start planting seriously! You can just move the critters out of the way for now, no need to pander to them just because they’re a little sleepy! If we don’t get the snow melted and the seeds in right away, it’ll start flooding the fields! Dash, start gathering your team back up, the planting can’t wait!”

Dash took two steps back from the table, throwing up her hands and shaking her head. “Hey, woah now! Amethyst’s orders said to delay melting for planting till the critters were clear of the flood fields! Besides, I didn’t order Derpy or anypony to go near the Everfree! She was supposed to take a group and go around the south end to gather the birds! I mean, geeze Thunderlane! How can you mess something that simple up!?”

Fluttershy wasn’t going to have any of Applejack’s comments, and slammed her hands down on the table between her and AJ, causing everypony to back away from the table in fright while her voice grew faintly hysterical, drowning out Dash. “Oh, sure! Just continue the melt, not like that changes anything for anypony! It’s not like there aren’t two or three hundred families of critters that might get flooded out or worse! Right Applejack?!”

Rarity snatched up the bruised nest upon the table, clutching it protectively to her chest and sneering at the others. “Stop it! You’re hurting poor Nestual’s feelings! You girls should have a little respect for others’ feelings!”

Barb had scrambled from Applejack’s shoulder and was inching away from the growing torrent of arguments. Over her head, Thunderlane cleared his throat, bending down beside her, his eyes wild with worry. “I-I thought I was bringing good news. Did I somehow make things worse?”

Barb shook her head and grabbed onto his collar. “Just… just get me to Amethyst. Dusk’s supposed to be sleeping and would probably hurt himself if we got him up to try and fix all this mess! But he trusts Amethyst, so let’s get her back here fast!”

Unnoticed by everypony else standing around and complaining, the formerly lazy ponies who had been working on building nests gave one another guilty looks, and returned to their tables, returning to their duties with a newfound fervor.

* * *

Slightly breathless, Amethyst was glad to finally see the edge of the forest, and rushed Derpy along, still really anxious to escape the uncomfortable silence of the Everfree Forest. Pushing for Derpy to go just another five, ten feet further, she finally relented when Derpy let go of her hand and clung to a lonely tree, panting for breath. “Ame! Can’t we stop!? We are really far away from the forest, and it’s not like we saw a single monster of the Everfree the whole way back!~”

Amethyst turned to look back at the forest as she let Derpy catch her breath, needing to get her own back, but she still worried about just what might be happening in the forest. Nervous, she tapped her foot on the thin path that had formed from the edge of the forest, pulling teeth across her lip in thought. Finally, when she was sure she could talk without panting for breath, but still refusing to look away from the forest, she reached over and squeezed Derpy’s hand. “Are you feeling better? I think… I think we need to tell Dusk about the Everfree. It’s… it bothers me. It has never been this quiet the entire time we’ve lived here.”

Derpy squeezed her hand in return, and that somewhat soothed her frayed nerves, but ever the optimist, her answer felt lacking to Amethyst. “Maybe the monsters that populate the Everfree are just celebrating Winter Wrap-Up too? They like holidays too, right?”

Suppressing her worry, Amethyst gave Derpy a smile and shook her head. “I’m sorry dear, but I’d still feel better after talking to Dusk. Do you think you can make it the rest of the way home or should I walk you there first? I should check up on Rarity before going to see Dusk, gotta make sure she has kept on track.”

Standing up from her tree and flexing her arms, Derpy grinned at Amethyst. “I am feeling great, Ame! Whatever was in that drink Zecora gave me really helped with my head. I still can’t remember what happened, but I’d be happy to go back to work if Dash is shorthanded!”

Amethyst winced, and squeezed Derpy’s hand again, giving a little sigh. “Just… just go home, I’ll send Dinky to check up on you as soon as I can. You need your rest, okay?”

Derpy looked like she was about to offer another disagreement, but gave a little sigh and offered her a pout. “Okay… but if you don’t come home before dark, I’ll have to come hunt you down. Can’t have you overworking yourself too much!”

Turning back to the path towards town, Amethyst followed the path, hand-in-hand with Derpy until the more permanent road opened up before them, and split off into several different smaller routes. Continuing on alone, she had hardly gone another ten feet when a voice called to her. “Amethyst! Wait! We must talk!”

Coming from the direction of the forest, the words’ dark intent sent a chill up her spine. Against her better judgement, she turned to look back at the woods, yet saw nopony in sight. Swallowing back her own fear, she called out to the empty air. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m not going back into the Everfree. I don’t care what monster is out of control or who's in trouble. I can’t handle it. No more disasters, not today!”

The beating of wings made her look up, just as Thunderlane dove to the ground and landed at a run, rushing to her side and squeezing her shoulders. Clinging to his back, Barb’s eyes were wide with terror, but she buried her head in the pegasus’ wings and shouted at Amethyst. “Well that's too bad! Because we’ve got a disaster and Dusk’s busy taking a nap in Town Hall! Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and AJ are nearly brawling over whose fault it is that they’ve all fallen behind! It’s a disaster!”

Feeling a throbbing pain forming behind her eyes, she gripped Thunderlane’s shoulders in return, her lower lips quivering. “Dusk's sleeping, now? But so much has gone wrong! Wait! What about Pinkie and the ice carvers?! They’re still on task, right?”

Looking panicked, the stallion looked over his shoulder at Barb and shook his head, peeling the dragoness from his back and handing her to Amethyst. “You catch her up, I’ll go check. Please let Pinkie have kept serious, just this once!”

Shifting the dragoness in her arms and watching as the stallion took flight in a bolt, Amethyst tried to pull herself back together. “Alright, hit me. What happened?”

Barb laughed a little with her own nervous panic, shaking her head. “What happened? What didn't!?”

* * *

The sound of the ongoing argument told Amethyst that things really were as bad as Barb had described them to be. Steeling herself and stiffening her back, Amethyst gave Barb a smile and took the dragoness’ hand, walking towards the greatest source of the noise. All around ponies had gathered, including most of the flying team, easily a hundred earth ponies, and a large part of the animal team. In the moment she paused to look over the crowd, she was happy to see that at least the nest builders were still at work, with some of the tables now piled up so heavy that the ponies working there had been forced to move to other stations while they continued to work on.

Gathered in the middle of the clearing, right before Rarity’s home, all of the leaders besides Pinkie Pie were at each other’s throats, with angry jeers and comments from their supporters that were waiting around, probably for new orders.

Letting go of Barb’s hand and putting two fingers to her lips, Amethyst drew a deep breath and whistled as sharply as she could, holding the note until the gathered ponies were all looking at her. Glad to finally have gotten their attention, Amethyst gave them a glare. “Just what in The Light are you all doing standing around here arguing?! We are in the middle of Winter Wrap-Up and you ponies are standing around instead of getting your work done!”

Everypony appeared to start talking all at once, the noise of their combined babble a torrent that Amethyst could hardly handle. Fluttershy was the loudest, her voice still hysterical. “It’s not our fault! We had to stop Dash and Applejack from drowning the critters!”

But AJ wasn’t about to be accused that way, shooting back. “I didn’t want to hurt no critters, I just wanted to get back on track! If you had just kept to schedule, we’d never have had this problem!”

And Dash didn’t improve the situation, crossing arms over her head and turned her back to the others. “Hey! Don’t blame me, Fluttershy! I did what you asked! It’s Rarity’s fault she fell behind anyways!”

Of course, Rarity wasn’t going to let anypony question her methods, even if she wasn’t very proud of her own work today. “How dare you!? I was just getting everything back on schedule until you all showed up and suddenly drove all my workers to distraction with your gripes and complaints! We’re only behind at all now because you won't leave us alone and let us do our work! Why didn’t you keep everypony focused on their own work, Amethyst!?”

Amethyst had to hold her calm, and looked from one pony to the other as she tried to answer them all before their arguments resumed again. “Now, look everypony! This isn’t the time for that! We-”

Suddenly, an authoritative tone of voice cut Amethyst off, and drowned her out. “I was hoping my amazingly inspirational speech would urge everyone to do better than last year, but now it looks like we're going to be later than ever. I mean, just look at this catastrophe! First Big Mac discovers that Caramel let the town’s emergency seed supply go rotten, then when I go to check on the ice carvers, I find they made the chunks too big to melt. Then there’s all the clouds still in the sky, the critters are still hibernating in the flood zones and don't get me started on the western birds! Amethyst, this isn't good, not at all! I thought you told me you could handle this without Magistrate Dusk Shine’s help!”

As Amethyst tried to respond to the mayor, Thunderlane arrived with a guilty-looking Pinkie Pie, a frustrated Big Mac, and a broken looking Caramel, their presence only further driving her failure home. Struggling now, and crying with frustration, exhaustion and exasperation at how everypony was blaming mistakes she could never have taken into account on her, as if she’d done these things personally, she looked up at Mrs. Mayor, and tried to answer. “But… we checked the seed supply last week! How could I know-”

Turning away from her, the mare dismissed her words with the wave of one hand. “We don’t have time for excuses, Amethyst. Oh, why did I trust one pony to lead Winter Wrap-Up!? Every year this is a guaranteed disaster!”

Like somepony had waved the white flag, everypony returned to shouting their grievances again. Amethyst’s hopes for the day dropped like a rock, and she ran, ran from the noise, ran from the heartbreak, ran for the first quiet place she could find.

* * *

Dusk had been sure he’d drifted off, but the sudden sound of painfully-sad sobbing drew his attention back and woke him again from his sleep. His body was still numb in nearly every joint, yet he forced himself to sit up and move, even when every muscle resisted any attempt to act.

As he attempted to stand, he hissed a groan, and the distant sound of sobbing had cut off. Whoever it was, he’d scared the poor mare. Standing up regardless of his stiff limbs, Dusk lifted a hand to his mouth and called out to the sad pony. “Excuse me? I don’t mean to intrude, but it sounds like something has gone quite wrong. I can help if-”

Just as he stepped away from the bench he’d been laying on and stepped through the open hall door to look towards the dark entranceway, the outline of a small form huddled by the door was all he could make out, yet he got an answer. “Oh… Dusk! I’ve simply ruined everything! First Derpy got lost in the Everfree! Then when I was gone searching for her, everypony else just fell apart! Now they’re all fighting, and it’s all my fault!”

The wave of panic shot through Dusk’s weary body, and he took three rapid steps to get to her side, ignoring his aching body as he knelt down beside her and smoothed her hair from her eyes so he could look into them. “By The Light, Amethyst, forget about the silly celebration! Is Derpy okay? Can I help search for her? Have you made sure that Dinky’s alright?”

Amethyst almost didn’t want to look at him when he brushed her hair aside, then suddenly broke down and collapsed into his arms, hugging him back and for just a moment, she sobbed again, uncontrollably. He just started trying to soothe her by running fingers down her back while she cried against his chest, when she suddenly recovered, sitting up and wiping tears from her eyes. “She’s-I mean, Zecora and some others found her and took care of her. She’s at home now. I-I was going to send Dinky home to take care of Derpy, but everypony is at Rarity’s place, and Miss Mayor showed up, angry about how badly I’d handled things when I was trying to get them back to work.”

Dusk couldn’t help himself, he scowled at the mention of the mayor. Trying again to offer Amethyst some support, he stroked his thumbs across her cheeks. “The mayor panics easily. After everything that happened before Gilda’s arrival, I’ve seen how quickly she lets things overwhelm her. If you are sure Derpy’s okay, then let's try and fix this, alright?” When she gave him a nod and took a deep breath, he began again, mentally reviewing her plan. “So, where did things go wrong? What needs to be fixed?”

As if his voice was a point she could center herself with, Amethyst closed her eyes and looked up, biting down on her lower lip for a single long and drawn out breath, before finally answering. “We need a new source of seeds if what Mrs. Mayor said about Mac’s recent discovery is true. And she also said Pinkie cut the ice too large to melt very well. The nest builders were working really hard to try to catch up, I guess they felt guilty for getting so far behind. The rest is just getting everypony back to work, really.” She looked distant for a moment then slapped her fist to her open palm. “And somepony needs to go find the western birds! Derpy didn’t have the time.”

Dusk smiled, and forced himself to stand up, gripping her hands and pulling her to her feet at the same time as he rose. “Then Amethyst, I have a mission for you. Can you do it for me, your magistrate?”

She gasped a little and opened her eyes, looking at him. She looked surprised at how he’d used the title, but he gave her a grin and she seemed to steel her spine. “Yes, Dusk. I promise I will. What do you need from me?”

“I need to find Pinkie, Mac, and Barb. I will get the ice carvers back to work, properly breaking the ponds into even pools. I suspected she was doing them wrong earlier, but I thought she simply knew better. It’s my fault and I need to fix it. I’ll need a few of the stronger pegasi who can be spared to ferry the ice carvers around. I need Mac to place an order for seeds from Canterlot; Princess Celestia always makes sure to keep extra in stock in case of a disaster like this, and with Barb’s help, we can have the shipment here by morning. I need you to get the others back to work. I don’t care how you do it, just get their attention and remember, they have made just as many mistakes as you have, so don’t let them guilt you again.”

Her jaw quivering a moment, Amethyst’s eyes darted in the direction of Rarity’s. “But… what if they won't listen?”

Dusk grinned, reaching out and twisting the door latch open as he prepared to leave. “Make them listen, however you must.” Stepping out of the door, he paused a moment in thought and grinned at her. “Oh! And get the earth ponies focused on moving the nests and critters, and plowing the ground. Planting can wait for tomorrow morning, when the shipment of seeds arrive, so redistribute the extra earth ponies to help everypony else catch up.” Slapping his fist down on the palm of his other hand, Dusk grinned at her. “If we can get them back to work, we can save Winter Wrap-Up.”

Amethyst turned to the open door, and swallowed audibly, looking out towards the quiet town. “I’ll do it, Dusk. Thank- thank you for caring about Derpy before anything else. And don’t worry, I’ll remember to get Dash to look for the western birds”

The sound of an out-of-breath dragoness rushing straight at them made both turn and look, as Barb rushed to grab Dusk’s hand. “Oh, Dusk, it’s a disaster! Everything’s falling apart and everypony’s fighting! What are we going to do!?”

Ruffling his hand through Barb’s head spikes, Dusk grinned down at her and winked at Amethyst. “Barb, we have it handled. First, I need you to take a letter!”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Town Hall. 3:00pm.

Amethyst steeled her spine and walked back towards the still-noisy boutique. Breathless ponies sat at the tables, the piles of prepared nests now spilled off the tables and formed stacks on the ground all over the open clearing. Off to the side, Bronze Feather and Nurse Redheart stood quietly talking, and she went to them first, remembering Dusk’s words. “Excuse me, Nurse Redheart, Bronze Feather, I’m sorry for interrupting, but I need your help to save Winter Wrap-Up.”

For a moment, both mares looked at one another before offering a shrug, the Nurse taking charge and smiling at her. “Amethyst, if you can fix this disaster, I’d be happy to help. It’s simply sad to constantly see Ponyville end up failing to uphold Winter Wrap-Up.”

Bronze was more casual, scratching at her arm. “If Dusk’s still sleeping, I don’t see why I can’t help. What’s up?”

She pointed first at the piles of nests and the empty snow carts the earth ponies had left behind as they arrived to join the argument. “Redheart, can you grab whatever ponies who will listen and start filling the snow carts with the nests? We desperately need to get things back on progress and showing everypony that the nests are ready would really help.”

Rather than question her, Redheart looked at the piles of nests as if seeing them for the first time and laughed a little to herself. “I never even noticed they’d suddenly gotten so hard at work. No problem, Amethyst, we can get things moving again at last.”

Bronze was watching things more carefully now, mumbling under her breath before laughing a little. “I just did a quick spot count, there has to be at least four hundred nests ready; I think they’ve got extras to spare. When did they ever manage that?”

Amethyst had no time to worry about the nest builders productivity, taking Bronze’s arm, she cleared her throat to get the mare’s attention back. “Dusk is up, and he needs your help, Bronze. The ice carvers scored the ponds unevenly. He’s currently mapping out patterns to thin out the sheets they’ve already cut. You’re a strong mare, can you grab whatever ponies you know are good at carrying things and go gather up the ice carvers? Dusk said if you all work together, you can get the ponds cleared up in no time. Just ferry the carvers from pond to pond and catch your breath while they skate.”

Marveling at her suggestion, Bronze laughed and gave her a nod. “I’ll grab a few ponies I can trust. Don’t worry, I’ll show Dusk we can get stuff done when he trusts us!”

With that reassurance, Amethyst shook Bronze’s hand, wincing only a little at her strong grip. “Oh, and can I borrow your whistle? It’ll help.” When Bronze handed over her military brass whistle, Amethyst clutched it tightly, and muttered to herself, looking around again. “Then that leaves only Big Mac to find before I face the others…”

As if she’d called him, the giant stallion tapped her upon the shoulder, a worried look in his red eyes. “What can I do? Carry the first load of nests?”

Shocked at how he had seemingly melted out of the background, Amethyst grinned up at the stallion and patted his hand. “No Mac, Dusk needs your help. He says he can have an order of seeds ready to arrive on the morning train from Canterlot if you just tell him what he needs to order. He is with Barb at the Town Hall, working on a letter for mail as soon as you tell him the figures we need. Okay?”

For just a second Mac looked suddenly relieved as she took the weight of his worries from him, offering a solution to what had clearly concerned him the most. Then just as suddenly, he stiffened up again and gave her a grin. “Seeds? I know exactly what we need. Dusk’s at town hall?”

Amethyst gave the stallion a nod, squeezing his hand as firmly as she could. “He is. Can you hurry?”

Mac winked at her, grinning a smile of bright white teeth. “Eeyep.” And then he was off at a jog that turned into a run after three strides longer than she could jump, and soon burst into a gallop she knew she’d never be able to match.

Taking a breath to steady herself, Amethyst looked to the squabbling bunch gathered around Rarity’s house. This time, she was ready for them. Her fingers stiff on Bronze’s whistle, she drew it to her lips. It didn’t take the full note to get everypony's attention this time. The ear-piercing brass whistle blew out with such strength that many staggered away from her and slapped hands over their ears to shield themselves from the sound. But Amethyst didn’t relent until she’d run out of breath.

Lowering the whistle and panting a little, it was the mayor who stepped out of the argument, and glared at her. “Amethyst?! Why did you do that! We are trying to fix your mess.”

Tightening her fist around the brass whistle, Amethyst shook her head, and raised her voice, using the last of her magic to make sure everypony heard her. “Respectfully, Mrs. Mayor, shove it. I am the head of this year's Winter Wrap-Up, and I’m going to make today a success, even if I have to twist everypony’s ear personally to make sure you all get back on task!”

Shocked, the mare staggered back a little, as did many others, amazed at how forceful Amethyst had become. No longer the sweet mare who supported Derpy from the shadows, she now stood glaring at the mayor. It was Fluttershy who spoke next, her tone full of worry, but already Amethyst’s tone had an effect on her repeated argument. “But we can’t! We need nests! And Rarity’s been busy trying to fix that one all day! The critters will freeze or drown if we-”

Redheart’s authoritative voice cut Fluttershy off, the nurse’s tone making Amethyst feel like she was simply playing leader. "Fluttershy, I am just loading the fifth cart of nests to haul to your critters. If you’re ready, I’ve already got the other four hitched up, thanks to some help from Miss Cheerilee, Nurse Snowheart, Nurse Sweetheart, and Nurse Tenderheart. Give me a moment to pull on the hitch and I’ll be ready to go.”

Turning to face Nurse Redheart, Fluttershy suddenly locked up, blushing darkly. She looked at the others for a moment, her hair falling back over her eye and helping to cover some of her obvious shame. "I-oh my. I'll be right there, Redheart!" For a moment, she shifted her bangs back again, away from her eye. Twice she tried to say something but only stammered over herself, her voice a high pitched squeak. Finally she righted up again and looked at Applejack. "I-well... I'm sorry for accusing you of being heartless."

As if a logjam in a river had suddenly been cleared, everypony’s attention turned to the five mares and carts stacked high with nests. A vibrant new energy spread through the crowd. Applejack stepped forward, her voice conciliatory, even possibly, ashamed. “No, I'm sorry for not thinking about what you were trying to get done, Fluttershy. And… now that you’ve fixed things, Amethyst, what can we do to help?”

Victory blossoming in her heart, Amethyst linked arms with the towering earth mare, and grinned up at her. “Dusk’s revised the earth pony schedule. Planting can wait for fresh seeds to arrive tomorrow. We need your help moving the rest of these nests and settling in the critters. Those you can spare should go back to the farms and finish whatever snow plowing that is left before turning their attention to plowing the dirt in preparation for seeding.”

Excited now, Dash shot around to Amethyst’s other side, pulling her into a somewhat overenthusiastic headlock/hug. “And what about us? If we aren’t melting snow, what can we do!?”

Coughing a little and fighting for some freedom to breathe before answering, Amethyst gave Dash a scowl, and the mare looked at least momentarily apologetic. “First, send a wing to find the west birds. No, make that two! We don’t need anypony else getting lost around the Everfree! Then take everypony you can spare and send them to help Bronze Feather and Pinkie with the ice carving.”

Pinkie, hearing her name called, shot to Amethyst’s side, excitedly taking her hand in her grip and jumping up and down like an excited foal. “You figured out how to fix the half-melted ponds! Oh, thank you, Amethyst!”

Amethyst let Pinke have her fun, but still replied right away. “No, Dusk is working on that. You should coordinate with him and Bronze Feather right away.” A thought flared and she pushed the brass whistle into Pinkie’s hand. “And make sure Bronze gets this back, alright?”

Pinkie saluted her sharply, but ended up bonking herself in the head with the brass whistle. Staggering a few steps before laughing, she straightened up again. “Alright! See everypony? We can still save Winter Wrap-Up!”

All around, ponies were suddenly on the move again. It made Amethyst’s heart soar. “Dusk was right. I can make this work. I just needed to stand up when they questioned me.” As she turned, her eyes fell to the mayor who stood watching her closely, panic welled up in her heart. “Oh dear… I do hope I didn’t go too far…”

Instead, the mayor came to Amethyst’s side as the others cleared out, with their vigor renewed. Her voice was worried, and she kept looking towards the Everfree. “Amethyst… I need to apologize. I also heard about Derpy on the way here, but after so many years of failed Winter Wrap-Ups, I just… I suppose I got carried away…”

Amethyst looked past the mayor, finally seeing little Dinky, who sat at a corner table, still quickly building yet another nest. Amethyst turned and smiled back at the mayor, shaking her head. “I should apologize, Mrs. Mayor. You were simply trying to fix my mistakes and get Ponyville back on track. Can we just let bygones be bygones and forget about today? I need to get Dinky home to her momma. I’m afraid we all have had a long day and might have said some things we didn’t mean.”

The elder mare gave her a smile and nodded, stepping out of the way. Exhausted, Amethyst walked to Dinky’s table and gently picked up the filly’s last nest, inspecting it a moment before smiling down at her filly. “I’m sorry hun, but we need to go home. Other ponies can finish the nests, your momma needs you. Okay?”

Worried, the filly sat up, biting down at her lower lip. “I- what’s happened to momma?”

Drained, Amethyst needed a moment to answer, yet it was Rarity who stepped in. Looking deeply ashamed of herself, she tossed the ruined nest onto Dinky’s table and gave the filly’s cheek a stroke. “She’s fine now dear, she just needs your company. If you’d like, I will make you three some dinner so you can all rest up a little. You’ve been working far harder than I did all day, Dinky, and I want to apologize for leaving so much for a filly to accomplish.”

Amethyst locked eyes with Rarity, and for a moment both were silent. It was Dinky who broke it as she pulled a single long strand of hay from the nest, gasping with wonder as the strand simply went on and on for what felt like forever. Yet as it came loose, the nest evened out, and smoothed into a somewhat ratty, but otherwise serviceable nest.

Gasping with joy, Sweetie Belle clapped her hands and hugged Dinky tight. “So that’s what was wrong! You’re a miracle worker, Dinky!”

Amethyst watched the fillies’ joy as they decorated and filled out the nightmare nest, and reached over, squeezing Rarity’s hand. “I think we could use that dinner, Rarity.”

Swallowing hard, Rarity gave a nod and watched the girls, her voice joyful and sad at the same time. “A foal-” She needed a moment, and wiped tears from her cheeks before continuing. “A foal who can fix that mess of a nest should have it to keep. Maybe you can get some birds to move into your yard.”

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Dusk’s Library. 9:15pm.

Bronze felt tired as she pushed open the door of the library, and enjoyed the wave of warmth that met her as she stepped inside. The cracking sound of wood drew her to the fireplace, and her heart jumped when she saw Dusk sat alone on the couch, watching the flames dance. Unable to help herself, she lingered at the entrance to the room, worried she might be interrupting something if she spoke. Outside, in the distance, the sound of celebrations and a party told her those who had the energy had gone to join Pinkie’s post Winter Wrap-Up extravaganza.

Dusk broke the quiet, his voice distant, worn out. He held a cup of tea in one hand and sipped from it just before speaking. “Not in the mood for the party? Pinkie is always able to make one fun even after a hard day like today.”

Still leaning against the door frame, Bronze shook her head. “I got to spend plenty of time with Ponyville today. It was fun, but I don't need a party to get to know ponies better right now.” She found her eyes lingering on the mostly empty couch, and couldn’t help but ask him a question. “No Barb?”

Draining the last of his cup of tea, Dusk shook his head and set the empty teacup to rest on a coaster. “She said I got her up too early and went straight to bed after a hot shower.”

Stepping into the room, and preparing herself for rejection, Bronze slipped onto the free part of the couch, careful not to sit on the blanket Dusk had placed over his lap. When he said nothing, she put her hand on his, and squeezed gently. “You tried really hard to help out everypony in town today.”

Dusk gave her a nod, but didn’t say any anything.

“You could have come and straightened the mess out for Amethyst. She looked so scared. Even when she was telling the mayor to jump off a cloud.”

Dusk’s hand squeezed hers in return, but he didn’t look away from the fire, his voice was very distant, and equally quiet. “But I didn’t.”

Bronze blushed as she felt his hand tighten, and she scooted closer, her head lowering to rest on his shoulder. “You didn’t. Because you trusted her to get it done? Or because she needed to stand up to everypony, even if it scared her witless?”

Yawning broadly in the silence of her question that hung in the air, Dusk took what felt like a lifetime to finally answer her, his free hand pulling some of the blanket out from under his body while he spoke. “Why can’t it be both?”

Bronze somehow felt that was the best answer, and didn’t argue with him, her eyes slipping closed as she snuggled into his neck. The smell of his tea had been bugging her, and she finally had to ask. “Do you always drink such a strong muscle relaxant? I know today was hard, but you’ll never feel properly rested if you’re always drinking tea that makes you sleepy.”

Dusk yawned, but shook his head, tossing the loose end of the blanket so it settled across her body, and tucked the hand she still held under the covers, to hug her around the hips. “I think Nurse Redheart upped the dosage again today. It helps with my backache.”

Worried, she opened her eyes, looking up at him. “Backache? But you’re so young, why-?” She cut her question off as she realized he’d fallen asleep as she spoke. Squeezing his hand against her belly under the blanket, she leaned into him again, and enjoyed the warmth, his gentle breathing and the hug of his arm. She’d worry about his back tomorrow. Tonight was too special to ruin. Eventually, she too fell asleep.

* * *

Friday, March 24th, 1701 AFE. Bonbon’s home. 11:15pm.

Lyra laughed with Bonbon, but helped the drunken mare through the door, ignoring the way they pressed against one another. Clinging together, glad that the intoxicated mare wasn’t the kind with roaming hands when somepony was helping them home, Lyra continued to guide her along. Leaning against the door of Bon’s room, shi had to juggle the mare from one arm to the other to get a hand free to open the door, and from there, they staggered inside.

The bed was what defeated hir, as it was simply too tall to simply let hir landlord/recently-new friend fall into. Scooping the drunk up under her knees, Lyra lifted her up into the air, and suddenly found hir mouth inches from the mare’s half-open shirt and the sweet scent of candy that Bonbon used for perfume.

Moaning a little, Bon shifted in Lyra’s grip and thrust her chest into hir face, her voice incoherent but ending with a giggle. Finding hir willpower tested, Lyra leaned in a little as shi settled the mare down in the bed and used the excuse of pulling blankets over the mare to take a second whiff of the scent shi found far more appealing and intoxicating than the drinks they’d shared before.

This time, Bonbon’s voice wasn’t so hard to understand, and Lyra froze just as shi was about to step away from the bed. “If ya wanna stay, there’s room for two… and it’s warmer than sleeping alone~”

Hir heart in her throat, Lyra watched the drunk mare, as Bonbon's hands inexorably reached for hir face, and pulled hir into a deep kiss that lingered for a painfully long time. Aroused, Lyra felt hir body harden and respond in ways shi’d not considered in months. They’d never gone into sexual matters, not after Lyra’s outburst at the spa.

Against hir body’s demands, Lyra tucked in the mare, and pulled hir mouth from the kiss, letting hir lips linger by Bonbon’s ear. “Not tonight, but thank you for the offer. Maybe sometime when you… we aren’t so drunk?”

Laughing drunkenly, Bonbon patted hir cheek, and blew hir a kiss. “Okay~ Then we should try again next week! You’ll see, I’m good company~”

Resisting the urge to go back every step of the way to hir room, Lyra let hir tongue dart over hir lips, enjoying the echo of Bonbon’s taste. “Just like sweet candy.”

A black piece of paper stuck out from under hir doorway by only a quarter of an inch, but the magic that came from it was so powerful Lyra could have seen it in the pitch black. Swallowing back hir lust and drunken thoughts of debauchery, shi unlocked hir door and used the excuse of smoothing out the mat before hir door to snatch up and hide the black fold of paper from sight.

Only when shi was safely inside, with the door locked, keyhole plugged, and windows shuttered, did Lyra finally sit on hir bed and use the spell Silk’s unicorn assistant had taught hir to safely open the letters seal. Inside, the black paper held only three short lines of text. “The eaters come on Thursday. The fencer on Friday. Prepare.”

Author's Note

And at last, Winter has finally been successfully wrapped up!

Next, comes Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century!

Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 2

Wednesday, March 30th, 8 am. Dusk Shine’s Library.

Derpy couldn’t believe how different Ponyville felt with the winter snows gone and nearly a week of sunshine to liven everypony’s spirits. During her morning trip to the train station, she must have seen fifty ponies out and about, and everypony just glowed with vibrant energy; it was nearly enough to make a mare jump for joy.

Placing the last three packages from Canterlot into the mail cage, Derpy snapped the lock in place and scooped up her bag, straightening her hat before she reopened the mail shed door. After all, a mare had to look professional when delivering the mail! Sorting through last night’s deliveries, she stopped to smile a little. “Hey! This one’s from AJ’s cousin Braeburn! He hasn’t visited in ages. I should get it to her, quick. I’m sure she’ll be giddy to hear from her cousin!”

Turning away from the train station, Derpy continued to organize the mail in her sack as she walked, humming quietly to herself. The sudden wicked beat of wings overhead was only a minor distraction until a stallion’s voice called down at her in tones she didn’t like, not one bit. “Hey, you! Mailmare. Yes, you! I’ve got an important letter from Princess Cadence for the local magistrate. Just where is his manor? And how come you ponies don’t have a proper office set up? I’ve flown two laps around this little village and can’t even find your landing pad!”

Against her better nature, Derpy felt the sudden urge to snap at the stallion, but the flashy colors of the royal mail made her pause, and hold her tongue. After all, she had a similar uniform in the closet at home, and she knew the kind of respect ponies were meant to give that outfit, even if this stallion appeared to have let that go to his head. Pointing towards Dusk’s library, she called back up to him. “The magistrate? You mean Dusk? His home is the tree house, can’t miss it, it’s also the town library. But I don’t recommend trying to land on his balcony. It goes straight into his bedroom and you might get your neck rung if Applejack or Rarity stayed over last night. Need me to guide you, or-”

But the cocksure stallion hadn’t been listening, instead turning around in place to follow the direction she pointed, and as soon as he’d sighted Dusk’s home, he’d shot off in a blitz of speed. Shrugging at the ignorance of some ponies, Derpy returned to her happy stroll in the sunshine, a whistled tune quickly returning to her lips.

* * *

From his seat at the kitchen table, Dusk could just hear the sound of Barb's cry of shock as the bathroom door opened. About to gladly abandon the disturbingly bland breakfast meal plan that Nurse Redheart had cooked up and ordered Barb to make him eat "until further notice", it was the ridiculous conversation between mare and dragoness that followed that convinced him the meal before him was more interesting.

"Bronze!!! By the Light! Why didn't you put a shirt on!? This isn't some kind of brothel or day spa!"

Bronze in turn sounded bored in reply as she closed the bathroom door. "What? But my room’s like ten feet away, and it's not like anypony else is around this early in the morning."

The dragoness sounded frustrated or flustered and Dusk could hear her hurl the laundry she was carrying to the ground. "That's not the point! Besides Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo, who visit often enough, Dusk’s in the next room! Or are you hoping he'll come look?!"

The sudden sound of brisk knocking from somewhere upstairs made Dusk look up from his breakfast, glad for something to interrupt the argument in the nearby hall. Clearing his throat to be heard over the women, he called out, “Is… is that somepony knocking on my balcony door?”

Bronze fell suddenly silent in mid-sentence, but as Dusk strained to make out the distant noise, he could still hear her now near-whispered retort. "Why didn't you tell me he wasn't in the library!? Why is he in the kitchen!? Barb, I just about walked in there, and I'm practically naked!”

Barb, without a hint of pity in her voice, called back at Dusk. "Good thing Rarity went home with Sweetie last night, I’ll go find out who it is, Dusk! And as for you, maybe next time, you'll remember to put a shirt on before you eat. Just ‘cause Rarity and AJ aren’t here, doesn’t mean everypony here wants to see you strutting around naked!”

As Barb stomped off upstairs Bronze muttered back hotly. "I think you're just jealous because dragons don’t grow breasts.”

Shaking his head, Dusk bit into the fresh grape that Barb had managed to find somewhere, enjoying at least a little of the salad he seemed doomed to spend the rest of his life eating. Unable to help but correct Bronze’s comment, he lifted his voice to be sure the mare could hear him. “Could you please go easy on Barb, Bronze? She is still getting used to me having so many mares in my life, when it used to just be the two of us and maybe an occasional visit from Shining, Princess Cadence or Princess Celestia. And actually, some female dragons of anthro species do grow breasts, but they tend to be very small, and only in the seven known species that give live birth.”

From the other side of the wall, Dusk could hear Bronze muttering quietly to herself, trailing off as she sharply slammed her bedroom door closed. Shrugging to himself, Dusk returned to his breakfast, picking again at it quietly.

As the knocking had fallen off while he had talked to Bronze, Dusk was beginning to wonder just what was keeping Barb so long. He strained his hearing to the limit and tried to use his magic to extend it into his bedroom. Finally finding some success, Dusk could just make out Barb's self-satisfied voice. "And maybe next time, you'll wait outside until you're invited in!"

Any questions he had were violently cut off as a horrific bang shattered both his concentration and his spell. Ears ringing from the incredible noise, Dusk defensively covered them with his hands as a violently throbbing and quickly-spreading headache set in. "Dear Celestia, what was that!?"

A comforting hand on his shoulder came as a shock, and Dusk would have jumped from his seat at the table if it wasn’t for Bronze’s strong grip. Twisting to the side to look up at her, he realized her lips were moving, but it was a struggle to make out what she was saying over the constant ringing. Releasing his ears, he jerked a thumb towards the staircase. “Bronze, what was that loud banging noise?! Is Barb okay?!”

Bronze winced as he questioned her, and cupping her hands around her mouth, she seemed to shout, and Dusk was finally able to hear her over the ringing noise. “What noise, Dusk? You just started shouting all of a sudden. Is everything alright?”

Groaning a little, Dusk tried to ignore the ongoing ringing in his ears and his growing migraine, taking advantage of Bronze’s distraction to stand up and turn to leave the room, but Barb entered with a pegasus stallion in the royal messenger’s uniform and a look on his face that Dusk could read like an open book. Addressing the little dragoness, Dusk remained worried, but was buoyed by her boastful grin. "Barb? What was that banging noise upstairs? My ears are still ringing, but Bronze says she didn't hear anything."

Freezing mid-step, Barb looked up at Bronze then back to Dusk, unable to hide her worry. “I, err, what? No, no really loud noises. Me and Gilded Parchment here had a bit of an etiquette lesson, but he caught on and went back out onto your balcony and came to the front door, like a proper messenger. I-I suppose I did slam your bedroom door a little hard. Why, are you okay? You’re talking kinda loudly.”

Dusk took a moment to look at the cowed royal messenger in his brilliant crimson uniform, using the time to piece together what Barb had said. The ringing noise in his ears was finally dying down and he could make things out better, but Barb had been soft-spoken, and he was glad to have the stranger as an excuse to collect himself. “I suppose that’s what I get for using a hearing spell without properly researching it first; at least I didn’t do any permanent damage.”

Realizing his lack of answer had the dragoness fidgeting with her tail, Dusk stepped to her side and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Sorry, Barb. I guess I learned my lesson to not spy in on anypony.” Grinning down at her, Dusk didn’t remove his hand from her shoulder, and turned instead to face the messenger, his voice more official. “Barb said your name was Gilded Parchment? You’re a royal messenger by uniform, but not mine, nor one of the ones normally used by Princess Celestia or Luna. Are you new? And why’d you come to my balcony rather than the front door?”

Looking thoroughly sheepish, the stallion latched onto the one fact Dusk had mentioned and clung to it like a life raft. “It’s- That is, I’m a new messenger working at Canterlot Hospital, but Princess Cadence needed me to deliver you a letter on her behalf, magistrate! She’s only ever given me two letters before, for her majesty, and I was always ordered to deliver them directly to her balcony. I-I just thought that was how you all liked to have your letters delivered. Then the dragoness nearly bit my brand new boot off, and she kept yelling and breathing fire, and, well, I-I apologize, sir.”

Glaring down at the all-too-casual dragon who was playing innocent and pretending he wasn’t holding her shoulder, Dusk understood at least some of why the stallion had gotten so worked up. Releasing Barb, he rolled his eyes at her, but tried to remain polite, giving the stallion a nod. “I apologize, things have been tense this morning, and I’m sure Barb only bit your shoe out of respect for the fine workmanship. What is Princess Cadence’s message?”

Excited now, the stallion swiftly unhooked the letter scroll from the gold hooks on his suit just below his breast, kneeling down before Dusk and offering out the sealed roll. Just as Dusk reached for it, Bronze stepped in between them, snatching it up herself, a wicked glint in her eye. “Sorry, magistrate, but an unknown stallion delivering an unknown message? Sounds like something you shouldn’t handle until I’ve checked to make sure it’s safe.”

The stallion, clearly growing heated at the sudden interruption of his formal duties, attempted to both stand up, and snag the letter back from the mare, but Bronze had expected that, and kept it at arm’s length while gripping his right wrist with her free hand, twisting it around behind his back and up until his fingers nearly touched his hair. Her voice was calm, but sharp. “As Dusk’s Vicarius, I can’t let him risk it. Behave and let me read, and I’ll let you go without breaking your arm, colt.”

Suddenly realizing how much trouble he was in, even if he clearly didn’t know what her title meant, the stallion went very still, staring wide-eyed up at Dusk as he began to formulate his words quite carefully. Meanwhile, Bronze expertly used one hand to pop open the sealed scroll case, and slid out the letter, reading under her breath as she still held the stallion’s arm at what looked to be a rather painful extension. “I-Forgive me, magistrate. I didn’t mean any offence, it’s just-I’ve never had anypony check to make sure royal mail was secure before. Your… head guard? Is clearly a talented mare.”

If his attempt at flattery, or quick-witted problem solving had any effect on Bronze, she didn’t show it, and thrust the open scroll at Dusk. “Can’t smell any poison, and nothing sharp in the case that might have been a threat. I’m sorry to say, I think he is telling the truth. Oh, and Princess Cadence says she can’t come this week.”

“What!?” Now really worried, Dusk moved away from Barb and snatched up the letter with both hands, quickly reading what little had been written and glaring at the page the whole time. The ringing in his ears had fully faded, but the headache felt like it was only getting worse.

“Dearest Dusk Shine,

Forgive me for the late notice, but I must delay my visit to Ponyville until, hopefully, sometime mid-week at the earliest. Three ponies came down with wingrott all at once in Canterlot and I think we really have a chance to test my latest cure; it’s a stroke of luck we found them all before it had progressed any further or spread. Can you also apologize to Scootaloo for me? I know how much she has been looking forward to my visit; we couldn’t spend much time together when I was there before Hearth’s Warming, and I know she wants to show me the tricks Dash has been teaching her. I promise as soon as I’m cleared of quarantine, I’ll reschedule with you both immediately.

Forever your adoring foalsitter,

Cadence”

Groaning a little, Dusk squeezed down at the bridge of his nose to distract himself from Cadence’s words. He had been hoping her visit might at least save him from the diet plan if nothing else. Folding up the letter, Dusk passed it to Barb, and fished a silver bit from his money pouch, momentarily testing the alarm spell he’d placed on his money pouch out of habit to make sure he didn’t need to renew the aging magic. Looking to the stallion, Dusk offered the silver bit with a smile. “Thank you for your swift flight, Gilded. You did a good job. In the future, I suggest you spend some of your downtime researching the more obscure titles, as some of the nobility use rare ones to confuse ponies who aren’t familiar with the odder ones. Bronze, if you could release him and see him on his way back to Canterlot?” He looked over to Barb who had taken to reading his letter as well, clearing his throat to get her attention. “Barb, I’m quite done with breakfast. If you could brew me up a pot of Nurse Redheart’s relaxation tea, I'd be grateful. Use the stronger stuff you keep hidden under the sink, where you think I haven't checked. I’ve suddenly got a very bad feeling about the rest of this week and think I should take my nurse’s orders to go lay down occasionally.”

* * *

Thursday, March 31st, 11am, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Fluttershy happily hummed to herself, picking the first of the small green and red apples from the little tree. Watching as Angel helped out by watering the other beds in the greenhouse, she giggled a little at him, calling out. “First, we get five whole apples, next we’ll get some carrots for you. Wouldn’t that be nice, Angel Bunny? I must remember to thank AJ for her help in finding the right seedling for my greenhouse. I don’t think I’d ever have so much success if it wasn’t for her…”

Scowling in a way she found simply adorable, Angel continued down his line, muttering openly. “Yes, thank AJ. It’s not like she waters it every second day, or trims the dead branches, or helps hunt the pests all winter long.”

Depositing the small basket of what little ripe fruit the greenhouse had produced, Fluttershy returned to Angel’s side, scratching a finger soothingly between his long and floppy ears. “Oh, come now Angel! AJ comes and checks up on things once a week, and you have to admit, it’s nice she takes so much time out of her usual work to help us!”

Unable to stop the rhythmic thumping of his foot at her scratching, the bunny gave her a mild glare, but let it pass, nodding a little. “Sure, sure. At least she’s better than Dusk. All he does is drag you to dangerous places and cause trouble.”

Blushing to herself, Fluttershy gave a happy sigh, feeling almost wistful for a moment. “Oh hush! He’s a great stallion. Now finish up and I’ll make lunch after I check in on some of the critters, alright?”

Grumphing but giving in, Angel gave her a little nod, turning around and returning to his work, but Fluttershy could see his fluffy little ball tail wiggle a little as he worked, reassuring her he wasn’t that grumpy.

Fetching her basket, she stepped through the double doors that shielded the fragile plants from the chilly nights. Outside, she paused on the step for a moment so she could enjoy the gentle breeze that blew through her clearing. "Well, better make sure everyone is okay!"

It was just after she had said goodbye to Mrs. Duck and Mrs. Mallard at the pond and had started making her way home that Fluttershy stopped to watch some pigeons fly overhead, when she suddenly felt a fuzzy critter rubbing itself against her ankle.

Looking down to see just who her newfound friend was, Fluttershy was astounded to see the cutest little bundle of brilliant azure blue fur she'd ever seen. Shockingly, its massive emerald eyes were even sweeter, simply begging for her attention. Watching for only a moment as the tiny creature circled around her ankles on four transparent wings that were hardly the size of its body, and so fragile, she wasn’t sure how it managed to stay aloft. A sudden, happy noise from the little creature made her jump a little, it’s shrill tone was still tender, as if the little thing was singing for her attention. Unable to help herself, she knelt down, pulling the smallest apple from her basket and holding it out to the cute little creature.

For a moment, the little creature leaned in, sniffing for a moment at the apple she offered. Worried the apple was too big, Fluttershy was about to split the apple in half when the fuzzy ball suddenly spread its maw wide open, its whole body expanding wider than the apple. Lunging forward with speed that surprised her for its tiny size and fragile wings, it snapped up the apple and without any sign of visible teeth, reduced the fruit to nothing in seconds, the meal giving the little creature the energy to fly higher, diving into her long pink locks and cuddling in against her cheek while its happy cries grew louder.

Delighted, Fluttershy carefully used a free finger to tickle at one of the creature’s cheeks. “You’re so adorable, but I’ve never seen something like you before, lil’ guy. Maybe I should take you home and see if one of old Mrs. Autumn Darling's books has a record of a creature like you. If not, well, I’m sure Dusk will be able to research just what you are.”

* * *

12pm, Sugarcube Corner.

Pinkie drew the last tray from the roaring oven, adding it to the tower of baked goods, their combined scents plunging the bakery into an inferno of heat and rich scents. Pushing the cart out to the front room, she gave Mrs. Cake a big grin. "Oven #2 is finished! Can you believe we're going to make it?!"

Double checking the still-hot muffins before taking out a pad of notepaper, Mrs. Cake gave Pinkie a quick nod, though she looked far more stressed than her assistant. "Still, as much of an honor as it is to bake such a massive delivery for the castle, I wish Princess Celestia had given us a few extra days’ warning! That makes 43 dozen cherry muffins. Seven more, then start the blueberry!"

Returning to the ovens, Pinkie joined Mr. Cake as he was in the middle of loading tray after tray into the mammoth oven #2. Forced to yell so he could hear her over the roaring oven, Pinkie relayed Mrs. Cake's orders. "She said seven more dozen of the cherry, then start the blueberry! Do we start mixing the peach and cream batch now?!"

Giving a nervous laugh, the stallion resealed the massive door before taking out a spare towel so he could wipe his brow. "Not yet, Pinkie. Gotta clean the mixing bowls we used earlier first. I'm sure glad her majesty paid up-front, but I wish she'd warned us sooner!"

Picking up three of the four-foot tall mixing bowls, Pinkie happily lugged them to the sink, plunging the first one deep into the prepared water and going straight to work. "Why would more warning have helped, Mr. Cake? It's not like we could have gotten more than a six dozen at a time in Oven #4, even if it was working."

Pushing open the back door and audibly sighing loud enough, so she could hear him over the three roaring ovens, Mr. Cake lit up a smoke and stood just outside the door step, letting the spring breeze cool him off a little. Finally, he answered as Pinkie moved on to the second heavy mixing bowl. "Because we could have hired Bonbon to help, or your friend Applejack if things are quiet enough on the farm, maybe Berry Punch or Carrot Top. I'm sure that the labor board could have supplied a few more names if they weren’t all too busy to help. As it is, we're going to be working on this all night. Are you sure you're up to waiting for the train alone, Pinkie?"

Tossing the final bowl into the hot water, Pinkie grinned as wide as she could, nodding enthusiastically. "Of course! I'll catch a catnap between batches, and it will be no problem at all! Now let's go! No time to waste!"

* * *

2pm, Dusk Shine’s Library.

Something simply felt wrong, yet for the life of him, Dusk couldn't tell what it was. Picking up the books on his desk for the third time, he turned to stare at Barb from the corner of his eye as she dusted some of the lower shelves across the room.

Attempting to speak casually, Dusk cleared his throat, his voice as calm as he could manage. "Oh, Barb... I know I was having a bad day yesterday, but- well, any chance you got a little carried away and cleaned my desk while I was in bed yesterday? You know, with my headache and all?"

Ready to lower the boom on her, Dusk watched as Barb stood up, and gave him a rather concerned look. "What do you mean, Dusk? You know I only clean up plates and recap your inkwell."

“So then how do you explain how this book had been moved from here,” Dusk twisted the novel a quarter of an inch clockwise to the right, “To here?”

Rarity turned around on the step ladder, putting down her feather duster and crossing her arms a little. “Now, Dusk- That’s just being ridiculous! How could you possibly know a book got moved that little!?”

He had them! Had them both, now! Almost wanting to gloat for a moment, Dusk looked from one to the other, grinning a little bit. “Because, it’s also clearly missing approximately 37 pages!” Grinning, just a little bit at how they’d walked right into it, Dusk looked for any sign of guilt, any hint of weakness in their united front. ”Well?! Want to admit what you did, now? Did you knock it off my desk and some pages came loose and you threw them away? Or maybe you sneezed again while dusting, Barb, and accidentally burnt the missing pages? Or worse! Did you spill some tea while cleaning up and accidently destroy my copy, and went to Rarity for help, but she didn’t have a copy, but she did manage to contact her uncle Rare Quill in Canterlot, and he scoured through his extensive libraries, but he didn’t have an exact copy, so instead you had to use this one he did find and simply hope I wouldn’t notice that it was a different version of the same book, and you couldn’t remember how I had it set on the desk so you just tossed it down like this, and hoped I’d feel silly for questioning you for a book being slightly rotated a quarter inch to the right! Well? Did you!?”

Stepping down from the stepladder, Rarity put a hand on Barb’s shoulder, and gave a little shake of her head. “But… Dusk, darling~ I don’t have an uncle called Rare Quill who lives in Canterlot and owns a bookstore!”

Barb smiled momentarily up at Rarity and blushed a little, but looked back at Dusk, rolling her eyes. “Besides, Dusk! You might have a great memory, but even if you do, don’t you think it’s going a little too far to think you can guess the weight of a book? Just check the version if you think we really did change something like that! You’re making up crazier stories than Pinkie Pie!”

Dusk was about to point out how he had no problem remembering the approximate weight of any book he had carried to school over the last decade, but a voice hardly above a whisper came from the main hall entrance of the library, and derailed his line of thought. "Oh my. If you're all this busy, should I come back later?"

Dusk could tell the others had also not noticed Fluttershy’s arrival, as they joined him in looking at her as she cowered at the entranceway. Dusk's eye was drawn to the slightest movement in her hair, and so Rarity answered her first. "Not at all, darling! Come in, it's refreshing to see you in town so early in the day. What can we do for you?"

Blushing under the heavy weight of her pink bangs, Fluttershy stepped forward and lifted a hand into her thick locks, giving a sudden shocked gasp as she drew from her hair three tiny fuzzy creatures. Incredulous, she stared down at the three fragile-looking balls of fur. "Oh- my! Were you pregnant little one? Why didn't you tell me?! That's so wonderful!"

The larger of the three pressed up against Fluttershy's cheek, trilling with excitement and excitedly flapping its wings. Dusk crossed the room to her side and carefully cupped her hand from below, watching the two 'babies' who were easily more than half the size of the one Fluttershy had clearly identified as the mother. "My oh, my. Just what are these little creatures, Fluttershy?

Rarity had followed him over and instantly began to gush, clutching her hands together against her cheek. "Why, they're simply adorable!"

Fluttershy visibly relaxed and gave a little giggle. "I don't know what they are called. I checked through every one of Autumn Darling's books about rare Everfree creatures, but I couldn't find a single reference to what they are! That's why I brought her- well, them all, accidently, here. I wanted to see if you had something about them in your library; it’s much more extensive than mine."

Dusk winced a little, but the yellow creature hopped up and flew into his face, crying out in playful delight while circling his head and lightly kissing over his cheeks. Unable to help himself, he laughed and cuddled the creature close, scratching at the back of its head. "Alright, alright. I'll try my best to find something about them, Fluttershy. Did you figure out what they eat yet?"

Fluttershy had been watching Rarity playing with the brown twin, who was cuddling up in her hair and making excited, crooning noises while pressing against Rarity’s fingers. Reminded by Dusk’s voice, she turned back to him and perked up, excited, her tail wagged across her hips. "Oh! Well I didn't try very much, but the poor dear was so hungry, she ate an apple from my greenhouse before I could even break it up for her."

Impressed, Dusk lifted the little creature up in the palm of his hand, studying it closely again. "Fascinating. So small, but able to eat an entire apple? Clearly they must be all stomach. If you think they're okay to separate from their mother, I'd like to keep one to study while I look for any relevant text."

Rarity's lighthearted laughter drew their attention back to her, and to the tiny brown-furred creature that had begun to braid her hair together using its four legs. Worried at first, Fluttershy looked down to the mother, who had again settled into her hair and was making herself a nest just below her right ear. "Well, it seems that their mother isn't worried, so I suppose I can't play the one concerned for everypony. Just be careful with them; who knows how fragile they are at such a young age!?"

Laughing still, Rarity stepped over and hugged Fluttershy tightly. "Oh, don't worry so much! I simply must get this darling thing home and show it to Sweetie Belle. They are so playful! Besides, what could go wrong?"

* * *

7pm, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Fluttershy was beginning to worry. The cute little creature hadn't grown much bigger, but she continued to produce new children at two or three an hour. And she was ALWAYS hungry, eating anything Fluttershy put before her. She was glad she'd asked Dusk to look into it; she wondered just how many babies the poor thing might have before she finished her litter. "I'm just scared for her health, Angel! Nopony should have a hundred babies in a single litter, right?"

The hare, offering her his usual dismissive shrug, just carried away the empty fruit basket while muttering to himself. "Some species know better than to have no more than a dozen kids in a litter. Just ‘cause you ponies rarely have more than one or two at a time..."

The sudden knocking echoed up from the main floor, making her jump. “Oh, my! I wasn’t expecting any guests. I wonder who that might be?” Taking a moment to straighten her dress, Fluttershy waved a little at the growing hoard, her voice gentle. “You babies just stay here and rest up. Poor things, I’ll probably have to go to town in the morning for more food if you all don’t calm down soon.”

Stepping out of the spare bedroom and closing the door behind herself, Fluttershy rushed downstairs, worried her delay might convince whoever had knocked that she wasn't available to help with whatever emergency had brought them here so late.

Rushing to open the door, she didn't remember the twins who'd nested in her hair were still there until she was already opening the door, their soft private language only just loud enough for her to hear, even if she didn’t understand it yet. Internally, she whispered up at them, hoping they’d listen to her. “Just keep quiet little ones, I’ll get you back to your family right away.”

Pulling open the door, the sight of Dash and Applejack standing around and waiting so casually for her to arrive was reassuring, and was a clear sign nothing was wrong. That simple thought alone gave her a chance to catch her breath and relax, waving a little to them. “Oh, my. Hello girls! What can I do for you two this late at night?”

Dash grinned, rushing forward and cupping up her hands, squeezing her wrists, while her wings danced in visible excitement. “Well, we were over visiting Dusk and he was showing us the little buzzy fluffy bug thing you found and said you had another one and didn’t know how to take care of it. Since we had nothing to do, and he’s still busy running tests on it, we figured we’d come here and take a look at yours instead!”

Looking from Dash to AJ, Fluttershy tried to hunt for what was behind Dash’s excitement. Applejack gave her a smile and shrug. “She’s been charmed. I think it’s cause the one at Dusk’s was small and cute and hung around her ear, dancing and singing a lot. Suddenly, she’s as excitable as you are about meeting a new critter.”

Fluttershy blushed, shaking her head a little. “I don’t get that excited about new critters, do I?”

Taking just a moment to answer her, Rainbow Dash leaned in, parted Fluttershy’s thick locks and gasped with excitement. “With the way Barb talks about the first time you two meet, for sure. Oh, wow! You got two more of them?! That’s fantastic! Are they like the other one? It loved hiding in my tail and singing when I flew around!”

With the world outside her hair revealed to them, the little creatures’ conversation ended, but rather than cower in fear, they jumped free of their nest, the first one dancing across Dash’s hands and into her short cropped hair, buzzing around her ear before resuming it’s odd singsong voice, while the second casually flew over to Applejack, kissing the tip of her nose before settling on top of her hat, curling up again as if it planned to nest there. While AJ tried to act unimpressed, Dash snorted a little with laughter and carefully clutched her hands around the tiny creature, holding it close and rubbing her cheek against its fur.

Applejack stepped a little closer to Fluttershy, squeezing her hand and smiling a little. “I hardly ever see Dash this girly. Next thing you know, she’ll be asking Rarity for a dress for the Gala.”

With her bangs abandoned, Fluttershy coiled her hair around her hand and gave it a little tug, biting at her lower lip, leaning into Applejack for support. “Well… to tell the truth girls, I didn’t find more, the momma keeps giving birth to more and more of the poor little things. I’m… I’m kinda getting concerned that she won't survive, it’s been hours and she’s still not done.”

Watching one another for a moment, Fluttershy didn’t notice her two friends come to the same decision at once. Applejack reached out, gently gripping her hand and pulling Fluttershy’s attention. “Maybe we could help you out, sugarcube? ‘Least we could do is take these two off your hands. You do look a little overwhelmed, and it’s not like we couldn’t handle taking care of another critter.”

Looking to Dash, Fluttershy realized her friend was looking expectant and excited. Still feeling weary of what was happening with the mother upstairs, Fluttershy gnawed nervously at the tips of her hair. “I-... I wouldn’t want to force them on you two. And if you did take them, you have to be very careful not to let them breed. I’ve got my hands full with the litter upstairs as it is.”

Dash wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in tight and squeezing her close. “Oh, don’t be such a worry-wart! We’re glad to help, Fluttershy! And if you get a little overwhelmed, let us know, we can always help out with the new litter if you need some more hands.”

* * *

11pm, Dusk’s Cottage.

Weary, Dusk dragged his hand across his face, closing yet another book and drinking the last few sips of the tea. He didn't have to look out the window, he knew what time it was, knew how close it was to midnight. Knew Redheart had been over and lectured Bronze on his sleeping habits. Knew Bronze had left her bedroom door open when she’d gone to bed, and would likely be out soon enough to twist his ear and send him to bed. “As if Redheart’s tea wouldn’t do that by itself soon enough. But these creatures don’t make any sense! And short of dissecting this one, I can’t seem to find any hint of them in any of my books!”

Openly feeling frustrated despite his best efforts, but drugged by the rich tea, he cracked a yawn, his fingers dancing over the desk, finding the book on historical disasters that was alone in the unread pile. A sudden flare of memories fought back through his distorted thoughts. “Wait… wasn’t… in the list of chapters, wasn’t one about- about… something like... ‘The Hunger That Never Abates: The Parasprites’?”

Resisting another harsh yawn and opening the book again, Dusk forced his eyes to open and started focusing, running a finger down the line of titles for the chapters, muttering aloud to himself to keep his mind focused. “The Greatest Civil War in Equestrian History: The Batpony Revolt. The Grand Bug Empire: The Changelings. Changelings: Invasions of Equestria. Changelings: Inter-Hive Wars in Equestrian Territory. The Changelings: A Millennium of Endless Raids. The Lord of all Chaos: Discord. The Most Prideful of Warriors: The Griffon Empire. Dark Goddess of Shadows: Nightmare Moon. The Changelings’ Greatest Mistake: The Sirens. Magic’s Greatest Failing: The Smooze. Emperor of the Lost North, Sombra. The Unstoppable Hate of the Mad Lord Tirek. The True Threat to All Life: The Windigo.”

Frustrated, Dusk slammed the book closed. Giving up for the night, he turned from his desk, muttering a little to himself. “I still say the book feels lighter than it did when I started reading it last week!” Wandering upstairs to his room, the tiny buzzing noise of the fluffy critter burrowing its way into his long bangs made him smile a little, and took the hard edge off his stressed mind.

Author's Note

Yes, I did have far too much fun with the chapter titles, why do you ask? :pinkiecrazy: :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 3

Friday, April 1st, Dawn, Dusk’s Cottage.

Bronze sat alone at the kitchen table, sipping at her tea, her wings hanging over the back of the chair and lazily flexing. “Lyra was right; whatever is in this stuff, it really works wonders. I need to find a better place to hide this from Dusk; if Redheart knew I was keeping something this strong when he’s around, she’d tear out my pinions!”

Draining the last sips of the refreshing tea, she nearly jumped when a soft knock echoed from the back door. Leaping up, her whole body reacted instantly, going tense. “Just… who could be knocking this early?! And at the kitchen door?! Nopony ever delivers to the kitchen door.”

Pulling the curtain away from the window set in the door, Big Mac’s quiet smile waited for her on the other side, the placid and giant stallion waving a little at her. Still tense, but suddenly feeling a little foolish for getting so worked up, she pulled the door open and stormed outside, standing stiff before the big stallion and poking an aggressive finger into his chest. “Just what do you think you’re doing, knocking this early?! You practically gave me a heart attack, Mac!”

The stallion smiled down at her, lifting his burdened hand and offering her a heavy basket laden with fresh apples, their ripe texture making her mouth water just looking at them. “AJ said the nurse recommended Dusk eat more fresh fruit, so I picked the best of our orchard’s early crop.”

Still feeling her nerves firing off at random, Bronze took a deep breath to try and forcefully calm herself, and accepted the basket from him, feeling a little incredulous. “But… really?! Apples this early in the season? How?”

Already turning away from the house, the stallion stopped for only a moment, looking back over his shoulder at her and giving a small smile. “We’re Apples. We care for our orchard and it cares for us. Give us a week, two at the most, and we’ll have enough built up to start selling them at the market.”

A little shocked, she waved at him as he turned to move off again, muttering to herself. “If the Canterlot elite only knew just how much they relied on ponies like him…” Shaking her head and taking the basket back inside, she couldn’t resist, and picked one of the smaller apples off the pile. Biting into the fresh fruit, she gasped as the juices gushed out, dribbling down her jaw. Embarrassed, she looked around for a moment, sure she’d heard the sound of somepony on the stairs. Her mind turned to how much fun it would have been if Dusk were to come downstairs and join her…

Pushing away those dirty thoughts, she rushed to wipe off her chin and left the basket on the kitchen table. Turning to leave, a delighted trill pulled her attention back to the table, where she saw the little fluffy bug creature that had occupied Dusk so much last night. She grinned at the creature, and placed her apple before it, gesturing to the creature. “Go ahead, enjoy this one, I’m late for my jog. I’ll have another when I get back.”

Bronze Feather watched the little creature gobble up the fruit she’d offered it, cooing its delight. Stepping out through the kitchen door to start her jog, she laughed a little at the sight of the creature snuggling up with the basket. “Little thing has good taste, and a massive appetite, that’s for sure.”

* * *

6:20 am, Apple Farm.

Applejack took great care, rubbing her bare palm over the tree's trunk, getting a feel for its weak pulse, talking softly to the sickly applewood, her tail flicking with the worry she was holding in. She'd been out here every morning, caring for the orchard for three weeks, well before Winter Wrap-Up, but something had snuck in under her watch and irritated a number of the orchard's otherwise healthy trees.

When she felt the calm feeling of a healthy tree echo back from the very furthest roots of the tree, she wished the apple tree a good day in brilliant sun, already able to feel the rejuvenated tree's sap begin to flow sluggishly now, but with the promise of great vigor as the sun warmed it further.

Turning from the tree at last, she took another minute to survey the apples that hung overhead, making quick, rough guesses and memorizing the trees that were falling behind. "Two heavy baskets this early in the spring is promising; a good harvest this year will make up for what we spent extra last Applebuck Season. But I just don't like how the east field’s looking. Maybe me and Mac should spend a few extra days out there next week."

Walking at an easy gait, Applejack took her time heading back to the house, and kept surveying the apples in the trees overhead, until the sudden sharp noise of barking split the air.

The panicked noise of Winona's shrill bark turned her blood cold, and before she knew it, her casual pace had turned into a breakneck run, cutting between trees and pumping her legs at full speed. Bursting free at the edge of the orchard, Applejack cut short, looking around while catching her breath to figure out what had set her friend off.

It didn't take long, as the dancing dog stood on the porch, joined by Apple Bloom and Granny Smith who were both swatting brooms in the air, the elderly mare cursing a mild blue streak at- Applejack's jaw dropped and she ground her feet into the fresh grass, cursing sharply herself. "By The Light! Where did so many more of Fluttershy's little buzzing creatures come from?!"

Diving head first into the melee, Applejack lost count of just how many of the tiny buzzing creatures had collected inside the house, and the noise of their wings beating all at once was a roar that drowned out all other sound.

With a spare broom and the extra hands, it took what felt like forever, but they found victory in the end, and at last the family gathered on the porch, watching the last remnants of the wild horde buzzing around the farmyard. The rest had been driven into the mostly-empty barn, in hopes of holding them until she could figure out what to do with so many of the creatures. Growling between gritted teeth, Winona came to AJ's side, her tail held rigid. Scratching between her friend's ears, Applejack's voice showed how tense she felt. "Just where in blue blazes did a swarm like that come from? Granny, I shoulda asked you last night, have you ever see anything like those creatures before?"

The canine answered first, her hackles still high and shoulders stiff. "No clue. Came in to wake Apple Bloom since Mac's in town and you were busy in the orchard. Found a dozen of them feasting from the basket of apples Mac left before heading to town. Then when I came back downstairs, the swarm had filled the kitchen!"

Granny was quiet for a long while, scratching one ham-sized fist across her jowl, and sucking on her good tooth, lost deep in thought. AJ was just about to repeat her question to the old matron when she spoke up, her voice very hesitant, something that made Applejack uncomfortable. Granny was never unsure of much of anything. "Well, it's been a long time, long before your pappy or even your grandpappy was born. Way back, when I was hardly five, maybe six years older than you are now AJ. See... I had this cousin, a distant cousin, three or four times removed at least, and we always thought of her as a little kooky, a bit of the wild type."

The mare eyed AJ to make sure she was keeping up, scratching still at her jaw before continuing. "And you see, she married some farmer way off in the south-east. Well, we never heard from her in ages, not until I was busy raising your grandpappy, and the letter she sent was crazy. Talked all about taking up rock farmin' after some blight of fuzzy little buggers had stripped their land right down to the dirt'n stone. I always thought it another of her wild tales 'til now. Wish I'd paid her letter more mind."

Eyeing the devastated kitchen and half-eaten apple basket through the window, AJ stiffened up, setting her jaw. "Not your fault, Gran. If you'd warned me such a tiny bugger could do so much damage in a swarm yesterday, I'd have called you mad! Respectfully of course." She added at the end, not wanting to raise the old mare's ire. "Look, Apple Bloom, can you try and clean up the kitchen while Winona watches the ones we got trapped in the barn? I gotta get word to town, and maybe even check the other farms. There's no telling if we were the only ones that got mobbed this morning or not. It's just lucky that Filthy bought the last of our winter stores and the barns ‘re empty, else we'd really have a mess on our hands."

When the others acknowledged they could handle things while she went to check up in town, a worried thought flared up in AJ's mind. "Mac... he locks the door to his cider still in the cellar tight against bugs, right? Only, I'd hate to hear them get into there, no telling how much damage they could do..."

Granny scoffed, waving her worries off. "Nah, after your grandpappy got wind I was 'helping out' in there, he did a great job of reinforcing the basement. Not a chance in Tartarus of them getting in there!"

Turning towards town, Applejack set a rapid pace, planning to check on the nearby farms as she made her way towards Fluttershy’s.

* * *

6:40 am, Dusk’s library.

Bronze felt as good as a 'Shining Sun' platinum bit, running across the open roads of Ponyville and stretching her weary bones and stiff wings, feeling the vivid warmth of Lyra's tea spreading everywhere... including places she felt quite personally.

Enjoyable thoughts and feelings spread, but she wanted them dealt with before she went home, before... before he got up.

Blushing darkly at the enjoyable thrill that rippled in her most private places, Bronze lengthened her stride and pushed faster, driving herself past her usual, carefully measured pace, past the hardest Lyra had ever pushed her. She thrilled in feeling the powerful muscles in her legs pull with every stride.

She knew she was pushing things too near to her limit when the muscle of her bad leg began to ache sharply with every stride. Centralized in her calf, it brought her jog to an end then and there, warm feelings in the rest of her body or not. She began walking now, taking on an easy pace to give her grieving flesh a chance to calm down on the way home.

Her thoughts from earlier returned, and she bit her lip, hard. Feeling flushed, she almost turned to take a different path, a different route... "But to whom? Dash? She's hardly any better off than I am. Pinkie’s probably busy with work... Applejack's too far away, and has too many prying ears around for any real privacy this early in the morning... and Rarity... not Rarity. Not until I've provided her with proof I'm good enough for him."

No options left, Bronze swallowed her pride and turned again towards the library, trying to walk with confidence, but the nagging pull of her calf muscle made her leg feel weak.

Just as she approached the back door, a piercing whine split the air. "Noo!! Those apples were for Dusk!"

Pushing her wings to beat the air to take pressure off of her aching calf, Bronze rushed at the back door, bracing her weight on her good foot and twisting the knob to swing the door open. Bronze was shocked to see Barb in mid-battle with a dozen of the tiny buzzing creatures over the apple basket that Mac had left, a single ripe red-green fruit bouncing around inside the basket as the two sides battled back and forth for control of the last piece of fruit.

Rushing through the narrow doorway, Bronze had to put weight on her leg, and was shocked by the trail of pain that shot up her leg from her scar. Ignoring it, she rushed to Barb's side, shooing away the wild and buzzing mass of creatures from the other side of the basket before handing it back to Barb.

The little dragoness was nearly in tears, her cheeks burning red with frustration as she cradled the basket tightly to her chest. "Th-thanks, Bronze. I was getting ready to drive them off with fire, but I was worried what Fluttershy would say if I accidentally hit one. Besides, Dusk doesn't like roasted apples."

Bronze was busy doing her best to keep weight off her right leg, the sharp throbbing hadn't dulled and now that her adrenaline had dropped, the pain was getting harder to ignore. Brushing a hand through the dragoness' cranial spines, she offered a thin-lipped grimace while attempting to smile. "Go wake Dusk, at least now he has plenty of research subjects, wherever the others came from. I need a shower."

If the dragoness noticed anything was off, she didn't say a word about it. Bronze made for the shower, forcing her aching calf to take the weight of her stride. Going straight into the bathroom, she locked the door, and struggled to strip her drenched jogging clothes.

Limping into the shower, she turned on the cold water at full blast, but sat on the edge of the tub, aggressively massaging her thumbs across the thick scar-flesh on the back of her calf. The cold water made her teeth ache and chatter, but it numbed her aching muscles a little, not to mention how it drove away the last lingering side effects of her morning tea.

When memories of experience with training bruises told her she was going to stiffen up if she let the cold run any longer, Bronze finally turned on the hot water. Soon it replaced the cold and soothed every aching joint, relaxing her tender muscles into a gooey state.

Sudden frantic knocking at the bathroom door pulled her out of daydreams and back to reality, Dusk’s voice indistinct over the sound of the shower. Rushing to shut it off quickly, she was at last able to make him out. "- trapped in a cage on my desk. We'd better go see Fluttershy together; at the rate they reproduce, she's probably overwhelmed already! Barb will go check up on Rarity on the way to Applejack's; there’s no telling how wild they'd get on the farm! So hurry up and get dressed!"

Her relaxing shower quite ruined by whatever Dusk was talking about, Bronze pushed her gripes aside and clung to the positive part: Dusk wanted her to accompany him, even if something had gone wrong, again. Calling back at him, she tried not to sound overly enthusiastic. "Of course, Dusk. I only need a minute!"

Suddenly feeling rather glad for the argument she had with Barb yesterday in the hall, Bronze dressed in the simple gray cotton shirt and shorts she normally wore under her armor. "At least this time Barb can't complain I'm not dressed properly."

The cotton was all skin-tight and wafer-thin, but what did it matter? After all, she just needed to make it to her room-

Standing and waiting for her outside the bathroom, Dusk was obsessed with an odd little bronze lamp, where he'd trapped a single of the tiny annoyances with space to move and fresh air from the hole in the top. As he scowled at the creature, she froze up, suddenly very aware of just how her thin shirt and shorts clung to her breasts, hips and sex, not to mention how they exposed her abs, back, and upper hips.

Looking distracted, Dusk nodded idly as he continued to study the creature held in the lamp. He seemed unaware of her attire, though that didn’t stop her from feeling suddenly exposed. She blushed fiercely, wings fluttering in an unconscious attempt to cool the sudden heat she felt on her face. Dusk began to address her without turning his gaze from the lamp. "Finally. Come on, Bronze. At the rate this one was reproducing before I isolated it from the others, it must be fully matured. Who knows how many of the same breeding age Fluttershy has!"

Stunned and still struggling to try and hold her ground while the thin cotton squeezed every inch of her breasts, almost like it was trying to restrict her breathing, Bronze nodded quickly at him. "I just need a proper shirt and pants, Dusk."

Finally looking at her, he found himself unable to keep his eyes from roaming across her barely-concealed body. "O-oh… I uh, wow, Bronze..."

Her blush redoubling, Bronze shoved past him, down the hall to her room, tail snapping in embarrassment as she passed him. She called back at him after she slammed the bedroom door. "Ju-just stop staring and tell me what you're talking about, you perv! I thought you said Fluttershy’s gave birth to yours yesterday afternoon!"

Thus as she changed and throughout the entire run to Fluttershy’s cottage, Dusk explained the theories he'd managed to form based on the creature’s insanely short breeding cycle and massive appetite. So obsessed was he with the threat of their hunger that Dusk pushed for her to keep up a rapid pace, leaving him breathless and her visibly limping as they approached the bridge to Fluttershy’s home.

Back at Dusk’s library, the lamp containing the tiny creature had been left upon Dusk’s desk, forgotten as they rushed out the door.

* * *

7:30am, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Fluttershy hummed quietly to herself, sweeping out of her room and tickling the tired brood-mother under the chin. It had taken most of the night, and the poor thing looked almost stretched out compared to all her daughters, not quite twice the size of any of them. But her pregnancy was finally finished, and the creature had dozed against her cheek all night. It was still breathing weakly this morning, in shallow pulls, but it seemed far more cheerful this morning, and happily sat upon her shoulder once she’d dressed.

The children danced about her head, making Fluttershy giggle at their song, still impossible for her to decipher, yet so playful and happy that she couldn't wait to hear more, to get to know them better. She worried about how many of them there were now; it was impossible to get them to hold still for long enough to get a count of even a third of the swarm.

Entering the main floor, the spacious room that combined living room with kitchen, Fluttershy giggled at the wild animals that quickly moved in to gather around her ankles, their mixed voices a cacophony that she had no problems understanding, and they all begged for the same thing: breakfast.

Tenderly scratching a happily chittering beaver behind the ears, Fluttershy cooed gently at the gruff fellow. “Yes, yes. Don't you worry! I'll feed you all right now, I promise!”

The gentleman calmed his grumbling a little and nuzzled into her hand, before straightening up and returning to batting his broad flat tail against the floor. Fluttershy couldn't help but laugh a little at his behavior, and moved on to the cabinet, popping open one of her homemade tin can of nuts and dried berries. The rabble around her ankles doubled in volume, so she rushed to fill three or four bowls with the mixed treats.

Turning from the counter, she settled the first two on the ground for her critter friends, when all of a sudden, the fluffy mother seemed to slip from her shoulder and into one of the bowls. Astonished, she watched as the critters swarmed in, worried about the swarm mother’s health.

Rushing into the mob, she pushed aside the hungry critters to reach the bowl, only to find that the brood mother had emptied it, and now sat munching happily at a mouthful of the mixed fruit and nuts that distended her tiny body a shocking amount.

Behind her on the counter, the sound of frantic eating foretold of what the rest of the horde was doing. Turning around, Fluttershy was astonished to see the rest of the swarm had descended upon the other two bowls and the open tin can, the hundreds of hungry mouths assaulting the food, eating mouthfuls at a time, often swallowing massive amounts without chewing.

Rushing back to the counter, she tried to shoo them away, only to be overwhelmed by a hundred more that rushed into the space she made by forcing others away. “Stop it! That's the critters’ breakfast! Why must you keep eating everything?!”

The creatures didn't care enough to answer her, eating the rest of the week’s rations she’d prepared for the critters’ breakfast. Sobbing in frustration at her inability to communicate with the bottomless stomach that the horde seemed to share, Fluttershy sunk to her knees, only to have the beaver climb into her lap, cuddle against her chest and chitter supportive words to try to calm her down.

The sudden pounding knock at her door was followed by a panting voice. “It’s Dusk!” she realized with sudden hope.

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy!? Please tell me you've got some control over these creatures… please?”

Panic swelling up, Fluttershy shivered with growing fear as the beaver offered her a paw to help her stand up. Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Fluttershy called out across the house to Dusk. “I... I need your help, Dusk! I can’t understand them, I can’t control them! I-I don’t even know why they won't listen to me! I just don’t understand!”

Halfway across her house, the door smashed open and Bronze charged in, looking around frantically for a moment before rushing over to grab Fluttershy around the shoulders, the guard mare’s eyes wide and voice showing her worry. “By The Light! Dusk, get in here, quickly! This is… this is bad! I think she’s got hundreds of the little blighters… Ma… maybe even thousands!”

The sudden combined sound of violent wretching made Fluttershy fight against Bronze’s strong grip, turning around to look back at the horde that filled the air of most of her house. Almost all of them had paused in eating, and were as one creature caught up in a violent coughing fit. Dozens of them spit up all at once, and from the spittle-coated balls, wings sprouted and brilliant eyes of vivid azure-green looked up with wonder. Then as one, they all rose into the air, and swarmed around what little of the food remained uneaten, joining their parents in an aggressive orgy of feasting. Unable to help herself, Fluttershy cried out. “Wh- but… but some of you are hardly four hours old! And I never saw any of you breeding! You can’t possibly reproduce that quickly!”

Dusk rushed to her side, pulling an arm around her hips and looking around the room for a moment, his eyes going wide as he discovered something. Looking down at her, he cupped her jaw, his voice begging a little. “Fluttershy, please… tell me there are locks for all of your animal doors!?”

As if to answer him for her, the tiny creatures all turned away from their meals, towards the many doors, window slits, and exit vents built into the cottage, and bull-rushed from the house, filling the air over her cottage. As one, they began to flow towards town.

Following them outside, Dusk and Bronze still supported her, and together they watched the sky as at least a thousand tiny mouths rushed towards town. For a moment their combined silence weighed heavily in the air. From behind them, a very disgruntled voice filled it. “Well, I guess with winter officially over, it was only a matter of time before things went back to crazy." He looked at Dusk, not hiding the snark in his tone. "So, how are you going to get us out of this mess this time, oh fearless leader?”

For a moment, Dusk and the others stared at the rabbit. The sound of rushed footsteps suddenly came from the south. Crashing from the treeline, AJ came at a run, her eyes bugging out with shock. “Dear Celestia tell me I’m seeing things, Fluttershy! And here I thought we had a horde of them trapped at the farm! Please tell me I’m seeing things!”

When nopony answered her, the earth pony’s shoulders drooped and she spat at the dirt by her feet. “Well? What do we do now!?”

Fluttershy felt Dusk soften his grip on her side, and she made herself stand up straighter, trying to rely less on Bronze’s kind support. The stallion took a few steps forward, and pounded his fist into his palm. “We need help. Did you manage to round a lot of them up? Are they still trapped at the farm, AJ?”

The mare straightened up, smiling at him, and tilted her hat back, nodding at him. “I had Granny an’ Apple Bloom an’ Winona’s help. But we managed to force the vast majority of them into the barn. With all the winter shutters closed, they shouldn’t be able to escape.”

Resolve filled his eyes, and Dusk turned back, nodding at Fluttershy, his voice filled with a confidence that smoothed over Fluttershy’s worried heart. “Then it is settled. We follow the horde and round up everypony in town. If we can trap them in ponies’ houses, we do. If we can’t, we do our best to herd them to the farm. Containing them is most important matter of all; we can’t let them continue to feed and reproduce.”

Stepping close again, Dusk grabbed Fluttershy’s elbow, and she hardly realized he did the same to Bronze, feeling held in place by his confident gaze. His eyes focused on them each in turn, his voice serious and the determination in his eyes was powerful. “Can you two try your best to keep an eye on the horde? Maybe try to use some storm clouds to round them up? I don’t think they are good flyers, so I doubt they’d be able to fly through a thunderstorm.”

Bronze answered him so quickly, Fluttershy worried she’d not even taken a moment to think about it. “Better if I rush ahead and pick up Dash, Thunderlane, and Rumble, right? The three of them are way better with weather magic than either of us. Fluttershy can keep an eye on them, so she can use her whistle to let us know where they go when I come back with help.”

Both now looking at her, Fluttershy swallowed sharply, and pointed a free finger at the slowly-flying brood mother, lost far behind the rest of the horde and struggling to catch up with the rest. “I… I think even I can keep up with her. It seems they all have the same thought in mind, almost like ants in some ways.”

Dusk grinned at her, and squeezed her elbow tightly, his pride at her discovery dancing in his eyes. “A fantastic observation. Try to keep track of them all as best you can. We will meet you in town one way or another.” He turned back to Applejack, giving her a nod. “Got your breath back? Then let’s go. Knock on every door you see and rally everypony at Town Hall. I have a feeling today is going to be a very long day.”

* * *

8am, Rarity’s Boutique.

Rarity idly pulled her brush through Sweetie's hair, softly humming along with the filly’s quiet song, reciting the tune that went with it by memory alone. When the girl’s curls were just perfect, she hugged her around the chair, kissing her on the cheek. “Oh, Sweetie! You look simply fantastic! I’m sure you’ll put on a fabulous welcome party for Lady Dis Lee! Are you sure you won’t sing for her? She’s known to love poetry and has for years employed personal poets, two of whom went on to be Poet Laureate to Princess Celestia herself!”

The filly blushed darkly, shaking her head and burying her face into Rarity’s shoulder, nearly squeaking with embarrassment. “No, momma! I can’t! Ponies will make fun of me! Besides, I’m no poet! I just like the songs Ms. Lyra teaches!”

Laughing a little at her filly, Rarity brushed a supportive hand down the girl’s back. “Oh hush, hush. It’s okay, dear. I won't make you do something you’re not comfortable with. Maybe if we have some quiet time with the lady, I’d be happy to-”

A sudden sharp banging noise from downstairs made Rarity jump, while Opal suddenly rushed into the room, diving under the filly’s bed and hissing sharply. Staring at the cat’s path under the bed, she stood, crossly glaring towards the door. “Opal! Just what did you do? Don’t tell me you broke something valuable in the kitchen!”

From under the bed, the feline’s angry hissing stopped only long enough for the her to spit out her annoyance. “It’s the little fluffy things you insisted in bringing home last night! They are emptying the pantry and keep knocking over jars and tins to get at more food!”

Still upset, Rarity glared at the bed again, her voice growing sterner. “Now Opal, please. How can one little fluffy critter do such damage? I can’t help but feel like you’re just jealous and blaming the darling little thing to reduce your blame!”

Sticking her head out from under the bed just far enough to glare up at her, the feline glared at her, her eyes livid. “One? One!? Ha! Try two hundred. I don’t know why you brought that menace into MY home, but you’ll not find me cleaning up their mess!”

Feeling upset at the feline, Rarity squeezed Sweetie Belle’s hand, standing up straight and nodding a little to herself. “Right, enough of this. Come along Sweetie, clearly we will have to go downstairs and get to the bottom of this since Opal isn’t up to telling us the truth.”

The cat’s bitter snort and refusal to come out from under the bed worried Rarity a little, as did the sound of another tin falling from the shelf and bouncing on the floor. As she walked down the staircase to the main floor, three more sharp bangs followed the last, and a sudden premonition of dread ran up her spine. “Sweetie… maybe you should-”

A violent pounding at the door cut her off, making her freeze up a little. From outside, Barb’s voice came as a shout, worry clear in her insistent tone. “Rarity! Rarity! Please answer! Dusk says the critters Fluttershy found are really dangerous. We need to cage yours before it eats too much and starts spitting out babies everywhere!”

Doom hanging over her head, Rarity squeezed the filly’s hand and stepped around the corner looking into the kitchen and saw the horde of tiny creatures who had filled the house. “Oh, by The Light! What is going on!?”

The kitchen had been pulled apart by the horde. Hundreds more of the tiny creatures had joined the one she already had, and together, they filled the room, emptying the pantry on the floor in their wild ambition of feeding. Releasing her hand, Sweetie rushed to answer the door, letting the dragoness into the house. As she rushed to join Rarity, her jaw dropped as she witnessed the mess of food and massive swarm that filled the room. “Wha… we didn't have a quarter as many at the treehouse! Rarity, why do you keep so much food around the house?!”

Ashamed, Rarity wilted a little, shaking her head. “Well… I-I entertain ponies all the time! How was I to know they would swarm into the pantry and start breaking open boxes and jars?!”

Having followed Barb back to the kitchen, Sweetie squeezed at Rarity’s hand, her voice filled with fear. “I... Momma… what do we do?”

As if prompted by Sweetie’s question, the creatures finished the last of the food and rose from their feasting place in the boxes and tins, swarming around one another and swirling up into the air. One led the rest, sniffing at the air and shaking a little as it searched for a moment. Then jumping higher into the air, it rushed with surprising speed over Rarity’s head, and out the open door that Barb and Sweetie had left ajar.

Together, they stared as one towards the open door. Rarity at last broke the silence. “They couldn’t possibly be hunting for MORE food, could they? They ate nearly two months worth of sugar sweets I had shipped from Canterlot special order!”

Stepping into the open door, a rather wide-eyed Roseluck looked around, then spoke in a haggard voice. “Dusk sent me to warn you ponies about the little bug creatures. But… err… I guess you already know, don’t you?”

* * *

8:10am, Ponyville Train Station.

The sound of somepony walking around the train platform woke Pinkie from her nap, far too early. Still exhausted, and smacking her lips as she sat up and rubbed at her eyes, Pinkie tried to focus on the blurry blond-and-gray figure who walked around the raised platform, but smiled a little and gave a tiny wave while yawning against her own exhaustion. “Morning! Hope I'm not taking up too much space.”

Derpy giggled a little and shook her head, her voice gleeful as she crossed back across the floor to stand before Pinkie again, sitting down on a barrel and pulling mail out of her sack to start sorting. “It's okay, Pinkie! Sorry if I woke you, I was just checking the mail the overnight express left behind! You're waiting for the noon train, right? Got one massive delivery for Canterlot!”

Pinkie grinned a little and patted the makeshift bed she'd made atop of the crate of baked goods, pride beaming in her eyes. “It took us days, but Mr. and Mrs. Cake did a fantastic job in making Princess Celestia’s order with no time or extra help!”

Derpy laughed gently and continued to organize her mail, ever watchful, but much quieter than before, much to Pinkie’s relief. “I'm impressed. That looks like more than enough food to feed the Canterlot army!”

Pinkie was about to scoff and dismiss Derpy when a horde of ponies passed the train station, all carrying brooms, bats, and a dozen other household tools, swinging them vigorously overhead to try and… try to … “Dear Celestia! Derpy, please tell me I'm seeing things! That isn't Rarity, Sweetie Belle and Barb in a battle with parasprites, is it? Please tell me I'm seeing things wrong!”

Clearly confused, Derpy looked around in confusion, her jaw falling a little slack. “I- What? I mean, that is clearly Rarity and Sweetie. But what are parasprites? And why are there so many of them?”

Rather than answer, Pinkie reached under her ‘bed’, and pulled out a trombone from some hidden stash the mail mare had never noticed before. “Here Derpy, take this; you need to protect the train station before they come and eat everypony out of house and home!”

Now thoroughly confused, Derpy stared down at the musical instrument, still trying to understand half of what Pinkie had just said. Taking an experimental blow on the mouthpiece, she winced at the off-key note the trombone produced before looking at Pinkie, ready to ask a thousand more questions. “But Pinkie! What are parasprites? And what are you going to do to stop ten thousand little bug creatures?”

Pinkie had drawn vivid pink lines across her face, like some kind of warpaint. Grinning at Derpy, the mare turned away from the platform clearing her throat. “I'm going to do what Grandmama Pie warned me I might someday have to do. I'm going to save Ponyville before it winds up a ruin, just like the town that used to stand by my parents’ farm.”

Startled, Derpy looked again to the tiny creatures that now flooded the skies over Ponyville, a shiver of dread running down her spine. “What? How!? Pinkie, how are you gonna save Ponyville?”

The mare looked back over her shoulder and gave Derpy the oddest grin and a one-handed salute. “I'm gonna make music!” With that serious, yet playful image burned into her mind, Derpy could only watch as Pinkie ran off, leaving her alone to ‘guard’ the train platform with only a trombone.

* * *

11am, Apple Farm.

With the use of clouds overhead to keep the creatures pinned low enough to the ground so the other ponies could drive them into Applejack’s barn, Dash drew back and surveyed the weather team’s work, circling about overhead and calling out occasional instructions to the fresh members of the weather team that had traded in to relieve her and Rumble. Crossing her arms, she gave the colt a nudge. “Well kid, two weeks left in town and you get to show how much your control has improved already. I’m impressed. You?”

Exhausted, Rumble pushed damp hair from his eyes, and looked up at her, breathless. “I-Well… I mean, we did good, right? It took all morning, but we finally got them all rounded up and contained, right?”

Dash snorted a laugh and gave him another nudge in the side, shaking her head. “Don’t be so serious, kid. Look, they ate some crops, they stole a lot of food, but we stopped them before they got too crazy in attacking the farms. To tell the truth, I’m kinda glad about the ones that were in my house. They ate a lot of the leftovers I’ve been meaning to clean up for a few weeks now, and that made them slow and bloated and sickly.”

“Is that why they were clinging to you like you were the only safe place they could perch? It was weird, it almost looked like they were a-”

Nudging the foal again, she scowled down at him, giving him her darkest glower. “Look colt, you’re gonna swear to secrecy about that or I’ll find some way to convince Dusk to withdraw your application to weather school.”

Rumble winced and shut up quickly, which ended the conversation. Glad that was taken care of, she gave him a stiff nod. Trying to find some way to fill the uncomfortable silence, he cleared his throat. “I-Well, um… Some fantastic weather today, eh Rainbow Dash?”

Still glowering at him, she shook her head, biting down on her lower lip and tugging it a little, giving him a stiff nod. “Better choice of topic, colt. Now I’m going to go talk to Dusk and the others. You and Thunderlane keep this storm blocking all the doors of the barn, okay?”

Dash didn’t wait for his answer, and instead dove down to join Dusk where he stood talking with Rarity, Applejack and the Cakes. Circling around to land beside him, she just picked up the last bit of their conversation. “And you searched everywhere in town? I could have sworn that Pinkie was in town somewhere!”

Rarity bit her lip, shaking her head a little as she shifted her stance. “Well… I saw her at the train station this morning. I was really confused though, when we stopped to talk to Derpy, she said Pinkie gave her a trombone and swore her to protect the train station from ‘the parasprites’.”

The way Dusk stiffened up, Dash knew something in that statement had worried him, and snuck in behind him, slipping her arms around his neck so she could lean on his shoulders and rest her head against his cheek. “What’s that about, Rarity? Is that what these damn things are called, ‘parasprites’?”

Rarity shrugged, but Dusk muttered softly to himself, unable to hide his concern. “I-I swear I’ve read that name somewhere recently. Mrs. Cake? Did you see Pinkie anytime after we started rounding up the townsponies?”

The bakers both looked worried, shaking their heads in embarrassment. “No… no, sorry Dusk. We looked for her, but everypony was so worried about the parasprites getting into the bakery, we nailed all the windows closed and bolted all three doors. I’m afraid we might have locked her in the house, but I’m sorry to say we didn’t have time to go back and check.”

Applejack shook her head, giving a little sigh. “I wish I’d taken the time to go talk to Derpy some more. She looked so worried, and she was playing the trombone. Odd that, the parasprites kept their distance from the platform whenever she pointed it at them.”

Suddenly, Dusk pulled out from Dash’s arms, leaving her hovering and hanging onto thin air, a little disappointed. “Ah-ha! I knew I remembered the name! The book on disasters! I swear, it had a chapter on parasprites! I need to go back to town; we need to know what we can do to stop them!”

Landing beside her, Bronze gave Dash a little smile, her voice quiet. “Then why don’t we go with him and bring AJ along? That way we can keep him safe from them, and if more of the parasprites are around town, we’ll have a way of sending word for backup.”

Inside the barn, more violent noises rose as the ponies sealed the door, and the building rocked on its foundations, the whole building shifting a little. Dusk winced visibly, but nodded. “You’ve got a point, Bronze. We four could move the fastest and you two could scout for Pinkie and more of the parasprites. Besides, Barb should be back at the library, and I don’t feel right leaving her alone in town. Not when we don’t know how to stop these creatures, and you can hear them in there, still reproducing en masse.”

Everypony looked at the barn, and Applejack winced a little. “I just hope they don’t break into Mac’s stills. He’s spent years expanding them, and I’d hate for them to get ruined. You go ahead, I’m gonna grab my hammer, just in case.”

Dash grunted a sigh, her shoulders slumping. “Not to mention cider season is coming, and I don’t want to be left out ever again!”

* * *

11:10am, The Cakes’ basement.

It was time. Pinkie inspected her weapon, adjusting the shoulder straps a few inches longer, and double checked the buckles that kept the leather in place. Feeling a little pride at how well she’d kept the metal in shape, she traced the chrome arms that held the cymbals, and the felt-coated mallets spaced to make safe contact with the massive drum.

At last, she straightened up, stepped into place, and strapped on the one-mare band, closing the buckles to keep it from slipping. She adjusted the harmonica so she could easily reach the mouthpiece without needing to strain her neck. Another set of straps connected the drum mallets to her knees, and a long string attached the cymbals to her elbow, giving her full control of the music it created.

She took a few careful steps across the basement floor to test the system out, making sure everything was properly connected, before she picked up a maraca in her left hand and a tambourine in her right. Finally, she double-checked her warpaint, nodding with confidence. “Well… Grandmama Pie… I hope you were right about this!”

* * *

11:30am, Dusk’s Library.

Dusk shoved the door open, stopping for a moment to wave back at Dash when she blew a signal to warn him she was moving off to search for Pinkie. With Bronze's help, the two could at least cover most of Ponyville while Dusk hunted for Barb. Dusk stepped around the bookshelf that had been pushed to seal the door as he moved inside. Looking around the house, he called out, his worry evident. “Barb? Barb! Are you here still? Did the parasprites get in?”

From the kitchen, the muffled sound of the dragoness’ cry sent a chill up his spine, making him worry and rush through the house, fear for her safety driving him to put his other concerns of the day aside.

Followed by Applejack, Dusk bolted straight for the kitchen, and stopped, his jaw hitting the floor at the sight he discovered. Sitting alone on the floor, the dragoness was surrounded by piles of plates, collected leftovers from the house, and a number of things from the icebox that he’d long forgotten about. Scowling a little, he put hands on his hips, glaring down at the little dragoness. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Barb? Now isn’t the time to be eating!”

The dragoness blushed and shoveled the last of the roast she’d thawed and cooked down her throat, gnawing aggressively at the thick chunk and burping with deep pleasure. “Well, I figured that any food that I ate would ensure that there was less food for the parasprites to eat, right? So I decided that the safest thing I could do was to eat as much of it as possible to make sure there was no chance of the parasprites could get at it!”

Dusk groaned, and Applejack’s laughter at the little dragon’s logic only made it worse. Shaking his head, he turned to the mare and gave her a nudge. “Can you help her clean this mess up before a parasprite does sneak in and assist her in gorging the contents of my ice box?”

Wiping a tear from her eye, Applejack nodded to him, and kissed his cheek. “Sure, Dusk, sure. Just go look into your book. I’ll get Barb ready to go. Who knows, maybe by the time we get back to the farm we’ll have figured something out.”

Dusk muttered quietly to himself, leaving the room and returning to his study, glad to see the book was still waiting on his desk, the bookmark Bronze had shoved into it so many days ago still in place. “I’m sorry, Shining. I promise I’ll get back to my study of the mad creature, for your peace of mind if nothing else.”

Flipping the book open, he searched the list of chapters, muttering to himself as again he found no sign of a chapter on the parasprites. “It… It doesn’t make any sense! By The Light, why!? I swear, there was a chapter titled ‘The Eaters’ or something like that!”

Overwhelmed, frustrated, and feeling more than a little pressured by the insanity of the damage the parasprites had already done, he hurled the book at the library wall in frustration, turning to walk from the room, calling to the girls in the kitchen. “That’s another dead end! AJ, We have to go to the Everfree. Zecora. She’s our only hope, maybe she’s heard of something about them! Unless Dash or Bronze found some sign of Pinkie. Oh! And Barb, send Princess Celestia a letter! We need her help! She must have some way of helping us out!”

Abandoned, the book flipped through a dozen pages as it lay upon the floor, at last settling upon a random page, far later in the book. A single line of text stood out, though Dusk would never see it in his current, frustrated state: “At long last a final solution was found. The only thing in the world that might stop the magically-immune Smooze. Thus were the parasprites born, ‘The Eaters’ created as a solution that might finally stop the ever-growing magic blob.”

* * *

11:40am, Dusk’s Library

Pinkie grunted with effort, but forced the library door open. Driving the heavy bookshelf aside, she squeezed inside the library and called out at the top of her lungs. “Dusk!? Barb! Bronze? Somepony? Is anypony home? I really need to tell you about the parasprites! They’ll eat everything, even the seeds we planted the other day if we don’t stop them quickly!”

Nopony answered her, and Pinkie’s shoulders deflated. “No… am I too late? Have they already scared everypony away?”

Entering the kitchen, she was shocked to see the icebox standing open, empty and melting, along with a pile of dishes, recently rinsed off, but still needing a proper cleaning sitting in the sink. “Dusk and Barb were here, I’m sure of it. Why did I take so long to prepare my band? I’m such a fool, I shouldn't have taken so long polishing things! I could have saved everypony! It’s not like I need the chrome to shine!”

Deflating, Pinkie stepped out of the library, pulling the bookshelf close as she sealed the treehouse up again. Gnawing on her lower lip, she looked around town, still whimpering a little as she tried to think. “But where are the parasprites!? Nopony around anywhere and so many plants still standing. Some are half-eaten… But if they didn’t eat everything, where did they go?!”

A soft breeze blew through the air, and struggling to fly on it, a bloated parasprite only just managed to stay aloft. Her eyes went wide, and Pinkie straightened, shocked, but smiling now. “I know what you are! You’re a brood mother! Well, where are they? Show me!”

For her part, the fat parasprite gave no answer, instead sniffing at the air, and then shifting to fight against the breeze to fly off to the south, ignoring plenty of food in town as she hunted for something, possibly her family? Pinkie suddenly felt reassured, remembering Grandmama Pie’s words. “Grandmama really was right! The parasprites move in a horde, even the old fat ones. All I gotta do is follow her and find out just where the others are hiding.”

Delighted, Pinkie gave her maraca a shake, watching as the brood mother flinched in mid-flight at the hint of music, reassuring Pinkie of more of her great grandmother’s words. “Alright, Ponyville. I’ll stop them. I promise, Grandmama, no more towns are gonna starve because of a parasprite!”

* * *

Noon, Zecora’s hut.

Dusk was amazed at how quiet the Everfree was. Sticking close to Applejack's side, he watched for any signs from Dash or Bronze as they circled overhead.

“This here is damn eerie, Dusk. I've lived by the Everfree all my life, but I ain't ever seen it this quiet.” Warily, she shifted her grip on the silvery-blue metal of her warhammer’s handle, her shoulders obviously tense under her light cotton shirt.

Feeling little better off, Dusk was beginning to wish he had something to hold like she had her hammer, the silence that had dominated the forest felt far more unnatural than the intense threats that normally moved about.

Applejack’s hand suddenly slipped into his and gave his hand a supportive squeeze, and when he looked back at her, she gave her shoulders a easy shrug, winking playfully. “Let's just get to Zecora’s, alright? Unless Barb gets some word from Princess Celestia.”

Dusk laughed gently, squeezing her hand back and looking again overhead at the circling pegasi, trying to pick out little Barb on Bronze’s back. “She… well, she stopped shouting all the time and flaming constantly. I guess riding piggyback on a pegasus isn't quite as reassuring as in a chariot. I suppose that we should have given her rides before, to help her acclimate better.”

Applejack shook her head, rolling her eyes. “All I know is you’d never find me in one of those chariots! Those kinds of heights just ain’t natural, no matter what the pegasi say!”

Dusk shook his head, grinning at her again. “Really, AJ? Come on, it’s not that bad. I’ve only flown in a few times, but once you get used to the elevation, it really isn’t any different than riding in a cart.”

Scowling a little at him, she shook her head, making sure to firmly stomp her feet against the ground. “You kidding me? Thank Celestia I was born an earth pony, otherwise I’d probably be the only other pegasus besides Fluttershy who's scared of heights.”

Deciding he was better off leaving the conversation at that point, Dusk pressed on into the woods, unable to help but picture a mare as large as Applejack with small wings like Scootaloo, or one of the other foals. “Or worse. Bulk’s. The fact he can fly at all is a wonder onto Princess Celestia’s good graces.” Still, the image was funny enough that he smiled as he tried to picture her too scared to fly more than a foot or two off the ground.

Zecora’s hut finally appeared, and Dusk had to take a moment to notice all the changes she’d made to her clearing, impressed at how much she’d expanded the space. Muttering to herself, AJ stepped past him, her eyes growing wider as she looked around at all the changes to the yard. “Now just how did one mare get all of this done by herself?”

Dusk had to agree, as there were now three massive gardens and a thick woodpile that stacked from the base of the house up to the freshly thatched roof. He was shocked at all the changes, and arched a brow at Applejack. “Seems she really has done a lot of work to make this into a proper home. See that garden on the north side? I think I can only identify half of those herbs, and that woodpile looks ready for one wicked winter.”

Applejack stepped up beside him, nodding a little. “You’d think she was preparing for the return of the Windigos! That thatching is thick and fresh too. Kinda like the thatching Granny and Mac used to do before Mr. Rich payed for the new tar an’ shingles roof to celebrate Apple Bloom's birth.”

From the house, the door opened, and the proud mare, still dressed in the winter dress Rarity had made her crossed her arms over her chest and gave them a grin. “For windigos, I am going to have to say no. But any sign of an indigo sky makes me fear for three more months of endless snow! But enough of this; from your faces, something is amiss. Dusk Shine and Applejack, what brings you back to my humble shack?”

Relief at Zecora’s quick arrival and positive mood helped quiet his worries about the Everfree forest and hopefully the parasprites as well. “Zecora, we’ve got real trouble in Ponyville. Yesterday, Fluttershy found a creature I think may be called a parasprite, and now Pinkie’s missing, and suddenly we have thousands of them. I think we’ve managed to corner them all in AJ’s barn, but they’re still breeding, and short of simply killing them all, I-I just don’t know what to do with them! Have you ever heard of them?”

Realizing just how many of his worries he’d suddenly unloaded on the zebra, Dusk needed a moment to recollect himself, yet Zecora gave him no time for that at all. “Parasprites you say? Please tell me your research has lead you astray.”

Her panicked tone made him stiffen up, he could feel his blood pressure spike and lifted two of his fingers to squeeze the bridge of his nose as he tried his best to soothe the blooming headache that her reaction inspired. “I-Well, I don’t know for sure. I can’t find anything in my book that I swear had a whole chapter about them just the other day! But they are small, have four wings and tiny, short black legs. They’re brightly colored balls of fur and have no end to their appetite! Do… do you know of anything else they could be?”

Sorrow overtook Zecora’s eyes and she shook her head, her shoulders drooping. “I’ll not lead you awry, if what you’ve described is true, a nightmare truly waits for you. Tales of crops and harvests consumed. If these creatures are in Ponyville... you're doomed.”

Something in her horror caught in Dusk’s chest, and he felt his back stiffen. He had had enough of this... enough of all of that insanity! Almost growling, he straightened up, the flare of pain in his shoulders pushed away his exhaustion, and he curled his lip to sneer a little. The sound of footsteps landing behind him as Dash and Bronze joined them. In a deep growl that surprised even himself, he spoke. “I’ll never let that happen, not to Ponyville. Never! Too many good ponies trust in me. I’ll burn the parasprites all to the ground before I let them harm Ponyville!”

Barb lept from Bronze’s shoulder and rushed to his side, panting a little for breath. “But... but Dusk! We still haven’t received any kind of answer from Princess Celestia! Wh-What can we do?”

Dusk looked to the little dragoness, then back at Zecora and the other mares. “I’ll… I’ll try something. There has to be SOMETHING I can do to stop them. If I can’t think of a solution… I’ll burn them all to the ground. I’m sorry Applejack, I’ll replace the barn, but Ponyville’s safety is too important.”

The mare walked to his side, squeezing his hand in comfort again. “Dusk, if you have to, you have to. A barn we can replace. But even if you get Dash and Bronze to ferry you, it’ll be an hour before you make it back. Who knows how many of them there’ll be by the time you get back?”

Dusk squeezed her hand back and fluffed Barb’s head spikes before taking a deep breath. “I’m going to teleport back. Before they have time to reproduce any further. You four can get back to town safely on your own, right?”

Barb looked worried, stepping up and grabbing his other hand. “But Dusk, that’s way farther than you’ve ever teleported before. Are you sure it’s safe?”

Dusk shook his head, grunting a little and squeezing her hand in return. “I did it once before, Barb, when I was fighting Trixie. Just... stay close to AJ and the others and get home quickly. If the parasprites are what scared the monsters of the Everfree into being this quiet, I have to deal with them, now.”

And that was that. He stepped away from the mares and the dragon and focused on the distant farm, trying his best to regulate his breathing to keep the headache from getting any worse. “Redheart was right. I need a cup of her tea right now, badly. Someday I’ll find out what she puts in the damn tea so I can made a dry version for days like today.” His mind clearing and his thoughts finally settling, he recreated the teleportation pattern in his mind, hurling himself back to the farm.

* * *

12:10pm, Apple Farm

Dusk knew he’d landed, yet for a moment, all he could see was stars as a sudden wave a vertigo overwhelmed his every sense, and he struggled to tell up from down. Hands and voices from all directions rushed to his side and ponies he still couldn’t make out rushed to support him while he tried his best to gather his breath and clear his vision.

It was Rarity who he was finally able to make out, but only by her voice as she kissed his cheek. It was filled with worry, yet she was clearly trying to hide it as best as she could. “Oh, Dusk… we... we’ve been getting really worried about you all. The parasprites have grown in number so much, they’re starting to fill the barn so full the building is simply bursting at the seams! Di-Did you manage to find some kind of solution?”

Finally getting his balance back under his feet, Dusk turned to look towards the barn, panting a little for breath. “By The Light… how many of them are there!?” He’d thought that Rarity might have been exaggerating, yet as his vision cleared at last, he could see that weak boards of the barn had bust and small clusters of parasprites were escaping, while whatever ponies were around rushed in to nail the board back and seal the horde itself in again. “Oh dear Celestia… what do I do-”

And then he knew it. He knew what to do. Squeezing Rarity’s hand, he straightened up and looked into her eyes. “Rarity… do you… do you trust me?”

The mare froze up, yet a slow smile spread over her lips and she gave him a gentle nod, squeezing his hand back and resting a hand on his chest. “I do, Dusk. Just say what you want me to do and I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

Remembering how he’d been able to follow Cadence’s magic back into the source of her power, Dusk reached out into his magic and spoke very carefully. “Reach for your magic, and when you feel the pressure of my magic pushing into you, let me in. I’ve been running around too much today, and I need more power to make this spell work. And pray. Pray to Celestia I’ve got this spell right.”

He’d expected her to panic, or pull back a little. Instead she simply smiled up at him, and leaned in, kissing his cheek while she rested her weight against his chest, sighing happily. “Of course, Dusk, I trust you. If my magic can help, I’ll give it all to you.”

Forming a thought in his mind, Dusk followed his magic as he reached into Rarity, navigating the path to her magic, feeling her caressing the flame of power, and with care, he drew a strand from the fire, showing her how to guide it back to him. With all of his strength, he focused upon the thought of one thing alone. Hunger. Aching need for sustenance. For a meal. For food to quiet the screaming desire, for drink to sate his thirst. Reaching out, he focused his little remaining power and all that Rarity fed to him into the idea of hunger at last fulfilled, satisfied, abated. He flooded that single concept into the magic and poured it all into the barn, layering it thickly time and time again, until his magic ran dry and Rarity’s began to ebb.

At last he opened his eyes, and looked again to the bulging walls of the barn, glad that while exhaustion was flooding his stiff limbs, and the throbbing in his shoulders had grown only worse, he could rely on Rarity’s support as he waited to see if his magic had finally settled the horde.

Fluttershy took a few steps from the crowd, watching a dozen escapee parasprites that had been washed over by Dusk’s magic. The little things looked confused, circling around in place as it sniffed at the air thoughtfully. Biting at her lower lip, she reached over to Big Mac, pulling one of the apples he had collected from the orchard to share with the ponies who were helping watch over the barn. Swallowing back her fear, she stepped forward, offering the ripe red fruit out towards the parasprite, her voice quivering a little with fear. “He-hey little one. How would you like an apple?”

The parasprite turned at her words, flying forward a few feet, before stopping and sniffing with great care at the rich chunk of ripe fruit she was offering to it. As one, everypony froze up, watching as the creature hesitated, seeming to hold its breath and think for a moment.

Then it violently lunged forward, snapping up the whole apple in a single bite, hardly even chewing as a loud swallowing sound filled the silence. There was a moment of quiet, then the creature shuddered violently, and then spat six times, the wet and sticky fluffballs landing all over Fluttershy. As though they had one mind they unfolded, and instantly went to work, tearing away at her heavy sweater, her long sleeved shirt underneath that, and her wire-reinforced bra without a moment’s thought of pause. But her scream of panic and embarrassment was not the only sound that was heard, as a horrific tearing noise filled the air, and everypony turned to look to the barn. Massive chunks of wood were being violently shredded apart by the voracious horde of parasprites held within.

But worse of all was the sound of the parasprites retching, as they paused between bites to spit forth another four or five balls of baby parasprites. The new babies immediately dove straight into the meal, growing in size with only a few bites and then in turn also joining their parents as they too began to spit up newborns.

As one pony, the crowd screamed, turning to flee en masse from the horde that was now doubling in size every minute. Defiant in the face of the terror of Ponyville, Pinkie strode forward with confidence, stomping a foot down and lifting her maraca proudly over her head and giving it a single shake. “Never fear, Ponyville! Pinkie is here to save you from this parasprite menace!”

For just a second, everything froze, ponies and parasprites all stiffening up as she declared her presence. Her chest inflating, Pinkie bent forward, to touch her lips to the harmonica, and just as the first notes formed, the spell broke, and as one crazed mob, the parasprites and the fleeing ponies steamrolled over her, knocking her from her feet as the parasprites swarmed over ponies, trying to eat their clothing, while everypony fled the farm.

Dusk couldn’t believe his eyes, and pulled himself together, pushing past the last of the fleeing ponies, glad that the parasprites were busy chasing after the other ponies, giving him a chance to reach the mare’s side and grab her hand, doing his best to help her stand back up. “Pinkie! By The Light! Where were you? What do you know about these parasprites, and just what in Tartarus are you wearing?!”

Pinkie didn’t even need a moment to collect herself; with his help, she rushed to her feet and grabbed him by the collar, stunning him as she pulled him from his feet, a sudden deadly serious tone filling her voice, shocking him. “Dusk! Don’t tell me you fed them! There are so many now and you had them all gathered in one place!? Couldn’t you have waited just a few more minutes so I could use grandmama’s song to stop them!? Why’d you have to give them magic!?”

Suspended off the ground, exhausted, and feeling more than a little disconnected from reality, Dusk could only stare down at her, and ask the only question that felt appropriate. “Wait! Just wait a second, Pinkie! Feed them magic!? They’ve been eating any food they could find until now. What does my spell trying to sate their hunger have to do with anything!?”

Exasperated, Pinkie lowered him to the ground and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry, Dusk. Grandmama said she’d killed them all ages ago, so I didn’t really think I’d ever have to fight parasprites! They don’t eat food! They only use food to reproduce. They eat magic, Dusk! Magic is what really feeds them. Now that they’ve eaten your spell, their metabolism has gone into overdrive. They’ll reproduce super dooper stupidly fast! I don’t know if I can play loudly enough to stop them now!”

Rarity had joined them, her light fall jacket missing, but she didn’t appear to have been otherwise harmed by the parasprites. Gripping Pinkie’s shoulder, she got the mare’s attention. “But Pinkie, music kills them? How? They never seemed that sensitive to noise.”

Straightening up and letting Dusk go, Pinkie shoved her maraca into Rarity’s hand and reached around under her tail, pulling out an accordion. “Because, Rarity. Music confuses them somehow. They can’t eat at all if you play music loud enough, and they just kinda dance around in circles in rhythm with the music. Grandmama said she found out by accident while tuning her banjo while they were packing to flee the farm!”

Fluttershy’s voice was very weak, as if she didn’t want to call any further attention to herself. “So… So you mean that if we could round them up and play loud enough music… we… we could stop them… sta-starve them. Save Ponyville from my mistake?”

Turning to look to the mare, Dusk was ready to comfort her, but found himself unable to speak. Rarity had done her best, but the fact was, her small fall jacket simply couldn't be made to properly cover Fluttershy’s ample bust. Rarity had turned it backwards and tied the arms together over her wings to keep it in place, giving her a measure of modesty. Even so, the small jacket left her exposed to a degree he’d never seen her in a public setting. Just as clearly, Fluttershy had been crying very hard, her eyes red from the shock and shame of all she’d caused. Yet she had somehow pulled herself back together and was trying to help.

Pinkie gave Fluttershy her biggest grin and best nod. “Yep yep yep! That’s how Grandmama said it works!” She froze, and watched as the bloated brood mother floated past her eyes. Scowling, Pinkie lifted her accordion, and with surprising skill, she began to play, the music flowing forth made the bloated creature freeze up, slowly turn towards her and watched in silence for a moment. Then it began to ‘dance’ along with the rhythm of the music, swaying from side to side and giving small happy chirps that sang along with the beat. For almost a minute, Pinkie continued the song, until the parasprite burst into a small cloud of cobalt-blue magic, leaving behind no sign it had ever existed. Shocked another of her grandmama’s tales had been true, Pinkie looked at where the parasprite had been. “Oh wow! Grandmama Pie said they only disappear THAT quickly if they’re really really old. She must have been the first one of this swarm!”

Something in the hue of that flare of magic bothered Dusk, but he couldn’t say where he’d seen it. Taking a long, slow breath to calm himself, he turned back to look at Pinkie and the other mares, forcing himself not to get too excited. “Alright. So that's the plan then. Pinkie, just keep playing your music. We will try our best to gather everypony back together and drive the parasprites back into one herd. If possible, we will try to drive them all to city hall. If it takes so little time for the music to put them down, then… well, baiting them with food or clothing or anything that gets their attention is worth the risk of them breeding more.”

Happy to see Dusk was doing his best to take charge again, Pinkie started up her accordion again, walking in place to start the drum and cymbal up again. “No problem Dusk! I had this one-mare-band built so I could play music for hours! Just drive them towards Town Hall and I’ll show you how Pinkie the Party Pony performs!

* * *

1pm, Ponyville Train Station.

With a roar, the afternoon express chugged its way at last into Ponyville, delayed by some red tape the guards wouldn’t talk about. Fancy Pants muttered darkly to himself, offering Fleur his hand as he rose, stepping towards the nearest door and scowling at the train's engineer. He had come up with a number of excuses, all that still tasted like half-truths to Fancy.

When the last chugging noises had calmed down and the engineer gave him a sharp nod, Fancy Pants pushed the door open, stepping out onto the platform, glad that he was free of the train at last. A package floated along behind his lady, suspended in the air by his magic. Still, he kept it close; it was far too valuable to simply check with normal baggage.

As he surveyed the platform, a shocking contrast of background noise between the inside of the train and the small town outside came at a rush. Sitting just a few feet away, a mare in her early thirties sat against a massive shipment of muffins, a fine silver trombone at her lips, blasting slightly off-key music at the sky. Clearly red in the face and a little exhausted, Fancy worried that she might have gotten a little too much sun and took a step towards her to check on the poor mare's condition. “Excuse me, dear lady, are you quite alright? Excuse me if this is too forward, only it appears you’ve turned as red as an apple!”

Lowering the trombone and panting a little for breath, the blond pegasus gave him a wide grin, shaking her head. “No, no! I'm glad you asked, sir!” She paused, taking another breath and raised her trombone again, blasting the air over his shoulder with a powerful note, and half-deafening him. He was only just able to make out what she was now yelling as she lowered her trombone again. “Sorry about that, mister! But Pinkie said this was the only way to keep the parasprites under control! And look, it's finally working!”

Turning as she pointed, Fancy pants realized why things had gotten so loud when he took in the small town as a whole. Near the platform, hundreds of tiny puffball creatures had been stunned by the blast of the mare's horn, and lay upon the ground, their four legs twitching with shock. Past that, the nearest line of houses all had chunks missing at random, as if some beast had descended upon the town and began taking bites to taste a hundred different materials.

Fleur grabbed his shoulder, pointing in another direction, her shock and amusement in her voice at equal levels. “By The Light, is that Magistrate Dusk Shine!? Just what are they doing!?”

Turning to follow where she was pointing, Fancy nearly barked out with laughter. A line of ponies ran together, random pieces of clothing held high over their heads, leaving several of them running shirtless, while others had used their pants, towels, blankets or whatever other clothing they could lay their hands on. As a team, they ran across the clearing before the train station, spinning the items they all held high overhead as they ran across the grass.

And Fleur was right! Leading the group of ponies was Dusk Shine, his shirt spinning rapidly. And what was even stranger, was that chasing his shirt and snapping at it in mid-flight was an army of those tiny fuzzy creatures, so numerous their wingbeats created a cacophonous buzz that drowned out all other sound.

Taking Fleur Dis Lee’s hand, Fancy stepped away from the edge of the platform to get further away from the swarm, his jaw agape as he watched them turn towards the center of town.

Three sudden sharp blasts of the trombone by the mare at his side sent many more of the tiny things crashing to the ground, stunned by the noise. Dozens more ponies suddenly appeared from all directions, carrying everything from buckets to boxes to jugs and even a few carts. As a team, they rushed the stunned creatures, scooping the ones too weak to fly up by the bucketfull and dumping them into the carts. Foals lined around the carts, many with small recorders, flutes or other light and portable musical instruments. None played the same song, yet they all worked together to suppress the creatures from recovering.

Turning together as one, they moved to follow after the rest of the horde that still chased the first group of ponies that were still running along; baiting in yet more of the horde that hung overhead, filling the sky to a pitch blackness. The rapidly-moving crowd of ponies and bugs headed on as one crazed mass, until they disappeared from sight.

At last the trombone mare stood up, clearing her throat and drinking from a jug of apple juice Fancy hadn't noticed before. Offering it to him, she grinned. “Don't worry mister, lady. This is working. I daresay there looks to only be a tenth of the swarm left. Every lap, more and more of the swarm gets caught up in Pinkie’s song and the ones I stun get shipped to the town center where she's playing. Be careful not to spill any of that juice; we found out the hard way that it's their favorite food.”

Eyeing the mare for a moment, he simply wondered just what had happened in the last few days in Ponyville. Accepting the juice she offered, he took a swig of the fresh, refreshing juice before passing the jug to Fleur. “And just what happened in Ponyville, miss? I've never seen such insanity. Yet all I've ever heard of Ponyville tells me it's normally just a simple farming town.”

Accepting her drink back from Fleur, the mare took another swig and checked the sky, before shrugging a little. “First, let me say hello properly, sir! I'm Derpy Hooves, Ponyville’s mailmare.”

Accepting her offered hand, Fancy dipped low and kissed her knuckles, grinning up at her. “A pleasure, noble courier! I am Fancy Pants, and this is my wife, the Lady Fleur Dis Lee.”

Delighted, Derpy put aside her juice and rushed to take a solid grip of his hand with both of her own. “Oh, you're Dusk’s guests! He said the other day he expected you two and Princess Cadence to visit sometime. A real shame it turned out to be today!”

About to answer her, the sound of a growing number of ponies moving towards the train station again distracted him from whatever answer he'd been thinking about. Again, the same show passed by the train platform, but this time, the number of parasprites they chased had cut down from hundreds of thousands to merely thousands at best. And this time, none of them tried to come up onto the platform.

After the ponies turned again towards the center of town, a small group of ponies broke off from the rest of the team, approaching the platform in a cheerful mood, however bedraggled they might appear. Leading them, Fancy again recognized Dusk Shine, his hair drenched with sweat and his shirt long since lost, yet his eyes shone with a brilliant light that reminded Fancy of somepony... “Oh… dear…”

Dusk pushed away from the others and rushed up the steps of the platform, still grinning as he approached. “Well Fancy Pants, I'm sorry we didn't properly greet you sooner, but as you can see, we've had quite a crazy day. So welcome to Ponyville! Lady Fleur, I'm afraid Rarity’s plan to treat you to a quiet lunch at the cafe will probably have to wait for another day. Most of Ponyville is going to need a few weeks to recover after today.”

Unable to ignore the stallion’s infectious good mood, Fancy clasped Dusk by the arm, just short of the elbow, and Dusk gripped his in return. “Well met indeed, Dusk Shine! If you can still stand and smile after a day like the one it looks you've had, it must have turned out better than it looks like it went.”

Fleur laughed musically, her voice dancing with delight that was matched in her eyes. “Oh, of course, dearest Dusk Shine. It's quite understable. I do hope we can have proper time to talk later. However, it's clear that Ponyville has a lot more reasons for visits besides the occasional fencing lessons with your lady!”

Dusk shook his head and returned Fancy’s handshake, but broke it so he could turn to Fleur and give her a shockingly professional bow. “Then my dear lady, we will do our best to entertain you in the future!”

The mares who'd collected at the base of the platform were suddenly talking again, rapidly, before the one with rainbow hair gave the lady he recognized as Rarity, regardless of her current state of misdress, a sharp nudge in the ribs. She glowered at the others but did her best to ‘straighten-up’ her damaged dress and wild hair before she stepped up onto the platform with them. “Forgive me for interrupting, but Dash says it's begun happening in the center of town, just in front of the hall. I think… Dash swears we captured them all, and we all think that maybe you should be there.”

Fancy saw a flicker behind Dusk’s eyes. Fear, pain, exhaustion, and duty. They all passed in only half a second before the stallion’s face went calm and cool. “By The Light, he doesn't admit it, not even to himself, yet he handles it all and is ready for more. No wonder she wants him to have the blade.”

Dusk was already talking when Fancy managed to catch back up with the conversation. “Rarity, you and Dash are right. We should be there. Fancy, Fleur, this is not going to be pretty. If you don't-”

Fleur took up Dusk’s elbow as if he'd been offering to escort her to some dance. “No, magistrate. We will come along. Some things must be witnessed, so we can tell of the day Dusk Shine saved Ponyville from the parasprite horde.”

Humbly, the young magisrate shook his head and lifted one hand to wave off the words of praise. “I only made it worse. It was Pinkie who figured out from her Grandmama’s stories of a swarm that ruined her family farm. Save all of your kind words for her.”

Thus, they walked to the center of Ponyville, Fancy taking up Rarity’s arm just like Fleur had taken Dusk’s. As they walked, a tiny sound rose to a powerful song, the music of a half-dozen instruments played together in harmony by an expert band.

The mare called Pinkie Pie walked in small circles at the steps of the town hall, playing all all but one instrument in the song by herself and somehow managing to make some beautiful music in the process.

A mare sat on the steps just to the side of Pinkie, an exquisite golden harp on her knee. Her vivid green-white hair was wild and her bangs fell a little over her eyes. Their music had an effect, not just on the watching ponies, but on the gathered pests as well.

The tiny creatures seemed to number in the hundreds of thousands, but as his gaze swept across the massed horde, Fancy revised his number to well over a million., They blackened the sky, yet as one, the parasprites danced back and forth, matching the music's rhythm.

For some time nothing happened, but then Fancy caught sight of it, a distant tiny puff of magic as one of the creatures simply imploded. The wiff of magic on the air was familiar, and hinted at something he couldn't quite remember. Soon what was one became ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, more. So many of them, all at once, growing puffs exploded at random, the number only increasing at a rate he couldn’t count, to the point he couldn't even guess at just how many of them were dying every second. Somepony was crying, and he could hear Dusk pull the pink-haired mare to his chest, whispering something private to her while her yellow-feathered wings shook as she was racked with sobs.

Then it was simply over. The last few puffed out of existence and the quiet breeze blew away what little motes of magic that remained behind. Unable to dismiss the familiar feeling that magic roused in the back of his mind, Fancy pulled his package close, gripping it tightly in his hand. It might be wrapped in a heavy package, but he felt better with a blade in his hand.

* * *

4pm, Ponyville Train Station, Derpy’s Mail Cage.

Lyra could feel hir fingers cramping up as shi swiftly drew hir quill across the last few lines of the page before hir, scowling deeply at the words the whole time shi worked. Distantly, shi heard Vinyl also hard at work at her own writing, all the while humming to some internal rhythm that left Lyra’s nerves on edge. With no small amount of relief, shi drew the last few notes across the page and thrust the quill back into the portable inkwell Vinyl had set up on top of the crate between them. Inside the mail cage at the train station, they’d worked for what felt like hours to record their interpretation of the day's events.

Sitting back and massaging hir aching fingers with hir other hand, Lyra’s fingertips were still sore from playing hir lyre for so long to support Pinkie’s song, and the writing had only aggravated things further. In no mood for pleasantries, shi simply muttered from the corner of hir mouth. “I’m done, Vinyl.”

Vinyl looked up over her thick sunglasses, her vivid cerise eyes turned to read over hir writing, at last giving a measured nod. “Then package them up, together with the book. I’ll finish my notes and take one of the evening trains back to Canterlot.”

Lyra hissed a frustrated breath between clenched teeth as shi turned hir gaze up, glaring at the mare again. “Just tell me one thing Vinyl. Did they have a backup plan? A solution if Dusk hadn’t found Pinkie and discovered how to lure in the parasprites with apple juice? Was there any way to save Ponyville if they failed?”

Vinyl slowly lifted a hand and drew her thick shades off her eyes, her own expression scaling back as she relaxed a little, as always bobbing her head to some internal music she alone could hear. Her lips curling slowly into a smile, and she lazily tilted her head, gesturing with out looking to the other items locked up with them in the cage. “Of course we had plans. I was only a few minutes from stepping in if Dusk was unable to stop them from doing any more harm.”

Looking towards the corner of the cage Vinyl had motioned towards, shi couldn’t identify anything of interest. “Wha-Just what are you talking about Vinyl? No more games, tell me, what were you going to do to save Ponyville all by yourself?!”

The mare grinned, sitting back and sliding her thick shades back onto her eyes. “Don’t you remember? Derpy mentioned it already. My backup plan is stored here. We talked about it a little when we met here in the trainyard, months ago.”

* * *

10pm, Dusk’s Library.

Dusk’s fingers shook as he drew the thick red ribbon from the long case. He could feel the magic that poured out from inside the case, radiating even through the thick wood of the box.

A shower had done him a lot of good, and Rarity had insisted on redressing him before they had gathered again and ate dinner. Now at last, with the mares downstairs, he and Fancy Pants finally had a moment of quiet together. Giving Dusk the box he’d held so tightly to his chest the entire night, and Dusk’s horn nearly hummed as the magic pulsed from inside the box and through his fingers. It was old magic, something ancient, older than any magic he’d ever touched, save for those rare times he’d ever encountered things of Princess Celestia’s creation.

His breath caught in his throat as he gripped the top half of the box and slowly lifted it away, revealing... a blade.

No, not merely a blade, Dusk thought after a moment. This was something more than that. It was simply contained inside a shape crafted by mortal hands, made to look like a blade. The impossible value of the it was simply unmeasurable in Dusk’s knowledge of the metals that had been used to forge it. If it had only been made of Mithril, he’d estimate it to be worth millions of bits. Instead, the blade's sheath itself was covered with inlays made from the finest mithril designs, coating over leather made from some species he couldn't identify.

The handle and its pommel were both made of Orichalcum, more than he’d ever seen in one place. The polished bronze-copper metal was inlaid with three star-sapphires in the handle that glowed with their own inner light. But even all of that did not equal a hundredth of the value compared to the blade itself. An impossible length of silver-blue that he could identify only as Adamantine. He’d never imagined that so much of the metal could be forged together like this. His voice was weak as he lifted his eyes to look at the stallion, his voice a whisper, too weak to even ask a question. Instead, he simply stated what tiny facts he could put forward to balance against the reality of what he saw lying in the box before him. “Princess Celestia has a single ring she wears only one day a year. It has three star-sapphires inset into the ring’s metal, but the metal itself is worth ten times all three of them put together. “Ad-” He needed to swallow before he spoke again. “Adamantine is so hard to forge, no smith has ever tried to forge anything larger than a ring.”

Fancy Pants shook his head, kneeling at Dusk’s side, and admiring the impossible blade. His voice was just as quiet. “One smith did. Clover the Clever was a student of Starswirl the Bearded. His greatest, if the amount written about her lifetime of work is anything to judge by. The Princess tells me Clover spent fourteen years crafting this blade for her lover, as her engagement gift. While history records the fallout of Clovers grief in great detail, even her lover's name and sex have been forgotten. Lost in a blind fit of rage, Clover took the blade and hunted the hive down to the last larva, inaugurating the blade in the blood of every member of the hive that killed her lover. Only when it was done did she return to Starswirl’s school. She gave the blade to Princess Celestia and had the blade locked away, refusing to ever handle it again in her lifetime.”

“I can’t take this, Fancy Pants. This blade is an artifact older than Equestria, older than anything I’ve ever seen written of in any of the records I’ve read! I’d… I’d be defacing the blade to even pick it up.”

The older stallion gave a small nod, and cleared his throat gently. “The Princesses said to bring you this, Dusk, but I have never felt such power in a blade before. I’m afraid I agree, Dusk. I’ll have something more traditional made for you. We should hide this, lock it up and bury it. At least until the day we both feel comfortable with this ever seeing the light of day again.”

Dusk shook his head, and pushed the cover back onto the box, though his eyes never blinked once until the box was sealed again. Swallowing carefully, he placed a hand on Fancy Pants’ wrist, his voice careful. “Do you know how to craft a spell lock?”

* * *

Downstairs, Barb moved around the library, cleaning up what little damage that had been done by the parasprites. “Thank Celestia they never came here. After Dusk’s rant about his book being too light the other day, I’d hate to see what might have happened if they had eaten even one of his books.”

A sudden pressure formed in her throat, and she couldn’t help but start coughing sharply as she felt a letter coming. Turning away from the books, she let the magic form its end loop, coughing again to clear the hot magic from her throat and snatching the letter. With Princess Celestia’s seal holding it closed, she could already guess just what it was about. Snapping the seal and pulling open the note, she had to laugh a little at the rushed writing of instructions on how to stop a parasprite threat. The panicked writing made it clear, even if the Princess’ own words didn’t, that something else had kept her busy, leaving no time to answer them until just now. Scribbled at the bottom were the hastily-written words. “Do this quickly, Dusk! Parasprites breed at impossible speeds and will doom Ponyville in hours if not stopped. I pray this letter finds you before it is too late!”

Taking up a nearby quill, Barb adjusted a spare piece of parchment on Dusk’s desk, and prepared to write her reply when a soft and happy trilling noise drew her attention to a small lamp resting upon the desk. Trapped inside, a single cheerful parasprite stared back at her, dancing happily in place. “Well little one, you’re still alive. I suppose I should include that in my letter to Princess Celestia. But why are you still alive, when the others died off? Pinkie said her music made it impossible for you to feed.”

Looking past the parasprite, Barb noticed a book on the floor in one corner of the room. As she finished writing and sent the letter away, she wandered over, picking up the book and checking to make sure Dusk’s bookmark was still in place. “Better put this back on his desk. I wonder how it got all the way across the room?”

* * *

Meanwhile, Deep in the Everfree.

Moonlight Dreamer sat alone upon a tree stump, a silver flute between her lips. The soft song combined with her magic somehow carried across the Everfree forest, its notes reaching every ear inside the endless woods. Dancing towards her, the last few of the lost parasprites flew together, forming a small circle around her and landing upon the ground at her feet. At last, when the final few had disappeared, she drew the flute from her lips and rolled her head back, looking to the distant sky. “Winter Harvest, was I wrong? Was all of this a mistake? To make so many ponies suffer? There had to be a better way. To make more of these-”

Winter’s voice was dry, almost emotionless as she cut the younger mare off. “It was needed. We had things to do and can’t be around for every test. And remember, if these creatures had never been created, the Smooze-”

The mare wiped tears from her eyes and gave Winter a little nod. “The Smooze wouldn’t have been stopped. But nopony would be foalish enough to ever make another Smooze. The rebellious madmen who made the last one are long gone, and we were very careful to burn every record of the spell that created the first.”

* * *

Monday, April 4th, Noon, Canterlot Castle.

Dusk held the simple lamp, watching the last parasprite as it flew about in tiny circles, dancing on its tiny wings as it circled inside its tiny cage. Watching the creature, so joyful, perhaps totally innocent, it appeared to be unworried by everything that had happened to the rest of its horde.

Princess Celestia’s letter after his report on parasprites was kind and apologetic, yet she had requested he bring her the last of the creatures alive. Now he waited in silence as he stood alone in the antechamber to her private rooms, wondering just how long it had been since he’d been let in.

A sharp grinding noise of metal on metal caught Dusk’s attention. Turning to face the source of the sound, he scowled as a hole in the wall opened, revealing Silken Flight and Princess Celestia in a pathway he had never seen in all his time as her student. He was about to ask a question, but Silk put a finger to her lips, and shook her head. Following them in silence, he crossed the room with great care and stepped after them into the hidden tunnel. As the door slid shut behind him, Dusk found himself left in darkness, save for a small lamp that Silk carried.

Following them down a spiral staircase that descended into darkness for what he estimated to be three thousand, eight hundred and forty-six steps at one point six three six feet in height. The trip down was exhausting, and yet he was sure now, they had gone so deep into the mountain that Canterlot was built upon, they must have been at least a mile below the castle now. Lifting her torch, Silk ignited two lamps before a door easily eight feet in height. There was no lock, handle, bolts or visible holes in the dark metal that ate all the light from all three torches.

Celestia turned to him at last, her voice so soft he strained to hear her whispered words. “The blade Fancy Pants brought to you has been housed here since I moved to Canterlot. This vault holds artifacts unmentioned in all of Equestria’s history. Like the blade, what you will see here has been removed from written records. You hold in your hands something just as dangerous as any inside. Come inside, Dusk, but touch nothing. Someday when things calm down again, we will talk of what you see in here, but trust in me, the death of Equestria, of all ponykind exists in this vault. Worse than anything Nightmare Moon could have ever done.”

She touched the door with her bare hand and pushed it open. The flare of her magic as she did so was so powerful that he wondered if, even after the last three days of rest, he could recreate a spell with the form she had just shaped...

Two hours passed, and Dusk emerged from the vault, his breath shallow, his eyes burning and his shoulders screaming. He turned to Silk, gripping her hand for support for a moment as he looked back at Princess Celestia, who was casting a spell to reseal the door. “How-How do you stand it, Silk? I could hardly breathe. And the one shaped like a black sun? It made my bones ache.”

The spymistress shook her head, her voice drained. “I think it’s because you are a unicorn, Dusk. Things in there scare me, but I think some of them try to eat my magic. Last-last time, I couldn’t even climb the stairs on my own. Princess Luna had to carry me up the stairs.”

Behind them, Princess Celestia slammed the door closed, her voice sharp. “Not a word more. Never again until I say it is safe. Most of all, the Black Star.”

Author's Note

This... this was a real monster. I did all but the first 3k or so over two days. Hopefully it is worth the wait!

Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 1 [Dusk x Derpy x Amethyst]

Monday, April 4th, 6pm, Canterlot Train Station.

Dusk felt guilty as the mare sat with him at the train station. Princess Celestia had insisted one of her advisors, a mare named Autumn Skies, escort him about town when it had taken him so long to recover from what he had seen in the vault. Watching her closely, he wondered just how long she'd been with Celestia. “But I'm struggling to even place her age, so who knows how long she’s advised the Princess. She could be a very young forty, or a work-weathered twenty-eight. Makes me worry about Applejack. She works so hard on the farm, I hope it doesn’t-” Dusk stopped himself mid-thought and shook his head with internal laughter. “Then again, look at Granny Smith. She's still as solid as a fortress and she's older than anypony.”

Turning in her seat, the towering mare gazed down at him and gave a small shrug. “Sorry you couldn't really get any time to meet with Princess Cadence, Magistrate. We didn't lose anypony this time, but wingrott is wingrott. The new isolation rules are quite strict.”

Dusk accepted the tea an attendant brought him, cupping it up in both hands and enjoying the radiating warmth and smell. But that smell was distinct, enough that he could identify the blend with confidence. “Nurse Redheart’s blend? Don't tell me she-”

The mare gave him a thin smile, her eyes laughing. “After Princess Cadence approved of the blend, she had a moderate amount stocked here in Canterlot for your visits. Drink up. The flavor turns quite bitter when it cools.”

There was something in her soft spoken advice and distant smile. He knew why Princess Celestia had chosen her as an Advisor. For all of Summer Orchard’s experience and wisdom, she was far more strict and professional, much like Princess Celestia on official business. This earth mare reminded him far more of the times Celestia let her guard down when they were in private, and had the same quiet laughter in her eyes.

Swallowing a mouthful, he enjoyed it as the heat spread through his body, soothing his aching legs and the persistent numbing throb in his back. Relieved for that much, Dusk sighed with content. “Thanks, Autumn. It’s strange, but even something as simple as a cup of hot tea can be so comforting.” At the sharp sound of a distant train whistle, Dusk straightened up, looking towards the source of the noise. “That’s the Fillydelphia express, right? Which means my ride back to Ponyville should be next.”

The mare grinned, flashing her teeth at him, giving a small nod. “Impressive. You haven’t been in Canterlot for months and yet you already know the train schedule?”

Draining back the rest of the tea and returning the empty cup to the waiting servant, Dusk grinned a little, offering the mare a little shrug. “I saw the schedule board when we entered and memorized it. Just my little talent.”

“I can see why Princess Celestia likes you, dear, but you should go board. Unless, perhaps, you need somepony to carry you?” Standing up and messing up his hair, the mare’s warm laughter and teasing was refreshing, and Dusk couldn’t help but grin back at her.

Standing to join the mare, he didn't bother straightening his hair, still laughing a little along with her. “No, no. I'm doing much better now. Thank you for the concern, Autumn, it was nice to visit home.” His mind wandering for a moment, the thought of home reminded of family. “Has there been any word from Twilight Velvet? My mother used to write every week or two and I've not heard from her in nearly a month.”

The mare winced, and the sudden appearance of thick worry lines made him readjust his estimate of her age. Trying to look calm, she gave a little nod. “We received some disturbing news yesterday around midnight. Shockingly, Rust Wing killed his father Striking Viper and grandfather Emperor Steel Talon, killer of Broken Beak. Which let him take the throne and he has declared himself Ashen Thunderhead. Your mother is quite concerned, as he's only 17 and few of the clan Alphas appear to respect him. Both men were murdered in their sleep, not in a traditional griffin duel.”

Trying to picture the chaos that would result if the new emperor couldn't keep the griffon Alphas loyal made Dusk wince. “Are we-”

The mare smiled and shook her head, putting a finger on his lips to silence him. “Princess Celestia respects your discretion. We've sent her two wings of the Wonderbolts, including Captain Fleetfoot’s and 1st Lieutenant Blaze’s. They're being supported by three wings of the Royal Guard to ensure some measure of peace in the griffon’s capital.”

Dusk took some relief in that. Without including her standing revenue of house staff, that put 75 pegasi by her side. “I will try to be discreet, you can promise Princess Celestia that. But if the new emperor falls…”

The mare gave him a small nod of her head so slight he nearly missed it. “The ambassador will be recalled. We want no part in another griffon civil war.”

* * *

9pm, Ponyville Train Station.

The sharp whistle of the train as they approached Ponyville pulled Dusk from his attempted meditation, the powerful roar driving him back from his comfortable slouch and putting his nerves back on edge. Glowering out the window, he watched the small platform approach, but it didn't make the situation any better. As his eyes scanned over the platform, he could make out Barb and Lyra waiting for his return. “Likely with more problems I'll need to deal with. At least Princess Celestia took Ponyville’s request for disaster relief well. From what Barb wrote to me, making sure nopony was claiming unrealistic needs kept Bronze and Mrs. Mayor up half the night.”

Steadying himself against the sudden jerk of the train pulling to a halt, Dusk slung his shoulder strap into place and hefted his backpack's weight off the seat. Slipping between the chairs to the door, he quietly apologized to the ponies he passed, gladly stepping down to the platform, and a gentle breeze wafted over him, refreshing after the stuffy train.

Barb’s excited impact and subsequent tight hug of his leg, combined with the weight of his pack, was nearly enough to nearly throw him off balance. He needed a moment to catch himself, and ruffled an affectionate hand through her head-spikes. “Hey now, I missed you too, Barb, but you don't see me bowling you head over heels, right?”

The dragoness gave a little embarrassed chittering noise and nuzzled her head into his hand, her eyes squeezed closed and tail whipping with excitement. “I-Well, sorry. But I've got you to myself today, and, well, this is like the first time that's happened in like forever!”

Laughing along with her nervous embarrassed rambling, Dusk turned towards Lyra, about to question hir, only to find himself staring at empty air. Turning to look where shi'd ran off, he finally found the hir, pressing a smaller mare against the train. Lyra’s body mostly obscured the other mare, so it took a moment, but at last her identity dawned on him. “Is… is that Bonbon?!”

Lifting up the dragoness and turning away from the clearly occupied couple, Dusk let Barb lean against his chest and shoulder, her embarrassment replaced with amusement. “What? You didn't know? But, you're Dusk! You know everything about everypony!”

Feeling his cheeks burn a little, he shifted her weight and moved off the platform, shaking his head. “Well, sure, most things, yes. But I didn’t know they were together.”

Barb snorted with laughter and hugged his head for support, shaking with laughter. “Well, Berry Punch won't let me in the bar during open hours, but we still talk and I help her clean up. Maybe you should visit the bar more often, she has gossip on everypony!”

Incredulous, Dusk couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at the dragoness. “Surely not everypony.”

Defiantly the dragoness straightened up, crossing her arms against her belly scales. “Seriously, everypony! She knows about Dash’s house. Like way more detail than anypony else. And she suspected that Lyra and Bonbon were in a relationship, same with Mac an-”

Surrendering to her confident tone and growing list of names, Dusk shook his free hand since he lacked any white flag to wave. “Alright, alright, Barb, I yield. Your point has been made. Maybe I should stop by her bar occasionally. After all, that place makes for a more casual setting to get to know ponies.”

Giving a happy nod, Barb returned to hugging his neck, her slitted eyes slipping closed again. But she still spoke to him as they walked, her tone dreamy with joy. “So the workers for Dash’s new home finally arrived this morning. She's asked Applejack and Bronze to help her with, and I quote: ‘All of this stupid math and financing crap!’ And Rarity said the damage to Fluttershy’s wardrobe was simply devastating, so she took Pinkie, Sweetie and Apple Bloom over there this morning, so they can help clean up her house, and replace some of the clothing the parasprites ate.”

Dusk grinned a little and nuzzled his cheek against the dragoness’ side, giving her a wink. “So, you're really right. We've got the day together with no plans, and no disasters in sight. What do we do next?”

The little dragoness looked down and away from him, biting her lip. She looked thoughtful, almost hesitant. The approaching shade of the library seemed to reassure her. “I-Well, how about we go inside, and you let me have a bowl of those fresh sapphire flakes you brought me from Canterlot, and we can talk about something important, alright?”

The fact she wasn't even being subtle about her keen sense of smell having located the treat he'd stashed at the bottom of his bag nearly distracted him from her change of attitude. Watching her closely, he let her keep her secret for now. “Not a pure bowl. Have some ice cream or a sweet roll with them at the very least, Barb. They are very expensive, and cost nearly twice what I spend on food in a week for both of us.”

The fact she simply gave him a nod and made no fuss at his restrictions made Dusk worry a little. The quiet, thoughtful way she clung to him as he opened the treehouse door and went straight for the kitchen told him volumes about how something was troubling her. While she settled in a chair at the table, Dusk fetched a bowl and filled it with some of the pure, freshly made ice cream from the icebox, noting he'd have to find a way to repay AJ for topping the tub off for them again.

Setting the bowl before her, he was unsurprised she'd already dug the bag of flaked sapphires from his bag, and let her top the vanilla treat with the glittery blue flakes, only needing to clear his throat once to remind her when she'd taken enough. Taking the seat across from her, he laced his fingers together. He watched her eat for a time before finally speaking up. “So, Barb. What is bothering you so much? If you tell me, maybe we can fix it together?”

Barb stopped with the spoon still hanging between her teeth, the sudden and direct confrontation catching her off guard, leaving her silent for a moment. Looking up at him from under heavy eyes while she sucked the spoon clean, she took her time, finally pulling it free from her muzzle and settling it down on the edge of her bowl. “Dusk… it's about Sweetie Belle. She’s Rarity's foal, isn't she?”

The confidence in her statement was shocking to Dusk, and he returned her stare with one of his own, trying to keep stern yet neutral. “That's some very private and sensitive information you found, Barb. I hope you didn't share that with too many other ponies.”

When he reached across the table to squeeze her hand, Barb pulled hers back and scowled at him. “I'm not a blather mouth, Dusk! I just want to know why you were hiding that from me! Is it because she's a pony and I'm not?! That she's more like your filly while I'm just some duty you owe to Celes-”

Dusk had been stunned by the little dragoness’ breakdown. She had begun to truly frighten him as she started sobbing and hunting for words or a hidden reason behind the secret. Rushing around the table, he scooped her into his arms and sat down on the floor, cradling her close. The dragoness didn't try to fight him, but curled up against his chest, sobbing heavily and mumbling incoherently. Stroking fingers tenderly through her head-spikes, he hushed her gently, taking advantage of a lull in her cries to try to soothe her further. “It's nothing like that, Barb. I love you like you were my little sister, or my own foal. Sweetie… Sweetie is a very charming foal, and shows great confidence despite knowing about the sad events that preceded her birth. I like her, and if Rarity asked me to adopt the foal, I'd be overjoyed to say yes, but she'll never replace you in my heart. You helped me find my cutie mark, and you've never been anything but the best friend, the best little sister, the best assistant I've ever had!”

Calming down a little, the dragoness turned over to look up at him, grinning a little. “Your… number one assistant?”

Grinning back at her, Dusk pulled Barb tightly close and kissed the top of her head. “My number one assistant!” Pushing her up onto her chair again, Dusk shoved the bowl back into her hands. “Now eat up! And we can talk about what you want to do for the rest of the night!”

Looking up at him, wiping away tears from her cheeks, she tilted her head a little in thought before pressing just a little more. “But why the secrets? Why didn't you tell me?”

Walking around to his seat again, Dusk gave her a gentle smile as he set his chair back up again and sat across from her. “It wasn't anything personal, Barb. Rarity is very protective of Sweetie, and worries about how the other foals might treat her if they knew everything.”

Silent and thoughtful as she ate the rest of her ice cream and sapphires, Barb watched him as he sorted paperwork from his bag, waiting a long time before speaking up again. “I think if she asked, you should, Dusk.”

His concentration a mile away, Dusk looked back over at the little dragoness, feeling a little confused. “Sorry, but what?”

Grinning at him, Barb dropped the spoon back into the empty bowl. “Adopt Sweetie Belle. She’s really nice when I foal-sit her and she loves oiling my scales when we give one another makeovers. I think she'd make a good little sister, too.”

Dusk laughed and gave her hand a squeeze. “Well alright. Then all we need to do is convince Rarity I'm good enough to take care of Sweetie.”

She mumbled something to herself. It was just low enough that he had to strain to hear, Barb muttered proudly. “But only a second best little sister. I'll always be the best.”

* * *

Tuesday, April 5th, 11am, Ms. Cheerilee’s classroom.

Apple Bloom leaned forward, laying herself half across her desk, burying her face in her hands. “Please Ms. Cheerilee, just let us go for lunch!!!”

The gurgling noise in her belly refused to stop, and looking up at the clock didn't help any, as it only served to remind her of just how far away lunch really was. “Ugghhhh. Note to self: One apple tart isn't enough breakfast, not when Mac and AJ make me help in the orchard for two hours before school!”

Rolling her head around so she could look back up at the chalkboard, she hoped that the topic had changed to something more interesting than the story her teacher had been droning on about for the last hour.

Placing the page she'd been reading from on her desk, Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Now, to see if you all were paying attention: can anypony name the seven clans of the old pony kingdoms? How about you, Apple Bloom?”

Caught off guard because of how dry the story had been, she frantically hunted her memory. “Hadn't Granny Smith talked about this at some point?” Out loud, she began, ”Umm, ummm…”

With the entire class watching her, Apple Bloom swallowed back her worries and puffed out her chest. “Well, Princesses Celestia and Luna were the only two alicorns back then, and of course there were the Earth, Unicorn and Pegasi. Ummm… I know the Zebra used to live in the old empire. But… Oh! The bat ponies were part of the land too! And that's everypony, right?”

At her side, she felt a sharp tugging at her wrist, and heard Sweetie Belle’s loud whisper. “One more!”

At the front of the class, Ms. Cheerilee crossed her arms and lifted one eyebrow, but her tone offered her one last chance to correct herself. “Are you sure, Apple Bloom? Don't you think you might have missed somepony?”

Panic setting in, Apple Bloom searched the room, her eyes hunting for any clues. Swallowing her panic, she looked back at Ms. Cheerilee, shoulders slumping in defeat. “I'm sorry Ms. Cheerilee, I don't remember.”

Instantly a hand in the front row shot up, and before Ms. Cheerilee could even acknowledge her, Diamond Tiara stood up, her derisive tone and smug smirk sending a chill down Apple Bloom’s spine. “I'm afraid she forgot to mention the Crystal ponies, who had their own expansive empire compared to the other clans.”

Giving a little nod to Diamond, Ms. Cheerilee kept her face neutral, her voice always that supportive calm tone. “Very good, Diamond Tiara, but please remember to let me call on you before shouting out an answer like that. How about everypony reads the short story on page 317 in their history book about the Crystal Empire until lunch, alright?”

Stepping away from her desk, she quickly closed the distance to stand at Apple Bloom’s side, crouching down a little Ms. Cheerilee placed a gentle hand to rest on her shoulder. “Apple Bloom, if you aren't feeling well, just let me know, alright? I know you help out around the farm, and your work ethic is inspiring, but at the same time, if you're falling asleep in class, I might need to have a talk with Applejack or Big Mac about giving you more time to rest in the morning.”

Apple Bloom could feel herself blush as her mouth moved all on its own, and quite a bit louder than she'd intended. “Oh, no Ms. Cheerilee! I wasn't sleeping in class, I promise! I was just trying to keep my stomach from growling too loudly, I guess I kinda went light on breakfast this morning, and now…” Apple Bloom’s train of thought detailed catastrophically as she realized half the class were staring at her. “I-I just… I… sorry, Ms. Cheerilee, I promise I'll try harder to pay attention in the future.”

The teacher gave her a long look, studying her eyes and waiting to see if she had anything else to say. Finally, she gave one of her small supportive, comforting smiles. “Well, alright, Apple Bloom. Just so long as you're fine. For now, just catch up on the reading, it's nearly lunch time, okay?”

Doing her best to ignore the grumbling in her belly, Apple Bloom opened the book and joined the class in reading the story, all written from the point-of-view of a young unicorn mare. It didn't seem to go anywhere, yet it talked on about how the other ponies of the Crystal Empire differed so much, as there were unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies all living together, while the other empires at the time were tiny and weak, and made up of only a single clan, constantly fighting with their neighbors. It was just interesting enough to keep her attention until the line about a new unicorn forcing the other clans outside of the empire to make peace, a stallion named Starswirl.

Finishing the last page, Apple Bloom was thoroughly confused. “Now wait just one cotton pickin’ minute! The story last week said a stallion with the same name raised Princess Celestia and Luna. And the one we read last year before harvest break talked about how Princess Luna had a… ah… ah con-i-sort named Starswirl. That don’t make no sense!”

The steady call of the school bell tolled overhead, signaling the start of lunch and a flurry of noise from the ponies in the classroom. Only through Ms. Cheerilee’s best efforts were the foals rounded up and some sort of sanity was restored. Soon, everypony was eating, those who needed to pick up lunches from the small school kitchen returning with their trays and taking seats with their friends.

Apple Bloom hardly noticed when Ms. Cheerilee was relieved by one of the preschool aids, but gave the always-cheerful Ms. Sunny Drops a wave when she passed by her desk, glad she at least remembered the friendly mare’s name.

Halfway through lunch, things changed. Randolph was tidying up the special hot lunch he'd brought from home for Diamond Tiara when she stood up and walked to Sunny Drops’ side and spoke up over the class. “Excuse me, Ms. Drops. It's my cuteceñera later this week, and I was hoping I could hand out invitations to the class before lunch ended.”

Something in that too-sweet tone made Apple Bloom’s nerves ache. “Ms. Cheerilee always makes us wait until last class before handing out invitations. Is she... She wouldn't!”

But of course, the preschool assistant was only too happy to gush over Diamond, giving her a warm hug. “Oh of course, dear! You're Mr. Rich’s little Diamond, aren't you? Why, a cuteceñera already? And just what is your very special talent? Why, I remember when you were still just a little foal in the preschool classes; so bright and curious!”

Bowing a little to the mare, Diamond kept to a flattering tone. “I'm a born business mare, even daddy says so, and you know how serious he takes business! Besides, if I'm bright and keen, it's only because of the kind assistance of all of my teachers, from preschool up!”

Permission obtained and the teacher clearly putty in her hands; Diamond Tiara snapped her fingers, calling the elderly butler to her side, a thick sheath of crisp white envelopes flitted in silver around the edge held on a second serving tray Apple Bloom hadn't noticed earlier.

What was worse were her eyes. In them, Apple Bloom could see that another of Diamond’s abusive games had started already. She stepped up to the first desk in the room, right beside the door, where Silver Spoon waited, her eyes filled with expectation. Taking the top envelope from the pile, Apple Bloom was sure she twisted it around specifically so everypony in the room could see that same silver ink had been used, with a dark black ink outline, to write Silver Spoon’s full name upon the envelope, the ink glittering in the bright light of the classroom’s lamps.

“Dearest Silver Spoon, my best of friends, I hope you'll come to my cuteceñera later this week. Daddy’s promised it will be a royal affair so grand even the nobles in Canterlot will be talking about it for weeks to come. We will have an ice cream cake made personally by Cordon Bleu himself, and oh-so many important guests! Why, Magistrate Dusk Shine, and the retiring Magistrate for Canterlot’s university district are both set to attend! Even Hoity Toity has promised to make an appearance!”

As if they had clearly practiced this, Silver Spoon followed along as if enraptured by Diamond’s every word. At last crying out in delight and hugging Diamond after accepting the invitation. “I'd be honored to attend! Your cuteceñera will be the greatest event to grace Ponyville since Dusk Shine became our Magistrate!”

As Apple Bloom watched, Diamond Tiara continued the process, walking down the line of ponies, followed by Randolph with his tray full of invitations. Each time she stopped to talk to another pony, she shared less specific details but kept on with the same enthusiasm. “It's like, well... She might as well be sayin’: Here's an invitation, don't ya feel honored?!”

Scowling at them the whole time this drama went on, it wasn't until halfway through the second row of seats before Diamond skipped a pony, simply walking past her and onto the next desk. It only took a moment for it to dawn on Apple Bloom just who'd been left out. “Of course she'd snub Scootaloo. Just cause she spoils their fun when they pick on Sweetie… and that means-”

Before her eyes, the trend continued, a crisp letter given to every pony in class, except the blank flanks. Next they skipped over Twist, and Apple Bloom saw her friend's shoulders droop. “Of course! She talks all the time about fancy cooks like Bleu. Heck, I doubt Diamond Tiara would've even know his name if it wasn't for the time Twist’s Ma came to class to talk about her time as a baker in Canterlot!”

With a smug grin, Diamond passed over Apple Bloom, a surprise so mild she didn't bother to even give her the satisfaction of her annoyance. “Of course, she'll ignore me and Dinky, and invite only Sweetie so they can pick on her when nopony else around to stand up for her.”

That changed at Rumble, sitting right behind her. Diamond’s tone had suddenly changed back to the milky-sweet gushing she used with adults she was trying to impress. “Oh, Rumble, please, you just must come as well! I know you leave for Cloudsdale the next day, so this really makes this the last chance we have to spend time together as a class! Besides, you're going to be an important pony in a few years, and weather makers need to know how to be comfortable in the company of important ponies!”

Something in that false sincerity flipped the switch in Apple Bloom’s head, and again her temper began to flare up, boiling out of control. “‘As a class!’ HA! You liar, you fraud! Admit it, Diamond, you just want to use today as an excuse to shun us blank flanks and nothing else!” Straining to keep her silence, she watched, unsurprised that, as she'd predicted, they skipped over Dinky, who had shied away from them as they passed, clear shame in her eyes.

Then the unthinkable happened, with only three tables left in class, Diamond passed by Sweetie Belle, but unlike the others she'd skipped, she ‘stumbled’ and ‘accidentally’ hip-checked the smaller filly as she passed, using the ‘fall’ as an excuse to catch her balance on the colt who sat in front of Sweetie. Oozing with false sincerity she practically cooed at the shocked boy. “I'm so sorry, Shady Daze. I must have tripped over some trash. I didn't hurt you, did I?”

Blood pulsing so hard in her veins she practically felt like her head was about to burst, Apple Bloom had had enough. Standing up with so much force she knocked over her chair, she pointed a finger at Diamond in accusation. “Stop it, Diamond Tiara! Sweetie Belle is not trash, you purposefully hip-checked her after purposefully ignoring her just like you ignored the rest of us. Just ‘cause we haven’t got our cutie marks, doesn’t mean we’re lesser ponies!”

Huffing for breath and shaking with rage, Apple Bloom realized that everypony had gone silent, and were all now staring at her. But it was the look of shock and horror in Sunny Drops’ eyes that managed to stall her. The elderly mare’s sad expression clashed with the venom in her tone. “Apple Bloom! How could you! She’s just inviting ponies to her cuteceñera! I want you to get up and go straight to the teachers’ lounge. I’ll send Ms. Cheerilee to speak with you when she gets back.”

Shoulders slumped, Apple Bloom tried to think of a way to defend her actions to the furious mare, but found her mind blank, and a room full of other students now stared at her, while a smug Diamond grinned back at her. Looking down at the floor, Apple Bloom stepped away from her desk, her voice soft. “I’m sorry, Ms. Sunny Drops. I just- I’ll go.”

A strong, comforting grip on her hand made Apple Bloom pause, and look into Sweetie’s eyes, the tiny filly smiled up at her warmly and shook her head, standing up on her chair to be seen over the other students, speaking out with a confidence and strength to her voice that belied her tiny frame. “Ms. Sunny Drops, that’s not fair at all! Apple Bloom was just protecting me. Diamond really did skip all of us without cutie marks, even though she claimed she wanted the whole class to be there to say goodbye to Rumble! And Ms. Cheerilee never lets us hand out invitations and things like that until the end of the school day, so that way anypony who isn’t invited doesn’t have to watch as everypony else gets an invitation.”

Ms. Sunny Drops was flabbergasted, her jaw hanging open as the tiniest mare in class spoke up in defence of Apple Bloom. From the doorway, Ms. Cheerilee’s voice came with a very careful and calm tone. “If you are right Sweetie, that’s sad, because Diamond should know better than that. But you should also know that Apple Bloom should have more respect than to suddenly shout in front of the whole classroom. How about for now you all return to your desks and I’ll forget how you all have been misbehaving while I was off having my own lunch break?”

Everypony in the room went quiet again as Cheerilee came into the classroom and had a few quiet words with Sunny Drops, giving the foals a few more minutes to get ready for class. Only Sweetie’s warm smile helped calm Apple Bloom enough to return to her seat, though she could feel her cheeks burning red with embarrassment, still angry at Diamond’s antics.

* * *

Noon, Rarity’s Boutique.

Dusk lowered the teacup to rest upon the platter, whispering a happy sigh as he let his head roll back and stare up at the roof. The soothing tea continued to do its work and helped relax his aching shoulders, though it left him feeling distant, half-asleep even while he watched Rarity and Bronze talk.

“Bronze, sometime you really should come up to my studio. I promise, it would be such a joy to make you something designed just for you! I could even show you some samples to prove it! I’ve nearly finished my dress for the Gala, and a proper suit for Dusk, because you know he’d simply insist on wearing his magisterial robes if I didn’t make him wear something else!”

Turning deep red in the cheeks, Bronze swiftly returned her teacup to the table, wiping her face with the napkin Rarity had made a point of handing out, and tried to keep calm. “I, well, I’d rather just wear my armor, really. It’s what Shining Armor almost always did, except when Princess Cadence was with him. Then he’d put on one of the nice suits she’d had her tailor make for him.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, and she shook her head, her voice now full of alarm. “What? But you’re a beautiful mare, Bronze! You’d look fantastic in a nice dress! Maybe something in a vivid crimson, to go with your hair and wings!”

His senses dulled, Dusk couldn’t help but grin a little, shaking his head. “She’s never worn a dress, at least, never at any of Shining Armor’s appearances in court or at the university. I don’t think she owns anything but her athletic gear and her squire’s tunic.”

Bronze looked down and away, both of their words clearly embarrassing her. Looking at the ground, she shook her head dismissively. “Dusk’s right. I’ve never worn anything but my armor or the squire's tunic Shining Armor had made for me, when the armor wasn’t appropriate. I’ve… well, I’ve never owned a dress.”

Dusk watched as Rarity ran through a succession of expressions and emotions, finally settling on a mixture of dumbfounded sorrow and rock solid determination. “Now that is simply not right! No mare should be denied the joy of wearing a dress crafted for her and nopony else! You will report to my studio this evening after whatever business you have for the day is finished. And I won't take no for an answer!”

Still looking at her feet, Bronze struggled to find the right words; a way to disagree, an escape. Looking up just enough to catch his eyes, she tried pleading with Dusk. “But I'm a warrior, and your Vicarius, Dusk! Wouldn't it be inappropriate for me to show up in something so girly as a dress?!”

Dusk reached out and stroked Bronze’s cheek with his knuckles, the best he could manage without standing up from the sofa, since that felt like an impossibility right now. “Historically there were few female Vicarius’, Bronze. But fashion has changed a lot since then. Why not at least let Rarity make you a dress, in private, without letting anypony else see it? Then, if you think it feels right, let us see it. We're your friends, you can trust us to give you all the discretion you need. And only afterwards, if you're really comfortable, you can wear it before others.”

Not finding the support she'd been searching for, Bronze bit her lower lip, her voice reluctant, distant. “Well... I suppose….”

Delighted, Rarity rushed to Bronze’s side, scooping up her hands and squeezing them tightly. “Oh, this will be glorious! I simply can't wait! I've already got so many ideas of how to emphasize the browns and oranges in your hair and eyes. Just give me this one chance, Bronze! You'll see! I will make you feel like the beautiful maiden you are, maybe even a princess!”

Bronze smiled a little, looking up at last at Rarity and getting a little caught up in the mare’s enthusiasm. “Well, alright. Just as long as you promise we can try it all in private, where nopony else might see me make a fool of your beautiful dress.”

The steady knock on a nearby door of the boutique pulled everypony from their conversation, and lifted the drowsy haze from Dusk’s mind enough to make him sit up properly while Rarity rushed off to see who was knocking. Left alone for a moment with Bronze, Dusk offered her a supportive smile. “Trust me, it's easier this way. If you’d refused, she'd have made the dress anyway and then ambushed you with it sometime when you needed her help with something else. Now at least you've got some part in picking out the color, style, and if it has a slit on the leg or not.”

At first, she watched him closely, then relaxed at his supportive words and suggestions on how to influence the dress. Yet at the mention of a slit, she winced and unconsciously put a hand on her calf, and vigorously shook her head. “No slits. I'm lucky to have so few scars. Nopony needs to see my legs.”

Realizing the source of her discomfort, Dusk made himself stand up, and moved from the sofa to sit beside her on the smaller love seat. Putting his hands on top of her own, he smiled warmly, massaging at her muscle around her hands, leaning in close so he could catch her scent. “You know some ponies would disagree. When I saw Silken Flight in Canterlot yesterday, she was wearing a dress that was held up by only two tiny straps over her shoulders. She has a lifetime of scars, more than you, but she displays them proudly. Besides, some stallions like a mare with powerful, sexy legs. Why do you think AJ always wears shorts?”

She was blushing now, her breath heating up, and her cheeks flushed, but she also took her hand away from the scar, and let his finger trace it through her thin woolen pants, her eyes wide as she panted a little. “A-Ah-And you like my legs?”

Stopping with his mouth barely an inch from her own, Dusk let his lips part and his tongue trace a line across them, before whispering just for her. “I don't know. You've never let me see them. They feel fantastic.”

In a false tone of shock, Rarity stopped in the doorway to the tea room, her voice dancing with amusement. “Oh dear, Derpy! I'm afraid Dusk might be too occupied to see you just now!”

The moment Rarity spoke, Bronze went stiff in his arms and started sputtering, vainly attempting to explain their actions. “I- Wha- It's nothing, well, I mean!”

For his part, Dusk simply straightened up and continued to massage at the muscle of Bronze’s calf, smiling back at Rarity and giving Derpy a small nod. “No, nothing that will prevent me from talking to a good friend like Derpy. Bronze was just worried because her calf muscle hurts sometimes, so I figured I'd give it a look. Maybe Princess Cadence will have the time to look at it when she finally comes to town this week.”

Rarity returned to her seat and gave them a grin, her tone playful. “Of course, we'd never have thought anything but such innocent intent. Do you have time for tea, Derpy, my dear?”

Bronze was very slow to relax even as Dusk continued his gentle massage of her strained calf muscle. Intent on making Bronze calm down a little more, Dusk kept his work up, and gave Derpy a small nod. “Please feel free to join us if you've got time, Derpy. We were just talking about the gala.”

Derpy slipped into the free chair at Rarity's side, digging through her mail sack before lowering the bag to the floor at her side. Reaching out, she proffered an envelope to Dusk, grinning a little. “I can spare a few minutes for tea, but I might as well deliver you a copy of the schedule for the gala. Princess Celestia had them sent out for all invited ponies, and I've already dropped off copies to Mr. Rich and the other Elements.”

Rarity poured the mailmare a cup of the normal tea, passing it along, her eyes distant as she daydreamed. “Oh that shall be a wonderful time! Have they set a date at last? Hopefully sometime before the Summer Sun Celebration? I do hope that it isn't too soon! I’ve a number of projects in progress that I might struggle to finish properly if rushed!”

Opening his copy of the letter, Dusk read quickly at the light details and at last grinned, shaking his head. “You've got time yet, Rarity. They chose to place the gala for the day after Starswirl University's graduation ceremonies, Friday, June 17th. That should work well enough, it only gives the ponies a day to prepare, but with both universities’ ceremonies over with, it means no other major celebrations remain until the Summer Sun Celebration itself.”

Bronze was quieter, having returned to chewing on her lower lip. “I suppose they picked that date on purpose. Gives all the important ponies time to gather in Canterlot before they move on to Fillydelphia for this year's Summer Sun Celebration.”

But compared to the others, Derpy was quiet, distant in her own thoughts. Relaxing his attentions to Bronze’s calf, Dusk called to her softly. “Is something bothering you, Derpy?”

Lowering her cup in thought, she gave a smile and was about to speak before realizing she hadn’t touched much of her drink. Returning the cup to her lips, she drained the rest off and closed her eyes before giving a happy, if hesitant, breath. “Dusk, Ame’s heat started yesterday. We-well, we were hoping that you'd come over, and stay the night. If-If you are still willing to help with… you know.”

Straightening up at Derpy’s revelation, Dusk cleared his throat, and glanced just briefly at Rarity. The mare held her teacup close, and sipped carefully from it, giving him a little subtle nod over the rim of her cup. Dusk looked back at Derpy, nodding before he replied. “Of course, Derpy. I'm still willing to fulfill my part, as long as you two still want a foal.”

Bronze had receded back into her corner of the loveseat, watching everything closely, her eyes filled with confusion, but she said nothing while Derpy practically exploded with excitement. “Oh! Yes, yes! We are both so very excited about having a new foal after so long, and I know Dinky would love to have a little sister or brother!”

Bronze suddenly froze, her eyes going wide with realization at what Derpy was asking Dusk for ‘help’ with. She said nothing out loud, but watched them all, growing quieter and more watchful. In her eyes, a hint of horror began to grow, and a gnawing sense of jealousy flared.

Derpy’s excitement was infectious, and Rarity grinned, lowering her teacup. “It sounds wonderful. And you two have waited so long, I'm sure after having to do with the surprise of Dinky’s birth, you've taken all the time you could to make sure you're ready this time?”

Derpy gave a nod, squeezing her hands together and nodding with rabid enthusiasm. “Of course. We've been saving up for the last six years to make sure we've got the extra bits just so we can handle whatever happens. And Time Turner has been a fantastic help already, he helped me paint the spare room to make it into a nursery.”

The pleasant conversation continued for another five or ten minutes before Derpy took off. Rarity returned from escorting her out, and went to Bronze’s side, arms stubbornly crossing over her chest. “Alright, Bronze, out with it. What has you so quiet?”

Turning to look at Bronze for the first time since he'd been distracted by Derpy, Dusk realized that she was fiercely scowling and chewing on her lower lip. She looked up at Rarity and looked like she was about to say something sarcastic, so he put a hand on her knee, and watched as she instead turned to him, her voice wary. “I don't understand, Dusk. You're just going around siring foals with anypony who asks? Do you want a bunch of foals or...?”

Rarity reached over and squeezed Bronze’s hand, her voice soft. “If he did want foals, he'd have many more mares knocking down the door, dear. Amethyst and Derpy are good friends.”

Dusk slipped his arm around Bronze’s shoulders, ignoring how she stiffened up, and gave Rarity a soft nod. “I don't know if I'm ready for foals. Bronze, I like Sweetie, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and I love Barb, but I've never been responsible for a foal by myself, and I worry I might not be able to handle taking care of one. Helping Derpy and Amethyst gives me a chance to sire a foal, and to share some responsibility for the child, but leaves me an outsider if I am not ready for the commitment. I don't want to mess up some poor foal’s life by being a bad father.”

Bronze let out a long breath, staring down at her feet, her voice soft. “I-Sorry, Dusk, Rarity… If you think you're unsure about foals, I'm downright scared of them! I don't know why; they're just loud and small and fragile and frightening!”

Rarity squeezed into the far side of the loveseat, hugging Bronze from the other side to press her into Dusk. “Then don't worry, dear. None of us are looking for a foal right now. Life has been far too crazy as it is, and I think I'd rather have a few years to figure things out before bringing a foal into this crazy world. I'm busy enough helping my parents raise Sweetie.”

Bronze relaxed and rested her head on Rarity’s shoulder, they could tell she was still worried, her breathing was raspy, but at least she'd relaxed a little. Dusk would have to remember to talk to Rarity about Barb, and Sweetie’s heritage when all of this was over with. “Well, enough of tea. We should return to the library and finish our work for the day. Before Rarity sends somepony to drag you back for a fitting for your dress.”

That earned him both some laughter and a glare, but tea broke up, though as Dusk moved to leave, Bronze hung behind. “You go ahead, Dusk. I'll help Rarity clean up, and catch up with you.”

Closing the door so he couldn't question her further, Bronze returned to the kitchen and took up drying the dishes as Rarity washed them. In silence they worked, the only noise the soft clatter of plates as Bronze put them away, and occasional directions from Rarity to help her find out where everything went.

As the sink drained and Rarity scrubbed the last of the mess out to leave the kitchen spotless, she finally turned to Bronze, giving the mare her full attention. “Alright, so are you going to tell me the rest?”

Bronze gave a little nod, pulling out one of the chairs from the kitchen table and sitting backwards in it, straddling the seat so she could flex and relax her wings. “It's… well, it's foals, right? Most ponies don't know it, but sometimes the more senior stallions in the guard go off and sire foals. With their herds, or with willing mares who are interested in having foals. Afterwards, I've seen them. They change, suddenly they start bringing the foals around the barracks, introducing them to everypony that will talk to them. Soon they retire, or get promotions to quieter places or accept easier work, to have more time for their foals and the mares who bore them. My first sergeant took a position in the lower market two years ago, and when I saw him last, he had a dozen foals and four mares who had him running in circles.”

Rarity gave a small shrug, leaning back against the countertop. “So, they formed a family. What's wrong with that?”

“Well… nothing I suppose. But one of the mares, they'd had a foal together years before, when I was still just starting my training. He loved the foal but him and the mare never got along, not without a violent argument or somepony throwing bottles. Now they live together, drawn back together time and time again by their foal. It's just… even if Dusk says it's Amethyst’s foal, it'll still be his child, right?”

Her mind turning to Sweetie’s sire, Rarity shook her head. “Sometimes, maybe. But I know of sires who have no interest in ever meeting their foals. Sometimes they pretend the child doesn't even exist. I think having a sire like Dusk who cares deeply for foals, even those who are not his own, even if he doesn't admit it, is worlds better for a foal than no sire at all. I've seen him with Sweetie, he is a real stallion; he cares for foals, even ones who aren't his. That might mean he has less time for us, but the fact he cares so much about the well-being of anypony’s children far outweighs the inconvenience. It proves he has a big heart.”

The conviction in Rarity’s tone made Bronze pause, and at last surrender. “I... you're right. I'm being silly. Jealous of an unborn foal. I'm sorry, just don't tell Dusk I was so childish, please?”

Pushing aside her own spiteful memories, Rarity did her best to smile. “I promise. No reason for a momentary mistake to ruin a mare's life.”

Bronze left after having helped clean up, heart feeling lighter with Rarity’s encouraging words. On her way back to the library, however, her mind inevitably returned to what she hadn’t told Rarity yet. It was only after the library came into view that she realized she had begun crying, Rarity’s last words echoing in her mind. “You’re too kind, Rarity. If you only knew…”

* * *

3:40pm, Outside Ponyville School.

Apple Bloom sat squarely on the tree stump, allowing Sweetie Belle to brush her hair, her red ribbon kept carefully wrapped around her right hand as she waited for Twist to finish with whatever it was she’d wanted to talk with Ms. Cheerilee about. Sweetie’s soft humming was distracting, but in the best way. “But I better not say anything. Last time, she practically refused to talk to me for days.”

As Sweetie Belle continued to brush and play with Apple Bloom’s wild hair, the sweet song she kept under her breath soothed Apple Bloom’s frayed nerves, helping her relax and feel better after a day at school that had left her feeling tense and upset.

Tossing open the school door, Silver Spoon stepped outside, laughing while she took up position before the entrance. “And then she practically screamed her head off before the whole class! I couldn't believe it!”

Following after Spoon, Diamond Tiara was in a world all her own, striding with grace, as if she were trying to copy somepony Apple Bloom couldn’t remember, like Rarity or… or… Princess Cadence! Dismissively, Diamond Tiara shook one finger at Spoon. “I’ve decided, we need a better name for those five. How about… um… Oh! Blank flanks! ‘Cause they have no cutie marks!”

There was no way Apple Bloom could ignore them when they were so close, and were saying such insulting things. It was even harder to resist when she remembered the thick puddle of mud that lay just feet away. In only two steps, and before they’d even noticed she was there, the thick glob of brown mud soared through the air, catching Tiara square on the back. “You take that back! You take that back, Diamond Tiara, or I’ll make you take a bath in the mud!”

Diamond’s shriek of outrage was earsplitting, she stormed over until she stood face to face with Apple Bloom, with Silver Spoon right behind her.. “Oh, sure! Just like a blank flank! You’ve got no special talent, so you just throw mud at ponies who are better than you, who have already found their special talent!”

Apple Bloom wasn’t about to back down, and puffed herself up to her full height to tower over Diamond and Silver, sneering at them both as she flicked her tail in her wild frustration. “So what! Just cause I ain’t got my cutie mark doesn’t mean you’re any better than me! So what, you’re saying if I were to get my cutie mark tonight, you’d suddenly invite me to your stupid cuteceñera?!”

Behind them, Twist opened the school door, with Ms. Cheerilee following just after her. Both paused, and the teacher was about to speak up when Diamond snorted and backed down, throwing her head back in scornful laughter. “Sure, I promise! I’ll give you invitations to my cuteceñera in the morning if any one of you five blank flanks can manage to get your cutie mark before school tomorrow. Is that fair enough for you?”

Apple Bloom gave a frustrated grunt and spat on the ground by Diamond Tiara’s feet. “Sure, like anypony would believe you, Diamond Tiara!”

Behind them, Twist grinned, speaking up loud enough to catch the feuding fillies’ attentions. “Well, if thhee promitheth Mith Cheerilee to give uth invitationth, thatth good enough, right Apple Bloom?”

Together, all four fillies turned, surprised to see that the teacher and Twist were watching them. Apple Bloom looked from Ms. Cheerilee to Diamond Tiara and back again. “I-Well, I mean if she promises Ms. Cheerilee, I suppose that would be good enough, Twist, but-”

An excited and confident gleam in her eyes, Twist clapped her hands together, and Ms. Cheerilee seemed to nod with her own amusement. “Then it’th thettled! I’ll thee you all at my place before thchool tomorrow!”

* * *

7pm, Ame’s cottage

Derpy’s cheerful voice called back through the door as Dusk lowered his hand, still never failing to bring a smile to his face. “Just a minute, Dusk! We're almost ready!”

Giving a little nervous laugh, Dusk stepped up to the door and leaned against the house, trying to catch his breath and clear his head. At a random thought, a stray smile crossed his lips, and he called back to her. “Please, do not rush, Derpy. I’m nowhere near ready for tonight either.”

The soft sound of laughter from inside the house helped calm his nerves, and while he couldn’t make out the mares’ conversation, the fact that what little he could hear sounded like they were also nervous helped make him feel a little more comfortable with what was scheduled for the night.

After five more minutes of indistinct noises, footsteps approached the door, and with a soft click, it swung open, revealing Derpy, dressed up as he’d never seen her before. Black silk clung to her body, tiny star-like glittering points were spread out over the dress, and the low cut neckline revealed more cleavage than he’d ever expected her to show. Straightening up, he tried to think of a way to greet her, but Derpy cut him off. She took up his hand and kissed his knuckles, her eyes dancing with some playful mischief. “Welcome, Dusk. I think you look as nervous as I feel.”

Unable to help himself, Dusk again laughed, and squeezed her hand that still held his own. Taking one careful deep breath to steady his nerves, he gave her a nod. “About the only time I’ve felt half as nervous as this was the first time I met Princess Celestia as a foal. Nothing I was ever taught or learned from my studies talked about how to handle a studding. A few of the historical records talked about famous stallions who sired foals as studs, but none went into any real detail on how such relationships were founded.”

Derpy looked momentarily overwhelmed, then realization dawned in her eyes and she laughed, a supportive hand placed on his elbow. “I think we are just as confused, Dusk. Amethyst… she has never had a stallion, save a few boyfriends in her youth, and I can’t offer her much advice. With Panacea…” Her voice trailed off, as if she were choked up at some memories.

In her eyes, he saw so much, and understood at least a fraction of her meaning. He squeezed her hand firmly again, to get her attention, and lifted his free hand to hold her jaw. “I think I know a little of what you’re saying, Derpy. I didn’t really understand what was happening with Rarity at first, but before I knew it, we were suddenly so very close in a way that felt just so simple, so natural.”

Her grin in response was just so heartwarming that he couldn’t resist smiling back at her. Derpy straightened up and gave a little gesture with her chin towards the house. “You cheat, Dusk. You are far better with words than I am. Come on, let’s go inside, before Amethyst begins to worry about us.”

Accepting her words, he moved to walk inside, and was pleasantly surprised as she crossed arms with him, just like how Rarity liked to do. As they walked inside together, Dusk eyed the walls that were lined with hooded candles, the smoked red-pink glass casting a light of soft hues that evoked feelings that were hard to confuse.

Waiting on the bed, only just dressed in white and pale blue silks that gave her body an ounce of privacy, was Amethyst. Hanging in the air, the rich smell of thick musk gave away the heat of Amethyst’s arousal and the flush in her cheeks made it clear she had only recently stopped pleasuring herself to ready herself before they entered. When she called out, her voice had a deep, pleading tone to it, rather than a greeting. “Please~ Derpy! Come back to me!”

Derpy froze up at those words, as if torn between the words of need from her lover, and their plans for the night. A look of embarrassment crossed her eyes as Dusk watched, and she put a hand on his mouth, hushing him in hopes he'd understand.

So he fell silent, and when she was sure he would stay so, she turned back to the bed, dropping to her knees and shuffling in tight against the edge of the bed. To his shock, Derpy lifted the hem of Amethyst’s dress and revealed the smaller mare’s slick sex. Without a hint of shame, Derpy pinched the lips of her lovers cunt, leaning in and dragging her tongue over the trapped flesh.

The lewd sounds that Amethyst began making in response to Derpy’s ministrations quickly grew louder as she moaned and arched her hips off the bed. To his shock, Amethyst grabbed Derpy’s head with both hands and shifted her knees to pin her lover’s head where it was.

Their lustful noises grew deeper as they continued, and Dusk couldn't help but watch as they continued, and began to wonder just what he should do. With a sudden sharp moan, Amethyst’s spine arched and she clutched the back of Derpy’s head, her fingers entwined into the blonde mare’s hair, tugging violently as she rode the waves of her orgasm, her screams of pleasure weakening as she relaxed.

As Derpy finally freed herself from Amethyst’s legs, her face drenched with Amethyst’s sweet honey scented juices, Dusk was about to offer her a hand to stand up, but she ignored his offer and went straight between his legs. Her fingers unbuckled his pants and roughly pulled them down his hips, letting them pile up around his ankles. Her eyes now hungry, she pulled his cock free of his underwear, her drool mixing with the juices on her face as she sucked his cock into her waiting mouth.

Shocked at Derpy’s forward, needy affections, Dusk could hardly argue with her; the rich scent of Amethyst’s heat, as well as the show they'd put on before him had him rock hard and aching for a turn, despite how awkward he felt. Derpy didn't have Rarity’s expertise, but made up for it with enthusiasm, her eyes locked on his own as she pulled back; letting his cock pop free so her tongue could swirl around the head of his shaft and lap up the dribble of his precum that had formed upon the tip of his cock.

Behind her, Amethyst rose on the bed, her breathing finally calmed, but her eyes still dancing with lust. Derpy’s hot mouth drew his shaft back in again, suckling at his flesh while she dragged the tip of her tongue along the thick blue vein on the base of his shaft, her free hand stroking his inner thigh upwards, until she cupped his sack, rolling his balls in her hand.

Amethyst rolled off the bed and crawled to Derpy’s side, again grabbing Derpy’s head with both hands. With his cock still deep inside the mare's mouth, Dusk watched as Amethyst took great care in licking her own juices from Derpy’s cheeks. The long thorough licks dragged painfully slowly over her lover’s face.

A wicked twinkle flashed in Derpy’s eyes, and she continued to roll Dusk’s balls in her hand, but held still otherwise for Amethyst’s earnest grooming. Slowly, Derpy pulled back along his shaft, preparing herself for the moment Amethyst took her jaw to turn the blonde to face her for a kiss. At that moment, she let Dusk’s cock pop from her mouth, and extended her tongue. A thick white pool of his precum had been carefully collected for just this moment.

The mares kissed, and for what seemed like forever, Dusk felt like he could do no more than simply watch as the mares’ tongues fought in an aggressive battle. Finally, they broke apart and Amethyst leaned against his bare thigh, resting her head inches from his cock. Drooling a little, she licked her lips, her voice low and needy. “That smells goodddd…. can't I have more?”

Derpy laughed, and leaned forward, nipping at Amethyst’s lower lip, as if teasing a kiss but never following up. Her hand lifted from his balls to cup the base of his shaft and she wiggled her eyebrows at her lover. “Ask Dusk, not me. It's his seed; it’s not mine to give.”

Dusk laughed a little and put a hand to Derpy’s head, trying to act calmer than he felt. His pulse throbbed in his veins and his shoulders had begun to ache again. “I'd like to offer you all that you might take, but a man has limits, and I am here for a reason, yes?”

The mares turned to stare up at him and together they laughed as if sharing a hidden joke. Then Amethyst stood up on shaky legs, her hand joining Derpy’s on his hard member, taking up an awkward grip and stroking steadily over the slick shaft. Dusk cupped her chin and lifted it, leaning down to place his lips to hers, and for a moment she let her eyes close, her tongue met his.

The kiss lasted but a moment before Dusk pulled away from her. Amethyst’s eyes had taken on a far-off look, and he took advantage of her dazed state to kiss down her chin and onto her neck, lips settling over her cutie mark. He nuzzled the curve of her throat softly, earning a sharp intake of breath from the small mare. He parted his lips and grazed his teeth over her soft skin momentarily before nipping down on one of the diamonds adorning her throat, and she let out a long, shuddering moan, eyes rolling to the back of her head.

When Amethyst finally separated from him, her breathing had sped up considerably, and her eyes had grown pleading again. Putting both of her hands on his, she gently but firmly walked across the room to her bed, and left him behind there, climbing up onto the bed, face down. Finding a spot she liked, the short mare spread her legs wide, lifting her hips. Her tail flicked to the side, revealing the bare lips of her moist sex for him, her thick with need. “Then mount me, Dusk, and fill me full of your seed. Sire my foal, and I'll return your kindness in turn.”

But before he could move, Derpy was there, her dress gone, and her bare breasts hanging, sagging a little without the support of a bra. Dusk found his eyes momentarily drawn to her cutie mark, the dazzling array of bubbles spread from her hip up along her back. She crawled across Amethyst’s back, laying on her lover’s spine, two fingers slipping between the lips of her sex to spread the slick folds open. Her eyes were drunk from the intoxicating scent of Amethyst’s heat and, he realized as she spoke, likely her own growing false heat. “Come, Dusk, and spill your seed so we can have a beautiful foal. A mare to make a mother proud. Or a colt as strong as his sire.”

Dusk watched, and knew things would be awkward around the mares for months after tonight, but the erotic scent of mare heat was demanding, and he could hardly say no to two mares that were so lovely. Stripping properly, he watched Derpy’s fingers work the depths of Amethyst's sex, the blonde stopping only occasionally to lick them clean, or bite playfully at the curve of the plumper mare's ass, even as the fingers of her other hand toyed with Amethyst’s tail.

Dusk took one last step forward and joined them on the bed, crawling up until his straining manhood brushed the soft flesh of Amethyst’s thighs. Derpy stopped her torment of her lover, and Dusk took her head in a strong grip, like he'd seen Amethyst do to her before. Willingly she let him guide her face down to his shaft, and engulf him in her mouth again, working her lips across the surface while her tongue found his tip, tormenting him with long heavy licks. Dusk let out a low groan at the treatment, hips rocking gently in time with Derpy’s movements. When he felt as if he couldn't get any harder, he let go of her head, and tried to pull out of her mouth, but Derpy gave a greedy moan and suckled at his cock, making his hips quiver with pleasure from the pressure of her swallowing motions, squeezing and milking his throbbing flesh.

He was forced to take a firm grip of her head again, which made her moan and finally release his shaft, though she pouted up at him. The look she had on her face was too hard to resist, and he leaned down, his voice a whisper. “I need that for somepony else right now, but you could try licking my horn. Just watch the scar, it's very sensitive.”

Free of Derpy now, he adjusted his hips forward, until his thighs pressed against the back of Amethyst’s hips and he made contact with her soaked slit. Thankful of the extra lube Derpy had so eagerly applied to him, he drove his engorged shaft inside in a single, slow stroke to test if he needed to be careful of her virginity. No wall stopped him, but she was tighter than Rarity or Applejack, and her moans got louder and more needy the deeper he slipped. He had to take a firm grip of her hips to keep her from sliding further forward under the pressure of his thrust, and for a moment he lingered in the pleasure of her warm sex.

Derpy made an unexpected return, taking a firm grip of his shoulders so she could use him for balance. She rose up onto her knees so her head was level with the long tip of his purple horn. For a moment longer he waited to see what she would do, and took the time to catch his breath, his eyes closing as he held Amethyst’s hips while he remained deep inside the mare's hot sex.

Derpy’s tongue reached out between her half-parted lips and swirled a tentative loop across the tip of his horn. The jolt of pleasure that shot down its length and straight into his spine made his knees shake and jaw gape. Satisfied with her experiment, Derpy met his eyes and smirked before backing off, returning to Amethyst’s side so she could nibble at her lover's ear, fingers dancing across the ridges of Amethyst’s spine in what looked like a familiar comforting massage, some private thing between the lovers, some sign of support.

Dusk gripped Amethyst’s hips tightly, shifting all of his weight onto his knees, taking one last careful breath to steady himself, and began to pull back from her depths. The mare gave a moan and whimper, her fingers hunting for something to cling to in the blankets of the bed. One arm wrapped around Derpy’s body and pulled her lover closer, for comfort.

When his tip was just threatening to pop free, Dusk steadied himself over the mare’s elevated hips, and thrust himself deep into Amethyst again, driving his hips against her own while making sure to pull her back against him, the resulting smack of flesh-on-flesh suddenly loud in the room. The next time he pushed forward against her sex, Amethyst began to roll her hips back against him, picking up his rhythm and easing into the movement.

Derpy had curled in against Amethyst’s side, down enough so she could slide half under her lover, and while Dusk couldn't see much, the sloppy sounds of Derpy’s mouth on Amethyst’s breasts filled in much of the details.

A sudden, wicked little thought crept in, and unable to resist, Dusk drew one hand from Amethyst’s hip, following the trail of Derpy’s bubbles down her body and across her hip. Diverging from the path her cutie mark drew, he put his index and middle finger together and drove them into the wet folds of Derpy’s exposed cunt, earning an instant cry of pleasure from the mailmare. Her voice deepened into warm moans as he began to wiggle his fingers inside her depths, stroking pressure against her sensitive inner walls.

Amethyst’s groans and moans had quickened as Dusk continued to thrust, and she had taken over the thrusting motions while he was distracted by tormenting Derpy with his playful fingers. Sudden waves of demanding pleasure pulled Dusk’s attention back to her, however, as their slick hips continued to slap together. The show the two mares had put on for him, the smell of Amethyst’s heat, and the sheer physical pleasure she was giving him all came to a head, and with a long, low moan, he came several long, thick, and heavy ropes of cum, coating the walls of her sex.

Finding his energy waning as she continued to thrust back at him, it was her words that caught Dusk’s attention. “Just- gnah! Just a little more! Oh, damn it, I'm so close!” The wanton lust in her voice and her continued thrusts backwards made Dusk grip her hip again, and he freed his fingers from Derpy’s cunny to retake hold of her other hip with that sloppy hand. Driving into her in rhythm with Amethyst’s thrusts back, he tried to make each thrust as deep and forceful as possible, gritting his teeth against his own over-stimulation after having came so recently.

Screaming the whole time, Amethyst at last came again, arching her spine against him and sitting up tall in the bed. Forced to sit back as she rolled her hips, Dusk found himself supporting the mare as she half-crouched in his lap. For a long minute, they hung there, his sweaty chest to her smooth back. Together they panted for breath, and he moved a hand from her hip up across her front, until he cupped one of her breasts. Pawing playfully at the warm flesh, he couldn't help but tease a little. He let out a soft breath against her ear, feeling her writhe against him at the sensation, and he murmured, “Now I'm glad I offered to help. This was quite educational.”

Laughing together, they fell forward to the bed. Derpy had moved aside and watched them, two of her fingers deep inside her sex, replacing his missing digits. Dusk did his best to cushion their fall, bracing their bodies’ impact with one arm, holding her to his chest with the hand on her breast. Panting for breath, he nuzzled at Amethyst’s throat.

Face down under him, Amethyst rubbed her belly with both hands, murmuring with echos of their pleasure, and after a moment she turned her face to look to Derpy and giggled like a filly. “Stallions can be a lot of fun. I'm surprised you could give them up for me.”

Derpy laughed a little, and the sounds of her fingers squelching in the slick folds of her sex continued, even as she used one hand to crawl up the bed to put her face level with Amethyst’s. They shared another deep and lingering kiss, inches from Dusk's eyes as he continued to linger, catching his breath and fighting off exhaustion. Derpy laughed softly when their kiss broke, her free hand tapping Amethyst’s nose before she moved her fingers to carefully dance over the spiral of Dusk’s horn, eliciting a chill that ran down his back. “I love you, Ame. I didn't give stallions up, call it… an extended break?”

Amethyst laughed, and rolled her hips forward, letting Dusk’s half-soft shaft pop free of her, the sloppy mess they’d made running down her thighs. Flipping herself over onto her back, but still under Dusk, she let one hand trail over his chest as her other reached out to squeeze Derpy’s free hand. “You've taken long enough off. If he has the energy, why not have a turn?” Her eyes turned up to him and she gave Dusk a warm grin. “Well? Are you up to giving her a turn too?”

Weary, Dusk looked at Derpy, and her eyes did their best to watch him in return, while her fingers still worked the depths of her sex. Unable to help himself, Dusk laughed, and sat up to scoop his arms around the loveable blonde’s hips. He rolled her over until she straddled Amethyst, laying on top of the smaller mare. He had to lift himself back up onto his knees to rise high enough to mount her, but Derpy’s damp folds were warm and inviting, rejuvenating his flagging lust as she tickled his belly with a flick of her tail. He pressed his hardening shaft against her slick pussy, and leaned down to kiss the back of her neck. When he began to thrust into Derpy’s sex, he felt stronger, and finally answered them. “I wouldn't mind. The sound of you playing with yourself was rather hard to ignore, I doubt I'd be able to sleep until you were satisfied one way or another.”

Derpy’s moans were happy and she chose to laugh rather than answer him, her lips hunting down the wet spot he'd left after teasing Amethyst’s cutie mark. Dragging her tongue across the diamonds, Derpy proved she knew her lover well, blowing softly at the wet flesh, and watching as Amethyst squirmed under the weight of their bodies atop her, crying out, happily, but whimpering all the same. “Stop it! I'm sensitive! You're evil, Derpy!”

Derpy did stop, but only as Dusk began exploring her back, finding the same odd mound around the base of her wing joints he'd noticed on Dash when they jogged together. The lightest brush of his fingers across the muscles made Derpy moan and shiver reflexively, and he stopped right away, watching her worriedly.

Derpy pouted and looked over her shoulder back at him, sticking out her lower lip. “Dusk! Don't stop! I love that, just don't get too rough, my wing muscles are really sensitive!”

Invigorated by her words, Dusk let his hands again trace across the bare flesh of Derpy’s back, rubbing against the ridges of her spine as he made his way back again to the joint of her wings and back. He started thrusting into her welcoming sex as well, and realized as he took his time, that Derpy was back to playing with Amethyst’s breasts and even teasing her cunny with two fingers. Ame gave soft moans, and started rocking against the momentum of his thrusts into Derpy, setting a rhythm for all three of them.

As his hands again approached the soft mounds of muscle that circled the joint of wing and back, Dusk was even more careful, letting the tip of his index fingers circle around the border of flesh he could just subtly identify now that he studied the mare’s body more closely, fascinated by the moans she released even at that slight contact. “Maybe every clan has a sensitive spot? Our horns for unicorns, the base of a pegasus’ wings, but what about earth ponies? Maybe I'll have to ask Applejack next time we're together.”

Feeling more confident as he explored the subtly-defined outline, Dusk extended his arms to clutch her shoulders, but turned his grip so he could drag his nails across the ridge of her sensitive muscle, driving deeper into her as he continued to grind his hips against hers. The rising tide of her moans grew more powerful until she froze up for a moment, and he felt a powerful shudder shoot through her body before she went limp under him. A long, satisfied moan told him that she had finished. Dusk kept going, but he knew he was only a few more quick strokes from finding his second climax.

As though she sensed his impending finish, Derpy turned around to catch Dusk’s gaze. “Dusk, not in me! Sa-save your seed for Ame!” Derpy’s voice was exhausted but insistent, and Dusk had frozen up at first, worried he was doing something wrong. Awashed with relief, he pulled back, letting his hard meat pop free and rub across her thigh, using both hands to prop up Amethyst’s hips again so he could reenter her sex, the smaller mare still supporting Derpy’s weight. Dusk’s eyes slipped closed as he thrust down into her, making the mare moan at his renewed assault.

It only took a few more thrusts, and Dusk’s seed again burst forth in three more shots of thick ropey rounds, filling her walls again while he struggled to keep his balance. Panting for breath as Dusk laid his forehead on the back of Derpy’s neck, his hands stroked across the bodies of both mares at random, not really sure who he was touching or where. Breathing shallowly, he needed a moment to recover.

Amethyst shifted her weight a little, letting Dusk’s cock pop free of her walls, his head rubbing across her thigh still dribbling seed. Her voice was distant, and Dusk struggled for a moment to clear his muddy thoughts. “Dusk… will you stay? Will you remain longer with us? Will you… after tonight, will you return to my bed for my next heat? Until we finally have our foal?”

Dreamy thoughts pushed aside at last, he slipped off Derpy to the free space beside Amethyst on the bed. His fingers stroked across her jaw while he smiled warmly, staring deeply into her eyes. “You’re sweet to worry, Ame. And yes, until you find a stud more suiting your taste, or you have your foal, I’ll return for your heats. I promise.”

Author's Note

That... took way longer than I expected. Hopefully you all enjoy it, with the recent release of Fallout 4 my production pace has dropped like a rock.

Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 3

4pm, Mr. Rich’s Manor.

Dusk now felt he knew exactly how Rainbow Dash felt when he got carried away with one of his detailed explanations of something he found fascinating. The pony in front of him, whose name Dusk could hardly recall, had been going into detail on the end of Canterlot's social season and it appeared he wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon. Three times the stallion had returned to the majestic Hearth's Warming play put on in Canterlot castle, and he had yet to get halfway through naming everypony who had taken part in it; his endless divergence from the somewhat-engaging tale of the play was grating on Dusk's frayed nerves and he was ready to scream. “Next was… oh, yes! Rubied Plum! She played Princess Platinum this year, but last year she was one of the Princess’ handmaidens. You might not believe it, but her great great great grandmother was the first filly to ever play Clover the Clever in the annual Canterlot performance! She was a master sword fighter, though back in those days ponies didn't understand proper fencing like they do now. She instead used a broad sword, claiming it was the only blade around that was similar to Clover’s famed weapon. Apparently, that caused quite the controversy even back in those days.”

Dusk stared down at his own glass, wondering again when exactly he'd agreed to this favor to Mr. Rich. “At least the whiskey is good, I suppose. Even if the company falls flat.”

Bored out of his senses, Dusk panned his view about the room, practicing polite responses to the man's ongoing tale of the lineage of the mare who'd played Princess Platinum. The large ball room was split into two halves by the bar and buffet tables, serving ponies using tongs to fill the plates for the ponies waiting in line, while the bartenders served the guests drinks. Dusk wasn't surprised to see that several mares were dressed very similarly to the servers who lingered around more prominent guests in the adult side of the room, their outfits clearly altered to be more revealing around the leg and chest area. “I think half of those servers work for Aloe and Lotus at the spa normally… I suppose Rich offers enough to steal them for the day.”

On the other side of the buffet barrier, only Randolph and a butler stood waiting. He could tell from his fawning attention that the second butler had been ordered to tend to Aura’s needs. “I suppose it makes sense for Mr. Rich to cater to her. She is Mayor Mare’s only foal.” Dusk could also count at least six mares dressed as maids, collecting plates and cleaning up behind the foals. “Likely there to keep the foals from fighting as well, I suppose.”

Taking another sip of his glass, Dusk discovered that nothing remained of the smooth alcohol. As he began to lower his hand again, a mare that looked faintly familiar swept up to his side, slightly pudgy and more conservatively dressed compared to the other mares in their far more revealing outfits. Holding a platter for him, she grinned, giving a little nod. “I can take your empty glass, Magistrate. Do you want another? I can let your handmaid know.”

A moment of confusion ended with a sudden flash of memory. “Oh, my! Nurse’s Aid Cuddles, isn't it? I haven't seen you since Hearth's Warming. Are you helping today to make some extra money on the side?”

The rosy-haired mare laughed a little, settling his empty glass on her tray squarely in the center before straightening up to her full height, smiling at him warmly. “I am, Magistrate. I need just a little more in my savings before I can afford to go to Canterlot University to take my full nursing degree.”

Dusk grinned at the good-natured mare and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Tell you what, Cuddles. How about you get me something weak? Maybe an herbal tea? And let the handmaids know you'll be handling my needs today. The two that have tried serving me so far don't have much of an interest in conversation, and I can tell you all about Canterlot U. My foal-sitter Cadance received one of her two doctorates there, so I've heard all kinds of stories about the medical wing of the school.”

The mare nearly jumped at his offer, nodding excitedly. “Princess Cadance! That would be wonderful! So many ponies talk about the impossible things she can do with her mag…” Cuddles’ voice trailed off as she realized she'd gotten carried away. Bowing low to him, she managed to keep the tray with the glass level the whole time. “I mean, of course Magistrate, I would be honored to hear any of your stories, and all about Canterlot University!”

When Cuddles returned with his tea, Dusk excused himself from the overly-enthusiastic theater fan, promising the lecturer on family trees that he would pre-read his new textbook over the summer if things were peaceful enough.

Leaning against the wall in a quieter corner, Dusk gestured to a couch nearby for the mare, grinning a bit too much but unashamed at the relief of being away from the self-important busybodies who appeared to line the walls. Taking a long sip of the hot tea, Dusk thought for a minute and finally gave Cuddles a light blush and a shrug. “First, I should apologize. I just used you to get out of quite a boring story, and I'm known to get caught up rambling on theoretical ideas or abstract concepts, so warn me if I've gotten too far off topic.”

Cuddles covered a laugh and accepted the couch he'd offered her, keeping an eye on the rest of the party. “Think nothing of it, Magistrate! I admit I was hanging around you in hopes of overhearing you retell some part of the wild stories everypony shares about your fight with Nightmare Moon or the Dragon. I never thought anyone here would even think of asking you about something so fascinating as Princess Cadance herself!”

Laughing along with her, Dusk relaxed for the first time since he'd arrived, looking deep into his tea. “Then to begin with, I should tell you that Princess Cadance is famous for having two doctorates, but she is still attending as a student at Canterlot University, trying to further expand her knowledge. In the last few years, she’s found methods to expand the use of healing magic to a previously unheard degree.”

As Dusk carried on about how he came to meet Princess Cadance back when he was but a foal of four years, the rest of the room grew silent, and began to gather around the entrance across from Dusk’s comfortable spot. Suddenly, their silence was replaced with excited chatter.

Ignorant of the goings-on in the room, Dusk continued his own stories. “...So that summer, as a foal of only five, I couldn't be left alone. Cadance volunteered to come to my home to foal-sit me, walking me home from prep school and drilling me on everything a young foal needed to know. The best part was when Shining Armor returned from his summer school all fired up to start teaching me all the new things he'd learned, only to find that Cadance had already covered most of the same material. You should have seen how furious he was! For weeks I was sure he'd never forgive her!”

The maid laughed along with Dusk, excitedly clapping her hands together. “The version I've heard said it wasn't until his 11th birthday, sometime in March, when Princess Cadance gave him a silver fencing rapier, that he finally started talking to her. Is any of that true? Did he really use the blade to steal a white rose from Princess Celestia’s greenhouse for her in thanks?”

Dusk laughed in return, shaking his head and wiping away a tear at his eye. “He did. But it wasn't a completely magnanimous act. Mother had charged him with thanking everypony who gave him a birthday gift that year with something as valuable. He wasn't sure how to thank Princess Cadance, but I remembered her talking about the roses in the greenhouse. She'd said something about ‘Nothing is as rare as a rose in winter’. After that, he broke into the greenhouse and retrieved the flower for her.”

Cuddles happily clapped her hands together, feigning a momentary swoon. Straightening up again, she giggled shaking her head. “And after that, romance bloomed! Your brother and Princess Cadence are so lucky to have found one another!”

Dusk recalled it taking a number of years before either party would admit to having feelings that the mare’s romantic daydreams suggested, but found it better to leave her with her sweet flights of fantasy. “It's nice to think that after all these years, they are still so close. Maybe someday soon they’ll finally make it off-”

The noise of the crowd had grown, and now approached Dusk’s comfortable hiding place. Leading the way was a fat old stallion dressed in fine black robes. Silver filigree trim lined the collar, cuffs and hemline, detailing arcane runes and symbols that captured Dusk’s gaze, and told him instantly who the old Magistrate must be.

Beside the old stallion, a much younger one Dusk didn't recognize surged forward, walking with a stylish gait and wearing far too many pieces of flashy stylish jewelry. He was dressed in a clearly custom-cut suit that he was sure Rarity would declare on-sight to be ‘magnifique!’ or something of the like.

Straightening up as the realization that they were coming for him and his quiet space, Dusk now wished he had Redheart’s soothing tea in his hands. Doing his best to remain calm, Dusk emptied his cup, turning to Cuddles and passing her the empty decorative porcelain, doing his best to gesture subtly, keeping his voice quiet, though the approaching noise of the crowd probably would've drowned him out anyways. “Might as well save yourself, Cuddles.”

The mare took his offer to escape and fled while the crowd gathered around him, the leading stallions given plenty of space while the hangers-on massed around him. Only the hidden wisdom in the eyes of the old fat stallion gave Dusk some slim measure of hope.

The stallion was far from shy, closing the distance to Dusk’s side in three deceptively spritely steps, capturing Dusk’s hands and shaking them firmly. “Look how far you've risen, Dusk me boy! To think, it was hardly more than a year ago I thought you a bold young colt, spending too much time reading in the library, and not even on matters relevant to your assigned studies! I told your sire if he'd simply turn your studies to the political, you'd be a threat to my seat as magistrate of the university district. He insisted that Princess Celestia had assigned you more important studies. I guess he was right! But then, she is the princess!”

The old stallion’s chubby belly rolled with his good-natured laughter, as he admitted to attempting to interfere with Dusk’s studies honestly, and he shook Dusk’s hands a few times before finally releasing them. Stumbling to recover, Dusk straightened up, smoothing his robes again. “That’s odd. Rarity did such fine work on my magistrate robes, yet next to the detailed trim, they feel almost plain.”

Clearing his throat loudly to stop the laughing stallion from carrying on too much longer, Dusk improvised a respectful bow, knowing none he was taught were specifically appropriate for the senior magistrate, and so instead he used the one his mother had drilled him on, of a minor diplomat meeting their senior. “Forgive me for interrupting your fine jest, First Magistrate Grandiose Guffaw, but may I ask who your companion is? I'd be failing Mother’s training if I didn't properly greet a clearly important business stallion.”

Amused, the younger stallion didn't wait for an introduction but instead stepped forward, dramatically throwing a hand to his brow and casting it back with a flare of the disappointment, though the veil was thin enough Dusk could see through the act. “He doesn't know who I am, and he is named a magistrate?! Even if the princess really did name him herself, there must have been some miscommunication! Dear Magistrate Dusk Shine, I am Hoity Toity, owner of the largest chain of both public and private boutiques in all of Equestria! You must have heard of at least some of the additions I've made to advance the world of fashion out of the greedy clutches of the nobles and into the hands of any pony with a flare for design and some sense of style!”

Caught up with the exciting stallion’s game, Dusk Shook his head, fingering the crisp cut and carefully stitched fabric of his own robe. “You'll have to forgive me, until recently I didn't have much time for fashion or boutiques. It’s only recently that, with all of Rarity’s demands for measurements and fittings for suits and new… robes… that… I've... learned...”

Dusk had to let his sentence drift off, as the look of mixed shock and joy on the stallion's face had him worried for the pony's health. He'd pushed his thick silvered sunglasses up into his hair, and bloodshot eyes now focused on Dusk alone. He spoke at last, his voice filled with shock. “Are you serious? Not only do you know both of the princesses, you discovered the mysterious Rarity, the mare who made the suits for Fancy Pants wedding?! Suits so sharp, in the right light they'll cut through paper?! That Rarity!?”

A little taken back by the power of the stallion’s reaction, Dusk steeled himself and stepped up again, recovering the few steps he'd fallen back in the face of Hoity’s exuberance. “Well, uh... yes. Rarity did make those suits for the wedding party-”

Again Hoity gasped with delight, casting his hands out as he clutched at Dusk’s robes, falling to his knees at Dusk’s feet. “He knows the mare! He knows her! Did you hear him!? Praise Celestia, this hidden gem wasn't a figment of my imagination! Please, tell me, Magistrate Dusk Shine, what new creations has this hidden muse of fashion been working on since her first tempting reveal at Fancy Pants’ wedding?!”

More than a little overwhelmed, Dusk stammered to himself, trying to understand the flamboyant stallion. “I- well, I mean… she, err… she's been working on some dresses for our friends to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala-”

Rushing to stand, Hoity nearly lifted Dusk off his feet, a tide of enthusiasm gushing off him in waves of palpable excitement. “Dear Celestia, no! She's so daring, she'd take on multiple Gala dresses at the same time? Light preserve her, I must witness her majestic production. Please, I'd give anything, you simply must introduce us, please magistrate?”

“I, well... I could ask her. She's at her home with my Vicarius right now working on a project, but I suppose I can send word asking if she'd want to come meet you. Are you in town just for the party, sir?”

Hoity at last released Dusk, straightening first Dusk's robes, then his own suit, showing no shame at all at his own overdramatics. “I am staying with my dearest friend, Bonbon. She's such a sweet filly, and made room so I might stay a few days and do business with Mr. Rich after the party's over.”

Somepony put quill and parchment in Dusk’s hands and it took him a moment to recognize the far more down-to-earth smile of Cuddles, who curtsied respectfully to him. “If you'd like to write Lady Rarity a note, I'll personally deliver it to her magistrate.”

Grateful for Cuddles’ help, Dusk scribbled quickly over the page, not bothering with any embellishments. “Rarity, a designer called Hoity Toity is gushing over your work. He has asked if he might meet you, and to see more of your work. I know you are busy with the dresses for the Gala, so say the word and I will make whatever excuses necessary to get him to leave you alone.

With love, Dusk.”

Swiftly signing and rolling up the parchment, Dusk drew his seal ring from his robes, glad he'd let Rarity convince him to have a few spares made. After passing the sealed note to Cuddles, he smiled at the nurse. “If she has a reply, could you wait and bring it back with you? I'd hate to leave Mr. Toity waiting too long on her answer.”

Turning back to the other stallions, Dusk realized that the waiting crowd had only grown thicker as they had spoken. With the realization that he had no chance of escape to some quiet corner anymore, mind rolling with boredom, Dusk decided he might as well make the most of a bad day. Turning to Hoity, he dipped his head respectfully. “So tell me, Hoity, what else do you do besides obsess over the latest trends in fashion?”

Only half listening to the excitable stallion's answer, Dusk began to mentally profile the man. “The least I can do is profile some ponies here. I'm sure Princess Luna will appreciate a broader view of the world, instead of only getting letters about the population of Ponyville.”

* * *

Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest

Applejack pushed aside the heavy tree branches, making space for Winona to slip through, closing up the gap as she followed the swift canine. Mac’s trail was normally so thick and clear, she probably hadn't really needed to get her friend’s help. Yet at times he had slipped past sagging deadfalls and rotten logs without leaving any sign of passage at all. That was when the canine’s nose had become invaluable, finding his path on the far side in seconds, when she would have been forced to wander around in circles for an hour, trying to find it again.

Dusk had been partially right. Mac had taken a few odd jobs a few weeks ago, but none of late, and Ginger even asked if Applejack would be able to convince him to return. “A strong stallion like Mac? We always have jobs he could help with!” she’d said, excitedly.

The memory of Ginger’s helpful grin and the offer of coin hadn't made Mac’s secrecy any easier to accept. So here she was, Celestia only knew where in the Everfree forest, following the big lunk’s trail and rehearsing her rant for when she finally caught up with him. “Dagnabbit, Mac! You're the elder brother, how could you wander off into the Everfree alone!?”

The familiar, distant sound of an axe biting through wood began to carry through the woods; somehow it felt like an alien feature in the unnatural forest. Tugging on Winona’s sleeve, she tried to get the canine to stop and listen to her. “Winona, did we turn back towards town at some point? Nopony would be fool enough to come to the Everfree to chop wood, right?”

Shrugging, Winona turned her head to the air and sniffed deeply, turning in place a few times to catch the air better before shaking her head and planting her feet again. Her tail whipped excitedly as she turned to the path Mac had left for them to follow. “No, nope! Mac’s smell and trail lead deeper into forest, towards the sound of the woodchopping.” She stopped to point off towards the southeast. “Town is that-a-way!”

Applejack set her hands on her hips, shaking her head before dropping it to look thoughtfully at the path underfoot. “Dear Celestia, just what drove my foal of a brother to go chop wood this deep in the Everfree!?”

After resting for a few minutes rest to catch her breath, Applejack gave Winona a nod to carry on into the woods. Her fingers stroked the cool metal of her warhammer, finding the heavy weight of the weapon reassuring. Whatever had scared the creatures of the Everfree so badly before was gone, and distant noises reminded her to keep an ear open for the dangerous beasts that filled the forest.

The woodchopping dropped off after a few minutes, but Winona only got more excited, pacing around in place as she waited for Applejack to catch up. Silent now, the pup pointed towards a distant clearing. Leaning in close to AJ’s ear, her voice hardly qualified as a whisper. “Big Mac’s in there. But something else is, too. Strange smell, just like pony, but with lots of herbs, making both scents hard to make out. Dangerous?”

Applejack tried to place a pony with the scant details that Winonna could offer, knowing it would be pointless to ask her nearly colorblind friend for any other hints. Adding the facts together, she suddenly wondered aloud. “You said herbs and things? Do yah think it’s a mare? ‘Cause Zecora lives out here somewhere...”

Excited, Winona hopped in place, her tail now wagging feverishly. “Yep, yep! Definitely a mare! Smells like Fluttershy’s herb bag, or like Dusk’s basement gets sometimes!”

Reaching out to stroke a hand through the eager pup’s hair, Applejack smiled a little at last, and released her breath. “Of course it would be Zecora. He felt bad we couldn’t help her much more back during Hearth’s Warming, so he probably came out to help make things better. C’mon, let’s go say hi. After all, I should have thought to come help her out weeks ago; I had more than enough free time after Winter Wrap Up.”

Though she calmed a little at Applejack’s touch, Winona still practically skipped in place, and she nuzzled into Applejack’s hand, restraining several excited barks. Crossing together through the trees, Applejack hugged her friend around the shoulders to help calm her down, glad things had turned out so well in the end. At the edge of the treeline, the broad clearing showed a lot of work had recently been done, smoothed grass and hints of where many trees had been pulled out at the roots. More importantly, Mac stood in the middle of the clearing, shirtless even in the cool spring chill, an ax leaning against a thick tree stump just a few feet from the cottage. Past him, she recognized the fresh thatching on the house, just like Ma and Pa had taught her and Mac how to do as foals.

As she stepped into the clearing, Applejack felt a tree branch snap under her foot. Mac leapt as if shocked in that moment, and Applejack’s blood ran cold. Kneeling between his legs, her vivid white and gray mane cascading widely across her shoulders in loose heaps, Zecora met Applejack’s gaze, her own filled with embarrassment and confusion.

* * *

Meanwhile in Rarity’s Boutique.

Rarity put a hand on her hip and shook her head. “Bronze, please, just work with me for a moment here? I’ve nearly finished my work on something special for all my friends. I think this would be perfect for you if you’d just work with me, please?”

Standing on the raised platform so Rarity could work, Bronze raked her teeth over her trapped lip, unable to hold her hips still as she ached to run away. The excruciating process they'd already gone through was enough to drive her up the wall, and she knew it was only going to go on longer. “But- I mean, Rarity, this isn’t me! I don’t have the body for a dress like this, it’s meant for a mare with your…” She gestured her hands for a moment in the air over her chest, floundering for a moment before finding the words. “Well, a mare with a bust! And it leaves my arms and back bare. Plus, I thought we agreed, no slits on the legs!”

Patience finally beginning to wear out, Rarity straightened up from pinning the dress back just high enough to show Bronze’s ankles, pulling a spare pin from her hair and, with expertise, jabbed the back of the guard’s hand where she clutched the slit closed. “And I said, stand up straight! We’re doing a fitting right now, and I can’t get things right if you don't stand still. Look, I need to get the length right first, then I’ll work on the bust. You’ve got fantastic arms, Bronze, so leaving them bare shows off your muscle and tone, how strong you really are. The bare back we can adjust if you don’t like it, but with your wings, it would be easier to leave it as is. And it shows off your cutie mark. Besides... you liked it when Dusk was paying so much attention to your legs.”

Bronze nearly jumped when the sharp pin nipped at the soft flesh on the back of her hand, and looked to be building up to a rant, but as Rarity continued, she flushed darkly, looking at the floor away from Rarity. Her wings had gone tense, half-unfurling as the feathers looked ruffled. Unaware that her face now nearly matched the color of her dress, Bronze straightened up and took a deep breath, drawing it out while she attempted to calm down. Finally she answered, iron in her voice, her hands flat at her sides. “Rarity?”

Pinning the last fold of the hem in place, Rarity looked up at the guard. “Yes, Bronze?”

Drawing another carefully controlled breath, Bronze didn't look down, holding herself stiffly in place. “Don't ever do that to my hands again.” Now she shifted her head at last, looking deeply into Rarity’s eyes, the warning in her voice, as well as the pain in her eyes quite clear. “Ever.”

Rarity could see the hurt in Bronze’s eyes, and was about to stand up when an excited knock on the boutique door ripped her eyes from Bronze’s. Standing quickly, she squeezed Bronze’s hand, yelling back over her shoulder at the pony still knocking on the door. “Just a moment!”

Bronze’s hand was stiff in Rarity’s, and she worried that this, too, was something Bronze was hiding from them. Squeezing her hand again, Rarity smiled gently. “Look, we should talk some more sometime. So come to me anytime and we will work through whatever together, alright?”

Rarity waited, and for a few seconds, Bronze looked on the verge of tears, but her continued slow and deep breaths seemed to soothe her, her ruffled feathers smoothing down on her back. At last, she squeezed Rarity’s hand. “I- well, thanks, Rarity. I think talking might help. Go get the door so whoever is out there won't wait forever!”

Feeling a little better, Rarity scoffed with a little bit of a dramatic flare, a hand waving a spare piece of cloth before her mouth as if it were an expensive fan. “Oh please, darling! I'm Rarity. If somepony wants a special order from my boutique, they will wait! It's not like Sapphire Shores, Countess Coloratura, or Princess Celestia is waiting outside the door!”

Privately, Rarity couldn't help but finish that thought. “Besides, if it were Princess Celestia, Dusk is sure to have let her know she is always welcome here at any time by now.”

Visibly relaxing a little more, Bronze shifted in place upon the fitting stand, folding her wings flat to her back again. “No, but Cordon Bleu is cooking at the Rich’s manor today, and Celestia knows how fussy such high ranking chefs can be at times.”

Laughing a little as she straightened her dress, Rarity swept to the boutique’s door, using her magic to light a few candles before unlocking the brass knob. Sweeping it open she offered the mare she found waiting outside a sweet smile, bowing her head a little just in case she'd taken offence to waiting. “I do apologize for the wait, my dear. I'd closed early today to do some special fittings, but I'd be happy-”

Impatient, the mare was nearly hopping from foot to foot, the black lace of her long skirt blowing in the steady breeze. “No, no! It isn't that, Rarity! It's me, Cuddles! Dusk sent me to give you a letter!”

Finally recognizing the nurse’s aid, despite her ill-suited outfit, Rarity felt like a bit of a foal momentarily, slapping a hand to her face before accepting the letter from the mare. “I apologize, Cuddles, it's good to see you again.”

Opening the brief letter and reading, Rarity hardly noticed as Bronze entered the boutique, at last free of her dress and wearing a severely plain brown tunic of soft leather. Absorbed by the implications of Dusk's words, Rarity bordered on near panic, her fingers going numb, the letter falling to the floor at her feet. She blindly clutched for Cuddles’ arm, never noticing she interrupted the quiet conversation between the guard and aid worker. “By The Light, Cuddles! Please tell me Dusk is joking!? Surely a pony as famous and respected as Hoity Toity never asked for me, personally, and by name!?”

Shocked, and to say the least a little worried as Rarity began to hyperventilate, Cuddles put an arm around her hips, supporting her. Rarity’s tight grip on her other arm made it impossible for her to do anything with that hand, so she started walking Rarity about the dimly lit boutique. “I'm not sure what his exact words were, but Magistrate Dusk Shine was talking with him, and he mentioned your name and some work you did… for… umm… for a wedding of a pony called Fancy Pants I think?”

Bronze joined them, supporting Rarity’s other side while they walked, but if anything, Cuddles’ words only made things worse for Rarity, not better. “Oh, no! Of course he was impressed by those suits! I spent several weeks on them and specially ordered almost all of the material! I've got nothing as fabulous as that even close to being ready to show somepony as important and influential as Hoity Toity!”

Confused, Bronze cut in, "What are you talking about, Rarity? I saw the Gala outfits you're working on for the Elements of Harmony, and they look as nice as anything I've ever seen Princess Cadance wear to a ball, and they're all basically finished, aren't they?” Scratching her short hair with her free hand, she watched Rarity closely.

Rarity’s breathing finally calmed down, and she pulled her arms free of the two mares, placing a hand thoughtfully on her jaw. “You know, Bronze, I suppose you might just be right. Why, I haven't even shown the outfits to most of the girls yet, but that being said, I'd love to finally finish them. After all, most of the outfits only need a fine touch here or a fitting to confirm the measurements are accurate. In fact, if we work on it all day, we could even have your outfit ready in time for a show tomorrow, too!” Her excitement growing with every word, Rarity whipped around and clutched Bronze’s hands, glowing with anticipation, her previous frantic worry now completely forgotten.

Off-balance, Bronze looked to Cuddles for help, but found none there, as the aide had clearly gotten caught up in Rarity’s rising tide of ecstasy. Unable to fall back due to Rarity’s surprisingly strong grip, she stammered for an answer. “I-what, me? In that dress? Showing it off for some noble stallion? On a stage?”

Rarity’s eyes were wide with wonder and joy, and it only got worse as Bronze spoke. “Of course! Please, Bronze? You'd make the perfect finishing piece on our group!”

Bronze looked around the shop, desperate for an excuse, any to avoid having so many eyes on her in some silly dress. But she couldn't find any. “Well, I mean… I suppose… if you can get it finished m-maybe I coul-”

Too caught up in her own excitement, Rarity rushed into Bronze’s arms and hugged her around her waist tightly. “Oh, thank you so much, Bronze! Don't worry, I will make sure everything is perfect for you. No slit if that's what you want, I promise!”

* * *

Mac bolted into the woods, straight for the path that Applejack was sure Dusk said led directly to town. Thrusting two fingers into her mouth, she whistled long, sharp, and loud. When Winona bolted into the clearing she pointed to the trail, barking out orders to the pup. “Go keep Big Mac safe! I'll meet you back at the farm, Winona.”

Turning back to where Zecora sat in the grass, Applejack lifted a hand, a lecture on respectable behavior that Granny had given her years ago already lining up on her tongue… only to discover the sobbing zebra sitting right where she had been when Mac ran off. The lecture died in her lips. Confused, her shoulders drooped and she took a few steps closer to the distraught mare. “Uh… Zecora? Ju...just why are you so upset? I'm the one who was near about to… um...” Applejack stopped, not sure she even knew how to finish that uncomfortable sentence.

Zecora saved her the worst of that embarrassment, after watching her talk herself into a blushing fury. Wiping away her tears, the zebra gave Applejack’s hand a squeeze, her voice regaining its wisdom. “Suddenly, I begin to see. It's wasn’t me who made a mistake. Might we puzzle through the confusion here and find out what’s caused such headache?”

Applejack felt a little better looking into Zecora’s calm eyes. The Sun Priestess' voice was actually more reassuring due to her own clearly-present worry and embarrassment than her wisdom. Offering the kneeling zebra a hand, Applejack helped her onto the thick tree stump, using it as an impromptu seat for them both. “I'd sure appreciate it if you explained at least some of this to me. I'm plumb tuckered out from chasing my brother around trying to find out what's kept him away from the farm so much as of late.”

Zecora looked thoughtful, sitting just close enough on the massive stump that their hips touched. As a breeze made the branches high overhead dance and sway, she seemed to gather her thoughts, at last straightening up where she sat. “'If you look to the north-west you can behold, all of the fine work done to my abode. Everything from the roof and new shutter, it was the freely-offered labour of your selfless brother. In my culture, a stallion does nothing this extensive for free, yet he refused any offer for tincture or copper, and did it with glee. As weeks passed, his visits became the best, accepting only a hardy meal, to which he took great interest. I now believe he was courting in your style, and wished to thank him as a proper courtship demands, doing it all with a smile.”

Zecora steadied herself, then turned to face Applejack, her eyes alight with passion. Deftly she brushed a hand gently across Applejack’s cheek, her husky voice friendly, but echoing her confusion. "First is a kiss to the cheek, for he is a noble stallion, and helped me without want of a mere medallion."

Applejack couldn't help but shiver, the sensual way Zecora’s fingers touched points of tension under her skin. Sitting up to her full height, she tried to casually pull away from Zecora’s touch. “That sounds just like Mac to me. He is very selfless, helping just about anypony who asks without ever once thinking about compensation.”

Zecora nodded thoughtfully while her fingers drifted down, caressing AJ's firm jawline, her voice warming further. "Next I kissed his jaw, for he did all I could ever ask him, showing great strength that I couldn’t help but bask in."

Applejack laughed at the image Zecora painted, nodding a little and relaxing at Zecora’s soothing touch. It still felt odd having a near stranger caress her like that, but so comforting she couldn't resist letting her go on just a little longer. “That's Big Mac, I've never seen a stallion stronger than my brother.”

Zecora's fingers drifted to Applejack's throat, dancing over the veins that ran under her flesh. "Next I kissed his neck, for he worked hours on end, and often late into the night, showing unfaltering endurance for any task or any plight."

Applejack felt a tremor of excitement ripple down her spine, and took a long breath, carefully drawing it out to force her body to calm down. She had an inkling of why Big Mac had fled, but was not entirely sure she blamed him. “If this is what her hands can do, think of her kiss… poor Mac.”

Zecora seemed to take Applejack's silence and measured breathing as an answer of its own. "But he faltered when I tried to kiss his lips..." her fingers drifted sensually over Applejack's mouth, teasing a little. "And that made me worry, for I found him romantically exciting, like a rare spicy curry. Such a retreat from a stallion after accepting the first three offerings… it's simply not done, such hardships this may bring."

Applejack slipped her arm around Zecora’s back, gently holding the zebra’s hip. She relaxed and held up her friend’s hand. “I already know why Big Mac pulled away from your kiss, but that wasn't what you were doing when I arrived. Can I-” Applejack stopped and took a deep breath. “Can I ask what that was about?”

Zecora blushed a little and appeared ready to hesitate. “Our… courting rituals are not lewd, but I fear you may now think me crude.”

Applejack gripped Zecora tighter, but looked deep into Zecora's eyes. “When it comes to protecting Mac, I'm a little oversensitive. But you said this was a courtship... tell me the rest. I want to understand your customs, most of all because all the others only showed you care for Mac, maybe even more then you'd be willing to admit, I reckon.”

Zecora still hesitated, but looking deep into Applejack's steady gaze she saw a determination to hear her finish. "The last kiss. I lowered myself to my knees, to grant him the final kiss. But before my lips could touch his clothed groin, he retreated as though remiss. I only wished to let him know I respected his masculinity, his potential to be a proud and virile stallion; his great affinity. But he balked and then you entered the clearing and he ran. Perhaps you can help me to understand. I misunderstood why he helped me, didn’t I? To apologize for what I’ve done, I’ll do anything I can in reply. What did I do wrong, dear friend Applejack? I wish for my apology to not receive any flak."

The fact that zebras considered a kiss to their suitor’s groin, clothed or not, was part of courting, didn't really help ease Applejack’s mind, but she saw the worry in Zecora’s eyes and she sympathized with her. After all, she was alone, and so very far from home. Applejack had felt that way once long ago, and could only empathize with the priestess. Clearing her throat, she put on her best impersonation of Granny’s lecturing voice. “Well first, you're darn tootin you did something wrong. Y’all coulda told me first! I'm his only family and before any mare breaks his heart again, I need to know she's good enough for mah brother!”

Expecting at least a snicker or a chuckle, Applejack was only greeted with the zebra’s head lowered as if in shame. “I see, I have insulted his kin. Respect not paid is quite a sin.”

Realizing the joke had gone far worse than simply falling flat, Applejack gripped Zecora's shoulders and made the mare look her in the eyes. “No, no! Your culture’s just a mite different sugarcube! Mac’s just a shy fellow, and you came on a little fast for him. Look, here’s what you gotta do...”

Author's Note

Well, "shockingly", things are turning out longer then I'd planned, but again, I think this is a good thing, right? :twilightblush:

So, what do you think? Do you think Mac is off the hook at last, or are things just going down hill for the big quiet lovable lug?

Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 4

Back at the Cuteceñera.

Apple Bloom scratched her head, shifting the bow Granny had used to help her tie up the worst of her long hair. “I don't know, Dusk. Twist really likes reading and stuff. And she's a huge fan of poetry and stuff when we do it in school. But she doesn't really have that many hobbies, and we already talked about her and her aunty Bonbon making candies.”

Apple Bloom watched as Dusk wrote quick notes, his quill moving so swiftly across the page she couldn't believe he was really recording everything she'd mentioned. Something in his intense concentration reminded her of the way Sweetie Belle looked during a hard test in class. Giggling a little at the picture in her head, Apple Bloom was glad she'd been able to hide, thanks to Dusk’s questions about Twist and a few of the foals in school.

As the last two sharp strokes of his quill surprised Apple Bloom, Dusk straightened up and grinned at her. “Sorry for keeping you from the party so long Apple Bloom. You can go back to your school friends now, I've finished my notes for some letters to Princess Luna.”

Looking for any excuse to hide in his shadow as long as possible, Apple Bloom perked up, wagging her tail in unsubtle excitement. She knew how much Dusk loved to go into great detail when talking about his research and any of the work for the two princesses. “Oh, really? What does the Princess gotcha doing? Some big research project or a survey of ponies like how Granny makes us do surveys of the orchard?”

Dusk half-laughed and began to lift his right hand as if to launch into some dramatic speech to answer her, when one of the serving mares entered and rushed to his side, a letter on fancy stationery clutched in her hand. “Magistrate, oh Magistrate Dusk Shine! Lady Rarity has sent a reply.”

Apple Bloom was surprised that the mare was loud enough to be heard over the crowded hall, but worried this might ruin her chance of lingering in Dusk’s presence. She looked around the packed hall, trying to find somepony, anypony she might use as a shield. She still saw no sign of Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo; they'd been around before the serving tables were moved against the wall, but ever since the foals had been allowed to mingle with the adults, they'd become impossible to find. Pinkie was around, but Pinkie was everywhere, moving in and out of the crowd so quickly Apple Bloom knew there was no way she'd be able to keep up. Besides, she could tell Pinkie was working today. The way she gave instructions to the serving staff and made sure abandoned plates were cleaned up made that clear, even if the ponies playing soft music in the far corner of the hall explicitly snubbed her every request for changes to the music.

Twist… Apple Bloom shuddered, Twist was still at Diamond Tiara's side. As if she'd made some decision to make Twist into her best friend suddenly, Diamond Tiara had practically glued herself to Twist’s side, and now they stood together with Silver Spoon, surrounded by the most fancy of the fancy ponies. “At least that other Magistrate is with them. He laughs so much, and I might just be a farm pony, but I swear to Celestia, half his jokes seem like he's pokin fun at the fancy ponies, and they just don't get it, so they laugh ‘cause everypony else is laughing.”

Giving up on her hunt for somewhere else to hide, Apple Bloom turned her attention back to Dusk, who was just finishing his letter. A strange grin spread over his face as he had read the letter and he looked at the server and gave her a nod, crossing his hands over his belly, still holding the letter very casually. “Very well. She wants to roll the dice, and we shall. Cuddles? Could you request Hoity to join me? I'd hate to interpret Diamond’s time to show off for the fawning Canterlot ponies Mr. Rich had shipped here just to swoon over her.”

Apple Bloom was shocked, and nearly took a step back, the open sarcasm in his tone coming to her as a real surprise. Unable to help herself, she tugged on the sleeve of his magistrate’s robes. But she nearly lost her nerve to speak when he turned to smile down at her. “Dusk… ah- I never thought adults talked that way about this kinda stuff. You think this party is ah... ” She never stumbled over her words, but those bright, confident eyes gazed down at her, and Apple Bloom felt the courage to at least finish her thoughts, even if she kept her wording vague. “Well… you know, right?”

Dusk’s eyes danced with a flash of something and he smiled down at her, glancing around for a moment before grinning at her with pride. “You're very mature to notice that, Apple Bloom, and even smarter to know to keep quiet about it. Don't worry, you are right. It is just an excuse for important and pompous ponies to act important and pompous.”

Dusk looked like he was about to continue, but Hoity Toity approached far quieter than he had earlier, following Cuddles in silence and with two or three of his entourage forming a wall to hide him from the crowd that was mostly focused on whatever story Diamond Tiara was telling. Dipping into a sweeping low bow, Hoity grinned at Dusk, his eyes already on the letter in his hand. “The lady Rarity? Has she already replied?! Will she grant me an audience?!”

Dusk smiled, and put an arm over the other stallion’s shoulder, leading him off towards a quieter corner of the ballroom. “Better than that, Hoity, she wishes to put on a show for you. She only requests you give her a little time to prepare...”

As they wandered away, Apple Bloom could no longer make out their voices over the noise of the crowd. The adults were clapping for whatever Diamond Tiara had been doing and beginning to break off onto smaller groups, while Diamond, Silver Spoon and a shadow following them that resembled Twist made straight for her. Caught in the open, looking right at Diamond, Apple Bloom couldn't think of any way of escaping their attention without outright bolting away, and what would Applejack say if she did that!?

Putting her hands on her hips, Diamond Tiara sashayed her way up to stand beside Apple Bloom, grinning up at her. “Why hello, Apple Bloom! I do hope you're enjoying my Cuteceñera. It was so hard waiting for spring to celebrate, but now I can see why he made me wait. Can you believe so many important ponies came all this way just for my party?”

Doing her best to give Diamond Tiara a smile, Apple Bloom nodded encouragingly, hoping if she was pleasant Diamond would get bored and leave her alone. “Yes, Diamond, you're very lucky yer father is very important. A lot of noble ponies must have come to Ponyville just for your party.”

Diamond looked pleased for a moment and Apple Bloom took that quiet window to wave back at Twist, who appeared bored out of her mind. As if that simple act had been a personal insult, a scowl crept over Diamond’s face. “Well of course they did. Because my cutie mark is a sign of my leadership and nobility. You're just a farmer. What's your cutie mark even going to be? A mug of apple cider?”

Silver Spoon exploded in laughter at Diamond’s insult, but Twist frowned and took a step forward. “Hey! That'th not nice! Didn't your thire thay it was thankth to the Apple’th Zap Apple Jam that he’th been able to ethpand tho much in the latht decade?”

Diamond and Silver Spoon both looked shocked; it had been weeks since Mr. Rich had come to speak to the class on career day, but Silver Spoon didn't seem to miss more than that single beat, casually stepping in beside Twist and smiling comfortingly at her. “Of course not, Twist. Diamond was just speculating. It's like your cutie mark. It makes sense you're so good with candy; your aunty Bon Bon is too.”

Distracted by Silver Spoon’s sweet words, Twist was flummoxed and stammered, her anger at their insults falling flat on its face. “I- Oh… yeah, you’re right. Maybe you will be good at making cider, Apple Bloom. Mac is.”

From Twist, the suggestion that her cutie mark might involve cider making didn't sting so badly and Apple Bloom gave her friend a smile, trying to ignore the pushy fillies. “Yeah, you're right, Twist. A cider making cutie mark wouldn't be so bad.”

As if waiting for exactly that moment to pounce, Diamond Tiara closed in on Twist’s other side, and put a thoughtful hand to her chin. “Or~! Maybe a mound of dirt with a seed dropping into the hole. You know, a farmer cutie mark?”

Apple Bloom could feel her cheeks and ears begin to redden and heat up. They were so good at being mean, and Twist looked to be taking them so seriously now, too, as if they were really guessing and not just finding ways to make fun of her.

Silver Spoon was next shaking her head, the layers of sarcasm in her voice thick as cream. “No, no. Maybe her cutie mark will be a pony picking an apple from a tree, you know, doing hard work. Important stuff.”

A sudden crash and bang as a platter of food was knocked off the abandoned buffet table against the nearby wall drew all of the nearby ponies’ attention, most of all the foals’. Standing on top of the table, jabbing a finger aggressively at Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo shot back at her and Silver Spoon. “Like either of you know what hard work is! Silver Spoon, your cutie mark’s too accurate! You were born with one shoved right up your ass!”

Apple Bloom was stunned at Scootaloo’s brazen words, but felt better as the weight of Diamond and Silver’s attention turned away, giving her a moment to breathe. Diamond Tiara turned her head up and gave an offended snort, pointing a finger at Scootaloo upon the table. “As if anything you think matters to anypony here, Scootaloo. Your parents abandoned you to focus on their careers, all ‘cause you can’t fly! Even if you were to get your cutie mark, who would care?”

Apple Bloom started making her way across the room to stand by Scootaloo’s side, but Sweetie Belle popped out from under the buffet table, and stepped up before Scootaloo, her face even redder than Silver Spoon’s. “Hey! Don’t be mean to Scootaloo about her parents! Besides, Princess Cadence and Nurse Redheart adopted her, and Dash is teaching her to fly. She is sooo good at flips and hops and all sorts of super cool acrobatics now, way better than anypony else!”

Silver Spoon was finally recovering from Scootaloo’s words and glared death at Sweetie Belle, focusing on the younger filly since she was in the way of her real target, Scootaloo. “The midget speaks?! Go back to your corner, little filly. The big ponies are busy, we’ll find somepony to filly-sit you in a minute.”

Apple Bloom stepped in front of Sweetie Belle just as Scootaloo lept off the table and lifted her fists. Apple Bloom was sure she was about to try fighting the other foals. Trying one last chance to keep things from breaking down too much, she put an arm in front of Scootaloo to hold her back, glaring at Diamond and Silver. “Oh, stop it, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon. Just cause you think you’re both big important ponies doesn't mean we don’t matter! We’ll get our cutie marks one day, and we'll show you up!”

Diamond Tiara laughed at them and gave Silver Spoon a nudge in the ribs. “Look at that, Silver Spoon! They both step up together to protect their little filly-friend!” Laughing uproariously together, they crossed arms to help support one another as if the joke was so funny they needed help standing up.

Scootaloo instantly turned beet red and backed up a half-step, nearly shaking in place as she half-looked away from Diamond and Silver, stammering a little. “Sh-she is not my filly-friend! I was just bored today, so I decided to put up with all of you for some free food, that’s all!”

Apple Bloom knew exactly what Scootaloo meant, but pushed those feelings aside and took a step forward, glaring at the other fillies. “So what if I am? I promised Applejack that I’d look out for Sweetie Belle, ‘cause she’s smart but little, and she knew that heartless ponies like you would be around and pick on her for being younger!”

Diamond Tiara scowled again, and straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest and rolling her eyes at them all. “I can’t believe we’ve been wasting so much of our time talking to all these hopeless foals. They don’t even have cutie marks! At this rate, they’ll never do anything important!”

Scootaloo took another step forward, looking ready to fight again, and Apple Bloom was half-tempted to let her at the frustrating snobs. Rushing across the room and sliding to a halt between them, Dinky’s sudden appearance was a shock; Apple Bloom was sure she’d simply not come at all! Looking up towards where she’d come from, Apple Bloom saw an elderly unicorn stallion scowl in their direction and turn to walk off into the crowd.

Dinky, breathless and panting, threw her hands up between Scootaloo and the other ponies, her eyes wet with tears. “Oh just stop it, all of you! Being a blank flank isn’t something to be ashamed of, but being a bully is!”

Silver Spoon laughed again, putting a hand on Diamond Taira’s shoulder. “Would you look at that, Diamond? We have the whole collection here, together. All the little foals who still haven't figured out what their special talent is!”

Diamond grinned back at her and gave Dinky a grin. “I’m surprised you could tear yourself away from your mama’s side to come to my party, Dinky. But I suppose a cutie mark in having a clumsy mother is probably worse than not having any cutie mark at all. You’re all just as useless as... “ She paused, then took inspiration from the word that still danced in the air. “As useless as your blank flanks. No blank flank ever did anything important!”

The next pony to speak was a shock, and his voice drove them all to silence. “Oh? Really Diamond Tiara? Is that what you think?” Somehow, Dusk had snuck up on them all from behind, and now towered over Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, his arms crossed over his chest.

The stunned filly, looking up at one of the most important of the guests at her party, could hardly manage more than to nod slowly at him, her eyes wide with worry now that an adult had gotten involved. Dusk didn’t show any sign of malice, instead simply shaking his head, and smiled a little. “A pony's special talent doesn’t set their value to society, Diamond Tiara. Just look around Ponyville and you’ll see what I mean. Lyra is working as a school teacher for you ponies now, but her talent is playing the lyre. I went to school with her, and she was so good, noble ponies paid her extravagant amounts to come perform at parties like this. But she’s found a different place to work, because she can do more good as a teacher than a musician.”

Scootaloo almost laughed at that, softly muttering from the side of her mouth. “Yeah, right. She’s a teacher.”

But if Dusk heard her, he didn’t respond, leaving Apple Bloom to wonder just what Scootaloo meant by that. Instead, he pressed on with his lecture, walking a slow circle around them, subtly herding them together to stand in a group, all watching him as he walked his slow laps. “Next comes Bonbon, your aunt if I remember correctly, right Twist?” The filly gave him an excited nod, as mesmerized as the rest of them by his presence and calm tone, so different from the fight that had been about to break out only moments before.

“She is a candy maker, a very good one too. I was lucky enough to receive a small box of her treats during Hearth’s Warming as a thank you for helping Lyra get her job here in Ponyville, and I’ve tasted none finer in my life save one or two that Princess Celestia had commissioned from the greatest bakery in Canterlot. But Bonbon doesn’t work for that bakery, does she? She lives here in Ponyville and is a landlord for at least a dozen families, making sure they are all well cared for, and even going so far as to plead to myself and Mrs. Mayor for assistance when one of her tenants needs the help. She also visits Canterlot all the time, working as a voice actress in movies. But her sweet candy treats? Only ponies who are dear friends ever get to try those. She keeps her special talent private, and uses it to thank ponies who have made her life, or others’, better.”

To everypony’s shock, Sweetie Belle stood up to her full height and lifted a hand, squirming a little as she hopped in place, clearly trying to catch Dusk’s attention. Apple Bloom was just about to reach out to stop her, when the stallion stopped and gave a soft bow to the filly. “I see someone has the idea, go ahead, Sweetie Belle, tell us what you have to say.”

Proud, Sweetie stepped out of the circle of ponies that Dusk hand rounded up and took his hand, giving him a big smile before looking back at the others. “My big sister Rarity is a dress maker. But that’s not her special talent, her talent is finding rare gems and jewels. She only uses her talent when she needs to find just the right flare of or-na-men-ta-tion to make a dress perfect! That’s like what you were talking about, right Dusk?”

Dusk grinned, and gave the filly’s hair a gentle ruffle, nodding down at her and for her alone. “Exactly, Sweetie Belle. You understand so quickly.” He turned back to the rest of them, a scowl now on his face. “Instead of enjoying this party, you all got carried away in a fight over whose talent is best, and if somepony without a talent was less important than somepony with a talent... Well, let me answer this for you all: end these arguments here and now. A pony who hasn’t discovered their talent yet is far more special. It means they are a little bundle of potential, searching for their place in the world. Who knows what they might become or accomplish. A pony with their cutie mark might someday become something greater than the simple limits of their talent, but a pony who hasn’t found her talent yet has no such limits, only a world of endless possibilities to explore and discover.”

For a moment Dusk went silent, and Sweetie Belle reached up, squeezing his hand. The distant look in his eyes faded and he turned his head down, smiling at her again as his scowl finally departed. “Now treat one another with a modicum of respect or I’ll be forced to find somepony to foal-sit you all. I’m sure Mr. Rich would love to know his little foal was starting fights with other ponies today.”

That broke the group up, and everypony made their way into smaller groups. Apple Bloom was surprised at how Dusk had chosen to pick directly on Diamond Tiara in his final words. Following him and Sweetie to a table on the far side of the room, she simply had to know why he’d chosen to say that.

Unbeknownst to her, Twist, Scootaloo, and Dinky had also followed her, and were now gathering around as Dusk let Sweetie into a seat, and accepted a small bowl of ice cream from the serving mare who’d been following him around all day. Placing it before Sweetie, he gave her hair another affectionate ruffle, before turning to look at the four of them who were watching him closely. “Yes, how can I help you girls?”

All of them started talking at once, and it only took a few seconds for Dusk to hold up a hand to silence them, pointing first at Apple Bloom. Swallowing at the dry feeling that had invaded her throat, she looked him in the eye, trying to keep calm. “Why’d you pick on Diamond Tiara, Dusk? Me and Scootaloo were the ones who were ready to start hitting them for being so mean. But you didn’t call us out.”

Scootaloo deflated at Apple Bloom’s question, muttering something under her breath and let her wings fold up against her back. But the look she gave Apple Bloom wasn’t bitter, so she could only hope she hadn’t angered the other filly too much. Dusk smiled and sat back, letting Sweetie eat the ice cream for a moment in silence before waving his hand around the grand hall. “Because this is her party, and her talent really is in leadership. She isn’t using it properly, though. She could have taken today to suggest ways of helping each and every one of you find your talents, but instead, she used Twist’s newly discovered talent as an excuse to try and drive you two further apart. And because she thinks she is so much older and more mature than you all, but she acts so badly. She may be the pony that needs to grow up the most of anypony here.”

Dusk’s answer silenced them all for a minute, and Dinky walked to his side and reaching out to squeeze his hand a little. She looked scared stiff, and leaned in to whisper in his ear. Whatever she asked, made him sigh and hug her against him for a moment, holding her tight. His voice was dry and sad when he finally released her. “I’ll talk to your mother tomorrow, dear. Just know that if you don’t want to, you never need talk to that stallion again.”

Filled with more questions on whatever sensitive topic had bothered the other filly, Apple Bloom worried for her friend. But Dinky just gave Dusk a smile, and when he broke the hug, she sat down beside Sweetie at the table, who immediately offered her spoon to Dinky. Together, they shared the large bowl of ice cream, talking quietly and giggling a little at some shared, private jokes.

Twist stepped beside Dusk and frowned up at him, her voice confused, but angry. “If you knew thhe wath trying to drive a wedge between me and Apple Bloom, why’d you wait tho long to thay thomething? I didn’t even think of it until you thaid it.”

Dusk smiled at the filly despite her accusatory tone and put a hand on her shoulder. “Because you two deserved a chance to solve your own problems, and now you might see when ponies are trying to manipulate you better in the future. Diamond Tiara is really good at convincing others to think her way, but you need to learn when to disagree, alright?”

Twist looked thoughtful for a while as he spoke, and finally nodded at him, offering her hand to Apple Bloom. “We thhould try to talk more Apple Bloom, I’m thorry I didn't thtand up for you when thhe wath talking bad about your family.”

Apple Bloom was happy to take Twist’s hand, and hugged her friend tightly, unable to help but laugh a little. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were getting spoiled by Diamond Tiara all night. I was kinda jealous, to tell you the truth. You got so much attention. Did the adults say anything interesting?”

Laughing with Apple Bloom, Twist returned her hug and moved to sit at the table they'd claimed now, smiling up at Dusk. “Motht of the adultth jutht thpoke gibberithh and flattered me on my new cutie mark. But one thtallion thaid thome thtuff that really made me think.”

Standing alone, Scootaloo finally looked around the table and then back up at Dusk, she’d been thinking and Apple Bloom didn’t have long to wonder what it was she was thinking about. “Dusk… were you serious? Do you think that a pony without a cutie mark really has the most potential? That they can do anything?”

Dusk set down the spoon he’d stolen from Sweetie and Dinky, letting the fillies reclaim it and the bowl of ice cream. He watched Scootaloo intensely, and placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice calm and quiet. “I marvel every day at the things one determined filly can accomplish if she puts her mind to it. Yes, Scootaloo, I think you all are the most fascinating.”

Scootaloo nodded and puffed out her chest, thumping her thumb to her breastbone. “Then I’m going to be… to be… to…. I’m going to be a cutie mark crusader! I’ll challenge everything the world puts before me until I find my own limits and my cutie mark!”

For just a moment, Apple Bloom totally lost herself in the image of proud Scootaloo. Then realized she was standing up as well, and her hand was in the air. She could hear herself speaking, unaware she’d been intending to say anything. “Me too! I’ll join you in that crusade!”

Dinky and Sweetie looked at one another for a moment, and then grinned. Standing up together, their hands extended to join Apple Bloom’s over the table. As one they cried out. “Then we’ll help!”

Scootaloo lifted her hand to join the other three over the table, her voice filled with a joy and excitement that Apple Bloom hadn’t seen from her before save a few times when Rainbow Dash was around. “Then it’s settled. We’re all Cutie Mark Crusaders! We’ll work together to find our cutie marks, and nopony will hold us back!”

Leaning back in his chair, Dusk thanked Cuddles when she returned with several more bowls of the ice cream. Apple Bloom watched him closely, and discovered the smile in his eyes, shining even brighter than before. “We’ll show you, Dusk. We might just be four little ponies, but we won't let anypony, let alone a big bully like Diamond Tiara, stop us from discovering our true talents.”

* * *

7pm, After the party ends.

Dusk shook the colt’s hand, grinning at the young man and laughing a little. “I really do wish you well, Rumble. You have the whole world before you; don’t forget to take full advantage of every opportunity we’ve given you, alright?”

The colt was nervous, and shook his head, laughing a little. “I think I spent more time today having rich old ponies from Canterlot hounding me with promises of work at their private estates. Opportunities I have, but I wish I’d spent more time with my classmates. Dusk, will Dash or Thunderlane or Bronze be able to visit me sometime soon? I’ve never been to Cloudsdale, are-are you sure Dash’s father doesn’t mind?”

Dusk released the nervous colt’s hand and squeezed his shoulder with enough force to make the boy straighten up. “Rainbow Blitz loves the idea. And we’re due to go to Cloudsdale in a few weeks. Dash’s going to be part of the Young Flier's competition. I’ll see if somepony can be spared to go with you tomorrow afternoon, but no promises, alright? It’s a busy time for us all right now, and I’m sorry we are leaving you hanging to the very last minute.”

Rumble straightened up and gave him a brave smile, despite his nerves. “You’re right, you're right. And it will be an honor to live with a former Wonderbolt. I’m just nervous. Maybe I’ll be settled in by the time you all come to visit and won't feel this crazy knot in the pit of my stomach.”

Dusk gave the colt one last pat on the shoulder and stepped away, smiling. “Now go home and go to bed. I think you’ll find in the morning that your upset stomach is more due to the expensive wine those noble ponies were plying you with than your nerves.”

The boy then left, with Cuddles at his side, walking him home. She’d initially refused the coin he’d offered twice to keep an eye on the colt, but had accepted when he’d insisted. Standing alone now, Dusk watched as the last of the foals were collected by adults, with Miss Cheerilee rounding up the still-excited Cutie Mark Crusaders, thanks to Dinky and Amethyst’s help. For a moment he wanted to talk to them, but knew they’d be busy dealing with so many foals at once, and didn’t need a bitter old stallion to worry about tonight. Waving goodbye at them as they moved off, Dusk wondered if he might at last slip out. “I think that is everypony I need to talk to. Mr. Rich and Diamond left ten, fifteen minutes ago to walk most of the nobles to the train station for the special carriage he arranged to take his guests home… who else have I missed…”

A mare’s voice cleared at his side, and Dusk was shocked to see Pinkie standing with one of the musicians who had been playing for hours in one corner of the massive ballroom. Giving a small bow to them both, he waited for Pinkie to speak. “Dusk, can you walk Octavia home? She-asked-me-if-I-could-introduce-you-to-her, and-even-played-two-outta-three-of-my-musical-requests, and-I-know-you-don’t-know-her, but-she’s-really-nice-and-plays-fantastic-classical-music, and-I-promised-I’d-introduce-you-two-in-exchange-for-her-playing-my-list-of-party-music, and-she-convinced-the-other-musicians-and-”

Dusk cut off Pinkie’s rambling with a hand to her mouth, and kissed her forehead. “Of course I’d be happy to walk your friend home, Pinkie. Should I return for you afterwards?”

Giggling like a filly at the kiss to her head, Pinkie kissed his hand before wiggling free and shook her head. “Nuh-uh! I planned this party, now I gotta oversee the clean up! But thanks, Dusk!”

With another giggle and a quick kiss to his nose, she was gone like a shot. Dusk looked at the mare Pinkie had left behind, trying to remember the scant few details he had read about her as he researched other ponies around town to write to Princess Luna about. The look of horror in her eyes at Pinkie’s ‘subtle’ attempt to introduce them had only lasted a moment, but she hid it poorly behind a nervous smile.

Stepping towards her, Dusk inspected the mare closely, impressed by the quiet dignity of her fine, black silk dress; it hugged the contours of her body, and yet remained far more subdued than most of what Rarity produced, with no hint of cleavage in sight, and a slitless skirt that ended at her ankles. White pearl earrings and a matching necklace were her only jewelry, save a silver band on one finger. But she was an earth mare despite her careful impersonation of a somewhat popular noble style of dress, and over her shoulder she hefted a heavy-looking instrument case, showing no sign of effort at holding it, and the great weight of the instrument contained within.

Bowing low, Dusk grinned at the mare and offered her his hand. “Hello, Lady Octavia. I'm sorry if Pinkie was a little blunter than you expected, she gets carried away sometimes.”

Octavia grinned, accepting his hand. She dropped into a deep curtsy, using his hand for support and dropping so low he was surprised that the bottom of her case didn’t scrape against the ballroom floor. Looking up through her thick eyelashes, the mare smiled, rising again slowly. Dusk noted one final fact: she wore only the lightest of makeup, black eyeliner and pale lipstick. Complemented by a soft vanilla perfume, all subtly done, it was a reminder of so many nobles at parties his mother had hosted in his youth.

Her eyes alight with laughter, her voice was passionate yet measured, far more in control than Pinkie’s high energy. “It's my pleasure to finally meet you, Magistrate Dusk Shine. I'm very sorry my work has kept me from Ponyville for so long, otherwise I'd have properly introduced myself months ago.”

Dusk gave a nod at her words, offering a wave towards the door. “I do understand. Other than the winter, my life has been hectic this year as well. You are on the list of ponies I've been meaning to say hello to, but with the winter social season occupying your time, and my work and side projects being horrible at ruining the best of plans, I hope you'll forgive my tardiness.”

Octavia accepted the suggestion to leave the ballroom, slipping her right hand under his left arm, to rest in the crook of his arm, regardless of whether he had offered it or not. Walking with him out into the night, she smiled again, laughing gently. “Life can come at you that way sometimes, my dear magistrate. Thus tonight was a fantastic excuse to finally say hello. Besides, while I work for so many nobles, few of them favor me enough to admit they know my name. I've got a reputation that keeps them always coming back to hire me to play, but that also keeps their social doors locked to me.”

This enigma presented Dusk with great confusion, and he ran through the few facts he knew about her again, trying to find out why a mare with such a noble nature would be excluded from the niceties of the social playground. He couldn't come up with anything, however, and simply had to ask. “Octavia, I may not know you well, but I'm afraid that I simply must ask. My mother would describe you as a flawless lady - you walk with grace even with twenty or thirty pounds strapped to your back. What did you ever do-”

Octavia’s laughter was musical, and she placed her free hand on his bicep, patting it gently. “It’s not my behavior that has made them ban me, but rather my wife. Have you ever heard of the disc jockey known as DJ Pon3?”

Dusk had to stop, his eyes drawn to her ring again, the sudden dawn of realization flooring him, and he made himself meet her eyes again. “Wait, her?” Memories flooded back to the half-dozen times the mare had helped him around Ponyville with some electronics. “You mean Vinyl Scratch is your wife? No wonder they're displeased with you. I have never been to one of her concerts, but didn't she get so drunk on stage one time, she threw her shirt to the crowd and continued the rest of the show topless?”

Octavia blushed, but also laughed at the same time, nodding gently to him. “She has done that a few times. I admit I don't understand her all the time, but I love her, even if she does drive me up the wall with her antics on occasion.”

Now Dusk laughed again, and returned to walking, shaking his head in pleasure at their shared joke. “Then I can quite understand why those snobs would have an issue with letting you into their households. If you want, I could at least introduce you to Fancy Pants, he’s far mo-”

Ocativa’s single gentle titter of laughter cut him off, and she gently laid her free hand on his arm again. “I know them both, Dusk. The father and his wife, as well. All are kind souls, but I know my work will dry up with other families in time. That’s why I wanted to meet you, why I'd hoped to earn my way into your favor. If you ever have need of a musician…”

Dusk gently squeezed her hand and straightened up a little. “I'm sorry, Octavia, I don't exactly host a lot of parties, but maybe I could find some excuse-”

Octavia stopped in her tracks and squeezed his hand back, shaking her head. “You might not, Dusk, but you are a magistrate. Someday you will need to hire a band for one event or another. On that day, I just want to make sure I'm on your short list.”

Dusk gave her a serious nod, chuckling a little. “Of course, of course. I can promise you that at the very least, Octavia. Don’t ever think my door is closed to you should you need some help. I am honored to do a favor for somepony else disillusioned by the worst of Canterlot's nobles.”

The rest of their walk together was far more light-hearted, with Octavia sharing the best of what embarrassing moments had occurred in Canterlot over the winter, red-faced and ashamed at times by his laughter, but happy to share her best gossip.

Across from Berry Punch’s bar, Octavia stopped before a small two-story house, bobbing a curtsy for him, much more casual this time. “Well, this is home, Dusk. Thank you again for the opportunity to talk, and for sharing a little silly gossip from home.”

Dusk needed only a moment to study the house to recognize the ownership mark over the door, and careful upkeep that marked the house as one of Bonbon’s properties. Pleased with that, Dusk gave her a serious nod. “Then take care, Octavia. And thanks for the stories; I rarely hear ponies willing to speak honestly of the Canterlot elite.”

Left alone on the street as she went inside, Dusk’s mind wandered to the soft sound that filled the quiet night air. It took him but a moment to realize the source of the sound, drifting out of the open door of Berry Punch’s tavern. Barb’s comment about the gossip she shared returned as he watched the empty bar, trying to think if he had anything else important to do tonight. An impulsive smile stole its way onto his lips and he crossed the open path into the bar. “Why not, I can always catch up on my extra reading tomorrow.”

Stopping just inside the open door, Dusk scanned over the room, inspecting the four ponies who sat behind drinks around the otherwise still room. Behind her bar, Berry straightened up and gave him an excited wave, but put a finger to her lips and motioned towards the far corner of the room. Sitting alone in a shadow, a tall unicorn held a flute to her lips, playing the song whose silvery notes had drawn him in. Gently waving to the bartender, Dusk moved quietly, to not distract the player. “Odd to see a performer not seek a spot. Just why-”

And then she shifted just enough for him to see her face, and Dusk knew why at last. Moonlight Dreamer sat alone, her eyes shut, her music filling the otherwise-still night. Now Dusk understood. Walking with great care not to make a sound, Dusk made his way to the bar, fishing in his belt pouch for a coin as quietly as he could manage. A platinum bit gleamed in the dim bar light, and for just a moment his budget-weary mind tried to rebel. It took effort to draw his hand back from the coin, gesturing two fingers at the shadowed musician.

Berry didn't bolt to snatch up the coin, looking worried for a moment and biting her lip. When she finally picked up the coin, it was replaced with a sealed bottle of a silvery nature, the liquid inside indiscernible. Beside it she placed two very tall and thin wine flutes, probably only able to hold an ounce or two at most, as well as his change, a gold 25 bit piece, and a bronze 5 bit piece. Dusk pushed the 5 bit piece back across the bar to her and gave a nod, carefully lifting the glasses with his magic to keep them from clinking together.

Moonlight’s song drew to a close, the last notes of her flute hanging in the air as she visibly relaxed, lowering the flute to her lap. Still, Dusk waited, watching her closely as she drew long, slow breaths as if silently dealing with some inner turmoil. Several of the quiet bar patrons gave a light round of applause, their approval for her music lasting only brief seconds before they returned to their drink. Just as he began to wonder if he'd be better off leaving her be, her eyes opened, and she offered him a peaceful smile, her eyes calm, even if a little surprised. “Good evening, Dusk Shine. I didn't know you visited Berry Punch’s bar. Care to join me? I am waiting for a friend, but I'd enjoy your conversation if you can spare it.”

Relieved at how quickly she invited him to join her, Dusk settled the sealed bottle and glasses on the table, and slid himself into the seat across from her. “To tell you the truth, Moonlight, I don't think I have ever been in here before. Barb was talking about how she has been talking to Berry Punch during the day when the bar is closed, and your siren’s song acted as the final lure that drew me in. Care for a drink? I just came from a very frustrating party at Mr. Rich’s manor with a large number of Canterlot’s elite. Rarely do I say this, but tonight, I need a drink.”

As Dusk uncorked the bottle, a momentary frown flickered over Moonlight’s features, yet she was soon smiling again and gave him a nod of acceptance. “I'd love to try a drink. I do so very rarely. Working for Princess Luna can greatly mess up your schedule, making it nearly impossible to find time away to relax and have a quiet drink, or a meal with a friend.”

Pouring the bubbly, golden-hued drink into each glass with care, Dusk couldn't help but laugh a little. “I'm afraid I don't know Princess Luna half as well as I wish I did, but I've devoted my whole life to any project Princess Celestia ever gave me, often working night and day to make sure I had everything just perfect for her deadline. I admit I probably overdid it sometimes, in fact, I know I did, as I couldn't hope to count how many times Barb found me unconscious upon a pile of paperwork, having passed out at some point due to simple exhaustion.”

Moonlight easily picked up her glass with the tips of two fingers wrapping around the long stem of the glass, keeping her grip well below the wine itself. Sipping at the bubbly wine, she laughed openly at his story and set her glass down before her hand started to shake. “But in the end, you have managed to do a number of great things, right?”

Dusk couldn't argue with her and joined in her laughter, shaking his head when they both calmed down. “I was lucky, really. Princess Luna called me back when I had burnt up too much of my life force fighting Nightmare Moon. It was her cry for help that forced me back from the brink. Discovering the sixth Element of Harmony was more a flash of inspiration than any of my own talent, and thanks to the Elements, I now have a deep circle of friends that support me.”

Moonlight had gone silent as he recalled his past, her finger drawing circles on the bartop. When he went quiet, she looked up at him, deep regret shown openly in her eyes. “You shouldn't have had to fight Nightmare Moon to the death, Dusk. I don't think that Princess Celestia ever planned that for you, risking your life in that way.”

The words were spoken without emotion, but reminded Dusk of a chain of memories that had long troubled him. Unable to resist, he unloaded. “I don't know if Princess Celestia will ever admit it, but I think you are right. I’ve never told anypony this before… but Moonlight, have you ever heard of Sunset Shimmer?”

There was silence between them, for far too long. The mare looked deeply conflicted, her finger still drawing idle figures in the moisture that had formed on their table. Just as Dusk was about to let the subject drop, Moonlight looked into his eyes. “I knew her at one time, a quickly-rising star pupil. She was bright and talented, but disappeared one day. A few of those who remember her asked Princess Celestia about it a few years ago, but her majesty just looked sad and requested to be left alone for a few days. Why, Dusk Shine?”

Hearing how badly somepony even mentioning her name affected Princess Celestia, Dusk began to regret even bringing it up. But now that he had dredged up the subject, he had to continue. “Years ago, when Princess Celestia was still teaching us together, she assigned Sunset Shimmer to her final thesis, to research the Elements of Harmony. I… I think she was the one meant to handle Nightmare Moon, not I… she probably would have handled it better… might have prevented as many of the guard from getting hurt or killed as I did...”

Moonlight’s fingertips pressed up under his jaw, forcing him to look into her eyes, her scowl now serious. “We didn't know her that well, Dusk Shine. But believe us, we think nopony else could ever have accomplished what you managed that day. Alright?”

The serious tone and powerful glare in her eyes pulled him back from the momentary melancholy that had so suddenly overtaken him. Sitting up straight, Dusk drained the rest of his glass, and made himself smile. “Thank you Moonlight, but enough of this. I didn’t mean to barrage you with my worries and feelings of inadequacy. I apologize for being so forward.”

The hard look in the mare’s eyes disappeared, and was replaced by a happier one. “It is no worry, Dusk Shine. The Princesses would be upset if you were to collapse under weight of the many new responsibilities you've acquired this year. But it seems odd that you would not tell the mares you are close with, or perhaps even your assistant, Barb. Is something wrong?”

Dusk sighed, silent for a moment as he looked at his wine bottle, finally lifting it and pouring himself a half glass. Taking a sip to wet his throat, he said, “No, everything is fine. More than fine, really. It’s just that…” He took a moment to carefully choose his words before continuing, “I don’t want my past mistakes to come back and haunt me or the mares I’m close to. The debacle with Trixie threatened them all, and I’d have never forgiven myself if anything had happened to them, Trixie included. If Sunset were ever to come back, with ill motives and her power…” He trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Shaking his head, he simply said, “We did not part on the best of terms.”

Moonlight Dreamer watched him for a moment, studying him. At long last she spoke, voice sincere. “Do you think it will not hurt them more if they find out about it themselves? Or do you think Sunset Shimmer would not take her potential anger out on them merely because they do not know of her? Their ignorance in this matter will not help them, Magistrate Dusk.”

Chuckling, Dusk finished off his small glass of wine. “Too true, Moonlight. I… suppose I should talk to Rarity and Applejack first, then. Rarity knows of her, but knowing that I or they could potentially be targets… Bronze may need to know as well, given that, to her, something like a potential rival in power with magic as strong as Sunset’s would surely be a security risk.” He smiled, letting out another long sigh before looking at the mare. “Now, may I ask why you are in Ponyville? Knowing who you work for, I'd assume it's more closely related to Princess Cadance’s visit in the morning, not Mr. Rich’s party.”

Dusk watched her closely, and was surprised at the sudden change in her manner, and the look on her face. Was she… was she blushing? The wistful smile that Moonlight offered was heartwarming, and held such charming and innocent happiness that it was impossible for Dusk not to appreciate. The heavy steps of some world-weary pony entering the bar were drowned out as Moonlight sat up taller in her seat and pointed to the new arrival. “Tomorrow, I am providing security for Princess Cadance’s visit. Tonight, I am here for her.”

Dusk followed her pointing finger, and was shocked to see Nurse Redheart watching them from the doorway of the sleepy bar. For a moment, she bit her lower lip, as if hesitating, wondering if she should join them.

Moonlight gave the mare no choice, using her magic to snatch a matching wine flute from the bar, refilling all three glasses while walking across the room and lovingly drawing the reluctant nurse into her arms. For a moment, they shared quiet whispers, then a lingering kiss. Finally, Redheart began to relax and followed Moonlight to the table. Dusk gave her a warm smile, unable to help but feel a bit like a third wheel. “At least now I know who her mysterious lover is. I feel a little better knowing she isn't so alone.”

Redheart accepted the glass from Moonlight and downed half the bubbly liquid immediately, the ruby glow of her cheeks still very prominent. “I wanted to remember to thank you for not asking why I needed you and Barb to foal-sit Scootaloo at the library. Now I feel like I should instead be apologizing to you two. Apple Bloom was over and they were having so much fun, I said Apple Bloom could stay the night if Barb was okay with that. I'm worried they might be too much of a handful for her while you’re not there.”

Dusk forced himself not to spit up the mouthful of wine and needed a moment to recover from the picture in his head. “I'm sorry about that. I got them a little worked up during the party and now along with Sweetie Belle and Dinky, they've declared themselves the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’. It was nice to see Scootaloo spending time with other foals, she even tried to protect Sweetie Belle when it looked like some fillies were about to start a fight. Why, I don't think she even mentioned Rainbow Dash once during the party.”

Redheart looked divided between a number of emotions, but settled on simply shrugging her shoulders in surrender. “I'm glad she has friends closer to her own age, at least. I’ll take that as a blessing and hope the rest works out half as well.”

Moonlight had been silent, but as she lowered her glass to the table again, she rejoined the conversation. “By the way, Dusk, Princess Luna mentioned to me the other day that she hasn't received many letters from you as of late. Is there any chance you might have more ready soon? She looked so disappointed.”

The subtle hint to leave was one Dusk didn't miss, but the humor in her approach to the request they be left alone made him smile. Opening his robes, he showed her the thick wad of notes he had taken over the course of the long and boring party. “Tonight wasn't a total waste on my side, Moonlight. You can promise her majesty I will have letters on both a number of the foals of Ponyville as well as a number of the Canterlot nobles who were at Diamond Tiara's Cuteceñera tonight. Oh, and one rather eccentric but very creative designer, though I might need a little more time to research him before I'm fully satisfied with presenting a report on him for her.”

Finishing his glass, he rose, and pushed the half-empty bottle towards Redheart as a peace offering. “I'd better get going. I need to check up on Rarity and Bronze, and make sure one didn't get too carried away and ruin the other’s night.”

The mares were both full of polite words, and Redheart’s embarrassment seemed to disappear as he left them be. Just as Dusk stepped out the bar door, he could hear Moonlight’s husky voice cooing to Redheart. “It hath been too long since I felt your touch, mine dearest.”

* * *

Octavia knew Vinyl wouldn’t be home before the next morning, but she was used to this by now, even if she still couldn't help but worry. The lies had long ago been inadequate to keep everything from her, and now- “And now even when she's scheduled for a concert, I know she isn't always just traveling to keep up the facade.”

Too worked up to relax, she did what came natural: she unpacked her beloved instrument. In a ritual she'd repeated too many times to count, she started by removing each and every string, carefully moving one gut string at a time between her fingers, inspecting each of them in great detail from one end to the other, muttering to herself as she packed them away. “The D2 sting will simply have to go. It's far too damaged and bound to snap next time I perform. Dear Celestia, why must steel strings be so resilient, but produce such a flawed sound?”

Out of the darkness, arms extended around her neck from behind, and gentle kisses rained down her throat. “You know not even one in ten of those snobs you play for would ever be able to tell the difference between the two. Why not just use steel strings?”

Octavia nearly moaned as her throat was assaulted. It took all of her professionalism to hold still during the attack, especially as the kisses turned to bites, and tugs at her flesh. When her attacker relented, she pulled the massive ebony instrument into her lap, trying hard not to pant in lust. “But I would know. And you would, too. I'd never ask you to use a broken amp.” Trying her best to continue her work, the polishing oilcloth was reassuring in her hands, and she used it to distract herself from her fluttering heart. “I thought you were handling security for the train? Shouldn't it have taken half the night just to get them to Canterlot, let alone find a ride back, dear?”

Vinyl hopped onto the couch in a single smooth motion, her agile body covered in the tight and clingy black outfit of some noble family’s private security force. Careful not to disturb Octavia’s cleaning tools, she snuggled in as close to her side as possible, one deceptively strong hand finding the perfect place on the back of Octavia’s neck, massaging the stiff muscles in ways that made her butterflies worse than ever. The black-clad mare gave her a smile, and simply shrugged. “You’re right. That’s what sucks about being a perfectionist, we worry about mistakes nopony else will ever notice. Now set that down on the floor somewhere so I can properly say hello.” Her free hand hooked Octavia’s jaw and turned her into a kiss, and this time, she gave up on fighting her flirty lover, glad to have her back again, and sooner than expected...

When they finally finished, Octavia picked the instrument up off the floor and straightened up so she could return to her cleaning, while Vinyl finally answered the rest of her question, licking clean her now-slick fingers. “As for being back so soon? Somepony senior must have known how badly I wanted to be with my beautiful wife tonight, because not ten minutes out of town, I was relieved from duty and told to return to Ponyville.”

Octavia was still breathing unevenly, but her butterflies had calmed down, and she leaned a little against Vinyl’s body, still working the oilcloth over the polished ebony. “Somepony senior? I thought there wasn't anypony above you except-”

Vinyl’s finger to her lips silenced her, and she shook her head gently. “Yes. Exactly. She flew in and relieved me. Now what did you learn for me tonight, Octy?”

* * *

After the Cuteceñera, Rarity’s Boutique.

After a day filled with endless fittings, measurements, adjustments and fittings, all Bronze could do was stare into the full-length mirror at the mare who stared back at her. She had never, ever considered that she'd one day end up wearing a dress like this. It was far more beautiful than anything the utilitarian-minded military ever had given to her, and now as Rarity adjusted the wig on her short-cropped hair, she struggled to recognize the mare in the mirror. “But it’s blonde, Rarity.”

“I know, I know, it's just, well, you insist on cutting your fine hair so very short, dear! There simply isn't enough for me to work with right now. Just let me get it settled properly first, alright? I’ve got a spell I learned years ago that will change the color, and if you want to try something different, just ask. Have you ever thought about trying life for even just a few hours as, say… a brunette? Or perhaps a redhead? It would go so well with your complexion and wings.”

A lifetime in the military had been everything she'd ever wanted. Everything was so straight-forward. You didn't have to worry about other ponies' feelings, just about doing what needed being done and dealing with the problem they set out before you.

Then Dusk had crashed into her life and things had gotten so confusing. She felt like simply a mess when it came to romance. And he... he made her even more confused, so quick to go from professional and orderly, to suddenly stroking her legs and whispering teasing things into her ear. Dear Celestia, she wanted him. Wanted him so badly it hurt sometimes. But she was still afraid, because in the farthest corners of her mind, she still felt echoes of what the Poison Joke had done to her. Had made her think. Even now, she still had trouble facing some of the ponies she had considered... hurting, and her heart only ached worse when she saw him together with any one of them.

"Well Bronze," Rarity said as she stood up and stepped back, her final adjustments to the blonde wig finished. "What do you think? I think it suits you rather well. It does you far more justice than any suit of armor possibly could. Are you sure you won't consider wearing this to the Gala instead?"

Bronze shook away her thoughts, and the painful memories, wings ruffling slightly against her back as she tried to fathom the mare who stood before her. “Well… I never thought about coloring my hair…” As she tucked her wings back into place against her back as Rarity had instructed, she was finally able to rip her eyes from the gorgeous, stunning red dress Rarity had made, just for her.

Looking at the waiting fashionista, Bronze took a moment to think about what Rarity had said. It was so, SO tempting to wear this to the Gala, to take Dusk’s hand and stride across the ballroom, to have him to herself, if only for an hour… if Dusk could see it...

"No Rarity," she finally said, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I'm his Vicarius. I’m a warrior, it's my duty to show up at the Gala dressed as such. But..." Unable to help herself, she glanced back at the mirror, and the entrancing mare who appeared out of nowhere to suddenly replace her reflection.

Bronze could feel the blush spreading over her face, even as she looked over herself again, glad for any excuse not to have to meet Rarity's eyes. She might eventually tell her and Applejack what had happened, but right now... right now, she hardly had the strength to force herself to think about it, to push past the dark memories.

Wanting happier thoughts, she gazed at the dress again, letting her mind wander to what might be, to the night she could see in her dreams. “First we’d ride together, the carriage so packed, he’d have to sit by my side. At some point, our hands would touch, and I’d apologize, but he’d wave it off, and slip his fingers into my hand, to hold it the rest of the ride. At the Gala, after he’d spoken with Princess Celestia, he'd ask me for a dance, but I'd decline, saying it was my duty to see to his safety, as after all, I am his personal guard... But then he'd tuck a finger under my chin and…”

The sudden sound of the house door unlocking, and Dusk’s voice calling out for Rarity crashed through her daydream. She froze in place, her wings glued firmly against her back as her throat tightened up. She nearly shook with fear.

"Rarity? Are you still down here working? So much has happened tonight and we really need to talk abo-”

Dusk fell silent as he stepped into the fitting room, his jaw falling slack as he caught sight of her. Bronze shut her eyes, trembling under his gaze, and cursed to herself for ever thinking of putting on a dress. Frozen from embarrassment, she couldn't even force her legs to move.

Rarity’s voice cut through the fitting room, her sharp tone unignorable. “Dear lady, stand up straight. You might be young, but you'll meet many gentlecolts, and even a few other nobles at least as important as Magistrate Dusk Shine, while guarding your lord at the Gala. If you go to court in one of my dresses, you need to get used to looking them in the eye.” Almost against her will, Bronze could feel her back straighten, and body shift. Somewhere, she found the strength to open her eyes and meet Dusk's gaze. Rarity was at his side, and he grunted as her elbow thumped his ribs. “Very good, Lady Feather. Dusk, be polite, stop staring and say hello.”

Dusk's face strained between several different emotions, while he straightened up and rubbed his hand over the ribs Rarity had just nudged. Smiling again, he took a single step forward, and dipped into a respectful bow. “I do apologize, Lady Feather. I shouldn't have barged into Rarity’s fitting room. I hope you'll forgive my rudeness?”

Bronze simply couldn't handle it, she could only sense a hint of the game they were playing with her. The deep gaze of his eyes held her trapped, but she felt her face blazing with another blush. Rarity had somehow moved to her side while she was mesmerised by Dusk, and took a firm hold of her hand, offering it out to Dusk. Rarity’s voice was a sharp whisper in her ear. “Now say: I quite understand, it was simply a shock to have such an abrupt interruption, my lord.”

Bronze felt like a broken doll, holding her hand out for Dusk just as Rarity had directed her, repeating word for word as she was directed. Dusk took up her hand, and kissed the back of it, at last breaking the hold his gaze had on her, and she was finally able to look down at the ground and speak for herself. "Dusk... I just... I'm sorry! Rarity really, really wanted to make me a-a dress for the Gala, and I thought-" Looking up to his eyes again, she saw that same look of happiness that made her heart flutter, and found herself gabbing on uncontrollably, lost in his eyes. "Don't get me wrong! I love the dress, and Rarity worked so hard on it, but I-I'm still going to wear my armor, it's just, well, I've never had a dress, and..." She glanced at the mirror again, and with yet another fresh blush, returned to looking at his hand, still holding the hand he had kissed in a gentle grip.

Rarity stepped away from Bronze's side, brushing her fingers through Dusk’s long hair fondly. “I keep telling the darling that nopony would think ill of her for wearing a dress, but she still won't listen to me, Dusk. Perhaps you could...?" Rarity trailed off, still eyeing Bronze thoughtfully.

It took a few seconds for Dusk to react to Rarity's question, though Bronze was sure he had been inspecting how foolish she looked in this dress and wig. "I-well, Bronze is my Vicarius. If she feels she has to wear her armor, then I can't convince her otherwise." Dusk rose very slowly, smiling down at Rarity a moment before stepping forward. He released Bronze's hand so he could touch her bare shoulder instead, his other hand finding its way to her hip, the heat from him making her heart leap into her throat. Standing behind her, he gently guided her to turn and face the mirror again. His husky voice and hot breath trailed along the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. "No matter how beautiful she makes that dress look."

Bronze's eyes shot up to meet Dusk's in the reflection of the mirror, and the faint pink tinge on his cheeks made her heart flutter again. She focused on his eyes, and saw no jest in them, only a kindness and truth. Her wings shuffled on her back, unconsciously flapping in place in an instinctive attempt to cool off, restricted by how close he stood, and they brushed against his fine black robe. Her head felt like it would explode from so much blood rushing to her cheeks.

She struggled to respond, to find some words for the vision in the mirror. Voice a whisper, two words escaped her lips. “Well… maybe…”

Rarity caught her whisper and finally looked up at Dusk again. With a quiet purr she absolutely lit up at a sudden flash of inspiration too delicious to pass up on. "Ideeeeaaaaa~!"

* * *

Applejack was startled at how much Zecora’s behavior shifted once she was certain of something. The suggestion she should meet Granny Smith had only taken the priestess a few minutes to debate over, but now as they walked to the farm together, she stood, with her shoulders squared and back straight. Before they'd left Zecora’s hut, she had insisted that it would only be appropriate for her to change into something more appropriate if she was to meet the matriarch of their clan.

Dressed in a sheer flowing white gown, Zecora looked more like one of those models in one of the fashion magazines Rarity was always looking at more than a mare who lived alone deep in the woods. But Applejack had seen how long Zecora had spent redrawing the black tattoos that covered her body, one at a time, with an ink she made from grinding up three or four herbs that Applejack couldn't identify into a stinky oil that made Applejack's noise recoil in horror. That same oil was also used for eyeshadow and lipstick.

Applejack was grateful the stuff dried quickly and the smell went away the moment it did, and that Zecora had agreed to wear a white loincloth and breastband under the sheer dress. “She's practically half as bad as Rarity when it comes to dressing up all fancy. Oh, I hope Granny don't mind… This feels like a mistake.”

Applejack caught sight of the barn as they neared the farm, and before they'd even made it to the gate, Winona had run up the steps from Big Mac’s cider cellar and bolted across the field to join them, her tail wagging violently. “Applejack! You're back! I tracked Mac all the way to the farm and cornered him in the cider room, kept him trapped there too so he couldn't run away again; nope, nope, no!”

Winona’s pure energy and excitement at a job well done was reassuring and took the edge off of Applejack’s nerves. But she knew her friend, and took to heavily scratching her around the head and collar to keep her from getting distracted and messing up Zecora’s dress, remembering how interested the mutt had been to inspect the odd smells from several of Rarity’s past pet projects. She didn't need that headache on top of everything else that had happened today. “Good girl, Winona. Good work! Now go bring him to Granny, okay girl?”

Excited for new work, Winona licked AJ’s palm before bolting across the field again, heading straight for the stairs that led into the cellar.

Zecora had watched, and raised an eyebrow. “A loyal friend, like a lively little sister. Did you adopt her, or was she always here, like a seasonal twister?”

Applejack needed a moment to catch up with Zecora’s fancy talk but laughed when she caught the jest. “Nah, Winona’s a real sweetheart. She just gets worked up when she sees I'm worried or when she does a good job. Takes more pride in a job done right than anypony I've ever met. We took her in after I saw how bad she'd been hurt. You ever heard of Diamond Dogs?”

That got Zecora’s attention, she stood walking to look back towards the staircase Winona had ran down. “Wait... her? But she looks like no dirty cur.”

Applejack shook her head at Zecora’s questioning gaze. “Cousins maybe. Distant cousins even. But from what I've gathered, her family sold her to a tribe north of the Everfree after getting fed up with her wandering off when she was supposed to be guarding their herds. The Diamond Dogs treated her even worse. Beat her when she stepped out of line, so she ran away and found Ponyville by chance. I took her in when Fluttershy said she'd be a great night guard. Been a few years now, but I've never had a moment of regret for taking her in.”

That made Zecora smile and she gave Applejack’s shoulder a squeeze. “Perhaps she simply needed an understanding home and some space to roam. A kind deed you did, Applejack.”

Applejack returned Zecora’s smile, but before she could recall a story about Winona getting in trouble for doing something silly, Granny called out from her rocking chair on the balcony. “Applejack, your new friend sure talks fancy a lot. You brought a friend home this late? And why won't Big Mac talk to me? I went down into the cellar to see what had Winona so riled up, but he just kept saying he was busy with the still and would grab his dinner later. Now I might be old and forgetful, but nothing keeps that colt from a full dinner plate of my cooking, not if he knows what's good for him!”

Zecora stepped forward and crossed her right leg behind her left, suspending the foot off the ground, before deeply bowing, the whole time balancing on one foot. “Please forgive me, kind matriarch named Granny Smith. The stallion’s distress is what I wish to address forthwith.”

Granny didn't even bother to wait for Zecora to finish. Up out of her rocker deceptively fast, she leaned upon the deck’s railing and squinted out at Zecora, gumming her dentures in a way that Applejack knew she was thinking hard, but it was always impossible to tell if old Granny Smith was annoyed or not as her lower jaw contorted to shift around the dentures that had never fit quite right. “Now what is this, Applejack? And have you plum fergot yer manners, not introducing your guests?”

Moving around Zecora, who was still somehow managing to keep her balance in the odd one-footed bow, Applejack joined Granny on the deck, nervously rubbing her hands together. “It's- well, it's darn complicated, Granny. See, Zecora is a Zebra Priestess of the Sun Goddess. Princess Celestia’s name wasn't known by them until just a few hundred years ago. And she, ahh- well, she… she, uh, she moved into the Everfree Forest a few months ago, and after she fell real ill during the winter, Big Mac felt really sore that nopony had helped her get her home set up for our weather, so he's been out there helping clean up her land and improve her little house to be a lil’ more livable during the winter.”

Stopping to catch her breath and wondering just how Pinkie managed to squeeze so many words into a single breath without passing out, Granny cut in before Applejack could continue. “Well of course she's a Zebra, I'm not blind, girl! Nopony could miss that dark skin or unique mane and tail! But why is she here? And why's Mac so distressed? Big galoot helps out everypony. Yer acting half as nervous as you did before introducing me ta Dusk, and… oh.”

Zecora rose from her bow at last, just as Winona dragged Mac up the stairs by a mouthful of the fabric around his wrist. The mare blushed, halting in her attempt to reply to Granny's question, forcing Applejack to explain again. “See, Granny, in Zecora’s culture, the hard work Mac did, and his refusal to accept any payment but a meal or two, zebras see that as part’a dating. And so… well, ah… to put it simply she fancies Mac and wanted to do the respectful thing and ask for your permission.”

Granny was silent and grumped her dentures for a while yet, scowling at them all save Winona, whose frantic and futile antics to get Mac to move any further up the steps from the barn’s cellar earned her a thin-lipped grin from Granny. At last the old matriarch spit the dentures into her hand and straightened them, shoving them back into place at last. One finger lifted, and pointed square at Mac, who froze under the force of her glare. “Mac, you shy colt, do you like this here mare?”

Still blushing openly, Mac pulled his hand forcefully from Winona’s jaws and turned to face Granny, nodding like a colt caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I do, Granny, she's smart as a whip and real kindly too.”

Granny turned back to Zecora, and pointed that same accusing finger. “And you, filly? You like my grand-colt? Regardless of how empty his head might appear sometimes?”

Zecora was serious again, she faced Mac a moment and couldn't help but grin as he smiled at her, then looked away from the shy colt. “I do attest, dear Granny Smith, the colt named Mac I wish to be with.”

Granny threw up her arms and shook her head. “Then what do ya need me for? Go have your fun and court if that's what Zebras do!” She paused as she turned to walk away, turning back to face Zecora again, that accusatory finger lifted once more. “But don't ya dare hurt him. The last mare that did only got away with an earful ‘cause they was both too young and she's one of Golden Harvest’s foals, and I've known her mother since she was just a foal herself!”

Applejack felt a moment of relief, glad Granny had simply cut through the fat of the matter and picked her own quick and easy solution. She wasn't sure she'd have been able to explain to Granny just how the Zebra courted without a whole lot of embarrassment. But as she turned to look down at Mac, Winona jumped to her feet and turned to face the road from town at some sound she alone could her. “Girl? What's bothering you?”

Under Granny's watchful eye, Mac and Zecora were talking about as well as two foals in a school yard, but Winona’s ears stood on end, and she sniffed at the air. “Its… three ponies… and something else, very different… it's uh… leather and scales and dry books…. Its- Barb! Yes, yes! Leather and books is Barb, cause she's a dragon and dragons smell of leather and books!” Proud of her nose, the pup strained to stand taller, contriving to look like she didn’t want the scratch she so clearly pined for.

Reaching over to scratch two fingers between Winona’s ears, AJ frowned. “Barb? This late? I hope everypony's okay…”

Thankfully it wasn't too long before Barb came into sight, though only thanks to how little the field between the house and road had grown so far. She was accompanied by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and escorted by Rarity, who was looking a little too proud of herself for Applejack’s liking. The fashionista waved as soon as they were in sight and continued to grin in a way that reminded Applejack of Rarity’s fat and lazy cat when it had snuck a few extra treats out of Sweetie Belle. “Oh, Applejack! I'm so glad I caught you before you all turned in for the night! I must ask of you a very important favor!”

Suddenly remembering just how early she got up this morning, Applejack put a hand over her eyes, and did her best to contain a groan. “What did you do now, Rarity?”

All innocent-like, the mare gave Granny a wave before stepping up the path to stand at Applejack’s side. The two foals and Barb took off, running straight to pester Zecora and Mac. “Well, it all started when Dusk met Hoity Toity at Mr. Rich’s party, and now Dusk’s on a date with Bronze, I am working simply frantically to finish off our Gala dresses for a fashion show for Hoity Toity that I desperately need your help with tomorrow, and everypony in town, even Nurse Redheart is simply too busy, so I need you to watch the girls tonight!”

Thunderstruck by all she had missed in only a day of following Mac through the woods, Applejack stopped bothering to hold back her groan. Removing her hat and pulling her hand through her hair, she took a deep breath and looked at her lover again, trying to find some patience. “How about you start again from the beginning, and give me the long version, sugarcube?”

* * *

Dusk chewed thoughtfully at the peeled carrot, enjoying the way the chilled strawberry yogurt added a sweetness to the raw veggies. Bronze was still eating the salad Sweetie Belle had brought her, clearly either ravenous, or trying to cover her nervousness. Watching as the little filly refilled his glass of water, Dusk tried again to comfort Sweetie. “I know Rarity said you should try being our waitress Sweetie dear, but we can handle serving ourselves, really. Why don't you head to bed or work on your school work?”

Defiantly, the foal put a hand on her hip, and shook her head, lower lip curled into a giant pout up at Dusk. “Nuh-uh! Rarity said to serve you guys stuff from the prepared meals in the fridge and be very helpful, so that's what I'm gonna do! Maybe I can get my cutie mark if I'm a good waitress!”

Dusk couldn't help himself, the filly was simply too adorable, so he let her win, smiling as he accepted the glass of water from her. He looked across the table to Bronze, who was openly laughing at him. Confused, he asked, “What? She makes a good point. Maybe a cutie mark in being a good waitress is her future.”

Nearly snorting with laughter, Bronze wiped tears from her eyes and tried her hardest to answer him. “It's just… you're a student of Princess Celestia herself, and a filly half your height is winning arguments.”

Turning the power of her pout towards Bronze, Sweetie Belle sounded genuinely confused. “But we weren't arguing. I was just trying to be a good filly for mah-my big sister Rarity.”

Bronze sputtered and coughed, still laughing quite hard despite her best efforts to keep herself under control. “Dear Celestia, are you sure she isn't related to Princess Cadence?” Dusk simply shook his head, laughing along with Bronze. “Sweetie, promise me you'll never use your powers for evil, alright?”

Confused, the little filly settled the water jug on the table. “Umm… alright, Bronze. I promise.” Almost immediately however, she turned to watch Dusk, even more closely. "Dusk, what does she mean, my powers? And what's wrong with Princess Cadence? She was super nice when she came to visit you the last couple of times.”

Bronze continued to laugh so hard that she began to openly cry, only managing to ask a single question between her tears of laughter. “She isn’t serious, is she?”

Sympathetic for how confused the filly looked, Dusk ruffled a hand in her hair. “It's just… you are beyond precious sometimes, Sweetie Belle. And some adults and maybe even other foals will be easily charmed by your good nature. But it's okay, because you are also far too kind and caring a filly to use it to abuse others, right?”

Concerned, Sweetie pulled away from Dusk’s hand, her wide eyes worried. “You mean like how Diamond Tiara was making everypony angry? I don't wanna ever be like that!”

Pulling the filly into his lap, Dusk laughed and offered her the tray of veggies and dip. “Don't ever change, alright, Sweetie Belle? You're perfect as you are.”

For a while, the conversation remained light and happy. Sweetie Belle easily conned Dusk into desert, only to end up eating more than half of his piece of cake herself. When the filly insisted on cleaning up the dishes alone, Dusk was at last alone again with Bronze. Hunting for a topic of conversation, he found himself stuck on the topic of his cutie mark. “...but to this day we have yet to find another pegasus who can replicate a sonic rainboom. Since Dash was so young, we can only speculate some unknown pony did it and possibly died in the process. It's frightening to imagine, but Dash swears she can do it one whenever she wants, regardless of any risks...” As he spoke, Bronze was watching him closely, and Dusk couldn't help but feel the intensity of her stare and blush a little. “But enough about my cutie mark. How'd you get yours?”

Bronze stiffened up and sat up taller, chewing on her lower lip out of nervous habit. Her wings ruffled uncomfortably on her back before settling down again. “My cutie mark. I- It… well, it all goes back to why I joined the royal guard. When I was just a little filly, even younger than Sweetie Belle, both my parents worked for the military. My dad’s a great baker, and used to do work right in Canterlot Castle, making fresh bread everyday, just for the guard. My mother, though… she was a soldier, and she lived and breathed the military. As a foal, I spent most of my time with Dad, but Mom would visit all the time, and she and the other guards told endless stories of the great things they did.”

Bronze drained her water and her voice got quieter, her eyes distant. “For years I begged them to let me fly on patrol with them, but they always made excuses. Finally, one time Ma gave in. It was just a short patrol flying over Canterlot, a little easy flight that took us nowhere near the border lands. But two griffons and a bat pony ambushed us, and my mom hurt her hand in the fighting so bad she dropped her spear. It was… it was like I was on autopilot. I dove to retrieve it for her, ‘cause she was still fighting off the bigger griffon. When I dropped below the clouds, a third griffon jumped me just as I got ahold of my mom's spear. Mom came crashing down and bodily checked him into a tree but that left her dazed…. Then the big one showed up, and was charging at her back. I readied the spear just like they taught me and took up position guarding my ma’s back… the big griffon… he never even slowed down. I doubt he even saw me as a threat. He impaled himself on my spear. Later, I helped Ma fly home and we discovered my cutie mark had appeared during the fight. Ma was so proud, but the griffons had hurt her so bad, she wasn’t able to return to active duty.”

Shocked, Dusk stood and walked to her side, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Bronze, I'm so sorry. I never meant to bring up such a painful memory.”

Bronze smiled up at him and put one arm around his back, pressing him closer to her, enjoying his scent.. “It's not a sad memory. I protected my mom from a griffon nearly twice her size. I got to be a good pony protecting somepony weaker than I was. That's why I’m a guard. To protect the weak from the strong who would abuse them.”

Dusk fondly smiled down at her, but Sweetie stepped into the room and gave an adorable sigh. “Are you two going to dance? Rarity says that's what noble ponies do at a party, and a date is just a party for two, right?”

Dusk tried to think of a gentle way to explain to the sweet filly that sometimes dancing simply wasn't appropriate. But before he could, Bronze reached out and stroked Sweetie’s cheek with her thumb. “Of course we’ll dance, Sweetie, if you'll share turns with Dusk with me, that is. And afterwards, we’ll tuck you into bed and go home for the night, alright?”

Excited, Sweetie hugged Bronze tightly around the hips, despite the fact she was still sitting down. “Of course I'll let you have a few turns with Dusk! But I get the first dance!”

* * *

Midnight, Dusk’s Library.

Bronze pressed herself in closer against Dusk's side to help ward off the chilly night. She sighed as his arm tightened around her hip over his robe he'd insisted she wear, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, entirely happy with the evening. As they came upon the library, the pair saw a note pinned to the front door. Opening it, she watched Dusk's eyes skim down the page rapidly before smiling. Unable to wait, Bronze gently gripped his elbow. "Well? What, does it say?"

Dusk looked at her over his shoulder, his eyes filled with quiet laughter "It seems Rarity knew we would have a good night and kidnapped Barb and the girls for the night. They are going to have a sleep over at the farm instead, so we can be alone."

Dusk passed her the note while he drew his key for the library, and Bronze found the click of the unlocking door very satisfying. She scanned the page quickly, and immediately saw the message behind Rarity's words. Face flushing, she was glad that Dusk wasn’t looking at her as he led the way inside, lighting only enough lights to get around. Adrenaline suddenly coursing through her, and she could hardly wait until he'd closed the door behind them. The sound of the lock sealing off the outside world told her it was time, time to make her move.

In a rush, she pressed herself forward against him, wings flapping once to give her a bit more momentum, arms wrapping around his neck as her lips sought his, trapping him against the door. He made a surprised noise before their lips met, but when she began to tentatively explore his mouth with her tongue, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her waist, crushing her body to his.

Dusk murmured something into her mouth, and gripped her waist tightly with both hands, kissing her deeply while holding her still. When they took a moment to catch their breath, he was panting in her face, but she was no better. She felt a small bit of pride when she heard that next his words were stilted, his voice a little unsteady. “Let’s… let’s go upstairs before we get too carried away, alright?”

Bronze could hardly wait, but held his hand as she let him trail behind her all the way upstairs, a warm wet feeling between her thighs telling her just how much she wanted this. As they neared his bedroom door, Dusk surprised her by spinning her around and thrusting her body back against the door of his room, pinning her wings flat to her back while he pressed in, making her groan as her body ached even worse... She tilted her head up, and grabbed his lip with her teeth, sucking it between her teeth and pulling him in for a kiss, while she raked her teeth across his trapped flesh. The way he moaned made it clear she was doing things properly. Her hands hunted over his back, but found nothing good to grip down on, and finally they settled on his ribs. For a long moment she enjoyed the feel of him against her, lost in his taste and musk, and when he finally pulled away from her, she was panting heavily. She took advantage of her freedom, and opened the door to his bedroom.

Glad for a moment to catch her breath, Bronze turned to walk inside, trying to do her best to copy the way that Rarity sashayed her hips, strutting inside while her tail danced playfully across her hips. She hoped she might manage to imitate the sexy way she had seen ladies at the few balls she’d watched when Princess Cadence made Shining Armor accompany her.

Dusk followed her into the room, and she waited until he reached for her shoulders before shifting her hips back against his, grinding her ass against his groin, earning an encouraging moan in the process.

It would be so easy, a walk in the woods, nopony around, just one quick blow and-

Bronze forced that frightening memory away. She had never, would never do such a thing! Fighting to keep from sobbing, she didn't realize she'd frozen in place until Dusk touched her shoulder. “Bronze? Are you alright? Is-”

Turning to face him she smiled, running her fingers through his hair, shaking her head. “I'm fine, Dusk. It's just my first time, I- I want to get this right. Will you guide me?”

Dusk smiled gently and stroked her cheek. “Of course, I want you to enjoy every moment of this. How about I start first, and let me know what you enjoy as we go.”

Bronze nodded, and her hands slid down to Dusk’s sides as he stepped in close. He gently pulled on the drawstrings of her dress, and began to slide it down. Bronze gave a loud gasp as Dusk left a trail of kisses down her throat and collarbone, before settling his lips over her breasts, lingering on her rock hard nipples and making her moan as he tormented her.

The knife dripped red liquid, pooling on the floor.

Bronze shuddered as Dusk slid the dress around her knees, pressing his nose into the frilly white panties that Rarity had insisted she wear.

The rock was so heavy, but she threw her shoulder into it, and the sickening crack of bones drowned out the cries for help.

Dusk’s fingers slipped under the trim of the silk panties and dragged them down over the curve of her hips, before his tongue lapped at the lips of her sex.

The rope cut into her hands and the blood made her grip slick, but soon the mare stopped struggling, her body going limp.

A sudden cry of anguish escaping her throat, Bronze shoved his head away, pulling his blanket tightly around her body, pushing him away with her feet while climbing up the bed and burying her face in one wing. “No… no, Dusk… I can't, I just... I just can’t!”

Dusk stopped right away, and a worried look filled his eyes. Worry for her, worry that she felt she simply didn’t deserve. “Bronze I- I didn't hurt you, did I? I'm sorry if I was going too fast for you-”

Sniffling, hardly able to drown out the memories, Bronze fumbled with the blanket, trying to cover herself and fish up the red dress, doing her best to hold back her wild wash of emotions. “No, dear Celestia, you were perfect, Dusk. I just- I'm not g- I need more time. I'll… I need some time to sleep on all this, okay?”

She rushed from the room before he could answer. She wouldn't be able to handle it if he tried to comfort her. She needed time to forget, time to drown out her horrific dreams.

* * *

Thursday, April 7th, 1am, Rarity’s Boutique.

RarIty snipped off the thread and popped the green spool back into its place on the shelf. A few more twists of her needle and the seam was finished. “Summer time, nature and flower hues! It will simply look perfect on you, Fluttershy!”

Sitting alone before the line of her creations, Rarity inspected them for perhaps the thousandth time, still sure there must be something she could do to make each dress ‘perfect’. “I suppose I should double check all the seams in Applejack's outfit, she probably won't be as bad as Dash, but she is so rough on her clothing, then maybe sle-”

The window across from Rarity was suddenly thrown open, the sharp breeze outside blocked momentarily as Bronze climbed through. When she realized Rarity sat there watching her, the red-faced mare froze in place, tears still openly running down her cheeks.

There was a long moment of silence between them, but the winds continued to howl, sending a chill down Rarity’s spine. Standing slowly, she walked around the stiff guard and closed the window, latching it shut. Crossing her arms over her chest, she inspected Bronze, who wore her usual jogging pants and matching top, the noble red dress folded over one arm. “Dear, is everything alright? Dusk didn't hurt you, di-”

Her words seemed to break something in the mare and Bronze was suddenly in her arms, holding her close and bawling into her hair, inconsolably sobbing. “I- oh by The Light Rarity, I'm sorry, I jus- I'm so sorry, you ha- you go- just please, forgive me! I wanted to do such horrible- such cruel things! I could never, will never deserve an ounce of your kindness, let alone all the time you've given me with Dusk! I’m so-sorry for even trying! I-I-I-I… dear Celestia, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!”

Rarity’s best efforts to calm Bronze only made the mare weep harder. After what felt like forever, she at last got the mare to curl up on her bed, but only by climbing in beside her and stroking her nails through Bronze’s close-cropped hair while whispering reassuring words in her ear. At some point, Bronze fell asleep, her head on Rarity's shoulder, face still wet with tears. Still brushing her fingers through the guard’s hair, Rarity wondered what had come of the cute date she had set up… and what was tormenting Bronze so badly. “Sleep for now, Bronze, sleep well. We'll try again tomorrow. Perhaps by the light of day, you'll feel like yourself again.”

Author's Note

I... I hope I didn't go too dark on you guys... Don't worry, things will be explained in the next part.

Merry X-mas to all and Happy new year and dancing penguins and such!

Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 5

7 am, Rarity’s Boutique.

Bronze awoke to the feeling of fingers stroking tenderly across her jaw, and her whole body reflexively locked up rigid, utterly confused about where she was and who lay half atop her. Drenched in cold sweat that had dried hours ago, she forced her eyes to open, and looked into the eyes of the mare before her.

Rarity smiled gently at her, leaning in close and placed a tender kiss on her cheek, holding her head in both hands. “Good morning, darling. Are you feeling a little more yourself now? I’d really like to talk if you feel you’re up to it.”

Bronze still couldn’t move. Her arms felt like lead weights, and every breath she took was a painful effort, a near-violent gasp. And she couldn’t look away from those deep, piercing azure eyes. “She… she’s so tired… did she lay with me all night? Did she … oh dear Celestia, what did I say, what did I do last night?!”

As if Rarity saw into her mind, the older mare gave her a quiet smile, and put a finger to her lips, gently tut-tutting as she looked into the guardsmare’s eyes. “No, no more running, Bronze. You don’t need to run, you’re safe now, and I’ll listen to anything you want to say… anything you need to say. I’ll listen, and I promise I won't repeat anything you want to keep secret, even from Dusk. Okay?”

Bronze found she simply couldn't look away. For all of her shame of the memories that still floated in the back of her mind, the strength and kindness in Rarity's eyes had taken hold of her and now refused to let go. She took a breath, and found it came just a little easier, so she tried to speak. “But… what I've done, what I dreamed... why would you ever forgive me? I… I don’t deserve your kindness, Rarity.”

The older mare gave a sigh, and leaned down, cupping Bronze’s chin and forcing her to keep looking into Rarity’s enchanting eyes when she tried to turn away. Rarity was quiet for a moment, her body tightening up against Bronze’s, and her breathing grew shallow for a moment as they lay together. After a few quiet moments, Rarity brushed a stray hair out of her face, leaning in closer. Her voice was soft, and far more tired than before. “Twelve years ago, I made a mistake, Bronze. A horrific, wonderful mistake. The biggest mistake in my life... but also the best. I fell in love as a filly, and had a foal of my own. The stallion betrayed my love, broke my heart, and ĺeft me alone with my dear, unborn foal. I was devastated, and yet, when they asked me to give the foal up, I simply couldn’t. They told me keeping her might… it could kill me. I was too young, and it might make me very ill. But I simply couldn’t. I’d made one horrible mistake, and the foal was my only chance of redemption. Now, my dear little Sweetie Belle is the greatest joy in my life. I still think back to everything I did wrong, and how I brought her into a life filled with lies. I am Sweetie Belle’s mother, Bronze, and it’s my fault her life will be so hard... but every day with her is a joy.”

Stunned, Bronze could only stare at Rarity, but it made so much sense… it answered so many little nagging thoughts, so many half-questions she’d always wondered about. Why the sisters lived together, when their parents were always ‘traveling for work’. “I-what? Why would you tell me something so private?”

Rarity gave a sigh of relief, as if the weight of keeping that secret was something she had to struggle to bear, but Bronze felt her body relax again, and her lips curved into a smile. “Because Dusk trusts you, yet after one tiny mistake, you are tearing yourself apart inside. Because you had a nightmare about doing something wrong, and it’s destroying you. Because you hold yourself to such a high standard, that something you didn’t even do causes you so much pain... Because I understand how badly a mistake can hurt.”

Bronze couldn’t hold it back anymore, and she began to weep again, shaking her head. “But, but Rarity… you didn’t dream what I did… you didn’t … didn’t do what I did. I- Rarity, I just- I… back during our search for the smuggler, I walked through Poison Joke… It… it made me dream such monstrous things… I- I hurt so many ponies just so I could… so I could… to make sure nopony ever got between me and Dusk, ever. I… I killed you. I killed Applejack. I wanted to kill anypony who might get in his way. I practically begged him then and there to mount me in the middle of the forest, right in front of the other guards and the weather team. I was ready to do it, but the guilt of my other thoughts… they were nightmares. I was willing to kill so many ponies just to keep Dusk to myself. I'm a monster, Rarity.”

“No, you aren’t, Bronze. Everything that you dreamed, that you imagined, that you wanted... all of it hurt you. Hurt you so badly you ran alone into the depths of the Everfree to escape it, to avoid it. But you don't need to run. Dusk cares for you, trusts you, even relies on you. Your company, your assistance makes his load lighter. I can't do that for him, at least not to the extent you can. So making sure you can help him is very important to me.”

Confused by Rarity's words, Bronze simply had to ask the mare to explain herself. “How, Rarity? I haven't really done anything but deliver letters to the mayor or talk to the nurses at the hospital. What good does that do?”

Rarity gently laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, it's been quiet besides the parasprites, but you understand when he and Dash talk about military things. It all goes over my head, even when I'm trying my best. I understand a little better when he talks about politics with the mayor, but that's because I simply adore the Canterlot elite and the other nobility. I've only learned a little about politics in the process. You, however, can see into his world. Understand things none of us, even Dash, understand, and offer him advice we couldn't offer. That is how you make his load lighter.”

Her eyes opened to some of how Rarity saw their world, their friendships. A balance of interests, a weird kind of order of how they related to one another and things they shared in common. She was shocked and grew silent, thinking deeply about what she'd suggested.

Rarity was silent for a moment, before breathing out a quiet sigh. “So I will do anything that helps make you feel better, Bronze... please, just talk to me... Let me in, let me help.”

The kindness that Rarity offered her, the support, the understanding... Bronze had expected her to flinch, wince, or to give her some kind of look of disgust. At the very least, to shy away from her. Instead, the older mare slowly nodded, her fingers returning to the tender stroking through her hair and across her jaw. She looked sad for a while, then focused back on the squire again. When Bronze didn’t speak for a few minutes, Rarity filled the silence, her voice was filled with compassion and understanding. “But did you hurt anypony, Bronze? Have you ever hurt anypony? Is it even in your nature to hurt somepony?”

Her chest ached, and she could feel her cheeks wet with tears again, but Bronze thought back over her past, and found so little. There was such deep compassion in those eyes, and she looked so trusting, so kind. “I… they were dreams, Rarity. I suppose… I guess I didn’t really hurt anypony… I don’t think I’ve ever hurt anypony on purpose… I-I cut a stallion bad across the chest with a spear once during training, and he bled a lot, but the medics were able to patch it up before he lost too much blood… and well… there were fights when I went on patrol with the guards sometimes, mostly drunks, and the occasional rogue. Sometimes when I was a foal, with other trainees who were hunting for a way to find a leg up on the rest of us. I… suppose I broke a few noses, or drove one colt face first into a wall. I… I killed a griffon once, protecting my mother, and got my cutie mark in the process... Does… does that count, Rarity?”

Rarity laughed. She laughed so softly, so warmly, her hair cascading around her face as she pulled Bronze’s head into her chest, and stroked her free hand down Bronze’s back, massaging the flesh between her wings. Rarity kissed Bronze's temple before tenderly whispering into her ear. “So you killed somepony while defending your mother? Isn't that why you became a guard, why you got your cutie mark? To defend those that couldn't defend themselves? You really are too hard on yourself. I haven't researched things like Dusk has, but he explained Poison Joke to me months ago, how it can break a pony, ruin their lives, drive them insane. Dusk went on about it for days, on how few live through the experience… You ran from the horrible things it made you want to do, because that’s not who you are. You are a good mare, probably one of the best. If all this guilt about a nightmare is true, it only proves it.” She grew silent, and cupped Bronze’s chin to look up at her again, her eyes dancing with soft laughter and deep respect. “You aren't just some guard, Bronze. You’re a chevalier, a knight with only justice and nobility in her heart.”

Bronze wanted to answer her, but just as the words were finally forming on her lips, a sudden rapid knocking echoed from somewhere downstairs. Her heart skipped a beat until a voice called up from below. “Rarity? I brought the girls along, are ya up yet? I’ll feed ‘em, but if you really want me in this show of yours, we’d better start soon, I got work to do on the farm that’s more important than some fancy rich Canterlot business pony.”

Rarity reluctantly pulled away from Bronze and pulled a robe from the bedside closet, throwing it over her slip and marching to the door. She pulled it open and answered sharply. “We'll be right down, Applejack, and thank you very much for taking care of the fillies.” Turning to look down the hallway, away from the staircase, Rarity's tone was softer, but no quieter. “Sweetie Belle, darling. Applejack and the girls are downstairs, why don't you join them for breakfast?”

From down the hallway, the sleepy voice of Rarity’s filly called back. “Th- you mean Apple Bloom and Scoo-” The filly’s voice was cut off by a deep yawn. “-taloo? Oh, boy! Cutie Mark Crusaders, breakfast makers!”

Bronze could see Rarity pale, and the fashionista called back to the girl. “Well… if you really want to help Applejack with breakfast, I suppose it's okay… just… just make sure you listen to her instructions, okay, honey?”

Sweetie Belle’s singsong voice was far more excited when she replied. Bronze could practically feel the filly’s anticipation in her voice. “Don't worry Rarity! I bet I can show AJ a thing or two about cooking!”

Climbing to the edge of Rarity’s bed, Bronze swung her feet to the floor as she shook the last remnants of sleep from her head, trying to wipe away the last few remaining tears on her face. Looking down at herself, she realized she was still wearing her jogging pants and shirt. “I… suppose I should head back to Dusk’s and clean u-”

Rarity turned around and grabbed Bronze’s arms, shaking her head emphatically. “What? Oh, no, Bronze, dear. We don't have the time! You can shower here and I'll find you something to wear. We've got so much work to do!”

Realizing she was going to be facing Applejack and the fillies downstairs, Bronze suddenly felt very self-conscious, wiping her cheeks again and trying her best to fluff the wrinkles out of her shirt. “I-I'll try my best, Rarity. I'm… I'm still no good with fillies, though. What do I say when they ask why I stayed here? When they ask why I've been crying?”

As if seeing her for the first time, Rarity cupped Bronze’s chin and turned her head from one side to the other, inspecting her carefully. “You look just fine, Bronze, really you do. I'm a little jealous of your complexion; if I cry even a little, it is simply ruinous. I need so much time to fix my makeup just to look normal again. We’ll get you in the shower after you eat something, alright?”

Bronze gave her a little nod, gripping the bed sheets tightly where she sat on the edge of the bed, fidgeting as Rarity inspected her face. “I… ummm sure, but if Applejack or the fillies ask questions?”

Rarity smiled, and leaned in so close that Bronze could faintly smell the scent of violets that clung to her robe. “Then tell them that after Dusk went to bed, you came over to help me with the show. And Bronze?”

The way Rarity’s words curled into a question, combined with the stroking of her slender fingers over Bronze’s throat, thumb brushing along her jaw, sent a chill down the guardsmare’s spine. “Uh… yes, Rarity?”

The silken mare gently slipped herself into Bronze’s lap, wrapping her arms around the mare’s neck. Leaning in close, she brushed her lips against Bronze’s gently, lightly exhaling into the younger mare’s mouth.

Bronze stiffened up at first, confused why the mare was suddenly being so intimate with her. The smell of violets was stronger now, an oddly intoxicating scent with the light mare in her lap. When she was given a moment to speak, her voice was a whisper, and she struggled to respond. “Ra… Rarity?”

Rarity’s response was to press her lips firmly against Bronze’s, inhaling through her nose. Rarity took a moment to enjoy the unique taste that was Bronze, copper mixed with another metal that she couldn’t identify. Bronze put her hands gently on Rarity’s hips, at first tentatively, then gripping harder. When she began to massage the older mare’s sides, Rarity firmly pushed her back out of the embrace.

Breathing heavily, Bronze looked into Rarity's eyes for a reason behind the kiss, trying to ignore the butterflies dancing in her stomach. As if she understood, Rarity put a finger to Bronze’s lips. “If you need more motivation to try to forget your nightmares, just ask. I'm sure I can find ways to reassure you: that is all they are. Nightmares to be cast aside and forgotten, because by the light of day, they carry no weight at all.”

Winking mischievously at her, Rarity got off the stunned mare’s lap, tail gently slapping Bronze’s legs as she turned to leave the room. Bronze sat there, trying to order her thoughts, when she heard the distant sound of Rarity greeting the fillies and talking with Applejack. It took what felt like forever, but when she finally stepped out the open bedroom door, Sweetie Belle came running up the stairs, grabbing both of her hands and dragging her towards the stairs, laughing excitedly as she began babbling. “Come on, Bronze! Applejack let me chop the bananas up and mix them into yogurt! Then I added some dill ‘cause it's so tasty in honey and we don't have any honey to add to the yogurt so I figured that it’d work as a substitut-”

Halfway down the stairs, a violent gagging and coughing started, and Sweetie’s shoulders slumped as Apple Bloom cried out. “Sweetie!!! What did you do to the yogurt!?!?”

The way the filly deflated struck Bronze in a soft spot, and as the girl tried to sit down on the stairs to avoid the others, Bronze scooped her up and kept walking. “Don't worry, Sweetie, one of my old sergeants insisted everything was better with sauerkraut and made it part of three meals a day for the trainees for months. I'm sure they’re just overreacting.”

As it turned out, the others hadn't been exaggerating just how horrendous the addition of dill to banana yogurt had turned out. However, the way little Sweetie’s eyes watered as Bronze froze up and started to retch the foul concoction up hit that soft spot again, and Bronze forced a smile onto her face, winking encouragingly at Sweetie Belle, before forcing the entire serving she’d been given of the yogurt down. The horrible taste of the yogurt was forgotten almost as soon as Bronze saw the bright smile on Sweetie Belle’s face. She made a mental note to never let the filly cook anything for her again. Eventually, the girls were led out the door and sent off to school, Apple Bloom proudly leading the way.

Bronze was washing the dishes as Applejack and Rarity returned to the kitchen in mid-conversation. “-so if you could go jump in the shower, we'll be waiting for you in the fitting room, dear. I promise, I just want to make sure your gala dress fits properly for Hoity Toity’s viewing.”

Applejack grunted a little ruefully, shaking her head and calling over at Bronze. “Can you believe her? I tell her I don't like skirts, and she tells me she made me a dress! Don't let her push you around, Bronze, she's a big bully once she knows you're sweet on her.”

Rarity, clearly quite offended, defensively crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, come on, Applejack! I'm no bully! And you haven't even seen your dress yet! Trust me, when you do, it'll totally change your opinion. Both on dresses and skirts!”

Unable to help herself, Bronze had to join in on Applejack’s joke. “Haven't you known her for years, Applejack? What do you do when she's getting too pushy?”

Rarity looked mortified, but Applejack gave her a playful nudge, offering Bronze a wink. “I just remind her about the pumpkin sundress.”

If Rarity had looked frustrated before, it paled in the face of her expression now. Her cheeks had turned burnt-red and her fists were balled at her sides, shaking a little in frustration. “It wasn't orange! It was yellow!”

Applejack’s laughter only grew stronger at how frustrated Rarity looked. Dodging a kick from the older mare, she egged her on just a little further. “Well, everypony at Berry’s grand opening sure thought it was orange!”

Bronze couldn't help it, she joined Applejack in laughing. She could barely picture it, proud Rarity in a bright orange dress, standing out in a crowd like a neon sign. It was just too ridiculous for the normally fashion-aware mare. Rarity grabbed Applejack’s elbow and pulled her in close. “I never had the chance to test it out in the light of Berry's pub! How could I have known that the lighting would do that!?”

* * *

10am, Dusk’s Library.

Dusk hadn't worried when Bronze didn’t answer his soft knock at her door. It was just past dawn, and he had work to do for Princess Luna, so he left the mare to sleep, hoping she'd feel better after some rest.

When Barb came home, he'd half-finished the letters, and took time out to have breakfast with the little dragon, enjoying her tales about the two rowdy fillies, still extremely hyper about their newfound friendship and mission. Returning to his desk in the library, Dusk dug out another of the town’s record books, looking for more details on the nurse’s aid and the classical musician.

Dusk was just finishing his notes on the school foals when Barb joined him in the library, leaning against the side of his chair while her tail lashed around, thumping gently against the legs of his chair. “So, Dusk? When did Bronze go out?”

The casual way she asked her question, combined with the distraction of her nuzzling her head in under his hand, meant it took a few seconds for Dusk to realize what she'd said. Shooting up onto his feet, he stopped the idle scratching of her head, looking around for signs Bronze had left, suddenly worried. Had he simply been too engrossed in the study and missed her departure, or had she been gone all night? Guilt stabbed like a knife; she'd been so panicked when she'd left his room. “She's gone? Are you sure, Barb?”

Confused, Barb lifted a claw and gently tapped the side of her nose. “Of course I'm sure. I may not be as good as Winona, but this nose never lies, Dusk. She probably left somewhere around midnight; her scent’s kinda faint, like she's been gone for hours.”

Dusk felt his heart ache as it leapt into his throat, panic rising as he tried to think of where the distraught guard mare would go. “She doesn't really know any ponies around town... well, just Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Mrs Mayor, and a few members of the weather team…”

Dusk went to one knee and put a hand gently on Barb's shoulder, attempting to speak in as calm a voice as he could manage. “Look, I need to go find her. She wasn't herself last night and… and I should have been more attentive. Can you stay here and watch out for her, Barb? Just in case she returns while I'm out looking for her?”

Barb frowned a little, fidgeting in place as she looked back up at him. “Of course, Dusk. I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier. Is she… are you two okay?”

Dusk could see the worry in the little dragoness’ eyes, and gently hugged her close, his fingers scratching through the scales on her back between her spikes. Putting aside his worries, he smiled for Barb. “She was a little stressed last night and I should have noticed. But I care for her, she… I want to make up for my mistakes.”

Barb lifted both hands so she could hug him back, before rising up to the tips of her feet, and kissing his cheek. “Just…” The little dragoness gave a reluctant sigh and smiled up at him, even as she dropped her weight back to rest on her heels. “I'll be waiting here, Dusk. I hope you find her quickly and both of you come home soon, alright?”

The dragon’s odd behavior and choice of words stuck with Dusk, but he let it be for now, turning to the door, delaying just long enough to say goodbye. “I'll go to Dash’s first. Even if she's already gone to Rarity’s, the construction team might have seen Bronze pass by.”

After he left, Barb slumped her shoulders and began to pace, grumbling under her breath.

* * *

Dusk could already feel the hum of magic in the air before he rounded the corner, at last able to catch sight of the construction of Dash’s new house. In only a few short weeks, they had already made fantastic progress. A dozen pegasi were gathered around the base of the ground-level cloud, openly arguing back and forth while ten more weaved trails of cloud back and forth by crawling under the existing structure. With the commanding two-story house already half-finished atop the cloud base, Dusk was tempted to hop up and take a look around himself. He'd only ever read about pegasi construction techniques and they so rarely built many homes that the other clans could live in. It would be a fascinating way to spend a day or two… maybe a week if they'd let him. After all, what would it hurt if-

Overhead, Dash’s greeting brought his derailed train of thought to a violent stop. “Hey, egghead! Good to see you finally got time to check out the progress on my new place after putting so much time and effort into designing it! But why'd you have to come today when Rarity's hosting some big blow hard?” An evil grin crawled over her lips and she dropped down to hover before him, glancing at the nearby construction workers before leaning in close, almost nuzzling against his neck as she whispered. "If you're looking for a place to hide, I suppose I could find something for your hands to do in the meantime...”

Shocked back into focus, Dusk reached out and took hold of Dash’s shoulders, shaking his head to refocus on what was important. “Look, Dash, Bronze disappeared from the library last night, and she was really distraught. Have you seen her anywhere? I'm worried about her.”

The shift from silly to serious that cut across Dash’s expression was reassuring, and rather than answer, she pulled her brass whistle from under her shirt, blowing four quick notes Dusk was sure were similar to the danger warning. It was impressive to see how quickly the construction team came to attention, save the few who were still attaching clouds to the foundation under the house. When they had all gathered, Dash wiped her brow and called to them in a commanding tone. “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but you lot were up long before I was. Anypony here see a pegasus mare late last night or this morning? Bronze-brown eyes, brown, brass and copper gold hair and wings? Goes by Bronze Feather.”

There was some muttered discussion, then one of the younger colts was pushed to the front of the group of construction workers, until he stood right before Dash. The colt looked nervous and was scratching the back of his head, and there was a faint scent in the air that teased at Dusk’s nose, but he simply couldn’t place it. “I-I think I did, ma’am, weather captain. Late last night, I dunno, maybe around midnight, na-nah, one in the morning. She was climbing in the window of the weird round house, with all the dresses in the windows facing the street, y’know?”

Dusk was sure the only house in town that was round or had dresses in the window was Rarity’s boutique, but Dash’s reaction kept him from running off. She stepped up and grabbed the colt’s jaw, making him look her in the eye while scowling first at him, then over his shoulder at the foremare. “You’re drunk? Is he drunk?”

The colt might have been around the same age as Dash, but he suddenly looked a lot younger, and quite sheepish. The foremare stepped forward and removed her hard hat, wringing her hands together nervously. “He’s just hung over, Dash, and that's why he's got cloud threading detail. It’s real exhausting work to do ‘cause you gotta weave the clouds together really tightly. Punishment duty for any ponies who show up drunk.”

Scowling, Dash let the kid go, sniffing at the air as her eyes slipped closed. Her scowl deepened and she opened her eyes again, glaring at the foremare, and tapping a foot on the thin air below her foot. “Were any of you not at the bar last night? I don't know how I could have missed that smell until now.”

Instead of being intimidated by Dash’s accusations, the foremare threw her hard hat at her feet and returned Dash’s glare, look for look. “Hey filly, don't you give me none of that. I've never had to do a job this big at such a low elevation. So I give my team a little leniency with the rules. A drink or two to calm their nerves every night so they can go to bed and sleep properly is alright with me. Any of them foal enough to show up drunk get cloud weaving duty for the next week straight. After that, if they got the energy to go get sloshed again, I'll ship ‘em back to Cloudsdale myself and let as many of the other cloud builders know they're drunks. Alright?”

Dash was genuinely stunned for a moment, and simply lapsed into silence, looking over the crowd of workers. At last, she seemed to make her mind up and slowly bent down to fish up the abandoned hard hat at her feet, idly rubbing a grass stain with her thumb before tossing it back at the older mare in a lazy underhanded lob. “You should’ve told me the elevation was bugging you so much. Tell you what, I got a cask of the best local cider you'll ever taste. How about after you finish for the weekend, we have a cookout, and I'll supply you all with something to remember as thanks for putting up with working so far out of your depth?”

The foremare caught her helmet and returned it to her head, scanning over her crew and assessing their reactions. When she was sure, she turned back to Dash, spitting on the palm of her hand and extended it to the younger mare. “Sounds like a fair deal to me, Dash. Nopony caught sauced after this morning’s invited, to make sure they work their hardest. Right, you lot of blighters?”

The crew gave a mix of gruff laughter and rowdy cheering at the backhanded compliment, but appeared more settled afterwards. Dash spat on her palm and returned the mare’s shake before moving to Dusk’s side and giving him a half-hearted shove. “Well? Come on! We better go check out Rarity’s place and see if we can't find Bronze. If she ain't there, we can split up and search for her, alright?”

Dusk gave her a thoughtful look, but turned and followed her at a slow jog as they turned towards Rarity’s place. Her actions with the foremare had been bothering Dusk, and he simply had to ask. “You looked ready to brawl with her until she mentioned how the elevation bothered them all so much. Did you have a similar problem when you first moved to Ponyville?”

Dash hadn't been paying attention to him, lost in her own thoughts, and nearly pulled up short at his question. “Huh? What? I- l” She stopped and crossed arms defensively over her chest but kept hovering along at his side at a slower pace than she had taken off at before. “Nah, I was fine with elevation by the time I moved to work here. It was years ago, I’m sure I've told you all about the race I had with some colts at flight school, right? Well, I probably never said much about what came after. See, Fluttershy was in my class, and was a really weak flyer. Sometime during our race, she got knocked off and nopony had seen her since. I was still so charged up from the rainboom, I refused to wait for a Wonderbolt team to come search for her. I dove under Cloudsdale and straight into the forest below. It-”

Dash’s breath caught, and Dusk reached out gently, squeezing her shoulder. She gave him a brief smile and then straightened her back and continued. “It was about twenty minutes before I realized that I was totally lost, and the trees overhead were so thick that I got caught in their branches and I panicked and tried to fly straight up to freedom. I got so tangled up, I was screaming something fierce when the ‘Bolts finally found me, and a few of them were friends of my dad. When I got home, I had to explain to him where I'd learned half the words I was using. That was the first time he said me and Gilda couldn't hang out anymore.”

“So you understand why they'd be so uncomfortable at ground level for the first time?”

Dash scowled at him, and gave him a punch in the shoulder. “Hey, I'm no softie. I just want my house done, and properly. Gotta treat them okay if I want good work out of ’em.”

* * *

A few minutes later at Rarity’s Boutique.

Dusk didn’t bother to wait for a response to his knock, pulling out his key to Rarity’s home and opening the door. “Rarity? Bronze? Anypony here?”

Quiet noises that came from the fitting room caught Dusk’s attention, and he ran to the door, rushing inside without knocking, straight into-

Fluttershy stood just beside the door, a custom-made corset straining near its limits to restrain her generous bust, silk and lace doing their very best to maintain some minute sense of modesty. Crashing directly into the mare, Dusk knocked her over, and off-balance, he fell forward with her, ending up atop of her, his face buried in her chest.

As Dusk struggled to sit back up, Fluttershy started to gasp, but as she caught his eye, she relaxed a little, and helped him sit back up, her voice playful but embarrassed. “Dusk!~ You could have asked before entering!”

Behind him, Dusk easily heard Dash’s teasing joke as she casually leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her chest. “My, oh my, Fluttershy, don't you work fast when you see something you want.”

Still tangled up with Fluttershy on the floor, Dusk tried not to blush, realizing just how intimate they might appear to somepony with Dash’s disposition. Beneath him, Fluttershy drowned out any attempt at explaining with a sudden torrent of wailing; there might have been words in there somewhere, but Dusk couldn’t make any out over the suddenly-embarrassed mare’s cries.

There was a sudden rumble of noise as the other door to the fitting room was thrown open and Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Bronze Feather came rushing through to see what was causing Fluttershy such distress. When they saw the two on the floor, they all attempted to talk over one another.

“My oh my, Dusk, I realize my masterpiece looks fantastic on Fluttershy, but we have work to do; leave the poor girl be for a few more hours at least!”

"Aww, why didn't you invite me to this little party? Is it too late for me to join?”

“C’mon Bronze, grab his other hand and help him up while these jokers rub it in and make them both even more embarrassed.”

“I-oh, Dusk… I didn't... Right, sure Applejack.”

That last voice, Bronze’s, was somehow the most reassuring, even though she said the least. Accepting Applejack and Bronze’s assistance, Dusk got back to his feet, before helping Fluttershy up after with Applejack’s help. Still beet red and breathing hard, he tried not to meet anypony’s gaze while he looked at Bronze. She'd stepped away from the group and was lingering by the door they'd come through, watching him and rubbing one arm.

Fluttershy gently gripped his hand with both of hers and pressed in close, inadvertently trapping his arm in her cleavage. Her voice was hardly loud enough to be heard over the others. “I’m so sorry, Dusk. Can you get the others to step out and let me finish trying on Rarity’s new dress? I-I don't think I could handle changing with everypony watching..." Fluttershy looked away for a moment, glancing at Rarity before looking down at the ground, suddenly blushing. "I promise I'll show the dress off for you, if you could just wait, alright?”

Dusk was glad for the easy excuse to get out of the room, even if it meant bringing the others with him when he really wanted a moment to talk to Bronze quietly and see if she was okay. Smiling and nodding at the shy mare, he said, “Sure, Fluttershy. I’m sorry for running into you like that.” Dusk leaned down and kissed her forehead, causing the pink-haired pegasus to let out a surprised noise at the intimate contact. Struggling to not laugh out loud, Dusk untangled his arm from Fluttershy and moved towards the doorway.

When the other mares also began leaving the room, only Dash felt the need to turn back and throw a comment at her friend. “Oh? So you're going to show the dress off just for him? What am I, day-old burnt carrots?”

If Fluttershy answered her, Dusk didn’t hear it, following Rarity and Bronze back out to a small stage, where a dozen small chairs had been placed before the collapsible catwalk. Hanging from the ceiling, a crystal ball reflected any light impacting it in a rainbow of color, though the curtains were drawn and the effect was minimal due to the dim lighting. He was about to ask what they were doing next to spruce the place up when Applejack hooked him around the shoulders and drew him to a stop. She delayed for a moment to check that Bronze and Rarity had stopped and were paying attention, then cupped his cheek and kissed him deeply.

When she let him go, she kept him from speaking by placing a finger on his lips, hushing him. “So Dusk, we've been talking all morning. Bronze told us everything about the Poison Joke and her time with Princess Cadance in the hospital in Canterlot. You didn't have to hide these things from us, you know. Poor Bronze had herself worked up into such a fit last night, she broke into Rarity’s sewing room trying to return the dress Rarity made her.”

Rainbow Dash had stopped near the door, but cocked her head to the side and stepped forward, gently putting a hand on Bronze’s elbow. “Whoa, wait a second. Bronze, you always looked like something was bothering you whenever we hung out. Why didn't you let me know?”

Picking at a small scar near her elbow with a thumb nail, Bronze tried to avoid looking back at anypony, and only briefly glanced at Dash. “I-it’s… Dash, you… you always seemed so carefree. I didn't want to drag your good mood down, talking about the nightmares I kept having.” Looking away again, she quietly muttered under her breath. “And Applejack, I didn't exactly tell Dusk about everything yet.”

Frowning a little, Dash released Bronze and took a little step back, rubbing subconsciously at her shoulder. “I… well… okay. You could have said something though, I really am a good listener, if for no other reason than ‘cause you're fun to hang out with, Bronze.”

Stepping out of Applejack’s strong grip, Dusk took hold of Bronze’s free hand, squeezing it gently. “You didn’t need to, Bronze. Princess Cadance showed me your file when she was making no progress helping you, wanting to make sure I was informed of everything before I got involved.”

Bronze froze at his words, her legs trembling, her eyes going wide and wings tightening up against her back. “You-you knew? And you still invited me back, to be your Vicarius? I- Dusk, why?”

Reaching out with his free hand, he brushed the first fragment of a tear from her cheek with the back of his hand, shaking his head gently. “Because that was the Poison Joke, not you, Bronze. You’re better than that night, and I want you to see that too.”

Bronze finally met his eyes, her lip trembling as she looked at him, then to Applejack and Rarity. She looked trepidatious, searching for something from them all. She seemed to find whatever she was looking for, and exhaled. She stopped scratching at her arm, sniffling unconsciously and wiping her cheeks dry. “Thank you, really. I-I think you all have me convinced, really I do. Sorry for worrying you all.”

Stepping up beside them, Rarity slipped in to hug them both, letting out a happy sigh. “Now isn't that better? It's good to talk, and it's even better to forgive.”

Applejack wandered to where Dash had retreated to wait by the door, leaning on her smaller friend and watching as Dusk talked softly with Bronze and Rarity. “You sure got quiet. I'm sorry she didn't come to you for help first, Dash, really.”

Dash took the brunt of Applejack’s weight, and stepped in to lean against her in return, her arm wrapping around the towering farm mare’s hips. “Hey, it's not like I don't understand. I got things on my mind too. Like the competition. It's on Monday, and I still haven't practiced nearly enough.”

Applejack couldn't help herself, she cupped Dash’s jaw and made her look up before planting a lingering kiss on her lips, unsurprised when Dash pressed into her and gave a tiny whimper. “Dash, if you're just honest with him, Dusk would make more time for you. You’ve already been on a few dates with him, surely you can admit you got feelings for him.”

Turning her head away from Applejack, Dash squared her shoulders and gave a low humph. “Dusk’s alright if you like stallions. No reason you girls can't have your fun with him.”

Applejack watched Dash for a moment before shaking her head, her shoulders heaving with a sigh. "If ya say so, sugarcube. Now come on, let's get to work on this show thing for Rarity 'fore she goes nuts. You know how worked up she gets when big projects are just about to get shown to the public. You get changed, Rarity will never let you out of her sight now. I'll go see if Dusk needs anything from the library." Reaching out and slyly slapping Dash's ass, Applejack chuckled at the startled squawk her friend gave in response, and crossed the room to talk with Dusk.

* * *

Rushing back in with Barb slung over her shoulders, Applejack was out of breath as she settled the cheerful dragoness on a makeup table. “I... sorry, Rarity. Stopped upstairs to give Dusk his paperwork and we got to talking about everything that's been happening with Zecora and Big Mac, and we-well, we lost track of time.”

Settling her weight on the makeup table, Barb looked around the small curtained-off stage, giggling gently to herself as she lazily kicked her legs. “Rarity, you made everyone a pretty dress? Do-do you think you could make me one someday too?”

Handing Applejack the hanger with her outfit, Rarity took a moment to adjust her red framed glasses, studying the little dragoness, before suddenly gasping and pulling a notepad from a table nearby. “Why Barb! Of course I can make you something! I'm so sorry I didn't even think of making something adorable for you yet. You're coming with us to the Gala after all, you deserve something fitting too!”

Barb blushed as she suddenly became the full focus of Rarity’s attention, who had switched from writing notes to measuring the little pudgy dragoness, making her shift around and eventually stand up on a free stool so she could get proper measurements of the dragonling from all sides. She got so caught up in remeasuring Barb's hips and tail, muttering something about a design that hid it under the fabric, that when Applejack returned, pulling at the fabric of her vest, Rarity didn’t even notice until she gave a happy sigh. “This is really something, Rarity. The stitching’s even all fancy and shimmers a lil’ in the torchlight!”

Rarity looked up from her notes and nearly dropped them as she cried out in shock. “Oh, no no no no! I should have noticed that before! The stitching is all uneven! I'm so sorry, Applejack! Quick, slip it off and I'll fix it in no time!” Reaching high up to tug the vest off Applejack’s shoulders, Rarity shook her head as she tossed the vest on a nearby sewing dummy and immediately went to work, removing the thread carefully to leave no scar behind. “I'm really sorry, Applejack, dear. I should have noticed the thin stitching before I ever had you try on the vest in the first place. I'm just so embarrassed!”

Watching all of this from her seat before the makeup mirror, Bronze held still as best she could, while Pinkie continued to play with her close-cropped hair, trying to find something that looked better than the long-haired wig. Even dyed by Rarity's magic to copy her natural hair color, it simply felt wrong. Leaning back a little against Pinkie, she watched the giddy mare in the mirror for a moment before speaking up quietly so the others didn’t hear her. “Hey, umm… Pinkie?”

Busy spiking up Bronze’s copper-brown hair with a clear gel and a very thin, short-toothed comb, Pinkie didn’t meet her eyes and stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth while deep in concentration. “Yeah Bronzie-poo?”

Wincing a little at the way Pinkie drew out the end of her name, Bronze focused on the way her freshly-spiked hair faintly reflected some of the light, practically glowing thanks to the gloss the gel gave her hair. Gathering herself together, Bronze straightened up and put a hand on Pinkie's wrist. “Does Rarity always get this worked up before she shows off her dresses? She just about jumped into designing a new dress for Barb, and I know she redid that stitching at least once this morning before you got here.”

Laughing gently, Pinkie gave Bronze a shrug. “Oh, that? She's just really nervouscited. She can't wait to show Hoity Toity her work, but she’s worried he might not like it. But it's all fantastic, so she really doesn't have any reason to be concerned, really!”

Trying to ignore the butterflies dancing in her stomach, Bronze watched Rarity’s quick stitching of the thread for a minute, her face locked into a serious look of deep concentration. Just as she was finishing, Fluttershy peeked through the curtains hiding most of the stage and gave a tiny gasp. “Oh, dear. Opalescence just seated Mrs. Mayor, Mr. Rich and Hoity Toity! R-Rarity… are you sure I need to be here too? There are so many ponies watching now with Magistrate Guffaw and his assistants. It's not like they really need to see my dress... right?”

Looking up from her stitching, Rarity’s face twisted through expressions of fear, shock, and horror, before settling on a pleading look directed to the busty mare. “But- but I need you Fluttershy! Your dress displays your connection to nature,” and softly under her breath to not freak the shy mare out, “and your grace and kindness.” Her voice turned slowly more pleading and frantic as she returned to full volume again, her eyes quavering and watering a little. “Plus, I'm supposed to show ALL our dresses as Dusk's guests. So please stay. Please, PLEASE, PLEEEASE!!?”

Bronze could see the hesitation in Fluttershy’s eyes, the momentary flare of panic as she tried to look for a reason to wiggle out of the situation, but Dash surprised Bronze by walking over to Fluttershy, her wings relaxing and spreading thanks to the wide slits in her dress giving her full freedom of movement. “Oh, come on, Fluttershy. I admit, I was a little reluctant about the whole idea when Rarity said ‘Gala dress’, but I gotta admit, she did such great work on my flight suit, so I had to give her the benefit of the doubt.” The short dress flowed around her knees, light and breezy, and hardly seemed to interfere with her movement at all.

Fluttershy glanced up at Dash and blushed deeply at the taller mare’s confident grin and firm grip. Looking back down at her hands, she poked her pointer fingers together, and mumbled softly. “I-well… I suppose, Dash…”

Unable to help but smile at the tender way Dash offered support to Fluttershy, Bronze leaned back a little and smiled up at Pinkie. “They're old friends, aren’t they?”

Giggling a little, Pinkie pushed Bronze to straighten her head again, before leaning down over her, raking her fingers though the very short spikes of Bronze’s hair, sending a shiver down her spine and making her tremble. “They are! Dash was a real big help to me and Rarity’s mission to get Fluttershy to bloom!”

Nodding a little, Bronze was about to congratulate them on how much progress they’d clearly made with Fluttershy’s shyness, but stopped when she heard Dash continue to encourage Fluttershy. Cupping Fluttershy’s chin, Dash made her look up into her eyes, leaning in close to drift her lips across Fluttershy’s, her wings wrapping around the smaller girl to hold her gently with their feathery touch. “Tell you what, Fluttershy. I’ll escort you onto the stage, ok? Hold your elbow and everything, alright?”

Blushing darkly at the near kiss, Fluttershy at last relaxed and rested her head on Dash’s shoulder, her voice calm as she slipped her hands around Dash’s hip. “If you're okay with sharing the spotlight, Dash, then I'd better be able to stand up in front of a crowd.”

With Fluttershy settled down, Rarity returned to her stitching, having been working on it the whole time while watching Dash and Fluttershy’s talk. As she looked back down at her work, her jaw dropped and she wailed in horror. “Oh, dear Celestia! What have I done!”

Hovering by her side, Applejack stiffened up immediately and put a hand on Rarity’s shoulder. “Sugarcube? What’s wrong? You nearly finished the stitching, right?”

Instead of simply answering, Rarity snatched up the tool and began ripping through the freshly-stitched thread, openly hysterical. “No, Applejack! I had the stitching perfect before and then I ruined it and now it's time to go on stage and I haven't even got time to go check Dusk’s suit!”

Bronze had been watching for just this, worried she'd seen it coming the whole time. “Rarity, I can go check Dusk’s suit, Princess Cadance made a big deal about straightening Shining’s suit and grooming it as much as possible, so I picked up a little. It's fine really, just fix the stitching and we ca-”

Rarity’s sobbing had grown louder as Bronze tried to talk, and she shook her head. “But I haven't given him the cufflinks I had specially made. It wouldn't be the same!”

Cupping Rarity’s jaw, Applejack crouched down beside her and tried to help settle her down. “Now hun, they're just cufflinks, right? It's nothing that important.”

Outraged, Rarity stormed up out of her chair, clutching the vest tightly in her hand, squeezing so hard her knuckles turned white. “Not important? Not important?! Is Bloomburg just a tree?!”

Rearing back from Rarity’s words, Applejack’s cheeks turned dark red and she puffed up placing balled fists on her hips. “I-I well, I never, Rarity! You know perfectly well Bloomberg is the best baby in the orchard!”

Both mares turned their backs on one another, so insulted by the others’ words they needed a minute to cool off. Outside the curtains, Opal’s voice turned worried. “I- oh, there must be something wrong backstage. Just-just give me a moment to go check with Miss Rarity, and we will start the show any second, really.” Crashing through the backstage door, the feline rushed to Rarity’s side, on edge, her tail violently twitching while her back hair puffed up. “Rarity! What's the matter? Hoity Toity is waiting!”

Rarity was so worked up, she simply refused to break from her dramatic pose, her nose in the air, but she continued to sob. “Oh, it's simply hopeless, Opal. I rushed everypony together and don't even really have a theme except ‘The Gala’. Dear Celestia, I can't even get the stitching right on Applejack’s vest!”

The noise from the other side of the curtain grew louder as the waiting ponies grew restless, and muffled or not Bronze was sure they wouldn't wait much longer.

“No time like the present, I suppose.” Cutting free of Pinkie's still attentive fingers, she crossed the small curtained-off room and took a firm grip of Rarity’s shoulder, turning her to face the squire. “Hey, Rarity? I'm sorry about this.”

Huffing at the sudden interruption, Rarity turned to face Bronze and looked just about to say something when Bronze’s firm-handed slap caught her on the jaw, measured expertly to be just soft enough to shock without leaving a bruise. “Snap out of it! Dusk used his clout to get these important ponies here just to see your work, so don't embarrass him now!””

The echo of the impact of palm on cheek lingered in the air. Everypony fell silent, and Rarity’s eyes went wide while her fingers lifted to her cheek. Worried she'd gone a little too far, Bronze hunted in Rarity's eyes for some hint that she was better. Very slowly lowering her hand from her cheek, Rarity picked up the vest and shook her head, letting out a sigh. “I-I'm sorry, girls. I guess I got a little worked up. Can-can we still do the show?”

Laughing gently as the tension between them broke, Applejack swept Rarity into her arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Of course we can, Rarity. If you're sure you can get the stitching fixed.”

Shaking her head, Rarity kissed Applejack’s lips very briefly, and grinned up at Bronze. “I should have left it alone, it was already perfect. I can fix it, if somepony feels up to going on stage first?”

Hopping in place, Pinkie giggled and waved an arm over her head. “Me, me! Ohhh! I'll go first, Rarity!”

Fluttershy's obvious relief was followed by leaning her weight into Dash’s arms and a slightly too loud whisper of, “Oh, thank you Pinkie.”

Taking advantage of Fluttershy’s lowered guard, Pinkie skipped to her side and gave her a deep and solid kiss, breaking it off and giggling as she wiped off a tiny string of saliva that linked their lips. “No problem, Fluttershy! But you're next, so be ready!” Pinkie gave a wink to the now deeply-blushing pegasus before turning to leave.

As Pinkie skipped towards the curtains, Rarity looked up just long enough to send out her magic and bring light to the white globe while she also activated the record player, filling the hall with soft, elegant music. As Pinkie disappeared onto the stage, Rarity continued to stitch, looking at Bronze from the corner of the eye. “Dear, I simply don't have time to spare, can you fetch Dusk from the dressing room upstairs? Take the little white box of cufflinks with you, and make sure he has them on properly before you and him come downstairs, alright?”

Shocked at how calm she sounded now, Bronze could only nod at her, snatching up the box and reaching for the wig. “I-of course Rarity. I'll be right back.”

Clearing her throat, Rarity responded before Bronze could lift the wig. “Thank you dear. And leave... leave the wig behind. I think Pinkie did a fantastic job with your beautiful, natural hair. Show it off, it really suits you.”

* * *

As Pinkie swept dramatically through the drapes, Barb shot up, grinning uncontrollably. “I might not have a dress to show off, but that doesn't mean I can't be a part of this show!” The realization that she could take part and even maybe steal a little of the limelight for herself powered Barb to dash between the other ponies and out onto the edge of the stage behind Pinkie, moving off to the side while the gleeful pony continued down the catwalk.

Putting on her best proclamation voice, and trying to measure her volume for the small room and crowd, Barb was worried but determined to do her best, however little experience she had with talking in front of crowds. “He-hello, noble mares and gentle stallions. Y-y-your first mo-model for today is Pinkamena Diane Pie, whose boundless energy and love of a good party is echoed in her Gala dress. A-ah-”

Scrambling to try and remember how Rarity had described the dress, Barb froze up, until Applejack’s hand slipped through a gap in the curtain and squeezed her shoulder, carefully whispering to avoid being heard or seen by those watching Pinkie pace around the catwalk. “Frilly blue white and pink, modified ball gown for easier dancing.”

Her memory sparked by Applejack’s whisper, Barb squeezed the hand on her shoulder in thanks and launched back into her stage voice, at last getting a feel for how to project over the crowd. “Fashioned as a modification on the traditional ball gown with a few inches of the hem shortened to lighten the dress and make it easier to dance, the vivid selection of light blues and soft pinks is perfect for projecting Pinkie's good-natured love of a party, and a splash of white to balance it all out leaves a lovely affair easy on the eyes. Top that all off with a modest assortment of ribbons and bows, and the lady looks as playful and lively as she is!”

Applejack’s hand had disappeared from Barb's shoulder as she spoke, but the dragoness felt more confident than ever by the end. As the guests gently clapped, it was clear some of the ponies that had come with Hoity waited to see his reaction before joining in.

Pinkie pirouetted one last time before returning to the edge of the stage, dipping down so she could kiss Barb on the top of her head. As a red blush darkened the scales of her muzzle, the pink party pony stood back up and grinned at the crowd. “And your announcer for today is the lively little lady lizard, Barbara, baby dragon extraordinaire!”

Still feeling a little woozy from Pinkie's unannounced affection and heaping helping of praise, Barb tugged at the neck of her dress and gave a nervous giggle of delight. Trying to balance herself and buy a little time, Barb used her tail to support her weight as she leaned back a little and continued to gently giggle to herself. Her time to cool off and more ended when Dash stepped through the curtain alone and grabbed a thick handful of the deep purple cloth, pulling it aside to reveal a still mostly-shadowed Fluttershy, hesitating a few feet from the catwalk.

Dash’s glance turned to Barb, and had said more than words could. Puffing up her chest, the dragoness stood up tall again and gripped her tail spade like a microphone. “Next, we have the gallant Rainbow Dash, leader of Ponyville’s Weather Team, escorting the…” “Oh no, umm… not shy, not shy… umm… oh! I got it!” “Demure Fluttershy, Ponyville’s hard-working veterinarian, and deeply empathetic animal lover. Mother to nearly 30 homeless critters, she's nearly as easily startled as they are, but if we're gentle and soft spoken, she’d be sure to come out and say hello, right, Fluttershy?”

Walking out of the shadows and into the light projected by Rarity's magic from the many-faceted ball over the catwalk, Fluttershy really was just as cautious as a frightened deer, or a skittish rabbit. Taking one small step at a time until she was a few feet from the curtains, she practically glowed in her dress, and gave a tiny wave with one hand at the mayor and other guests.

Dash released the curtain behind Fluttershy’s back as she waved, stepping up beside her much quieter friend and taking her arm, giving her cheek a kiss. That seemed to finally overcome Fluttershy’s reluctance and together they walked to the end of the catwalk.

Realizing she was already behind, Barb squared her shoulders and lifted her tail to her lips again. “Fluttershy is dressed in a completely custom-made ball gown by the Lady Rarity, including a corset to aid in maintaining a lady’s modesty, while not interfering with her freedom of movement in any way, including full use of her wings. While longer than the modified dress for dancing we saw before, this is a full, sweeping gown that just touches the ground and flows to match Fluttershy’s gentle nature. The vibrant green layers of the dress are complemented by handcrafted leaves and flowers to highlight her harmony with nature. Her link with animals is symbolized by the teal-blue butterflies, one on her bust, and its twin in her hair. Lastly, an emerald armlet on her left arm is one of the few faintly gaudy touches of flair to compete with her beautiful skin and eyes.”

The moment Barb finished describing Fluttershy’s outfit, the pink-haired mare gave a tiny curtsy and backed off the catwalk, returning backstage, leaving Dash alone upon the stage. Turning her attention to Dash’s flowing dress, Barb started again. “Dressed for freedom of movement, Rainbow Dash’s dual-layered dress lets her show off both on the dance floor and while in the air, the second layer protecting her privacy when the wind blows back the outer dress, revealing the shorts below that match the outer layer. Vibrant rainbow hues have been used to go with her truly memorable hair and tail.”

When Dash had finished strutting for the crowd, she suddenly backflipped in place, spreading her wings wide open, racing backstage in full flight, really displaying the freedom of movement the outfit offered. For a moment the watching guests were quiet, then Hoity suddenly sprang up and began to excitedly clap, laughing with glee. “Marvelous! Fantastic! She flies as swiftly as a Wonderbolt!”

Dash’s excited overreaction backstage was joined by a cry of delight from Rarity. Worried they might be getting too loud, Barb turned to the crowd again trying to drown out the mares. “With four dresses down, the designer herself is next to come to the stage, accompanied by Miss Applejack, her dear friend and a local farmer.”

Silence hung in the air when Barb waved her hand back towards the heavy curtains, and for a moment nothing happened. Growing nervous at the silence, Barb straightened up and lifted her voice again to try and get them to do something. “Lady Rarity and Applejack!”

Still the curtain remained unmoving, Barb began to sweat and tugged nervously at the collar of her dress. Shifting her feet, she nervously looked around again, about to try a third time, when the playful music shifted abruptly to a softer tone and the drapes were thrown open from the middle, held wide by the soft glow of Rarity’s magic. Arm in arm, Rarity and Applejack stepped through the open drapes, the magic holding the curtain suspended behind them.

Unable to keep from staring, Barb felt her jaw drop as Rarity stepped into the light of the glittering disco ball, stunningly beautiful under the brilliant glow. She'd applied her makeup subtly, mascara to bring out her eyes, darkening her lashes and adding contrast between them and her light eyes. Ruby lipstick matched her softly-blushing cheeks.

Lost in watching Rarity, Barb didn’t even realize how long she'd been silent until one of the three main guests had cleared their throat, the sudden noise a shock in the otherwise-quiet room. Finally realizing that she'd dropped the ball and had been staring, Barb nervously scratched at her neck scales and adjusted her dress again. “I-I-Oh, wowie! Err, um sorry, everypony. This is Rarity’s dress, a traditional ballgown, in noble purple hues that complements her hair. She has a nearly sheer pale purple shawl, good for a colder night, or a peaceful walk through the garden. With tall heels and tiny diamonds on her fingers, necklace, and layered in her hair and tail’s spiral loops, the designer’s work is filled with small accents that mirror her cutie mark.”

When Rarity and Applejack reached the end of the catwalk at their very carefully-measured pace, Rarity curtsied incredibly low, all without any support from Applejack, who had bowed beside her shorter lover. Finally finding her head clearing up, Barb pressed on with Applejack’s ‘dress’. “By amazing contrast, Applejack's outfit is leagues more casual, set almost entirely in rich, earthy tones. Let's start with a long skirt that goes down to her ankles. Her shoes are a custom-made design that alters her normal western boots with a more polished, slender style. A silken white dress shirt under a brown vest with elaborate embroidery matches the skirt, and a light brown jacket based off a mare’s twist of the classic stallion’s tuxedo jacket tops it all off. A heavy and dark green sash at the waist, with mostly simple jewelry like the fine gold buttons on the vest and jacket, and dark green gloves act as a final accent to finish her outfit off.”

For the second time, the crowd rallied, standing up and excitedly clapping at the bold contrast between the mares’ style. Again, Rarity and Applejack curtsied and bowed in turn before leaving the stage. As they left, Barb realized that the watching ponies were still standing and clapping, as if they thought the show was finished. “But wait, everypony, we still have two last outfits to reveal. The first is a stallion’s suit while the last is a vibrant red dress.”

The excited crowd quickly began to whisper and mutter between one another, gossiping openly. As the delay carried on, Barb began to wonder what was taking Dusk and Bronze so long. She was getting worried and was about to look behind the curtain when the door to the hallway opened and Rarity swept in, accompanied by Pinkie, Applejack, Dash and Fluttershy. Mingling in with the crowd, they started to gently talk with the crowd, Rarity quickly becoming the center of attention, with so many questions swiftly being thrown out for her to answer.

Barb gave a sigh of relief, and leaned back towards the curtains, relaxing a little while waiting for Dusk. The soft sound of whispers carried from behind, just loud enough for her to overhear.

“Wait, Dusk. Rarity gave me these cufflinks for you.”

“Wha-oh, sorry, thanks, Bronze. Want to hel-”

“Oh-oh my. Dusk, did…?”

“I never knew. Do you think she made them herself?”

“I don't know. She never said anything about them to me. C'mon, let's put them on, everypony is waiting for you.”

“For us, Bronze. They can't wait to see you too.”

They went quiet again, and Barb began to worry again. “Just what is taking them so long?!”

Barb gently pulled open the curtain and froze as she watched Dusk and Bronze’s kiss break. She felt her tail stiffen up. Huffing, she took a step into the opening she'd made, but froze as suddenly the room behind her went silent. Distracted by so many ponies going silent all at once, she looked back over her shoulder to see why. Escorted into the small chamber by some unicorn mare Barb didn't recognize, Princess Cadance swept into the room, her massive wings folded against her back while ducking her head to avoid scraping her horn on the door frame. Looking around at how silent the room had gone, the princess blushed momentarily and gave the crowd a small wave. “Oh dear. I am really sorry, everypony. I didn't mean to interrupt.” She bowed to the suddenly kneeling ponies, and gave the unicorn who had escorted her into the room a light nudge. “Moonlight! You know we could have just waited for the show to finish instead of interrupting everypony!”

Rising to his feet shakily, due to age more than weight, Magistrate Grandiose Guffaw didn’t need to order a path to be cleared, his aides were still at his side and moved to quickly make way for the elderly stallion. While he didn't kneel like the others had, his bow was very low, and the way his body trembled under all that off-balance bulk, Barb was sure he'd end up flat on his face. Stifling a snicker of laughter, she lowered the curtain she'd been holding and walked to the edge of the stage nearest Princess Cadance so she could hear them talk.

Guffaw’s voice carried clearly, despite his drawl and quivering jowls. “Now now, Princess. We'd never hear of that! Besides, you've arrived just in time, there is a free seat beside me, and Magistrate Dusk Shine is about to show off his Gala suit.”

Gently laughing, Cadance took the old stallion’s hand and gave it a tender squeeze. “Oh, get up, Guffaw. You were one of my teachers in school, you don't need to bow down for me! I still owe you so much for all your help in my youth.”

With that settled, the old stallion escorted the young princess to a seat right before the stage, while his attendants adjusted the empty seats so she was right between the magistrate and Hoity Toity. Only after she sat did the three key guests return to their chairs, followed at last by the rest of the audience. Just as the crowd settled down, a new source of magic flowed out and started a new song. Soft like the one Rarity had came out to, two flutes sang out, teasing and inviting. As the curtain drew open one last time, Dusk and Bronze emerged together, her hand resting in the crook of his arm, her eyes worried, hunting, scanning the crowd; his peaceful, his free hand gently patting hers. Together, they stepped out onto the catwalk, and Barb felt herself shiver as the light of the glowing orb overhead came in contact with his suit.

Almost unconsciously, Barb lifted the spade of her tail to her mouth again, her eyes wide and watching every move he made. “M-magistrate Dusk Shine’s suit is a custom job by Lady Rarity. Designed on the lines of the traditional four-piece tuxedo, the darker outer layers, the jacket and the pants represent the calm night sky, deep blues nearing black with a myriad of tiny, intricately cut, blue-white rhinestones, each designed to glimmer like a star at night. Beneath that, a lighter shade of blue for the vest, with even smaller stones embedded here that are fainter in their glimmer. Finally, the dress shirt underneath is yet a lighter shade of blue, and as you explore, the hues grow even brighter, until the last peak of daylight can be found level with his belt buckle. Where there is normally a jacket pocket in this style of suit, the lady has chosen to instead place an emblem of his cutie mark. While the stallion is not normally one for jewelry, he always wears a sunstone earring her majesty Princess Celestia gave him when he graduated from Starswirl University, the gem engraved with his teacher’s cutie mark.”

Barb paused for a moment, and something she’d never seen before caught her eye and made her breath catch with an audible gasp, loud enough that she realized Princess Cadance had looked up at her for a moment, a worried look in her eyes. Forcing herself to continue again, Barb blushed under the young princess’ scrutiny. “How-however, in deference for Lady Rarity’s sense of taste, he has chosen to don a pair of clearly custom-made cufflinks. Gold-edged, they seem to symbol-symbolie… resemble Lady Rarity’s cutie mark on the left wrist, while the right is Applejack’s. Both have clearly been crafted with great care for detail and accuracy, including real diamonds on one, while the apples of the other appear to be rubies, unless Princess Cadance’s jewelry has confused my sense of smell.”

Finally looking past Dusk at Bronze, Barb kept going so she didn’t have to look at Cadance again, hoping the princess would forget her by the time they finished. “Accompanying him is his left hand, his Vicarius, Bronze Feather, squire to Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard. For a change, she has put aside her armor and allowed Lady Rarity to try her magic at creating something more casual for the guard. Thus we have a red silk dress, slit cut on the one leg up to the knee, teasing a view of her bare calf muscle. her very short bronze-copper hair has been spiked and now the guard is ready for a fun night out. Short heels were used to add a saucy air to the normally tame mare.”

Struggling to think of anything else to say, Barb was relieved when they made it to the edge of the stage, and Princess Cadance catcalled up at Dusk. “Just like your brother, you clean up very well, magistrate. I see your marefriends are already leaving their mark on your sense of dress.” Looking back over her shoulder at Rarity, she winked, playfully. “We approve.”

A rising tide of laughter rippled through the room, and Rarity dramatically put a hand to her head, half-swooning before Applejack caught her. Hanging in Applejack’s arms, she called over the continued laughter. “You honor me too much, dear princess! I couldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for all those years of work you put into trying to make him presentable.”

As the laughter finally died down, Dusk squeezed Bronze’s hand again, the faintest of a smile curving his otherwise stoic face. “It’s true, Princess Cadance, if it were not for your years of hard work, I don’t know if even Lady Rarity’s greatest efforts could have succeeded in making me presentable.”

Cadance joined in their laughter, and rose to stand. She was tall enough, even standing on the ground to wrap an arm around Dusk’s hips, tugging him close and winking playfully at Rarity. “Well then, thank you, dear Lady Rarity. It’s good to see after so many years all my hard work has at last paid off.”

For a while, everypony in the room enjoyed the light jokes and soft conversation picked up again. At some point, when Barb wasn’t paying attention, Dash, Fluttershy, Bronze and Applejack had gone back into the room behind the curtain. Princess Cadance was examining the golden cufflinks on Dusk's suit when Rarity broke free of the questioning nobles, and walked over to Barb’s side, plucking her up into her arms and rocking her gently. “Thank you Barb, you did a fantastic job. I promise, I’ll get more of those sapphire flakes you love so much next time I go to Canterlot.”

Overjoyed by the affection from Rarity, Barb relaxed at last and nuzzled into her cheek, grinning openly. “Really? You will? Do… do you think you could get me the ruby flakes too?”

Laughing gently to herself, Rarity looked up, and gave a small wave to Hoity Toity and Guffaw as they left together, most of their entourages following after attentively. “Tell you what, you say farewell to the rest of my guests, and I’ll make sure to get them both, darling. Alright?”

Delighted, the little dragoness hopped free of Rarity’s arm and thumped her chest with a fist. “No problem, Rarity! I’ll make sure to see everypony out!”

* * *

Rarity took Princess Cadance’s arm, unable to help but laugh. “Oh, princess! You couldn’t have showed up at a better time! Today went so well! Hoity even promised he’d have a contract ready within the week! How ever can I thank you?”

The towering princess laughed gently, stopping when the curtains blocked what remained of the crowd from sight. Cupping Rarity’s chin, she playfully waved a finger before her eyes. “No need to thank me, dear. Just keep up the hard work. You wouldn’t believe how often I’ve had arguments with both him and his brother about what to wear and when. You don’t even want to know how many times I forced Dusk to return to his room to shower and change before his private classes with Princess Celestia when he was a foal.”

Their shared laughter was interrupted when they turned and were instantly confronted by all the others, gathered around Dusk, carefully studying the cufflinks on his suit, save Bronze, who had poured herself a glass of water, and was quickly moving to grab a second. Stepping out of Cadance’s arm, Rarity stepped up beside Applejack and squeezed the larger mare’s hand between both of her hands. “Well? What do you think, love? Too much?”

Applejack gently squeezed her hand in return, straightening up and grinning as she gave Dusk a little nod. “You did a good job hiding all this from me, Rarity. A little too fancy for my tastes, but Dusk pulls it off, even if the cufflinks make me a little self-conscious.”

Pinkie rushed over, leaping into a hug that ended with her arms wrapped around Rarity’s neck, snuggling in tightly and giggling with glee. “Oh, Rarity! We did it! We really, really pulled it off! Oh, I was so super nervous, but then everypony got so excited! And then Dusk and Bronze came out together and all my hard work on her hair paid off so well, plus Dusk’s suit looks so good, and those cufflinks are really dashing and show how noble a stallion he is, plus it also shows how he is in a relationship with you and Applejack, and she started blushing and it was just so cute!”

Struggling to straighten up under Pinkie’s weight, Rarity didn’t notice Dash staring at Dusk for a long moment, before the pegasus made a soft ‘hrumph’ noise. She moved to join Bronze, grabbing a glass and pouring herself some water, topping off Bronze’s drink and leaning against the wall. “You held up well, still got butterflies?”

Bronze quickly downed her glass again and knelt down against the wall, hugging her knees. “I… I'm fine, really. Just-just feeling a lil’ woozy.”

Dash shrugged and looked out the window and up towards the distant sky. “After Rarity’s done with us, let's get outta here, we should take a flight. I really need more practice before the Young Fliers’ Competition, and Fluttershy’s no challenge.”

Straightening up, Bronze laughed and shook her head. “I-wha? Dash, you could lap me easily.”

Shrugging lazily, Dash kicked the wall behind her half-heartedly. “So give me the chainmail. That would even things up, right?”

Thinking for a moment, Bronze gave her a grin. “I suppose it would be a lot better challenge. But you should get your own armor sometime, I need to start training properly again myself, Dash.”

Meanwhile, Fluttershy held both of Dusk’s hands, turning them from one side to the other, back and forth time and time again, so she could watch the way the light sparkled off the cufflinks, her cheeks a brilliant red the whole time. Dusk nearly jumped when she finally spoke up, surprised after she'd been so quiet for so long. “You looked so calm up there, Dusk, even with so many ponies watching your every movement, and then Princess Cadance started teasing you, and Rarity joined in, and you still kept your calm.”

Dusk wanted to blush and try to laugh her off, but her grip on his hands was surprisingly strong and kept him from pulling away. “Well, it’s not like I wasn’t caught off guard by Princess Cadance’s presence. She-”

Suddenly wrapping an arm around his neck and tugging him back into a hug, Cadance laughed gently and mussed up his hair. “I what, Dusk?”

Fluttershy audibly squeaked and nearly released Dusk’s hands, resisting the urge to jump at how silently Cadance had snuck up on them both. Laughing at Cadance’s playful game, Dusk shook his head. “I was about to say, I grew up watching Princess Cadance tease Shining Armor in a lot of similar ways.” Lifting one of Fluttershy’s hands, he kissed her knuckles, shocking her into finally letting go, so he could put an arm around Fluttershy’s hips. He felt her stiffen up at his touch for a moment before relaxing, and he grinned up at his former foalsitter. “ I suppose I’m late for my checkup, aren’t I Cadance?”

Shaking a finger before his eyes, the princess bopped him on the nose. “I suppose so, but I just got here. Now when you’re done talking to your cute marefriend, we should go, as Nurse Redheart’s probably furious with us both by now.”

Leaning into Dusk’s arm, Fluttershy almost began to pout. “What? You’re here for Dusk again, Princess Cadance? But he’s been much better lately… Right?”

Stepping forward, Cadance put a hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder, clearly trying to comfort the younger mare. “No, you’re right, Fluttershy. Nurse Redheart’s reports on him have been far better in the last few months. But I’ve been giving him checkups for the last five years, so I wanted to make sure she hasn’t missed anything, alright?”

Reassured, Fluttershy leapt forward almost as energetically as Pinkie often did, and tackled the princess with a hug. “Oh thank you, Princess Cadance! And if you need somepony to keep an extra eye on him for you, just let me know, ok?”

* * *

1pm, Ponyville Hospital.

Cadance’s strong grip moved across Dusk’s shoulders, and her thumbs turned down into his shoulder blades, grinding in deep, slow, hard circles at the tense muscles of his back, hard enough to make him hiss, groan and catch his breath. It helped distract him from the persistent pain, but didn’t affect the pain itself. Finally he simply had to speak up. “I’m sorry, Cadance, that feels great, but it really isn’t helping. The pain is still there.”

The princess gave a grumpy sigh and lifted her hands to his neck, moving the focus of her massaging there, far more careful now to avoid doing harm as she worked. She frowned as she straddled his back, working his muscles gently. “It’s okay, Dusk. Is it at least distracting? Because anything that takes the pain off your mind is better than you simply using more of the tea to numb it.”

Dusk winced, but Cadance’s massage did feel good, and loosened up his neck muscles, happily twitching his tail in delight. “Mummm… well, I suppose you’ve got a point. I wish one of the mares knew how to give a massage this good.” His eyes slipping closed he rested into his pillow, mumbling under his breath. “I should ask Bronze if she knows about these kinds of things…”

That got Cadance’s attention, and she paused for a moment, unable to help but grin to herself, before leaning in whispering beside his ear. “Oh? You and Bronze are getting along then? She’s handling things okay? I thought she’d be a little resistant to seeing you shirtless.”

Dusk chuckled a little into the pillow, and gently shook his head just enough to let her know. “No, Bronze has come a long way, Cadance. We just had a date yesterday, and she-- URG!!”

Cadance’s grip had turned from careful massage to suddenly forceful grip, and her knee pushed into his shoulders, while her voice hissed. “Dusk, you didn’t do something to make things worse, did you?”

The threat in Cadance’s voice was a shock to hear, and Dusk kept still, carefully measuring his breath while she practically growled at him. “No, I’ve been really careful with her, Cadance. Rarity pushed her to try on a dress, and then suggested we have the date because of how cute we looked together. Things got tense when we got home afterwards. She’s still feeling a lot of guilt for her dreams while the Poison Joke was in her system, but Applejack and Rarity spent this morning doing everything they could to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault, and she really seems to be feeling a lot better.”

Releasing him totally, Cadance slumped off of Dusk’s back and into the empty seat beside the table, her voice a little distant, clearly shocked. “Wait, this wasn't the first time she got Bronze to wear a dress? And to go on a date? Like dinner together in public, and everything?”

Shifting just enough so he could watch her, Dusk smiled at the overprotective mare and reached out, placing a hand on hers. “Not quite, we just had dinner at Rarity’s place and Sweetie Belle was our waitress, but Bronze handled it all really well. She was cute, flustered occasionally, but seemed so happy and relaxed more as the date continued.”

Cadance gave a sigh and reached over to squeeze his hand, finally relaxing a little. “I’m impressed, I thought it would take months, years even before she talked to anypony openly about what she’d dreamed, let alone the two mares that were central to her nightmares. You’ll have to keep me updated if she develops any new issues, but I’m proud of you Dusk. I think you three did her a lot of good, helping her work through a lot in such a short time.”

Embarrassed a little, Dusk laughed and shook his head, curling up back into the pillow. “Thanks, Cadance, but I clearly need to learn a lot more about psychology, the way ponies think is still confusing to me.”

Cadance laughed back at him and plucked up the clipboard, reading it carefully again as she answered him. “You know, Dusk. The more I learn about ponies’ minds, the harder it is to understand them.”

Relaxing and stretching out again on the bed as Cadance read, Dusk gave a little shrug at her. “I suppose. Everypony in this town can be crazy sometimes.”

Cadance lowered the clipboard to rest on the desk and glared over at Dusk as he lay shirtless, face down on the exam table. “You should just let Fluttershy know, Dusk. The painkillers? The tea? Barb’s just as good as you are at keeping track of things; she had a good teacher for obsessing over small details, Dusk. If we can’t find the source of your pain, you’re going to start growing immune to the drugs over time, or worse, you might even become reliant on them for basic everyday functions.”

Dusk had an argument ready for her, he really did, but as he turned his head to look up at Cadance, it died on his tongue and he buried his face into the tiny hospital pillow. “I know Cadance, really I do. But Fluttershy’s just starting to come out of her shell, and I don’t want to scare her back into it again.”

Crossing her arms so she could rub at her elbow, Cadance turned away from him, shaking her head a little. “Alright, I understand, Dusk. But… but perhaps I should bring you back to Canterlot soon, I have a much better crystal for focusing my magic there. Maybe I could find the source of your pain that way…”

Dusk turned to look back towards her again, trying to calm down a little again. “I… I suppose I’m due for some time in Canterlot soon. But, Cadance, you’ve checked my magic for infection, you’ve checked my muscle structure and my bone structure, what more do you think you can find with another exam?”

Cadance turned back to him and walked to the table, gently playing her fingers through his hair. “Dusk, you're the awesome little brother I never had. I don’t care if it takes a thousand more exams, I just want to do everything I can to take care of you.”

“An-and my sperm count?”

Dusk couldn’t help but blush at having to ask, but Cadance tensed up as well, and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry, Dusk. I simply couldn’t find any record of a stallion with such an odd blend of conditions. For now, consider it a minor blessing. So many herds would give anything for even half your chance of siring a colt.”

Dusk gave a gentle sigh and nuzzled up into her hand. “I-I suppose, you’re right, Cadance. The truth is, a few months ago I might not have cared so much, but maybe someday in a few years, if Rarity or Applejack really wanted a foal, I’d be happy to have one as well.”

Cadance laughed gently, and pulled over a chair, sitting beside him as she continued to gently rake her fingers through his hair. “That’s sweet to hear, Dusk. You know, for years, I feared you’d never have any other friends besides dear little Barb and your books…”

Dusk couldn’t help himself but laugh a little. “Oh come on, I made a few other friends, right? I got along with Minuette, Twinkleshine… um… Lemon Hearts… err… oh, there was Moon Dancer for a while and… well… Lyra too, right?”

Cadance shook her head and leaned over so she could rest her cheek on top of his. “Dusk, you had classes with them. You were never really good friends with any pony at school besides me and Sunset Shimmer, and I think that’s only because you looked up to her.”

Dusk went quiet, thinking about his time in school and the fillies he’d managed to throw together, but Cadance was right and he gave a little sigh. “You know, you’re right Cadance. I owe a lot to you and Barb, a lot really. Oh, and remind me to give Moonlight Dreamer my new letters for Princess Luna... “

“Good to hear, she’s been waiting for ages for your new reports. Now then, if you could do me a favour, Dusk, I need to take Barb back to Canterlot, so do you think you can hold yourself together without her help for just a few days?”

Dusk’s breath caught in his throat, and he felt his heart aching for a moment. “You… need Barb?” A thousand questions rushed forth, but somehow, he already knew her answer.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Cadance sighed gently. “Dusk, I don’t think Philomena will last more than a month, maybe two at the most. Keeping her alive has started taking its toll on Princess Celestia. You can feel it when you pass her in the castle. Celestia’s simply exhausted, and she won't last much longer.”

Author's Note

After far too long of useless dithering and making no progress for weeks, at last, I've finally finished this arc! I don't know if it was the time of year, the content of the last part of just my own mental block but this part was a real mess to work through and kept getting me stopped up.

A huge shout out to my editing team for doing extra sweeps through the chapter, and the related profiles in the last 24 hours to make sure we caught as much of my mistakes as possible. You guys all do a great job and make some damn funny suggestions.

For those wondering, the profiles for Twist, Silver Spoon, Snips & Snails, Hoity Toity, Grandiose Guffaw, Mr. Rich, Cuddles, Octavia, Fancy Pants and Fleur Dis Lee have all been uploaded.

Hope you all enjoy, and see you next time, in Feeling Pinkie Keen!

Save me!

Interlude 8 - Strengthening Bonds

Saturday, April 9th, 7 am. Dash’s house.

Still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Dash slumped her way to the bedroom window, throwing it open and half-hanging herself over the sill while glaring bleary-eyed down at the hazy pink mass that stood at her door grinning excitedly in return, hardly able to stand still. “What do you need today, Pinkie!? Didn't you notice the construction workers aren't around!? I'm trying to get some sleep for once!”

For her part, Pinkie did her best to hold still and wait for Dash to finish before her excitement reached a fever pitch, and she started bouncing on the balls of her feet, her tail swishing excitedly behind her back. “Hiya, Rainbow Dash! Today’s the day, remember? You asked me to come over early so you could give me the keys and make sure you got a good start on the day, remember?”

Dash groaned and face planted onto her crossed arms, still lazily half-hanging out the window. Without looking up, she muttered under her breath. “So how is waking me up any help? And what do you mean, ‘the day’? What day?”

The sudden unmistakable scent of freshly-baked apple fritters hit Dash’s foggy brain like a sledge hammer, driving a clear thought straight to the primal part of her subconscious. Mouth dripping with drool, she lifted her head again and made her eyes focus on Pinkie, clearing away the fog that had clouded her vision. Waving a plain brown paper bag back and forth in one hand, Pinkie ripped off a large chunk of the fritter in her other hand, chewing overly dramatically, and finally answered when she had Dash’s full attention. “‘Cause Dashie, Surprise is waiting for you in Cloudsdale today, remember?!”

In an instant, sleep and hunger were replaced by the impact of a roaring trainload of panic. Bolting up, Dash nearly lept through the window, struggling not to sound too openly worried. “What? Oh, that! Heh, heh… Yeah, right. She's going to help me with the Young Fliers’ Competition paperwork. Thanks fo-or reminding me, I-err… I'd have hated to forget!”

Dash forced herself back inside and moved to quickly rip off her tank top to change into something a little fresher, though she could still hear Pinkie's reply. “No problem, Dashie! And Surprise said she was really happy to help! She wouldn't stop talking about you last time we met! Well, that and how she finally got promoted back to being a full Wonderbolt again! Apparently they just had a ton of slots open up a few weeks ago!”

That made Dash perk up, and she rushed down the hallway to the front door, unlocking it and tugging it open as wide as the sack of clean laundry Amethyst had dropped off last night would allow. “Wait, what? I thought you said she was sure it would be years before she built up enough good credit to get promoted from the cadets again after the banana cream pie incident!”

Pinkie shrugged and shoved a fritter into Dash’s open mouth. The thick, oozing sugary glaze on the piping-hot pastry was still semi-liquid, and even that first taste was like magic, rejuvenating her weary body, helping her to feel a little better, and she absently munched away at the hot fritter as Pinkie continued. “Something big happened I guess, and they reorganized three whole divisions of the ‘Bolts. Spitfire even got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel! At this rate, she’ll be the youngest General since Fairweather!”

Pulling the fritter out of her mouth and thoughtfully chewing at a chunk of apple, lingering on the flavor of the cinnamon spices, Dash gave a little sigh. “And meanwhile, this is my last chance to join the Wonderbolts.”

Perking up, Pinkie settled the aromatic bag on Dash’s table once she found a free space not covered with crumpled paper work and other trash, turning back to Dash, unable to keep from pouting. “What? Why's that, Dash? You're a great flyer, why would they not let you join the Wonderbolts?”

Dash really didn't want to think about it; not today, when so much rode on the next few days, but one look in the direction of Pinkie's deep, sad eyes and quivering lower lip made saying nothing impossible. “Well, it's complicated, Pinkie. It all started with my grades in school and all the trouble I caused with Gilda. See, the Wonderbolts have high standards, and some of the things Gilda did makes me… questionable. I-I guess I should have used Celestia’s offer of one request to join the ‘Bolts, instead of getting Gilda pardoned, but that's hindsight for ya.”

Occupied with taking another bite from the fritter in her hand, Dash wasn't really paying attention to Pinkie until she was suddenly grabbed from behind, and pulled into a tight hug. Nuzzling at Dash’s neck, Pinkie quickly got sappy. “So you used up your one chance to get anything from Princess Celestia to have a chance to see your marefriend? That's so sweet, Dash! It's just too bad Gilda turned out to be such a meanie bobeenie.”

Internally shuddering at Pinkie's choice of words, Dash did her best to shake it off and stood up, pulling free of Pinkie's grip. “So yeah, uh, anyways, Pinkie. My spare house keys are on the hook by the front door, you don't need to do anything important while I'm away, just try and keep an eye on the construction team when AJ’s busy. I got a bag of laundry by the door for Amethyst to do tomorrow, so just leave it on the step. Don't worry about putting stuff away, I'm starting to think it'll be easier to burn the place down when my new house is done, even if the mayor and Dusk both ended up giving me some speech about destroying Ponyville property.”

Watching her intently the whole time, Pinkie sat in rapt attention and covered her mouth to giggle at Dash’s suggestion of burning the house down instead of cleaning it up. “Okay, Dashie! I can handle that! Do you want another fritter? We got lots of time before- oops.”

Spinning around to glare at Pinkie, Dash crossed her arms and glared at her friend. “Before what, Pinkie?”

Blushing and idly rubbing her hands together nervously while looking down at her feet as she kicked them lazily against the legs of her chair. “Oh… ummm. Well, Applejack and Dusk said we should all get together and see you off to Cloudsdale, so we're supposed to gather at the marketplace this morning to say goodbye and stuff.”

Groaning and slapping the palm of her hand against her face, Dash hung her head. “There's no reason to get all sappy, Pinkie! I'm just going to Cloudsdale for three or four days, then one in Canterlot for the Wonderbolts show.”

Pinkie snickered and reached out to squeeze Dash's hand. “We know that, Dashie! But we can't follow you to Cloudsdale to cheer you on in person, so we at least want to say goodbye properly to let you know we're behind you!”

The sound of shaking metal clashing against shaking metal made both mares look out the kitchen window. The sight of Bronze jogging towards the door in her chainmail shirt without breaking a sweat under the extra weight made Dash snicker a little. “Alight, Pinkie, alright. I'll go for a run with Bronze, and then you can tell me what we gotta do before I can finally go, alright?”

Leaping into an aggressive hug with Dash, Pinkie nuzzled her cheek deeply. “Okie dokie, Dashie!”

* * *

9am, Dusk’s Library.

Pulling his quill from the page, Dusk returned it to the inkwell, carefully bleeding the last of the black ink from the sharp feather. With care, he lifted his blotter, and smoothed out the wet spots left behind on the page. Blowing gently over the paper to make sure it was dry, a childhood habit, Dusk finally rolled up the page and lifted the half-melted red wax stamp, leaving a thin blob of hot wax, keeping the rolled page closed. Next, he took his signet ring from the chain around his neck and pressed it into the red wax, leaving the emblem mirrored in the seal.

Finally finished, Dusk put the rolled letter into the box with his latest report, folding down the flaps and drawing his finger across the gap between the flaps and box. With a momentary flare of magic, the two parts bound together seamlessly; at least, to those who couldn’t see magic.

Content, he pushed the box aside and gave a happy sigh, leaning back into his chair and opening the hidden drawer in his desk, all while attempting to make it look like he was simply reclining casually. He didn't need to look at the books waiting for him in the door, but his finger lingered on the velvet bookmark in the first, fondly smiling as his hand touched over the golden embossed title. “Smarty Pants’ First Day of School.” Flush with memories of his days as a colt, it was hard to move on, but his time was limited, so he lingered on the memories of the cute filly on the cover of the simple foal story for only a moment longer.

Next came a book he remembered all too well from many days in school, carrying it around even before they had used it for reference material. “Elementary Aspects of Magic, second edition, revised by Starswirl the Bearded.”

This too brought back such fond memories. He had founded a group in school to hunt for the changes that Starswirl had made from the first edition, a fabled text that had been written long before even Starswirl’s own birth. But as much as Dusk wanted to linger, to rediscover the obvious and intricate edits that had been left behind by the ancient mentor to all modern magic once more, he couldn't today.

Next came his mother's book, one he felt guilty about needing to refresh on again, and probably soon, if Autumn Skies’ warning about the griffons was accurate. “Diplomatic History and Traditions of The Griffon Empire.”

Dusk didn’t bother lingering here, not after everything that had happened with Gilda. Even thinking about it made his horn feel raw, almost itchy from just thinking about having to deal with griffons once more. Scratching idly at the scar with his free hand, Dusk moved on through the drawer, quickly now. There was “Oath to the Sun”, one of the few zebra books that Zecora had brought with her from her homeland. And a few books later was “Records of Tartarus”, a very dry historical record of the dungeon’s creation over the course of centuries. Dusk was doubtful he would find anything useful hidden inside, but his research into the jail had hit a massive brick wall: all of the records of the jail existed only inside the royal archives. Shining Armor had been forced to sneak this copy out for him.

Finally, his hand reached the last two books, and he lingered indecisively. He'd already read the legend of disasters from cover to cover, but it was so simplistic, practically written for foals, and provided only questions, not answers. But somewhere inside, he was sure there would be some answer...

Forcing the thoughts away, he pulled out the last book and set it on the desk, flipping it open to the section he'd already marked. The following process took a while, and anypony watching would have thought he was obsessed with making a rainstorm inside the library. Then, preparing himself in silence for a moment of absolute humiliation, Dusk took one very awkward step, his balance shaky as he strode across the newly summoned surface, testing it extensively before finally satisfied.

A little later, Dusk was mopping up the mess on the library floor. He had left the house door and all the windows open. Whistling softly to himself from the joy of a successful experiment, Dusk turned to look out the window as, puffing for breath, and with her chainmail announcing her arrival, Bronze glided down in broad, slow circles. When she landed, she folded in her wings and awkwardly ran the last dozen feet to the door of the library, clinging to the frame and still steadily panting. Setting aside the mop, Dusk used his magic to casually toss a clean, white handkerchief over the open book on his desk, wishing he'd remembered to put it away before Bronze returned. “You okay, Bronze? Sounds like Dash really made you work to keep up today!”

Still gasping for breath, Bronze threw her head back, laughing openly. “Are you kidding me, Dusk? She didn't let me even come close! Kept saying if I'm going to wear my chainmail, I have to figure out how to catch her!”

Dusk winced, and put an arm around Bronze’s shoulders, helping her straighten up while fishing for the straps that held the heavy mail shirt in place. The sudden shift of the weight as it dropped forward to the limit of the straps pulled her off balance, further into his arms, her chest rubbing against his. She let out a small a gasp and gave him a furtive, blushing glance before she looked away. Caught up for a moment, Dusk’s fingers stroked down Bronze’s back, losing his train of thought as he watched her. His voice and thoughts were slow, running mostly on automatic. “I… suppose she thinks making you try hard will encourage you to let her borrow the vest more often… Dash’s good at using exhaustion to make ponies thi-” He coughed, blushing and clearing his throat when she looked back at him. “Think her way.”

Bronze swallowed hard, still caught up in his eyes, her free hand reaching up to stroke aside a stray hair that had escaped his ponytail, looking for something from his. She awkwardly laughed and clutched his arm, just as distracted. “I'm… just glad she'll be in Cloudsdale for a while. After the last… few days, my wings are killing me.”

Slowly leaning closer, Dusk’s breath was hot over Bronze’s cheek, his lips gently pressing into her jaw for a lingering kiss that earned him an excited, satisfied moan. She tilted her face away, giving him access to her neck, and he was about to continue when something she had just said came echoing back, demanding his attention. Looking up out the window, Dusk quickly judged the time and regretfully helped her straighten up, resisting her sweet scent and the inviting noises she made. “You are right. We've got to talk about Monday, Bronze. But before that, go shower and change, everypony is set to gather in the market to wish Dash luck before she takes off for the competition.”

Bronze accepted Dusk’s help regaining her balance, her lip quivering at his seeming rejection, her eyes lingering, regretful. That lasted only a second before she snapped to attention, nodding affirmatively. “Of course, Dusk. But… what about… well, is something happening on Monday I need to know about?”

Helping her to finish pulling the heavy mail off, Dusk guided the mare to the bathroom, a finger playfully tapping her lips. “We can talk about that while we walk. I need to deliver a package to Derpy for immediate delivery to Princess Celestia after the send-off, as well. Sometimes I forget just how many of my letters Barb sends so casually. Now with Ponyville’s new census complete, I almost want Derpy to take an escort for security.”

Bronze laughed gently, watching him, trying to delay closing the bathroom door. “Well whatever spells you cast on the box must have been strong, my feathers never twitch this much from normal magic.”

As the door finally clicked into place, Dusk couldn’t help but wonder what she meant, walking back to the library deep in thought. It was only as he stepped into the cold bucket of water he'd been mopping up that he finally remembered his earlier experiment, groaning openly as he slapped a palm to his face. “I didn't even put away the weather book or close the hidden drawer! It’s fortunate nopony else came to visit. Why do I always get so carried away with experiments?”

Quickly hiding the book and resealing the hidden drawer, Dusk wandered about, shaking out his sodden leg, cleaning up with his magic to hide the last signs of his little raincloud, muttering to himself. “I wish I could have found a spell for making clouds, not just rain. It would have been so much easier to clean up.”

* * *

10:30am, Dash’s house.

Dash twisted off the water, still panting for breath as she leaned forward, resting her face against the wall of her shower. Her wings, back, shoulders and legs ached, but in a good way. In a way that made her smile and sigh with content as she rubbed her sore shoulder, watching the bathroom mirror from inside the shower. “Feel the burn, Dash. You've never been in better shape!”

About to turn away from the mirror and leave the bathroom, a long, wet strand of her hair slapped onto her cheek. Swearing in annoyance, Dash turned back to the mirror, running her fingers through her hair. “Ohh… I was starting to enjoy growing this out… but do any of the real ‘Bolts have hair this long?”

She recalled their trip to deal with the dragon, accompanied by a lot of the Wonderbolt cadets, then when the Wonderbolts themselves had showed up after Fluttershy had subdued down the dragon. Very few of them had hair any longer than Bronze, except… “Except all of the officers did. Flare, Fire Streak and Spitfire were family, but were famous for always having impressively long hair… and even Surprise as a cadet had nearly as much hair as Pinkie's wild ‘do… but…”

Dash looked from the mirror down to the razor she'd used to shave her legs. Looking at her her reflection once more, she muttered to herself. “Maybe I can find a middle ground I like…”

The folding blade reopened with a click. The sharp razor glided through her hair, and for the next few minutes, rainbow-colored hair piled up in the sink. Scrape after scrape, the hair piled up, carefully cutting her hair on the sides right down to the skin, leaving the faintest trace of rainbow hair behind. On top she cut the hair evenly, leaving just enough of her bangs in front to brush back over her left ear at the very longest point.

Finally satisfied with the cut hair, Dash scooped the chopped off hair and tossed it into the waste basket beside the sink, brushing it out quickly twice before giving a satisfied grunt. “It’s lighter and smoother, but better then Bronze’s near-bald… yeah, not bad.”

Returning to her room, Dash couldn’t help but think, with a bit of sly pride. “Besides, that was probably another four or five pounds of hair I didn't need anyways. Less weight, better speed.”

Stepping into her bedroom, Dash felt her heart leap into her throat at the sight of her flight suit hanging from the hook on her wall. Its fantastic blue surface had been the subject of Rarity’s excruciatingly detailed attention for the last two days, and now it practically shone in the dim daylight that barely shone through the blinds of the window in her bedroom. Hanging from the same hook, a polished golden captain’s emblem hung from its thin chain. Dash had panicked when her father's emblem had disappeared, as she wore it nearly constantly, but Rarity had returned it so carefully polished, it gleamed as if brand new, and some of the older scratches had even been polished away without harming the tiny, fine details.

Dash slipped the chain from the hook and around her neck. The cold gold refreshingly cool against her hot, wet flesh, and the emblem hung between her breasts, matching the color of her small, gold nipple piercings. Clutching the emblem in her hand, Dash took a few long, deep breaths, trying to drown out the rapid beating of her heart.

“Dashie! I’m almost done cleaning up the kitchen! Do you want something for lunch before we go?”

Pinkie’s voice pulled Dash from her trance in a sudden start, her wings reflexively locking up tight against her back, her breathing rapid and panicked. Without thinking, she called back to her friend. “I- no, no thanks, Pinkie. I’ll just drink water until me and Surprise are done with the paperwork junk, and then I'll thank her by treating her to dinner at my favorite place… unless she has a favorite place in Cloudsdale, I suppose.”

With no free time left to think, Dash reached for the suit, peeling it off the hook and tossing it onto her bed. Ripping open the bag of clean laundry Pinkie had put on her bed, Dash picked out a bra and panty set, tossing three more pairs of each into her backpack so she'd have something to change into for the next few days. “Well… I guess there’s no more putting this off…”

Tracing her finger one last time over the lovely royal blue of her flightsuit, Dash opened the flaps on the back that allowed her wings to slide through, and finally stepped into the clingy suit that squeezed her legs every inch of the way inside, hugging her calves, clinging to her toned thighs, and squeezing her taut ass. Next came the awkward moment of trying to carefully gather together her tail hair, forcing it through the tail hole, and resealing the flap with both buckles and zippers to secure the hole as tightly as possible to let no cold air through during flight.

Then came the really hard part. Her wings were rigidly folded closed, and wedged through the open slot in the back, pulling her arm through the sleeve on the same side, but not the shoulder, remembering how hard it was to reach and work with the suit only half on. Repeating this with her other shoulder, Dash winced, glad now that she'd put up with Rarity’s most recent fitting, even if she would never admit it. Yet, even with Rarity’s adjustments, the suit was so tight at points, she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming a few times… but, at last, she managed to slide her other arm and wing through, leaving the shoulder flaps open and exposing a lot of her shoulders and back, knowing how hot the suit would get if she closed those too soon.

Bending over to snatch her backpack off the bed, Dash felt her back muscles rippling, most of all where they weren't covered by the taut fabric of her flight suit, her body still slick from the shower. Pulling the straps into place, she carefully slipped it around her wings, using it to loosely hold the wing flaps in place for now as she buckled the belt over her hips, pulling the strap tight before checking the second strap over her chest. Finally satisfied, she drew the zipper on the front up between her breasts, just high enough to cover the Wonderbolts’ emblem, but not the chain.

Leaving her room, Dash was about to join Pinkie down in the kitchen when her reflection caught her eye and made her stop in the hallway, turning to look through the open bathroom door. She couldn’t help it, and pridefully, Dash found herself shifting before the bathroom mirror, amazed at how the clinging suit twisted and rippled over her muscles, and even her back and shoulders alluded to the hidden details under the fabric. “Dear Celestia, Rarity, I love you. I look fucking awesome, just like a real Wonderbolt.”

Pinkie nearly jumped as Dash stepped into the kitchen, but in all fairness, Dash did too. A year of takeout meals and reheated leftovers had left the small dining table lost under stacked containers and empty cartons, not to mention the wrappers, packaging, and assorted napkins that had piled up on every available space on the counter as well. Now, though, Pinkie had cleaned everything from floor to ceiling, and the drying rack was filled with dishes and plates Dash didn't even recognize. “I- oh wow, Pinkie… you really didn't have to do all this…”

Pinkie had no time for Dash’s shock, rushing across the kitchen and cupping Dash’s cheeks, turning her head from one side to the other, stroking through the very short cut she'd given herself. “Oh, Dashie! What’d you do to your hair!?”

Worried, nervous it didn't look as good as she thought, Dash took a small step back from Pinkie to regain some of her lost personal space, trying to casually brush a hand through the longer hair on top of her head. “What do you think, Pinkie? I knew my hair was getting a little long lately, and with racing being such a big part of the Young Flyers Competition, I thought it best to try something new.” Pinkie didn’t say anything for a moment, and the party mare’s lack of a response was crushing. Dash started to feel herself start fidgeting again, trying to fight it off, she put on another brave front and gave Pinkie a nudge. “Well? What do you think?”

Stepping forward so she could again rub her fingers through the short, scratchy hair on the sides of Dash’s head, Pinke finally cracked up, snorting and giggling. “It feels funny, but I like it! Sets you apart from everypony else, too! Your hair is all thin too... do you think it'll be better for racing? Does it keep it out of your eyes? Is it lighter so you can fly even faster!? Will this be enough to make you number one in the competition!?”

Now nearly frantic, Pinkie was rigid, standing on the tips of her toes and leaning her weight heavily into Dash. Glad for her light-hearted friend, and encouraged by her answer, Dash felt better and hugged Pinkie back. “Naturally it’ll make me the best, I was already the fastest. Just wish I had another week to work on my javelin throwing at elevation; it's so different from doing it here at ground level.”

Pinkie squealed back at Dash’s hug, laughing happily before finally peeling free and grabbing Dash’s hand in both of hers. “Ohhhh! We'd better hurry, Dash! Rarity had everypony gathering at the market to see you off and we're going to be late if we take much longer!”

Dash’s heart felt a little lighter. Pinkie always knew just how to brighten her mood, no matter how worried she was. “Alright, alright, Pinkie, just let me grab my lance and we can go.”

That seemed to satisfy Pinkie, who finally relented on her grip and let Dash have her hand back. At the front door, Dash’s hands shook a little as she unlocked the wooden weapons cabinet that had come with the house. Reaching inside, she took care gripping the metallic shaft of her lance; the locker had not been made for real weapons, so the long lance had hardly fit inside, and had to be fed out the open front door. Dash stepped outside and removed the leather cover that protected the four-bladed lance head, admiring it as she waited for Pinkie to lock up. Under the direct sunlight, the metal had a silvery tinge, and all four edges had a razor sharp gleam that she simply couldn’t ignore. Finally, she drew her finger across the engraving again, murmuring the words she'd found during their confrontation with Trixie to herself.

Perking up and looking over her shoulder, Pinkie’s voice was excited and intrusive. “You have an aunty, Dashie? How come you never told us about her? Is she nice? Does she like apple fritters too? Why did she write a note like that to your momma?”

Shaking her head, Dash adjusted her grip to the middle of the lance’s shaft and linked arms with Pinkie. “I’ve never met her, Pinkie, so I really don’t know how to answer any of your questions. Now let’s go, nopony will forgive me if I’m late for my own goodbye.”

* * *

The growing crowd that had gathered just outside the Bazaar made Dash’s breath catch in her throat, trying to figure out just who had gathered to see her. “Wha.. I understand Dusk, Thunderlane, the mayor, and definitely Bronze… But did Thunderlane have to bring the whole weather team?”

As if she could feel Dash’s growing tension, Pinkie’s grip on her elbow tightened and she leaned in, nudging the pegasus with her hip. “Don’t worry so much, Dashie! The weather team insisted on coming to see you off. After all the laps you made them fly with you, they feel like if you do well, it’s ‘cause of their hard work.”

Dash watched nervously, her fingers fidgeting on the banded leather grip of her lance, as Dusk, Bronze, Mrs. Mayor and Thunderlane separated from the rest of the crowd, moving towards her.

Suddenly, Scootaloo broke off from the group of school fillies and bolted past Dusk and the other adults, rushing to Dash’s side and grabbing the lance with both hands at her chest height, struggling a little to balance the lance’s great length, her eyes wide in awe at the entrancing silvery metal while she gushed excitedly, nearly as bad as Pinkie once she got started, her normally tough veneer gone. “Oh wow, Dash! This is your own personal lance? Can I carry it for you? I’d be the best assistant you ever had, really! You said yourself that my wings are already nearly as big and strong as yours were at my age, so you'll let me come too, right?!”

Dash looked from the excited, shining eyes of Scootaloo into the watching crowd of ponies. She felt her cheeks burn, and she struggled to find the right words to encourage the filly, yet still let her know that even if Redheart approved, she probably wouldn't be able to come to Cloudsdale. “I-well… we just- it's not like we've practised cloud walking yet, Scoots…”

Scootaloo’s shoulders drooped as she deflated; kicking a foot through the dirt at her feet. “Oh, yeah… Dusk was just talking about how dangerous Cloudsdale is for non-pegasi…” The filly fell quiet and stared at her feet for a moment before perking up again. “But, wait! He said a bunch of stuff about how they've built walkways for the unicorns who live up there. Doctors and researchers or something…”

“Unfortunately Scootaloo,” Dusk cut in, “those walkways are constructed mostly around the University and hospital, as well as the small neighbourhood that's sprung up between them and where unicorns who work at one or both places live. Most of Cloudsdale has no access to get from place to place without a chariot. It's too bad, it's made tourism an expensive and prohibitive issue. The worst part is, even Cloudsdale’s iconic Rainbow Factory has no easy access, a shame since it's arguably the greatest work of pegasi magic in the world and a historic treasure that really needs further documentation. Why, someday I'm determined to discover if it really is an artifact of the old empire. Scholars claim that General Hurricane herself brought it south during the exodus, but it's never been confirmed by any independent study, and Princess Celestia admits she had little exposure to the pegasus kingdom at the time due to the long-running feud between the unicorn and pegasus empires. If true, it makes the factory one of the oldest, if not the oldest relic of pony history left in the world, as records indicate that...”

Stepping out beside Scootaloo, Bronze settled her grip on the lance just above the foal’s hand. Scootaloo let go, her eyes locking on the guard. Meanwhile, Dash needed a moment to steady herself, and started taking deep breaths as she watched Dusk ramble on, never noticing as the foal followed Bronze a few feet away. A consummate professional, Bronze knelt down on one knee and opened a pouch on her belt, placing an odd stone in Scootaloo’s fingers. “You should learn good habits at a young age, so before you get crazy handling a weapon, learn to care for one. You’re lucky Dash has a mithril blade, they hold an edge better than steel and are harder to mess up as well. So take the sharpening stone in your palm and run it along the sharp edge. Be careful, though, I don't want to explain to Nurse Redheart why you need to have your fingers reattached.”

Dash couldn't help herself, Dusk’s rambling carried on as she put a hand to her mouth and tried to suppress the bubbling laughter. Scootaloo had looked sad at first as he detailed how the walkways were limited, but as he got carried away and rambled on, the filly had looked so glad when Bronze offered her an escape. Palm clamped over her mouth to hold back her laughter and a few freely-flowing tears, Dash snorted into her hand, straining to keep from bursting.

Dash was surprised, but grateful when Mayor Mare came to her rescue, stepping between her and Dusk, offering her hand. “Dash, I want to wish you the best of luck before anypony else and to let you know that everypony in Ponyville is proud to know our local weather mare is heading to Canterlot to compete for a spot in the Wonderbolt Cadets! You already do us so proud, Rainbow Dash, so remember we will all be down here in Ponyville, cheering you on!”

Now that she had a moment to pull herself back together again and Dusk had shut up when the mayor interrupted his rambling, Dash felt a lot better, glad to see just how many ponies were rooting for her. “Down here… but only Fluttershy’s actually going to come watch me…”

That thought was depressing, and Dash had to remind herself to grin and thump her chest with a fist, winking at the mayor while she ran a hand through her loose hair. “Thanks, Mrs. Mayor. I'll do my very best to make Ponyville proud, and hope it's enough to impress the Wonderbolts too.”

Behind Dash, Scootaloo gave a little sigh and then looked up as fingers smoothed out her messy hair. Bronze was still holding Dash’s lance out to her in one hand, bracing it steady on her knee so she could drag the sharpening stone across the last blade, even giving her a grin when their eyes met. “See, kid? Maintaining your own weapons is dam- err…” Bronze froze up for a moment, staring at the young filly, “Um, well it's really important to a guard. We can't always find a blacksmith when things go wrong, so we gotta be able to patch up armor or fix a busted axe handle on the run.”

Scootaloo’s eyes examined the bladed lance again reaching out carefully, about to run her finger over the edge. Bronze’s free hand snapped out and gripped her by the wrist with shocking speed, squeezing down so tightly, Scootaloo felt like her bones were grinding together. Yelping at the pain, she did her best to keep from further crying out. Rather than release her, Bronze flexed her wing around before her face and plucked one of her smaller feathers free with her teeth, lazily dropping it onto the bare blade.

Before her eyes, the little feather danced and weaved a slow pattern down onto the blade and came to a rest. Pulling back from Bronze’s grip, Scootaloo found the guard had released her. Feeling put out, she rubbed the sore pale flesh that had been held so tightly. “You didn't have to do that. It's not like it cut the feather; I was going to be careful.”

Bronze didn't answer Scootaloo’s question. Instead she flicked her wrist, turning the lance in place and throwing the feather into the air. In a smooth motion she brought the bladed lance up, holding it just below the drifting feather, and twisted the blade up without any visible effort. The two halves of the feather drifted to the ground and Bronze knelt down again, resting the blade just past her knee. “You might have been careful, but a little cough and you'd have lost a finger. Then I'd have to explain to Redheart why I let you near Dash’s lance when it's unsheathed.”

Bronze’s flashy action had a larger audience than simply Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash stepped over, taking hold of the foal’s shoulder. “You handled that better than I can, Bronze. Maybe you could keep an eye on Scootaloo while I'm gone? Somepony needs to keep her doing her exercises properly.”

With everypony watching her, Bronze struggled to swallow, her mind searching for something, anything to say. Suddenly, Bronze realized her mouth had already started to answer. “I can do one better than that, Dash. I can cobble together a glider harness. We use them to help train guards how to fly with weight, or while healing from an injury. She'll get a chance to spread her wings and feel the wind in her feathers, while learning how to glide safely.”

That earned her an excited gasp from the filly, and Bronze bit her lip, worried that she'd let her mouth run with an idea before thinking it through. “I’ve never built a glide harness before! What was I thinking?! Even with Rarity’s help, it would take half the day to get right. Oh, damn it.”

Scootaloo didn't need to hear another word, she rushed to Dash’s side and grabbed her hand, tugging energetically enough to pull the older mare off balance. “Can she take me for a flight, Dash? Can she? Can she please?!”

Dusk interrupted the filly, ruffling her hair, and winking at Bronze. “We should ask Redheart if she thinks it's okay, but if she says so, I'm sure Bronze can, right Dash?”

Dash repeatedly shifted her gaze, looking from the hopping, tugging filly at her arm to the stoic Bronze, and Dusk… there was laughter in his eyes, as if he knew a joke and wasn’t sharing it. Scowling a moment at him, she pulled her hand free from the filly and gave Bronze a playful punch in the shoulder, laughing off her frustration. “If you can build something like that, I’d have started taking her out gliding ages ago. It would be way better exercise for her wings than the simple gymnastics I've been forced to use!”

Dusk settled a hand on Scootaloo’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “But of course, on Monday we will all be busy, Scootaloo. We have to cheer Dash on, right?”

Looking up at him, her eyes wide, Scootaloo’s mouth fell open a little; a blooming suspicion made her watch Dusk closely. “Dusk’s always so careful with his wording… How... No, he couldn’t be planning… But this is Dusk.”

Eyeing Dusk suspiciously for a moment, Dash eventually turned to the mayor once more. “Thanks again, Mrs. Mayor, and don't worry, I trust Thunderlane to keep things organized. Besides, we're scheduled for good weather for the next week, even you can’t screw that up, right Thunderlane?”

The stallion took the blow from Dash’s elbow to his ribs with only an uncomfortable chuckle, scratching at the back of his head. “Well, of course I can handle some simple clear weather, Dash. You just show the Wonderbolts what you can really do, alright boss?”

Lifting his fist level with her chest, Thunderlane and Dash bumped fists, the mare whooping as she leapt into the air, punching at the sky, while Thunderlane was busy surreptitiously rubbing his sore knuckles, laughing a little at Dash’s energetic display. Dusk stepped to her side and cleared his throat when she calmed down. “A few ponies want to wish you luck, Dash. Mayor mare got them all lined up and organized, but we’d better hurry, or Surprise will be left waiting for your arrival.”

Scootaloo watched as Dusk and Dash moved down the line of ponies, grinning to herself when Pinkie leapt out of the lineup and tackled Dash around the shoulders, bombarding her with praise that included a dozen kisses before Dusk came to her rescue, eventually managing to separate the clingy pony. As they continued working down the line of waiting ponies, mostly made up of adult pegasus, Scootaloo shifted to stand closer to Bronze, still a good distance from the rest of the crowd. “Bronze, does… does Dusk tell you stuff… like, private stuff?”

Something in her tone must have come as a shock to Bronze, as the guard’s wings suddenly snapped outwards, poofing out broadly while she nervously looked towards the other adults. Gripping Scootaloo’s shoulder, Bronze moved one of her extended wings down to cover her back as Bronze guided the younger pegasus a short good distance away from everypony else. When they were finally far enough that Bronze seemed more comfortable, she crouched down before Scootaloo, and looked her square in the eyes. “I-now… now Scootaloo, just because I live at Du-dus… Dusk’s place, doesn't mean I'm... I'm his mare. We're… we’re not in a herd or anything. Really!”

Scootaloo hadn't considered that Bronze might have responded so strongly to her question. Having taken to biting her lip as they walked away, now that they had some privacy, she stared at the guard in wonder, openly voicing her mind. “Wha- well what does that matter!? I'm asking you if he tells you about secret, important things! He jus- I swear, Bronze, I think he's planning to go to Cloudsdale!”

Bronze let out a huge sigh of relief, placing a hand gently on Scootaloo’s shoulder. “I-I don’t know, kid. But lately… well, it's just that Dusk’s been studying and practising a lot of odd spells the last few days. Maybe he does have something up his sleeve. He told me we need to talk about Monday… maybe you're right. But, just keep it quiet, okay? If he is plotting something, you don't want to ruin his surprise for Dash, right?”

Scootaloo reached out and squeezed Bronze’s hand, leaning around her to look back at the others. Still candid, she nudged the guard mare. “Sure, I can keep my mouth shut. Not like I've told anypony about L-” Cutting herself off, the filly nervously darted her eyes back up at Bronze before looking away and pressing on. “Just- just do something about your wings. Nopony is going to believe a word you say when you're that pumped up. What happened anyway, did somepony step on your foot?”

Looking back over her shoulder at her wings, Bronze nearly jumped, and began rapidly massaging them, one at a time, with both hands, relaxing the rigid tension as her cheeks flared up into a blush again. “Ye-yeah. Something like that. Let's get back before Dash takes off, okay?”

The short walk to rejoin everypony else gave Bronze just enough time to straighten her ruffled feathers. Everypony was busy watching the sky overhead as four members of the weather team started flying figure eights around two clouds large enough to make it impossible to see where any of the others were. Standing at Rainbow Dash’s side, Bronze could tell Thunderlane was nervous, as his wings were folded up rigid against his back and he was pacing in place.

A sudden ‘ohhh’ from the filly at her side made Bronze look up, and unable to help herself, she too gave a little gasp. One cloud had bloomed into a brilliant orange hue, enveloping half the fluffy structure. It took a moment for Bronze’s eyes to adjust, but she could just make out the circling mare who had one hand inside the cloud and some kind of stick in her hand that glowed a brilliant orange. Then the mare finished her loop of one cloud and crossed the air between the two, her blazing orange stick held out to a stallion crossing just a foot over her head. He had another of the strange sticks in his hand and touched it to hers in flight, then a sudden glare of a blazing forest green light flared up from the stick in his hand, and as he approached the cloud to begin his loop, that same green hue infused with the otherwise dull-gray cloud.

Soon all four of the flyers held a different glowing stick, and the clouds took on two shades at a time, blending together towards the middle while the outer edges shifted as the pony carrying the flare circled around the perimeter, crossing over to the other cloud to continue their figure eights, creating quite the lightshow.

As quickly as they'd started, the four lights died off, and in the end, Dash was left mouth agape, staring first from Dusk to Thunderlane and back. Furious, she stomped her foot, pointing accusingly at the magistrate. ”You helped with that! You had to! Nopony but an alicorn leaves a trail of light when they fly!” Not finished, however, she turned to her second, glaring at him. “And you! I said to keep them in shape while I trained for the competition! Figure eights? Where'd you come up with that!?”

To everypony’s shock, Thunderlane was the one who spoke up first, gloating a little at how well things had obviously gone over with Dash. “To tell the truth, I only asked Dusk how to spice it up last week. We've been practising the overlapping figure eight pattern for a month or two, just to surprise you, but Clear Skies is Open Skies’ partner in the pattern and, well, she sprained her wing last night while you were busy, otherwise Dusk was sure he'd be able to make flares that roughly matched all the colours of your hair.”

Turning back to Dusk, Dash thrust a finger into his chest. “So you were involved! Why didn't you tell me about this before?! I could have come up with the most awesome routine the Wonderbolts have even seen with a trick like those flares and two weeks to prepare!”

Standing up to her casual abuse, Dusk gently laughed, shaking his head. “The Wonderbolts outlawed props in entrance examinations over a hundred years ago. If I hadn’t been studying an old book on unicorn magic at the time, I'd have never came up with the idea of remaking these cloud flares. They are impressive though, right? Apparently unicorns used to make them so pegasus teams transporting really bad weather could toss one into the cloud as a warning sign to everypony to watch out for bad weather incoming.”

Dash grumbled a little at his simple answer that of course carried on into great detail. Kicking her foot in the dirt, she shrugged it off. “That's a damn shame, I can just think of how much fun Rarity would have helping me design a grand showpiece… where… where is Rarity, anyways? And AJ? I know ‘Shy’s busy making sure the critters’ll be fine when she comes up to Cloudsdale, but...”

As if summoned by Dash’s question, Rarity came rushing through the market, calling out breathlessly. “Dash! Oh, Dash! Wait!”

That earned a small laugh from the watching crowd, and Dash pushed her hand through her bangs, scratching at the top of her head. Rarity finally pushed through the crowd, followed shortly after by Applejack. “Guess that answers that.”

Rushing over to Dash’s side, Rarity wasted no time pulling Dash into a hug, leaning up close so she could place a soft kiss on her cheek. “Oh, Dash! You nearly left before I could even say goodbye, didn't you!? And after all my hard work on your fantastic flight suit! I'm simply heartbroken!”

Looking to Dusk for rescue, Dash saw only humor in his eyes as the traitorous stallion hid his smile behind his hand, leaving her to deal with the over-excitable dressmaker. “Rarity, after all the work you did on my flight suit, how could I not wait for you to show up?”

That seemed to work well enough, and Rarity lifted her head, a broad smile spreading as she clung onto Dash’s shoulders, lazily smoothing down a line in the fabric of the flight suit, openly prideful of her work. “Well of course, darling! I couldn’t let such a good friend show up before Princess Celestia and the Wonderbolts in anything less than the very best! I'm so glad we made those adjustments, it looks simply divi-” Rarity had at last looked up into Dash’s eyes, and everypony watching could tell that she'd only now noticed that Dash had shaved her hair, most of the rainbow locks now missing. Her hand shaking openly, Rarity brushed her fingers through Dash’s long bangs, her voice warbling with horror. “Oh- dear Celestia, your… your hair!”

Dash couldn't help herself; she winced. The thought that Rarity might not approve of the quick shave wasn't a shock, but having the fawning mare go so quiet, her voice shaking slightly as she inspected what little remained hurt more than Dash was willing to admit. Puffing herself up, she tried to ignore the queasiness Rarity’s disapproval summoned up in the pit of her stomach. “Yeah, I- er, well, I cut it. Didn’t have the time to ask for your help; today’s so busy. So I just went with something simple that would make me look fast, you know?”

Dusk’s hand reached out to rest on Rarity’s shoulder, and he gave Dash a small nod, speaking to them together. “Dash has a flare for the extreme that rivals your flare for creativity. Don't worry, Rarity, I'm sure if she finds this just doesn't work right, she'll let you suggest something more fashionably fast, right Dash?”

Finally seeing the light of hope, Dash vigorously nodded, patting Rarity on the shoulders, and since Dusk’s hand was still there, gave it a momentary squeeze of gratitude. “Yeah, like Dusk said, if this doesn't work right, you can totally try out something else to help make my hair half as quick as your suit!”

Rarity looked dubious, frowning to herself as she considered Dash’s proposal, a hand resting thoughtfully on her chin. “Well… I suppose it's possible to look good and be fast. I'm sure hair must cause a lot of wind resistance, I know how bad some of my hat designs blow in the wind...”

Free of Rarity’s grip, Dash took full advantage of Rarity’s distraction, and moved to talk to Applejack. Looking up at her taller lover, Dash bit her lip for a moment before settling on just hugging the farm mare tightly around the hips.

Chuckling, Applejack wrapped her arms around Dash’s shoulders and squeezed the smaller mare against her, leaning her face down towards Dash’s. Applejack’s hat worked to shield their faces from the crowd around them, and she used it to whisper to the pegasus. “I know you’re nervous, sugarcube, but you’ll do great. We’ll have a big ol’ party when you get back, okay?”

Nodding against Applejack’s shoulder, Dash pulled back after lingering a moment longer. Getting ready to say something to try and hide her nerves, Dash wasn’t prepared when Applejack grabbed her chin and pulled her into a kiss. Dash struggled for a moment, but the tall mare held her firmly, and Dash gave in quickly, one hand moving up to grip the back of Applejack’s neck firmly. After a few more happy seconds, Applejack released her. She narrowed her eyes at Dash’s head for a moment, then nodded. “Hair looks good on you, too. Fits ya just right.” Dash searched for something to say, but Applejack started chuckling again. “Yer redder’n a tomato. Love makin’ you blush.”

Dash realized too late that she was, in fact, blushing, and her tail snapped in exasperation. “I’ll get you back for this, AJ.” Applejack just shrugged and laughed off the threat, taking Dash by the shoulders and turning her towards the rest of their group. Dash gave a huff, and moved to Bronze’s side, taking a grip on her lance. She knelt down, ruffling Scootaloo’s hair. “Hey kid, I gotta get going before Rarity demands a chance to try out some of the haircuts I'm sure she’s dreaming of right now. Just listen to what Bronze says and make sure to get Redheart’s permission before you go gliding or do something crazy with Bronze, okay?”

Snapping off a salute that made both mares smile, Scootaloo did her best to copy the way she'd seen Dash, Bronze and the Royal Guard regiment act last fall, her form sloppy but her effort clear as day. “I promise Dash! Plus two hours of exercises a day to keep my wings healthy! Right?!”

Dash returned the filly’s salute, nodding affirmatively. “Exactly, cadet! If Bronze says you were well-behaved, I might even bring you back a present. Maybe a Wonderbolts poster?”

Dash let Scootaloo get carried away with her excitement, and reached with her free hand to squeeze Bronze’s arm. “Fly with me a little ways?”

The guard gave her a nod, and soon together the two mares were off, with one last round of cheers giving Dash a moment of lighthearted joy. “They can't be there, but it’s good to know they'll be here, one way or another.”

* * *

Dusk didn’t bother to wait for Bronze’s return. As soon as they were out of sight, he turned to the crowd that hadn't taken off yet, whistling against two of his fingers. Thunderlane and the watching weather team snapped to attention, and Dusk couldn’t help but rub his hands together, his excitement overwhelming. “Thunderlane, I need your assistance if you have nothing else scheduled. Could you send somepony to fetch Nurse Redheart? I need her to witness this. Then I need whoever else is free to find a decent-sized cloud, at least a good ten or twenty feet across.”

The weather stallion might have questioned Dusk’s words, but he called out orders first. He’d learned from dealing with Dash that it was better to ask for explanations afterwards. “Of course, Magistrate. Cloudchaser, Flitter, come with me. White Lightning, can you go deliver Dusk’s request to Nurse Redheart?”

The blue-haired mare with white feathers gave a sharp salute before taking off at a jog, building up speed as her wings spread, taking flight as the wind under her wings built up. Thunderlane glanced back at Dusk for a moment before joining the twins in flight, spiraling up into the air to hunt down a cloud.

The watching crowd had gathered around and continued to mill about, and Dusk couldn’t help but feel their eyes on him, quiet whispers too distant to discern. Mayor Mare cleared her throat loudly, calling Dusk’s attention. “Excuse me, Dusk? What is this show you’ve got plans to put on? Do you mind if we stay and watch? You’ve got a lot of ponies curious about what you’re up to, after all.”

Dusk tried his best not to grow smug, offering the mayor a small shrug. “It won't be that impressive, but if you're all willing to wait, then feel free. I'd appreciate anyone who can hang around. I should try to test the spell with as large a crowd as I can manage, anyway.”

* * *

Dash flew a good distance from Ponyville, checking over her shoulder only once to make sure Bronze was following. With the breathing flaps around her wings open, they danced in the wind, the cooling breeze against her exposed skin a soothing distraction from her mounting nerves and how embarrassing Rarity and Applejack’s reactions had been.

At last a good cloud caught her eye in the distance and she shifted her wings to glide in, twisting her path towards the low-altitude cloud. Bronze was quick to follow after her, and took only another minute to land by her side, inspecting their surroundings carefully before at last turning back and giving Dash a little nod. “Nopony around for a good mile. I think there's some farmers just to the west planting carrots, but otherwise we’re alone, Dash.”

Unable to ignore the anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach, Dash fidgeted her hand over the grip of her lance, eyeing Bronze’s wings as she paced around the cloud. Finally meeting the guard’s gaze, she asked the first thing that came to mind. “So your wings. You uhh… you really like Dusk that much?”

Bronze stiffened up at her question, so obvious that Dash could hear it in the way her body shifted and her wings flexed despite the mild breeze, even before she spoke up, her voice a nervous stammer. “I-I-I… well, it wasn't on purpose, Dash, but he’s- he's just so different from other stallions. Even his brother Shining Armor doesn't have the same presence, not really.”

Dash turned her head to watch the distant roll of clouds heading into the Everfree Forest, and felt herself smile. She watched how they traveled as Bronze rambled on, until she was sure they would stay far enough away from Ponyville. Glad they'd be unlikely to cause any trouble for Thunderlane and the team, she turned her head back to face Bronze, nudging her in the shoulder with a free hand. “Calm down a little, yeash! You're supposed to be the professional here! I was just bugging you ‘cause today's got-” Dash cut herself off short, and tried to laugh it off, shaking her head. “Look, I already told Thunderlane to come to you if he needs help, but you know if you need somepony who's good at listening, he ain't a bad stallion. At least he'll pretend to understand when you go over his head.”

Bronze visibly relaxed a little, but lingered on some thought, looking distantly into the clouds towards Cloudsdale, her voice quiet and honest. “You know much about what makes the difference between a Knight like Shining Armor and a member of the Royal Guard?”

Dash shook her head, giving the mare the truth. “Nah, I just figured it was like another title they like to give the Canterlot royals, right? Like how Dusk’s called magistrate now, or something like that. Why?”

Bronze nearly laughed, shaking her head a little as she paced around the cloud to Dash’s side, using her wing to give Dash a light nudge. “No, it's older than the Canterlot elite. Maybe not as old as Princess Celestia, but still, it stretches back to the time when ponies first settled here. The full story is long, but basically there’s a chamber in Canterlot castle, and anypony who enters it is tested in some way, a trial of ordeals that nopony who's ever taken it talks about much. Rumor is, you’re sent to face your greatest nightmares. When a pony comes out, they end up either broken or steel.”

Dash grumbled at the story, since it seemed to go nowhere, and gave the squire a frustrated shrug. “Well? So what?”

Bronze grinned at her, stepping in close to nudge Dash with her shoulder. “So, don't let your trial in Cloudsdale break you. Just ‘cause joining the ‘Bolts is your dream job, don't let your nightmares keep you from emerging from this test as steel, alright?”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Dash offered the guard a shove in return. “You’re half as bad as Dusk with stories about nothing. I'm 100% ready for the Wonderbolts, you'll see.” Even as Dash spoke, however, a thought dawned on her and she stepped closer to Bronze, her wing unfolding to eclipse the mare’s back like an arm across her shoulders. “You’ll... come with Fluttershy, right?”

Slipping an arm up under Dash’s wing, Bronze’s hand came to a rest over Dash’s hip, holding her close as she gently shook her head, rubbing her cheek against Dash’s shaved head, finally giving a long sigh. “I’d love to, Dash, but Dusk said he has to discuss something about Monday with me, so I don’t want to promise something I can’t keep. I’ve fallen so far behind on my usual study and training as it is, and-”

For a moment, Dash lingered, sliding a hand down so she could hold Bronze's hip. Her eyes wandering, and she blushed before suddenly looking back to the guard. "Look, just… just keep an eye on the ponies around here while I'm gone, okay? Some of them are pretty boneheaded, but I still kinda want them to be around when I come back."

Bronze’s hand snapped into a sharp salute, her feet coming together as she straightened up in a professional stance, the perfect version of everything that Scootaloo had been trying to emulate earlier. But she was unable to hide a grin that creeped over her lips. “I know what you mean, Dash. I've only moved here and I already feel the same way.”

The matter settled, Dash adjusted her grip on her lance, looking to the distant sky where she could feel the presence of Cloudsdale’s magic. Her wings tightened at the reminder of what was to come. She let out a long sigh, preparing herself for the other reason she’d asked Bronze to fly with her. “Thanks, Bronze… Now I'd better fly, Surprise is waiting.” Flapping her wings, she leaned over and quickly planted a kiss on Bronze’s cheek before bolting away at a rapidly increasing speed.

Bronze was shocked into silence, stunned at the sudden display of affection from the tomboyish mare. Watching her retreating form, Bronze lifted a hand to her cheek, an unbidden smile coming to her face.

* * *

Ponyville marketplace had attracted an ever-growing crowd, bigger than before Dash’s departure, bigger yet as Dusk’s spell formed, unicorns and pegasi drawn in by the pulse as he slowly focused the power. He spread his attention over every pony in the marketplace, including them all in the spell, except the weather team and those few pegasi he could see from the front of the crowd. One of his hands rested on Scootaloo’s shoulder as a focus, while a ripple of magic surged through his horn, ancient, powerful magic. A spell he’d personally crafted from half-faded notes and scraps of legends. A spell nopony had ever seen in a hundred years, perhaps more.

Thunderlane, Flitter, and Cloud Chaser had found a fantastic cloud, and placed it into the clearing, the puffy white clouds shifting and rolling a little under the magic they used to keep it in one coherent piece at such a low altitude. Opening his eyes to look over the thin web of magic he’d stretched towards so many ponies, Dusk double-checked that every single non-pegasus pony in attendance had been caught in the web to insure that they’d be part of the test.

“Dia Arthro Fos.”

The power rippled forth as Dusk enacted the spell, and he could instantly feel the thin lines of power that were maintaining the magic. The draw was so minor, he had to take a moment to inspect his reserves, to run calculations to see just how little he was really using to keep the spell running. Finally satisfied, he opened his eyes again, looking down at Scootaloo, releasing her shoulder, but patting it supportively. “Go ahead, Scootaloo. You should be the first to give it a try. As a pegasus, it should be easier for you to handle.”

Scootaloo nearly jumped at his words; it had been almost twenty minutes since he'd called her over, and since then, he hadn’t spoken to anypony. Hesitantly the foal stepped towards the cloud, a hand placed on the malleable surface, her fingers sliding through the puffy white mass. Worry flooded her, and Scootaloo looked back over her shoulder at Dusk, her voice wobbling. “Dusk… it's still so soft, like the foam in a bubble bath, are you sure I can- it will hold me?”

Before Dusk could answer, Flitter walked over to Scootaloo’s side, offering the filly a hand, grinning excitedly. “Don’t worry, Scoots! It’s weird at first as a filly, but you gotta trust the cloud and get a feel for it under your feet. Just think about it this way! If you do fall, it’s only a foot and a half to the ground!”

Scootaloo turned back from Dusk to Flitter, accepting her hand, and let the mare help her up onto the cloud. She took her first few steps hesitantly, sinking into the white puffy mess up to her ankles initially, following Flitter around the cloud as if she were walking in mud. Growing slowly more confident with every step, she eventually released Flitter's grip, walking faster, a grin spreading as she ran in a broad circle around the three members of the weather team. She spread her arms and wings out broadly to the side, catching a little air the faster she ran, at last leaping up with a little whoop, punching a fist at the sky, landing on her feet, still moving at a running pace.

Her excitement infectious, other ponies around the crowd looked about, from Dusk to the clouds and back again, hesitant since Scootaloo was a pegasus. Stepping towards the edge of the cloud, Dusk gave Thunderlane and Cloud Chaser a small gesture to call them over, then he took a hand from each of them to step up onto the cloudface. Just like Scootaloo, Dusk found the surface of the cloud like a dense muddy field that clung a little to his feet and constantly shifted in small ways underfoot. Throwing an arm out to snag Scootaloo about the shoulders, he turned to Rarity, grinning widely. “Well, Rarity? Going to join us or what?”

Rarity had lingered near the rim of the cloud, watching Dusk and Scootaloo, her eyes distant, lost in thought. His invitation finally snapped Rarity out of her trance, and she accepted Flitter’s offered hand, stepping up onto the cloud, heels and all. Though she was a little wobbly, she crossed over the clouds to Dusk’s side, her grin now matching his own, but even together, they hardly came close to Scootaloo’s jubilant cry of delight, even if Dusk was holding her from running off.

Rarity’s presence on the cloudtop in heels was the breaking point for those who were hesitant, and ahead of everypony else came Pinkie Pie, leaping face first onto the cloud, cartwheeling over the unstable surface before springing to her feet crying out with delight that easily rivaled Scootaloo’s excitement. “Come on everypony! It's great up here!” The joyful mare’s exuberant frollicking was so priceless, Dusk couldn’t help but return to openly laughing as he watched her clown around.

While the cloud was hardly twenty square feet altogether, soon ponies were crowding in, climbing atop the cloud, and linking arms to squeeze yet more ponies into the tiny space. Cries of excitement grew to laughter, and quickly enough, a very awkward game of ball began, tossing it only gently back and forth, attempting to make sure nopony fell off.

With such a large crowd, Dusk had to bend down to hear Scootaloo’s cry, while Redheart simply stared at him thoughtfully from the edge of the cloud. “Dusk! You’ve been planning this all along, haven’t you!?”

Tapping a finger against the side of his nose conspiratorially, Dusk winked at the filly. “Just don’t tell Fluttershy, this is a surprise Dash will never see coming, all right?”

Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 1

Saturday, April 9th, 11 am, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Fluttershy carefully adjusted the woven basket to rest its weight on her hip as she approached the root cellar door, the iron frame a fantastic upgrade that helped keep her critter friends out so she could properly manage their food in the winter. Dusk's suggestion to have it automatically lock on closing and to put a push knob on the inside meant that all she had to do was lean her hip into the door, and as long as she was against the knob, it popped open no matter how full her hands got. Stepping out into Harry the Bear’s room in the basement, she was immediately surrounded by excited, noisy critters, all clammering for a treat after her extensive checkups this morning. “Plus, if you little cuties swarm me like this, I don't have to worry about making sure the door closes. Now you guys give me space! The others upstairs earned their treats just as much as you did!”

Carefully threading her way through the collection of excited critters, including at least two ferrets, any number of squirrels, a woodchuck, three skunks, and one grumpy badger, Fluttershy happily sighed as the metal door to her root cellar gave that satisfying clunk as it locked. She still worried one of the critters might someday get too eager and try sneaking through the open door when she was stepping out, and kept an eye on it to make sure none of them got hurt by accident, even though Dusk had assured her the mechanism was sensitive enough that even a kitten's tail would be enough to stop it from shutting. She had yet to see it happen and was determined to prevent that from being tested. Besides, it still worried her how exactly Dusk knew that. He'd never tested that on some poor kitten... right?

The staircase was awkward, even with the basket on one hip to help keep her balance as she climbed the stairs sideways, taking her time and reassuring the little critters they would be even happier to get their treats when she had them ready. The extra food she had packed into the wicker basket just in case Angel needed it meant she was out of breath when she finally stepped into her living room, and needed to lean against the wall to rest for a moment.

“So you're really going to abandon us to run off to Cloudsdale? Now? When the greenhouse is just reaching the perfect time to harvest carrots and tomatoes!? Harry's no good with tomatoes, you know that!”

As if to dispute the bunny’s point, Harry pushed his arms through the open greenhouse door, placing another of the wicker baskets on the floor at Angel’s side, using one long, deft finger to carefully push the basket past the hare until it rested against Fluttershy’s feet, giving her a silent little wave.

Giving the titanic bear a grin, Fluttershy reached through the door to the greenhouse to scratch his cheek just where she knew he loved it, earning her a huge dopey grin. After enjoying the attention for a few moments, the silent titan pulled away and walked quietly back into the depths of the greenhouse, the rake in his paw looking like a child’s toy. Fluttershy put her basket up on top of the icebox so only the craftiest of the squirrels could steal some of the acorns inside. Returning to Angel’s side, she knelt down, shooing her critter friends away from the basket of tomatoes and pulling it protectively into her lap. “Now Angel, you know I'll only be gone for two days, three tops, if Dad is feeling good enough for visitors. I promise I'll let you know right away if I'm going to be delayed, and Amethyst promised she'd come over once a day to help you with feeding the critters, so it's not like you’re all alone!”

Looking conspiratorially over her shoulder and around the crowded house, Fluttershy leaned in closer. “Besides, I heard from Jack the Rabbit and Hopper that Lady Argyle is courting again, couldn’t you invite her over while I'm gone?~”

A less hungry squirrel took advantage of Fluttershy’s lowered stance and shot up her dress, using the hidden wire of her corset to quickly scale her back until he could perch on her shoulder. The chattering little fellow rubbed his bushy fur against her cheek before launching into a rather aggressive speech about the quality of food and clean beds that Fluttershy provided them with, as if chiding the scowling hare, something that Fluttershy couldn’t help but laugh at, even if she did so behind the protection of her hand.

Huffing as he puffed up to his full height, Angel stared down the talkative little rodent, snapping back. “Yeah, sure, and same to you, bub! She had to teach you how to store nuts for winter! What kind of squirrel can't even store nuts without help!?” Turning back to Fluttershy, he grumbled, tightening up his shoulders and crossing his arms as he hunkered down. “Besides, if I'm going to be doing all your work, when would I have time to prepare for a date?”

Trying to head off an argument before they got carried away, Fluttershy stepped closer to Angel and cupped his cheeks in her hands, massaging the tips of her fingers into his jaw on both sides while humming a soothing song to calm the little squirrel leaning against her cheek. When both lost the will to argue, she cupped Angel’s chin and softly tapped the tip of his short snout. “Tell you what, Angel. What if I pay for you to have a spa day? Get Lotus and Aloe to give you a full bath, massage and grooming? They’ll even fluff your tail up special, just for your date. What do you think?”

Soothed by her song and tender scratching fingers, Angel looked wary, shifting in place while still keeping his arms crossed over his chest defensively, looking back at her from the corner of the eye. “Well… I suppose. But you know neither of them are half as good as you are at fluffing my tail.”

Giggling softly to herself, Fluttershy raked her fingers through his tail bob, giving the fur a gentle fluff. “How about I fluff it for you now, and you can go ask her on the date? That way she can see your tail bob at its best today, then after your spa day, she can see you with a more casual tail fluff during your date?”

Humming gently to himself, Angel let one ear cock higher, looking up at her again over his shoulder, unable to help but get excited at her offer, even if he was trying to sound as if she were putting him out. “Well~ I suppose that would be okay…”

* * *

11am, Train Station.

Pacing over the well-worn grass between the train platform and Derpy’s mail barn, Redheart’s posture spoke volumes about her disposition. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her tail constantly lashing side-to-side angrily, scowling at Dusk openly as she crossed over the path time and time again while they waited for Derpy to unlock the barn. Finally, she turned on a heel, pointing an accusing finger at his chest. “You didn’t even give me a chance to consider before offering her a trip to Cloudsdale! Now if I say no, I'm the villain! Regardless of the safety concerns, the fact you have only tried the spell twice and anything else you might claim about the proven efficiency of the spell or the ease of maintaining it won't change that fact! What happens if you get drunk? Or somepony smashes a lamp over your head? Will the spell keep going when you're unconscious, bleeding in a ditch?”

Unable to help himself, Dusk lifted a finger, clearing his throat. "Well, first of all-” Even as he began to prepare what he considered a very important and instructional counter-argument, he noticed Redheart's eyes widen and the fury creeping into them. Breaking off suddenly, he coughed again, finishing off the counterpoint in his own mind while giving her a sheepish smile. “...they don't have ditches in Cloudsdale, due to the nature of how most of the city is built; only in three parks and the University of Cloudsdale garden do they have enough dirt for a ditch to be necessary.”

Restarting his attempt to explain himself, Dusk tried to be more considerate than he'd started originally. “I want to apologize, Redheart. I only finished rebuilding the spell from notes and scraps this morning, and performed my first tests on the spell a few hours before the gathering. I hadn't even considered the possibility of inviting along Scootaloo until she started to beg Rainbow Dash to bring her…” A flash of sudden inspiration sang out and he found himself continuing into a very different topic. “Besides, this would be a positive experience for her in regards to her growth, since most pegasi by her age have been naturally using their magic to walk on clouds without even thinking about it for years. This would be a good learning experience for her, even if she was too busy running around like a foal to realize it.”

Redheart’s frustration was clear as day to Dusk. Huffing out a sharp breath, she lifted her hand, ticking off her fingers as she snapped off her conditions. “First of all, this never happens again. If Scootaloo is ever involved in any new project you’re working on, even tangentially, you ask me first - *no* exceptions, Dusk! Secondly, you need to promise me there is no way she'll be allowed somewhere out of your sight, regardless of how long-distance you think you can maintain the spell. And thirdly! If at any time, you think you'll be in any risk of the spell failing, you'll get her to one of the safe places up there. If you have to sneeze, I want her on one of their walkways first!”

Lifting his hand to mirror her dramatic countdown of conditions, he reiterated her orders with careful rephrasing. “First: I will do my very best to maintain a professional approach to any future encouragement related to Scootaloo, remembering that occasionally I get carried away with my experiments.” That statement alone earned him another scowl from the nurse, but his track record of getting caught up with projects made him cautious about promising her too much when he was sure he would only end up with this shoved back in his face.

Ticking off his second finger, Dusk pressed on before she made up her mind to cut him off. “Secondly, excluding any activities around a location with proper walkways or visits to the facilities, I can assure you this is a condition I have no problem with. As for your final requirement, I can assure you, the magic drain on this cloudwalking spell is so low, I can keep it going for weeks on end, even in my sleep.” The fact Redheart clearly didn't look at all convinced by his final promise of how easy the spell was to maintain hurt Dusk’s ego a little more than he wanted to admit, but he rushed on to keep a grip on his current momentum. “But I can assure you, Redheart, that we will stick close to the walking paths; the clouds are still quite awkward to walk on.”

Redheart clearly didn't quite look fully convinced by his counteroffer but let it go, stepping in close to him so she could thrust a finger into his face. “Just take care of Scootaloo, Dusk. Or even Celestia won't be able to help you.” Giving him no chance to answer, the nurse stormed off, still obviously in a huff.

With a delighted cry from the always-excitable Derpy, the warehouse door finally opened. Moving to his side, the mail mare tugged the package free from under Dusk’s arm and used one of her wings to support it as she cradled the solid cube on her shoulder. Humming happily as she wandered back to the storehouse, she paused just long enough to look back over her free shoulder, giving him a happy grin. “So what's in the box, Dusk? And why doesn’t it got any openings? A box without a way to open it isn't very useful, you know! It’s been ages since you had me deliver a package instead of getting Barb to send it!”

Dusk was not really sure how to handle himself around Derpy. Since the one night he had been over to stud for her and Amethyst, he had been trying to avoid the friendly mail mare, and even now it worried him that she was so casual about the whole affair. Her question about Barb and the package stirred him from an internal monologue of attempted casual conversation starters, and Dusk stumbled over his answer. “O-oh, Barb’s already in Canterlot visiting Philomena; she’s kinda like a mother to Barb. She tried for years to hatch Barb's egg before I was finally able to. As for the package, it's an annual update to the census of Ponyville's population. The Magistrate’s council will use the information I collected to determine how much money the kingdom directs towards Ponyville, including partial funding for the school, the hospital, and funding for other services. I sealed the box with a spell to hide the seams, as if any of the paperwork inside is lost, it could cost Ponyville a lot of funding.”

Cocking her head as she quickly rushed over to the mail cage, staring back at him still as he lingered in the open doorway. “Ohhh. That is important. ‘Cause that's where my pay comes from too, right?”

Embarrassed by the obviousness of her comment, Dusk coughed into his bunched fist and gave her a sure nod. “Yes, err… yes, that's about it exactly, Derpy.”

Nodding affirmatively with whatever her own thoughts might be, Derpy opened the lockup and settled his package right near the door, taking her time to write down a note about it. Her attention was never fully fixed on just the page, and she gave a quiet giggle, waving him over. “Oh, Dusk! Stop standing out there in the door! I need to rearrange some packages and get them ready for the noon train! Get over here, we haven't been able to talk much recently, and I miss your company!”

Derpy’s happy-go-lucky, carefree smile was heartwarming to Dusk, but he still felt so awkward around the mare. Gripping the doorframe for support, he slowly stepped inside the massive warehouse, trying to word his concerns politely, without sounding prudish. “I know, that- well, that's kinda my fault, Derpy. It's just, well, after Amethyst’s heat, I wasn't sure… I don’t know how to act around you anymore. You’re so casual, so are we just friends? We slept together, and I acted as a stud for your mate, but does that make us lovers? I know I'm probably making a big deal out of this, but it's something I've never had to deal with before.”

Instead of any response he might have predicted, the mail mare made a tick on her clipboard and moved a small pile of parcels to the stack she had already formed by the cage door before settling the sheet of notes down on top of the packages. She folded her hands behind her back and leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at him, giving him a speculative, inquisitive look. The oddness of her offset eye would have made him feel more anxious, if it had not been balanced by her cheerful expression. “Oh, wow Dusk. They really do teach you to be serious about breeding in the noble’s quarters, don't they! We had sex! It's not like we want to form a herd! You did us a favor and if you're comfortable, when Ame’s next heat arrives, we'll invite you over again. If you aren't, well… there's always...” And here Derpy stopped so she could raise her hands to make quotes in the air. “The spa.” Stepping towards him, she slipped her hands around his hips and hugged him, before continuing to talk. “Several stallions do private breedings, but it's just not as nice as knowing the sire personally.” Leaning back from the hug Derpy put a hand on his arm. “Because with you, we know you're a good stallion who means well, is good at the smart stuff, and aren't just in it to make a few bits.”

The merry mare, with her soft grip on his arm, brilliant grin and straightforward, happy nature, radiated simple good will that he simply couldn’t ignore. Unable to help himself, Dusk put a hand on her cheek and kissed the top of her head, drawing her into a hug, his free hand rubbing her lower back. “You’re right, Derpy. In Canterlot, or at least in the noble sections, the suggestion that a stallion might breed with a mare not in his herd was heavily frowned upon. I remember stories of businesses going into debt after unexplained foals were sired, and other foul things like that.” Memories of his recent talk with Octavia brought back equally annoying memories. Frowning absently, he muttered on. “Some of the even more snobbish members will blacklist a pony just for choosing the wrong mate.”

Derpy frowned, gently hugging him with her wings as he talked, a little sigh the only other outward sign of her change of mood. “That, I've experienced. Dinky's grandsire… he spent years trying to prove I was nothing more than a hired breeding mare who'd destroyed any proof of a breeding contract. He finally gave up bothering Amethyst about bringing Dinky back to their ‘real family’ a couple of years ago.”

Looking down at Derpy while maintaining the light hug, Dusk saw a flare of something in her normally innocent eyes he had not seen before. An anger that simply felt wrong on the playful mare. But his own keen memory would not let him ignore the other day at Diamond Tiara's Cuteceñera, and the stallion that had been talking to Dinky. “A… an old unicorn? Likely in his late 70’s with a dull gray mane and tail, but a vivid blue horn, probably artificially dyed? Very downplayed outfit matching an old style from the unicorn nobility?”

The ever-cheerful Derpy vanished as Dusk described the old unicorn, her hands falling off his sides to hang while her wings drew away, folding down against her back. Her voice openly quivered, but her eyes were firm, watching him. “That's an awfully... accurate description, Dusk... just how do you know him?”

The defensive yet threatening tone that had suddenly jumped into Derpy’s voice, as well as her accusation, had caught Dusk so off-guard that it sent his mind reeling. Instinctively, he just pointed towards the Rich’s manor. “He was talking to Dinky at Diamond Tiara's Cuteceñera and she looked upset, but I didn't want to make a scene asking why. I've been meaning to get time to question her privately. Is he-” A thousand questions sprang to mind, but Dusk pushed those of heritage and legality aside for the most important. “-dangerous?”

Derpy’s defensive new attitude didn’t shed quickly. She followed his every movement with her eyes as best she could, while listening to his explanation. By the end, she was just calming down, but her normal smile still felt distant. “That sounds exactly like Dinky's grandsire. I wish she'd told me. He's never had the gall to try and approach her directly before. I'm sorry, Dusk, but he's got connections everywhere. He’s had judges wrapped around his horn and was pushing every way he could to steal Dinky from me, even before she was born. I think he even has a magistrate or two helping him out.”

That gave Dusk pause. He'd never heard anything about a corrupt magistrate in recent years, but he was well aware of how they use their influence often for one reason or another. He, himself, was shocked by the financial influence he could have over Ponyville, if he wanted it. Immediately he recalled all the financial help he had given to Dash regarding the weather team, including diverting some of his own finances to help pay for her mistakes… “A magistrate willing to abuse the law for somepony is very unethical, but you’re right, Derpy, it does happen. Do you want my help? I'm sure I could speak with Shining Armor or even Princess Celestia if necessary to find a way to get him to leave your family alone.”

A harrowed, sad look overcame the quiet mare, and she audibly sighed, putting a hand on his arm and squeezing gently, at last smiling a little. “Just- just forget about him. I never want to see him again and other than that one night, he's left us alone for years. Let's- It's time to just move on.”

The suggestion they simply leave the old stallion be, and hope he continued to avoid any more public confrontations with Derpy’s family didn't sit well with Dusk. He had studied so little of privacy law and harassment, but now he began sorting through the scant details he could quickly recall, trying to build a quick mental list of what few books he had on hand. “Another matter to look into on my own time then, Derpy. I can't leave a friend to suffer some old fool’s abuse.”

For Derpy’s sake, Dusk gently squeezed her arm and offered her a small grin, nodding encouragingly. “Then hopefully he will respect your wishes, Derpy. But if he is ever an issue for your family again, tell me, Derpy. I have connections, and they're all yours.”

The mare gave him a gentle smile at last, her tail softly brushing his hip as she began to truly relax. Looking back up at him again, she giggled before answering. “It's just too bad you've got such a large herd already, Dusk, or I swear I'd steal you away and give you to Amethyst as a birthday present!”

Audibly clearing her throat as she stepped into the doorway, Bronze Feather raised a hand to snap off a sharp salute. “I'm back, Dusk. Rainbow Dash is well on her way to Cloudsdale, and everypony else in town is abuzz about some cloud trick you pulled…?”

As Dusk looked at Bronze, he could already feel her eyes inspecting him. It was something she and Dash seemed to do often, detailed examinations with their keen eyes looking everywhere. Perhaps it was simply a pegasus thing, but the worried look and her intense stare together were simply too much. “I- oh Celestia, Bronze, just- blink, breathe, do something other than dart your eyes around like that, please! I can't take it!” Wrapping his arms around his belly to hold back the unexpected, raucous laughter, Dusk struggled to stand upright, wiping the backside of his hand to dry tears of laughter from his cheeks.

Dusk's unexpected laughter clearly confused Bronze, as she stepped back from the door frame, putting a bit of extra distance between them, still staring at him and inspecting his every movement. “What?! I'm not even doing anything this time, Dusk! Honestly, what’s so funny? I don't get the joke!”

Suppressing the mental image of Bronze as a smothering mother hen, intensely double-checking on her chicks, Dusk straightened back up, wiping away the last few tears from his cheeks. “No, I'm sorry, really I am, Bronze. It's just, well I've been planning to ask you to watch over Ponyville for the next few days, while I'm gone, and then you return from escorting Rainbow Dash off towards Cloudsdale, only to immediately start doing pretty much exactly that. It was just-”

Bronze had relaxed a little as Dusk tried to reassure her, but at his suggestion that he was leaving her and going somewhere, the mare scowled openly at him, interrupting him as he carried on. “Leaving Ponyville? Wait, why? What's happened? Is Ponyville under threat? Has something happened in Canterlot?! Don't tell me another dragon’s invaded!”

Derpy frowned, putting aside her clipboard and moved quickly to Dusk’s side, her open concern hardly subtle as she placed a hand on his elbow. Dusk resisted the urge to start laughing again, seeing how concerned both mares immediately became, and squeezed Derpy’s shoulder reassuringly, giving her a moment to relax before pulling free and walking over to Bronze’s side. “No, nothing at all like that, Bronze, really. It's just, I've discovered a spell that will allow for a small group of ponies to cloudwalk, and going to Cloudsdale to support Rainbow Dash during the Young Fliers Competition feels like a fantastic idea for a vacation I can treat the other Elements of Harmony to while things are still quiet. Summer is coming, and that means Rarity and Applejack are soon going to be far too busy for any kind of extended time away from Ponyville.”

Bronze looked both proud and disappointed, unsure how to react or respond; for just a moment she hovered uncertainly, her mouth slowly opening as she started to form a reply before cutting herself off, and trying again. “I-I'd be honored to watch over Ponyville while you're away, Dusk. You can rest assured that I'll do my best to make sure that everypony is well cared for during your absence. Besides, Ponyville didn't catch on fire last time you were away, I'll be fine!”

Dusk relaxed a little and gave Bronze’s hand a squeeze, stepping in close so he could brush their cheeks together in a tender nuzzle. “Thank you, Bronze. I've already written up a short list of the few things that you'll need to deal with when I'm away. Nothing important, really, except a meeting with Mayor Mare and the business community to renegotiate their Bazaar rental fee schedule for the summer. You'll just be there as an arbitrator in case the two sides can't come to a mutually agreeable contract.”

Bronze had blushed deeply at the close physical contact, before stammering out a reply. “I’m sure that I can... handle... tha- wait, wait a second, Dusk.” The pegasus shook her head as though she was trying to clear her thoughts, before giving him a confused look. “You have to arbitrate contracts between the mayor and the business community? Why!? That doesn't sound like a normal part of a magistrate’s work!”

Dusk was about to offer her a more detailed explanation when Derpy plopped down her clipboard again, moving a pile of twenty parcels on a cart from the cage to where they stood talking at the door and cut into their conversation. “Are you kidding!? Ponies are ecstatic that Dusk’s finally here to act as an arbitrator for things like this. Normally that would be the mayor's job, but since she also owns the bazaar, that's a huge conflict of interest. Plus, business owners want the bazaar fees to double, but ponies who run stalls in the summer think costs are already too high, and I agree! Sometimes Amethyst sells her knitting at a booth in the summer, and the fees almost make it too expensive to be worth the effort when we could just sell the knitting from home instead!”

Clearing his throat and coughing a little into his balled fist, Dusk was impressed by Derpy’s rather succinct explanation, and wasn't ashamed to openly admit as much. “Dear Celestia, Derpy! I think you said that better than the explanation I'd prepared. Good job!”

Grinning back at him, Derpy shrugged, picking up her checklist and going over it one last time. “Well, it’s important to Amethyst, so I made sure to memorize the argument she made last ye-”

The sudden ear-piercing cry of an approaching train whistle drowned out Derpy’s voice, making both the sensitive pegasi jump in shock. His own ears ringing, Dusk scowled off towards the train platform and raised his voice so he could hear himself over the ringing in his ears. “Dear Celestia, how do you deal with that all the time, Derpy?!”

But Derpy was already in a panic, rushing back into the cage and picking up an armful of loose packages, rushing back to stack them up onto the already-full cart, the whole time openly crying out her despair. “Oh, no no no no! I'm late! I didn't even hear the first whistle! Oh! The conductor is going to be so mad!”

As Derpy attempted to pile the loose packages on top of the already-full cart, Dusk looked back at the other loose packages and made a quick mental estimate, before stepping in and gripping the handles of the cart while Bronze knelt down to scoop up the packages that had fallen off the pile. “Derpy, you and Bronze should be able to carry the the rest of the packages, I'll take the cart and make apologies to the conductor for you.”

Looking back at him over her shoulder, Derpy took a deep breath to steady herself and smiled a little. “Thank you so much, Dusk, Bronze. I'm so sorry for causing you both trouble, really!”

Taking a firm grip on the overloaded cart, Dusk used a simplified version of Shining Armor’s shield spell to contain the packages, so he wouldn't need to fetch up any that fell out. Then he ran, glad for the well-worn rut from the mail warehouse to the train station, making his path easier.

Just as he crossed the threshold of the warehouse, Dusk couldn’t help but smile as he heard Bronze attempting to casually question Derpy. “Really, it's no problem, Derpy. I don’t mind helping at all. Oh, and why were you and Dusk talking about herds? Hunting for a live-in stallion?”

* * *

Noon, the outer boundaries of Cloudsdale’s ever wandering borders.

“This is real living, this is true freedom, available only to those who breathe the wind.”

Dash twisted her right wing a quarter of an inch, twisting her trajectory to spiral off into a nosedive, turning against the breeze just to feel the thrill of it blowing through her hair.

Her feathers danced as they cut the air, picking up speed, faster, harder. She turned herself into a deeper dive, a sharper angle, a headlong rush with the ground.

Her backpack shook, in spite of how tight she had pulled every single strap. The wind found gaps and forced its way in, making the sealed buckles rattle as they shifted and pulled at their bonds.

With her goggles pulled down to keep the blinding breeze out of her eyes, Dash pushed herself to the edge, her wings screaming with every flap for her to drive past her limits, past the barrier that roared in her ears and made her blood boil.

She had even done it, once. She remembered that pressure, the stress that made her spine scream and crushed her lungs. She wanted that again, wanted just for one second to feel it again.

To once again be the Sonic Rainboom. To be the one with speed and sound and light in all its colours.

Against the impossible barrier, Dash threw everything she had. She heard raspberry, tasted lightning, and saw nothing but blurs as the ground passed under her at an immeasurable rate. Straining with all her will, bending back against the muscle-rending pressure, she beat her wings one more time, one last push, one final lunge of speed face-first into the wall…

And the barrier stood. Just like every other time before, it wouldn't let her through, tossing back her greatest efforts as if they were a futile attempt to break down a wall with a handful of water.

That, more than anything, hurt the most. As desperate efforts were taken to stabilize her flight and get back on track towards Cloudsdale, Dash still lingered in her memories of the moment it had let her in… a moment the barrier had opened and she'd heard every color and soared effortlessly on a wind powered by the thunder in her veins. The Sonic Rainboom. Her Sonic Rainboom.

* * *

12:30 pm, Ponyville Bazaar.

Dealing with the train’s conductor for Derpy had been another reminder of how some ponies simply liked to shout… and how Bronze’s rather physical approach to solving problems could be helpful, on occasion. When the conductor had refused to listen to Dusk’s explanation, and returned to red-faced screaming while jabbing a finger stiffly into Dusk’s chest, Bronze had very politely bent his ear back, until he quieted down and acknowledged Dusk and Derpy’s attempts to atone for the delay.

Leaving Derpy to ride the train unescorted had worried Dusk, but she had gently assured him that even she couldn’t possibly lose the contents of a box with no opening. In the end, he capitulated to her logic and left her be. Instead, he and Bronze began walking mostly without purpose through the bazaar once they had return to the town proper, discussing a few details of other minor matters Bronze would have to deal with while he was away.

“Dusk, do you really think Dash needs your support? She's been training so hard for the Young Fliers’ Competition, my wings were starting to go numb from trying to keep up with her. Trust me, if she isn't the best competitor in the show, it's only because Princess Celestia put on a disguise and joined in for fun!”

“I don't think Dash needs anypony’s help, but I still want to be there for her, Bronze. Just like how I want to be there for your Ordeal of Knighthood. Even if I can't help you during the trial, I want to be present.” As he spoke, Dusk had to seriously consider her remark for a minute before deciding that was simply impossible. “No, I don't think either princess could fool anypony, unless they've mastered some sort of shape-shifting magic. Even Princess Cadance towers over most pegasi by at least six or eight inches, not to mention that she’d have to hide her horn. Now, a changeling has natural magic that would allow them to sneak in, but Shining Armor's guards know plenty of spells to detect them."

Bronze was quiet for a few minutes, staring at him and slowly shaking her head in disbelief. Finally, she asked a simple question. “Do they regularly use those spells? I've never noticed them running around casting anything big around the training grounds or barracks.”

“Honestly, the most common spell they use is a light spell they teach all unicorn guards very early on, allowing them to patrol at night without using any invasive magic. It also gives every guard a way to search for changelings during their routine patrols. It's even a very low drain spell. Most adult unicorns can maintain the spell all night without stress.”

Bronze seemed to relax a little as they talked, her wings folding flat against her back. Taking a deep breath, she linked an arm with him and pressed her side against his as they continued to walk. “I've been thinking about your time in Cloudsdale, Dusk. You should visit the Rainbow Factory. It's probably the only relic left of the Old Empires the pegasi brought south during the Great Exodus. I really think you'd get a kick from the ancient architecture. And who knows, you might even be able to make sense of the old magic carved into the walls.”

That caught Dusk’s attention, and he suddenly lit up at her suggestion, gleefully squeezing her hand on his arm. “You're absolutely right, Bronze! Detailed documentation of the factory exists, but even from the perspective of a unicorn's magic, it's been at least a hundred years since Abra Kadabra wrote her thesis on how the ruins process ambient magic and turn it into raw rainbows that pegasi can handle easier. If somepony else has done any fresh work since, I have never heard of it.”

As they crisscrossed the bazaar again, the familiar voice of Flitter called out playfully. “Bronze! Just the pony we wanted to see!”

Cloudchaser looked up from the sugar coated oat treats on display at the booth they had been lazily inspecting, a mischievous smirk spreading as she heard her sister's words, quickly joining in on Flitter’s game. “Oh that’s right, Flitter! So we heard that you were Shining Armor’s squire? We keep meaning to talk with you about that! Not to mention that you’re his little brother’s bodyguard now. Dusk, you don’t mind if we borrow Bronze for a while, do you? We just want to have some mare-talk, completely harmless, honest!” The wink and smirk Cloudchaser gave Dusk told him that the talk would be anything but that.

As if suddenly wickedly self-conscious of the fact that she was holding Dusk’s arm, Bronze stiffened up, blushing darkly. As her back straightened up hard and her wings puffed out in spite of her struggle to hold them tight against her back, she hissed to Dusk in a low whisper, “Help me!”

Dusk struggled not to laugh at how poorly Bronze had reacted to the implication the twins made. He let his eyes quickly search the bazaar, trying to quickly find something to distract the mischievous twins from escaping with his Vicarius. The sudden sight of Thunderlane’s distinctive dark magenta-gray wings as he crossed the bazaar, obsessed with a note in hand that could only be a shopping list based on the basket of food staples he carried in his other hand gave Dusk a spark of inspiration. He pounced on it before the twins could do more than pry Bronze’s grip off his arm. Placing a hand on Flitter’s shoulder, he redirected the twins’ attention. “Oh, I don’t mind, really. I have to ask though, do you two know how Thunderlane’s been recently? I’m sure with his brother gone to Cloudsdale, he’s probably been lonely. It seems like that might be changing, though. Maybe he’ll have time to live as a bachelor now, without a little brother around to get in the way of him trying to find a mare.”

Like one creature, the twins turned to look where Dusk’s idle gesture with his chin had directed them, discovering together that Thunderlane had paused at a booth selling freshly baked rosebread. The young earth mare behind the counter was unsubtly toying with her hair as she spoke to the stallion, who so far appeared to have totally missed the look in the mare’s eyes, or the fact she had undone the top three buttons of her shirt just as they started talking. The twins, however, did not miss it, and were suddenly falling over one another to excuse themselves. Cloudchaser began backing away from Dusk and Bronze, repeatedly looking back over her shoulder at the distant stallion. “Well- it's, um.. not like we don't have more to talk about, Dusk, Bronze… but er… a mare needs to keep an eye on her coworkers. Can't let Thunderlane get himself ripped off by some trollop using her looks to distract a distraught stallion from how much... she's… umm… she's overcharging him. Yeah…”

Flitter seemed to have entirely forgotten that Dusk and Bronze were there. She nearly shook with rage at the blatant flirting, balling her fists up as she followed after her sister, in a far less subtle mood. “She hasn't put in the years of hard work like we have! She never even foalsat Rumble!” If she said more, it was lost as she trailed after her sister, rushing as stealthily through the crowd as they could to Thunderlane’s side. To the stallion, it seemed as though they had suddenly popped up out of the crowd. Flitter stole the shopping list from his hand, and Cloudchaser took his basket, both sisters using the moment to ambush the stallion with a kiss on the cheek. Before Dusk’s eyes, the normally-collected stallion was rendered a confused and nervous wreck. The last Dusk saw of the trio, the twins had each linked an arm with Thunderlane, and were leading him away from the booth, towards another part of the bazaar, Flitter’s wing extended to cover Thunderlane’s back.

Feeling a little guilty for his part in the sudden ambush, Dusk muttered quietly under his breath. “I'm sorry, Thunderlane. I promise, I'll find some way to make this up to you.”

Bronze had gone silent, and had replaced her hand on the crook of his arm, so Dusk let her be for now, leading her across the bazaar one last time, deciding to explore the last row before heading back to the library. Stepping around a booth, Dusk was shocked as, from a dozen booths away, Pinkie began hopping up and down, waving excitedly. “Hello Dusk! Hey Bronze! How are you guys doing! I'm picking up supplies, you?!”

As boisterous as the excitable mare was, it was not a shock when most of the ponies around turned to look at what had her so excited. Attempting to downplay Pinkie’s neverending energy, Dusk pointed to the row of houses that bordered the bazaar, calling back to her in a calmer voice. “If you'd like to talk, why not meet us by that house, Pinkie? Over there we would be out of everypony’s way.”

A bundle of excitement, Pinkie saluted him in return, before crying out ever louder. “Okie dokie, Dusk-a-rooney!” She returned to the vender she'd been busy with, trading coins for some clear blue liquid Dusk could only infer was for some cleaning project or another.

Escaping the bazaar was easier than Dusk had worried. While most of the booths were packed close together, they only had to go down four or five spaces to find an empty spot, stepping through to escape the heavily populated rows to the longer grass that marked the obvious perimeter. Remembering a proposal from the mayor, requesting the city fund a wall or fence around the crowded marketplace, Dusk nearly laughed to himself at the thought. “It isn't even proper summer yet. Any fence built this year would likely need replacement in the next five to make room when they inevitability expand the space allocated for the bazaar.”

Checking on Bronze, Dusk was glad to see she had finally relaxed, and had released his arm to look over the nearby booth of polished metalwork, picking up a brass piece and examining the workmanship. Fascinated with the work, she looked up at him, beaming. “This is a surprise, Dusk! This must have been the work of a student of old Box Kicker, the supply sergeant for the Royal Guard in Canterlot! See these rivets? And the interlocking layers with these perfectly round bolts? He liked that stuff, ’cause if you did it right, you could set the armor down on the bolts so it stood balanced and could be cleaned or repaired without needing to worry about it tipping over.”

The fact the mare was examining a bowl and not a piece of armor didn’t appear to bother her in any way, so when she shoved it into his hands to examine, he turned the brass mixing bowl upside down, drawing mental lines between the rounded tips to see if her statement about how the bowl would really sit flat without having a flat bottom. Impressed as he connected the dots, he found that it really would sit flat despite its rounded base. “You have an eye for metalwork, Bronze?”

The mare laughed, shaking her head. “Not really, I just got plenty of punishment duty polishing spare metal armor in the barracks as a foal, and after a few months you started recognizing a blacksmith’s work.”

When Dusk looked up from the brass piece in his hands, he realized that Bronze had already moved on. Currently she was looking at a dense iron stove, so Dusk set down the bowl and turned to look back to where he had last seen Pinkie. She hadn't made it much further, quickly exchanging a few coins with another merchant and finally stepping between the booths, waving excitedly at him. “Dusk~! Sorry! I just found the perfect seasoning for a welcome back cake for Rainbow Dash! Did I make you wait too long?”

Watching Pinkie as she hopped on one foot between the booths and scrambled over to the protective cover provided by the shadow of the houses, Dusk relaxed a little, shaking his head at her happy hops when in a tight spot, her goggle-eyed expression, which still somehow held a devious smirk, and … and… and the wild wag of her tail, spasmodically wiggling in such an odd way. Confused by how hard her tail was shaking, Dusk didn't see the flowerpot on the sill overhead slip off its shelf.

Noticing it too late, Dusk only had the time to gasp for a breath, his lips straining to cry out a warning as the heavy clay pottery came crashing directly for her head… and without even looking up, Pinkie took a single step to the side, while her tail continued its frantic dance.

Able to only stare slack-jawed with the protective bubble spell dying on his horn, arms outstretched, he tried in desperation to find a way to understand how she could so casually sidestep something she couldn’t have possibly seen. Pinkie seemed to take that as an offer to hug, and she swept him into her arms, lifting him off his feet to plant a happy kiss on his cheek. “Dusk, you’re so quiet. What's wrong? You're never this quiet!”

Panting to regain the breath Pinkie’s arms had so enthusiastically squeezed from his lungs, Dusk again pointed, this time at the crushed flower pot on the grass behind her. “Pinkie! What in Tartarus was that!? First your tail goes berserk, and then suddenly you dodge that heavy ceramic pot without even looking up at it!”

Settling him back down on his feet and gently reaching up to ruffle his hair, Pinkie grinned, looking down at the broken pot and lost flowers as if seeing them for the first time. “What? Oh, that? That’s cause my Pinkie Sense warned me I needed to beware of falling objects, silly!”

Author's Note

Finally getting into the most difficult chapter to write of the story so far. Pinkie is a nightmare to write properly sometimes so placing no bets on the development time of the next chapter.

Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 2

Saturday, April 9th, 12:30 pm, Ponyville Bazaar.

“What do you mean, ‘Pinkie Sense’!? Pinkie, you nearly got your head caved in by that flower pot and just‒ just suddenly jumped out of the way!”

For all of Dusk’s mounting frustration, Pinkie was simply a world of calm, with a bright smile and swishing tail. Reaching out and gripping his hand, she squeezed tightly and gave him a little shrug. “What do you mean, Dusk? It's just my Pinkie Sense. When my tail swishes like this...” She demonstrated, her poofy tail dancing excitedly back and forth in what Dusk assumed was a very specific pattern, “That means ‘watch out for falling things’! But if my ears wiggle this way,” she again displayed, her ears wiggling excitedly, “It means somepony is going to get dirty! My Pinkie Sense has lots of warnings for stuff like that, even combos to warn me about complicated stuff!”

Dusk couldn't understand her; his eye twitched and he began to tilt his head involuntarily while he tried to understand what she meant. “Ear wiggles to warn you about getting dirty? Combos for bigger things? Pinkie, I don't understand. Is this part of your special talent? I just figured it had something to do with parties because of how good you are at celebrating things.”

Something in the growing confusion in Dusk’s voice or Pinkie’s delight caught Bronze’s attention, as she put down the cast iron pot she’d been toying with before she turned to rejoin Dusk, brushing a wing possessively over his back before leaning a little against his right side, giving Pinkie a little wave. “What’s wrong, Dusk? Pinkie, why does he look so tripped out? You didn’t lose a book he loaned you or anything, right?”

Her joke earned her a snort‒giggle from Pinkie who shook her head and hopped up to her full height while clutching her hands together behind her back, her tail back to its casual swishing. “Nope! I make sure to take care of his books; I know how protective of them he gets!”

Crashing face‒first into a wall where two and two constantly refused to add up to four, Dusk turned a dreary eye to the sky, searching for something… for some sign. “How can an ear flop explain a pony getting messy? A tail wiggle can't possibly predict things falling from the sky! Everyday at least ten thousand ponies wiggle their tails a thousand times without ever thinking about it. Even extrapolating for the full population of Equestria and the number of known falling objects that can be assumed to account for the above mentioned ponies, trying to account for any one pony’s tail and the objects her tail predicts falling in a single day is a mathematical impossibility!”

Looking from Pinkie to Dusk and back again, Bronze openly began to worry as Dusk's soft muttering got more and more complicated, leaving her behind in whatever it was he was thinking about. Putting her calloused hand on his shoulder, she squeezed firmly, her voice taking on a softer air. “Dusk? How about we head back to your library. No need to hang out at the bazaar if you're done looking at things.”

Cutting short his internal calculations as the numbers began to spiral out of his grasp, Dusk turned bleary eyes to the source of Bronze’s voice, his questioning tone obvious. “The library? My books are there. And the laboratory is in the basement...”

Hearing his distant tone and looking into his confused eyes made Pinkie wonder if he was alright. She took a few steps closer and smiled as she gripped his hand. “Sure, all your books are there, Dusk. Want me to walk you home and maybe talk for a bit? I've got a little time before my appointments this afternoon!”

Drawn fully from the mathematical conundrum presented by Pinkie's odd nature, Dusk discovered a new outlet for his confusion in Pinkie's offer. “It's so simple, of course! Yes, come down to the lab! I’m sure that this can be explained! With science and proper observation!”

Bronze and Pinkie took a moment to look at one another, Dusk’s surging enthusiasm giving both mares cause to pause and wonder about him for just a moment. Shrugging happily, Pinkie crossed an arm with Dusk on the right and tugged him close, laughing excitedly at the clear blue sky. “Sure, Dusk! Let's go see your laboratory! I haven't seen my Element of Harmony since the poor meanie‒bo‒beanie dragon was around!”

* * *

12:45pm, On approach to Cloudsdale.

Finally feeling she'd really started to stretch her wings out as she flew, Dash couldn’t help but admire the distant outline of Cloudsdale began to solidify as the cloud layer thinned out, revealing parts of the grand city one piece at a time.

The closest part to her was the training grounds where she'd discovered her cutie mark. It had originally been built for the Equestria Games when she was a foal, and moved to connect with the school back when she was probably only six or seven. She couldn’t remember how many days she had found excuses to race with other foals around that track. Nostalgia settled in and Dash slowed as she passed over the school, sweeping over the shifting clouds, taking her time to admire how the jigsaw‒like city had come together under the shifting winds.

After she passed over the school, the Magistrate’s Hall emerged from the clouds, a towering courthouse the scholarly old stallions often gathered in, usually accompanied by representatives from all four of Canterlot’s schools. Most were from the Weather University or the Military Academy, but occasionally the Storm School or somepony from the Wonderbolts came along. Even today, the great manor had numerous ponies gathered near the entrance, milling around in talk. Unable to identify anypony by name, she admired the crisp uniforms that the two Wonderbolts wore, and she even had to admit the soldiers in gleaming mail were admirable. The black robes marked several magistrates in the crowd, and she couldn’t shake the image of Dusk joining their conversation as casually as he talked with ponies around town. “He'd even fit in well enough. They stick to the richer parts of Cloudsdale, and there are plenty of walkways these days…”

Confused by how she had started thinking about Dusk again, Dash picked up a little more speed and turned towards the distant outline of the Wonderbolts barracks. Rainbow Blitz kept his home close to the great barracks that housed his old comrades, and the training clouds. She had more important things to worry about, instead of some silly unicorn joining the local magistrates to talk about budgets and laws.

Circling the towering barracks, a familiar rooftop formed as the golden, sundrenched clouds parted at her approach. The simple garden where even now a familiar colt toiled, plucking weeds and miniature stormclouds from the flowers.

“And the pink and purple‒blue flowers, the Fireflys…” Dash couldn't ignore the blooms that had been named for the mare, not when her sire still filled half his garden with them, already in brilliant bloom so early in the year.

Landing on the short cut grass behind the colt, Dash cleared her throat loudly to get his attention, barking out at the boy. “Skipping school to play in the garden? No way Blitz would ever approve of that, Rumble. You haven't been expelled already, have you?”

Jumping in shock, the colt turned to face her, shaking visibly at her sudden appearance and gruff tone. He couldn't help but stammer a little. “Dash! You‒ you're here already?! But Blitz and Sur‒Wonderbolt Surprise‒ they said not before two this afternoon! You're supposed to‒ And anyway! I'm not skipping school! The storm class is being split three ways this week. We're doing extra duties with the Weather Team all week to make sure things are perfect for the Competition. I won't even get ten minutes off on Monday to watch you perform. By Tartarus, Fleetfoot’s herd‒sister is our class valedictorian and she can't even get five minutes away to say hi! Did you know that, by the way? Major Fleetfoot is coming to represent the Wonderbolts on Monday! Something big is happening. It was supposed to be Spitfire. All the posters advertising it last month mentioned her. Now they're all gone, replaced by new posters with Fleetfoot. And she got a promotion too! Everypony is full of questions about what's happened, but the Wonderbolts won't say anything except that Spitfire and Blaze are busy on assignment and can't return for the Y.F.C.”

Throwing an arm around the colt’s shoulders and pulling him close, Dash ground her knuckles playfully into his head. “Slow down and take a breath before you pass out, Rumble! Yeesh, you'd think you were related to Pinkie, instead of Surprise, with how much you gab!”

Laughing together as Dash aggressively noogied him, Rumble scrambled, fighting the arm she had wrapped around his shoulders, and when he finally managed to slip free, he took off running, while Dash gave chase across the conservative little garden. In an effort to escape Dash's torment, Rumble leapt on top of the bay window that overlooked the flower bed and garden, perching on the slim ledge and lifting his hands defensively in the hopes of fending Dash off long enough to give him mercy. “I yield, Dash, I yield! You win, but no more, seriously!”

Wickedly grinning and straining to hold back a snort of laughter in his face, Dash backed off a little bit, peeling off her backpack while she assessed the ledge to see if they could both perch there safely. “Oh? Well sure you'd give up. Thunderlane always surrendered when we wrestled too.”

Perking up as she mentioned his brother’s name, Rumble lowered his hands a little. “Oh, yeah. That reminds me… did you bring anypony else with you? Thunderlane, or Fluttershy… maybe… Bronze?”

Trying to look casual, Dash looked off at the towering noonday sun, suddenly anxious when she thought of the guard that she’d kissed. "What? Oh, her. Nah, I asked. She talked about needing to study. Clearly the mare has spent too much time around Dusk, and Thunderlane needs to keep the weather in check while I'm away from Ponyville for most of the week.” As the colt slumped a little, looking crestfallen at her answer, Dash offered him a little hope. “Hey now, cheer up. Fluttershy promised me she'd come tonight after she got her animal friends taken care of.”

Rumble offered Dash a half‒hearted smile and laughed a little, shifting his precariously balanced position on the window frame as the gentle breeze picked up. “That's nice to hear. Fluttershy always seemed… nervous about flying though. You sure she'll make it?”

Her opening now crystal clear, Dash leapt, landing beside him on top of the window’s ledge. Tackling him around the neck again, Dash spread her wings and supported Rumble’s flailing body for a minute before he calmed down, and she noogied him again one last time, holding him tightly to prevent another escape. Done with the pressing of knuckles to skull, she leaned a little on him and looked out over the vista of clouds. “So why Bronze? Didn't know you two hung out that much.”

The colt’s dismissive snort and light blush made Dash wonder, and a wicked smirk curled her lips. “I mean, I suppose she's pretty good looking. No Applejack, but she’s got great muscles.”

Trapped, Rumble’s cheeks continued to redden as she talked, only urging her on. “I mean, she's a soldier after all. Practically a knight. I suppose she's a better flyer than Fluttershy, but she ain't no…”

“Oh my Celestia! Rainbow Dash, you made it! And you’re so early, too!!”

Just as Dash let go of Rumble and started to turn to look for the pony talking to her, Surprise surprised her with a surprise attack, launching from out of the clear blue sky, knocking Dash clear off her perch hugging her right into the short-cut grass while laughing gleefully and rubbing noses with the shell‒shocked mare. “Dashie! Ohhh! I've been waiting for hours, and now you're finally here! First we have to eat dinner, then we can start your application!”

Catching her breath and trying to see through the stars in her eyes, Dash reached up and discovered her hand was gripped by a powerful, scarred stallion’s hand. Looking up, she was shocked to realize Blitz had taken her hand, and helped her stand. Glad for the support and the help up from under the bubbly Surprise, Dash couldn’t help but stare. Something was different with the old stallion, and it bothered her that she couldn’t specifically name a single detail that was out of place.

Only as her father was brushing grass from her hair and started straightening her flightsuit did she have the time to look back over at Surprise, and instantly her eyes picked out several changes to the mare’s outfit and behavior. It wasn't just the shiny, new silver emblem with a band beneath the wings that stood out against her sleek blue uniform. It was her posture, and the uniform itself that was different, and she knew it at a glance from the poster on her bedroom wall. “Wait… Surprise… Pinkie said you'd been promoted… but just how… how far did they promote you?!”

At last self‒conscience about rolling in the grass, Surprise scrambled to stand up, a flurry of activity as she brushed cut grass from her hair and out of her uniform. The uniform was a solid blue, except for the brilliant yellow lightning bolts that ran down each side, from collar to ankle. Visibly nervous, she turned around once, moving her wings so they could see under the feathers. “Ohh, I didn't mess it up, did I? They only just finally delivered my new flight suit, and I'm on parade when Princess Celestia arrives on Monday!”

Releasing his foal to assist Surprise, Blitz visibly glowed with pride as he pushed the last of the grass from her back before starting to pick it from her tail hair. “She might finally take things seriously, Dash. Surprise made Wonderbolt First Class, and she's shipping out to join Spitfire next week.”

Turning around quickly and grabbing his hand, Surprise shocked Dash by giving the old Wonderbolt a serious look. “We're not supposed to tell anypony about deployment, Blitz!”

The stallion gently laughed and gave the mare a pat on the hand. “Easy, Suprise, easy. You're not in charge, and I know the rules better than you. Now Rumble, you never heard a word of this, right, colt?”

Alone atop the window sill, the colt had been watching them intensely, but nearly jumped as the old stallion addressed him. Looking nervous, he tried his best to act casual. “Heard any of what, sir? I just served tea when you and Brigadier General Stormy Flare were talking. I didn't hear anything.”

Giving a proper laugh at the colt’s quick adaptation to keeping secrets, Blitz nudged Dash. “He's got a brain in his head, even if he isn't great at using it yet. You picked well, Dash.”

Dash finally looked at her father, really looked at him closely. His feathers, no, his whole wings were more pronounced, puffed up and fluffed out, and he was standing taller than she'd seen in years… and on his collar, a pair of golden wings criss‒crossed by a lighting bolt. “Dad, you didn't‒”

Throwing an arm around his foal, Blitz turned Dash toward the house, full of vibrant energy as he guided her inside. “They offered me a commission, Dash. I'm going to be Spitfire’s senior advisor. I'm a Major again!”

Joy and boundless energy reverberated in his voice and eyes, he even walked taller as he gently tugged her into the house. “Now, let's start your application for the Young Fliers Competition. We can talk while filling out paperwork.”

* * *

12:50 pm, Back at Dusk’s library.

Dusk turned to look back at Bronze as she lingered on the doorstep, clearly distracted by something. Turning around and returning to her, he called out softly. “Are you coming, my faithful Vicarius? We simply must figure out a logical explanation for Pinkie's odd talent at prediction." Abuzz with excited energy, Dusk leaned in to brush a swift kiss across her cheek. Despite how light he was on his feet, he barely managed to dart out of the way of Bronze's playful retaliatory blow, grinning at the blushing mare. His eyes were burning with the vigour he got only upon discovering a new mystery or puzzle to breakdown, and he was excited to begin.

Bronze, on the other hand, was nervous. She'd nearly let herself get caught up in Dusk’s energy, and started to turn, to follow him as he gleefully rubbed his palms together, until she was again distracted by the soft but familiar whisper of chimes. The sound drawing her attention from the stallion, she focused her gaze on a silver chain link windchime. She lingered, mesmerized.

“Bronze? Are you coming along, or are you just going to watch the wind razzle the leaves?”

Dusk was waiting at the corner of the staircase into the basement, Pinkie hovering over his shoulder, his eyes aflame with the joy of discovery, and faint tinges of impatience. The next gust caused the metal chimes to dance again, and they forced her to make her mind up immediately. Fighting against her heavy heart, Bronze drew herself up to her full height. “I'm sorry, Dusk, I‒I just can't. I'm already months behind in my studies, and even with the lighter duties you give me here, it'll take weeks to catch up as it is! I have to get some progress started today, especially if I'm to cover your schedule this week, without falling further behind.”

Unable to avoid seeing the disappointment in his eyes, she pressed on before he could interrupt her. “Just… just remember to save me a copy of your notes! I'd love to read them later when you figure Pinkie out!”

Waving back at Pinkie’s excited goodbye before turning towards the library, she began to map out what she should work on for the day. “At least two chapters on etiquette, and three more on mathematics… add on at least a chapter of law, as well as economics. I've put both of those off for far too long, and it would clearly help with some of Dusk’s work.” Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew if she delayed too long, he might say ‘please’, and she'd end up busy with his experimentation on Pinkie all day.

The staircase down into the lab was dark until Dusk sent out flares of his magic to bring the waiting torches to a distinct raspberry glow, burning away the darkness. Already he could feel the incredible power of the Elements of Harmony calling to him, their unique magic leaving a taste in his mouth that changed as Pinkie joined him on the steps, on her tiptoes and leaning against his side. Wide‒eyed, she called into the darkness. “It knows I'm here, doesn't it, Dusk?”

Turning to look at Pinkie, Dusk could not help but wonder just how much she really understood about magic, most of all after she somehow managed to sneak past Silken Flight and the guards she had set up around the waterfall that night after they battled the dragon. Still high on the Black Lotus, it had taken all of his concentration to hold back the roaring tsunami of power that burned in his veins…

And then Pinkie had simply showed up and helped him through the night, her quiet conversation and gentle presence a solid foundation that he had been able to use to help fight the fire that choked his lungs, and resist the incredible power the Black Lotus had brought ‒ power that he was sure would have either burned him out or driven him mad… just like Trixie.

Dusk pushed aside those fears, and the lingering desire for another taste of the incredible power that the Black Lotus had promised. Instead he offered Pinkie his hand and a shrug. “I can feel their magic, a little bit. It must have missed you, because the second you stepped into the staircase, the power the rest of them emit suddenly changed.”

Now really excited, Pinkie squeezed his hand back and pushed past him, moving down the stairs while dragging him along as she exclaimed excitedly, “It's kinda like a pet you had to leave at home. When you finally get back, it's so excited to see you!”

Not for the first time, Dusk wondered just what was on Pinkie's mind as she so simplified a mythic artifact in such a casual way. Pinkie weaved her way through the cluttered basement, dragging Dusk along behind her, until she found the heavy oak door that led to the lab. Her momentum worked against her, however, when she found out it was locked, and Dusk was unable to stop himself before he found himself pressed against the earth mare, trapping her between himself and the door.

A mischievous smile played across her lips, and she let out a husky moan. She leaned back against him and turned her head to the side, brushing her jaw against his, and her breath tickled his cheek as she whispered, "Duskie! If you wanted to play, you should have said so!”

Still somewhat stunned by his collision with the playful pony, Dusk didn't have the strength to reply immediately. Still stinging from a jolt of pain through his back, he wasn't sure how much of what she said was a joke, but he could feel her fluffy tail trapped against his groin, the appendage tickling him as it started to wiggle. That gave him enough of a shock to straighten up and fumble for his key. “I‒ it is not like that, Pinkie‒ I mean, it's not not like that either! I just‒ let’s‒let’s get into the lab, okay?”

Pinkie's continuous maniacal giggling as he fought with the lock didn't relieve any of the stress of her teasing, and she only made things worse as she leaned back against him and nuzzled into his neck. Dusk couldn’t ignore the moist pressure of her lips on the hollow of his throat, and as he reached around her with the key in one hand, his free one found its way to her waist as he pulled her in tighter, his mind suddenly on a topic almost as fascinating as his research.

Grinding together their hips, Pinkie gave a second, happy moan, her hands sliding up and behind his head to roam into his long hair, messier due to Barb’s absence and Rarity’s busy morning. She clearly didn't mind, tucking herself into his body, grinding her hip to his groin as she kissed him fiercely, breaking it off to moan into his ear. “We could always go back upstai‒”

The grinding of gears as the lock popped open interrupted Pinkie's kinky suggestion, and they both stumbled off balance when the door swung open due to their combined weight. While Dusk tried to regain his footing, Pinkie hopped up and untangled herself from him, giving a happy cry of “Ohh!” before rushing straight across the bare stone floor, around the worktable, to the heavy chest that nearly hummed with raw magical power. Crouching down and pawing at the lock, she looked back at him where he stood in the doorway, still stunned at the abrupt change in the mare. “It's in here, right Dusk? I… I can kinda feel it calling to me. Can I… can I see it? Please?”

Dusk couldn’t resist the cute way Pinkie playfully batted at the locked chest, or how she curled her lip as he crossed the room to her side. Slipping a hand into her hair, he stroked her poofy locks, and gave a slight nod. “Of course you can, Pinkie. It’s yours after all. I doubt anypony would ever have reason to steal it, but better safe than sorry, right?”

Dusk waited until Pinkie looked up at him, her eyes dancing with exuberant excitement, and then, he overdramatically did something simple: he snapped his fingers. The act was simply a showy trigger to the flow of magic, but the knotted locking spell he had placed over the thick brass lock on the chest soon unwound as he let his magic weave into its complex tangles. The result was a sudden, loud clunk, as when the locking spell released, the symbolic lock slipped open under its own weight.

His showmanship earned him a delightful gasp from Pinkie, who simultaneously threw an arm around his knees and hugged him, while also removing the lock and opening the heavy lid effortlessly. “Dusk! You were showing off. You wouldn’t be trying to impress me or anything, would you?”

Perhaps some of Pinkie's playfulness was rubbing off on him, because Dusk was suddenly inspired to be a little silly himself. Standing up straight and taking a small step away from her, he pulled the case with his silver framed glasses from the inner pocket of his light jacket. Carefully removing them, he unfolded the spectacles and took a moment to both clean and polish the lenses. Dusk slipped them onto the tip of his nose before using his index finger to push them up until they reached the bridge of his nose, all while staring down at her with the best, and most seriously professional gaze he could muster. "Now, Pinkie Pie! Whatever has come over you? I am a researcher, a librarian, and occasionally, for the better of others, a leader of ponies. But I'd never expend extraneous energy trying to impress somepony. I'm baffled that you'd think otherwise!"

When Pinkie didn’t answer right away, Dusk became nervous, and blinked, the tiniest mote of a worried tone sneaking into his voice. “Too much?”

Unable to help herself, Pinkie threw both hands over her mouth and began to snort with laughter, falling over from her kneeling position to lie on the floor on her side. Her laughter only got louder and louder, her feet kicking as her case of the giggles quickly evolved into an outright fit, her thin leather-soled boots pounding against the front of the heavy chest. Pinkie was laughing so hard that she had started sobbing openly, and it took her several tries at answering him before she regained enough composure to finally finish her sentence. “Dear Celestia, Dusk! Do it again! Do it again!”

Dusk reached into his pocket, drawing out the hankie that, thanks to his lover Rarity, was waiting in his pocket, exactly as he expected. Walking slowly forward and kneeling down beside Pinkie’s hip, he wiped away a few of her tears of laughter with the hankie while she was still half‒laughing, half‒blubbering gently. Watching her intensely, he hesitated a moment before finally pressing it into her hand and squeezing their hands closed, mostly as an excuse to hold her hand again. At last he asked her, “Better now, Pinkie dear?”

Still wiping gently at her cheeks and laughing more mutedly into the hankie, Pinkie finally caught her breath again, coughing once before huffing into her hand. “I‒, hah‒, ha… hu‒ah…” Giving a gentle sigh, she nodded at him. “Yeah, I‒I think I’m better now, Dusk. Thanks!” Unfolding the hankie, Pinkie blew her nose sharply, then folded it back up, grinning at him. “So can I try on my Element now, or do you want to tell me another joke, Dusk?”

Folding the hankie over itself a second time when Pinkie handed it back to him, Dusk carefully slipped it into an open pocket on the inside of his light jacket, making a mental note to toss it into the laundry later. Finally, Dusk gave a small gesture to the still visibly giggling mare, “Of course, Pinkie. I can’t wait to see how it looks.”

Pinkie was more than giddy enough to draw the golden choker from the open chest on her own. The brilliant gem shaped like her cutie mark glowed in the gentle light of Dusk’s magic, while somehow the gold choker it had been mounted in still glimmered as if it had been freshly polished. Using one hand, she pushed the massive weight of her wild hair off her neck, while with impressive dexterity, she slipped the choker into place, leaning forward and gazing up at him. “Can you check to see if I got all of my hair out of the way and close the clasp, Duskie‒poo?”

Dusk didn’t need any more prompting, leaning towards her in turn, slipping his hands across her neck in broad, sweeping arcs, while leaning over, first to one side, then the other to make sure her chaotic hair wasn’t about to get pinched under the bands or in the lock. Gently pulling a few tiny strands out of the way, Dusk let both hands stroke down the back of her head until they rested on her shoulders, squeezing for just a moment before he turned his hands in and leaned in close again, so he could clearly make out the fiddly clasp. At last it clicked into place, and he leaned back, admiring her while Pinkie lowered her hair back into place. Before he could speak, she turned to face him, looking deep into the depths of his eyes, her magical energy showing in her voice. “Well, how does it look, Dusk? It’s on straight, right?"

With the positioning of the impossibly large gem, Dusk couldn’t help but admire her throat, and the way the metal and stone lay against her flesh. He felt a trickle of sweat run down his cheek, despite the cool basement air, and was momentarily flustered for an answer, at last nodding when she started getting impatient, bouncing on her knees while her free hand fidgeted a little. “You look wonderful, Pinkie. It goes with your bubbly personality and good nature perfectly. Do you...“ Dusk’s memory returned to that nightmare on the mountain, when they’d face the dragon, and an idea dawned on him. A way to get the answers he wanted, while testing just how well the Elements of Harmony let them hear one another's thoughts. A double experiment! The idea made his already quickened pulse race, and he unconsciously licked his lips in anticipation. “In short, like you, it looks wonderful, Pinkie. Now, I don’t suppose... would you mind if we attempted some experiments regarding your Pinkie Sense? The Elements of Harmony let me hear a little bit of what you’re thinking when we are wearing them and touching‒"

Bouncing forward despite still being on her knees, the energetic mare grinned like a maniac as she rubbed her nose against Dusk's, giving him a sudden surprise, before wrapping her arms around his hips. "Well sure, Dusk! Of course I'm okay with it... I mean, it won't hurt or anything, right?!"

Taken aback a little by the ernest nature of her simple question, Dusk moved to assure her, his hands cupping her cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers gently. Taking a deep, careful breath to help measure out the importance of what he said next, Dusk looked back into the depths of her eyes and smiled. "Pinkie, I would never do anything to hurt you. Ever." Then, Dusk slowly closed his eyes as he inched his body forward even more, until their lips met.

Pinkie could not deny the way her heart quickened as Dusk’s lips held her own, a bead of sweat slowly forming on her brow as their kiss lingered, slowly running down across her temple, before crossing her hot cheek. She sighed into his mouth while her fingers slid off the curve of his hips, before squeezing the toned flesh of his ass, even as she turned two fingers on her other hand into his spine, deeply scratching with her long nails to both massage and arouse him while relieving a little of his aches and pains. When one of Dusk's hands slipped from her cheek down to her neck, it brushed against her choker, and Pinkie heard Dusk's voice in her head whisper, “Don't worry, I would never, could never, let anything happen to you, Pinkie. I love you.”

Pinkie all but jumped away from Dusk, the shock of hearing his voice whispering in her head so vividly and passionately that she knew it was sincere. “But‒ he said it let HIM hear my thoughts, didn’t he?! Oh!~ Dusk! I’m not… and you’ve already got Applejack and Rarity‒ I just wanted to have fun, and sleep together, and wake up in your arms sometimes‒ but, oh, I don’t know... a relationship?!”

Realizing he was just starting to try to stand, and that he had been staring up at her while she panted for breath, visibly shaking and lost in her own thoughts, Pinkie tried to find a quick excuse, a reason to run. Anything to get out of the suddenly blazing hot, cramped and stuffy room before she started choking. Attempting to speak, she stammered, her thoughts too chaotic to find a good excuse. “I‒ oh Du‒du‒Dusk! It’s‒ I just‒” Then a sudden solution sprang to mind, and she quickly turned to the door. "Oh no, Dusk! I left a pie in the oven and didn’t remember to tell Mr. Cake! I‒ I’d better go grab it before it burns and do my other errands. C-ya later Dusk, BYE!"

And like that, she bolted away, leaving Dusk on his knees in the middle of the floor, his back now aching with bolts of pain as he was forced to prop himself against the frame of the chest, using it for support before finally standing up, his tail drooping low between his legs in disappointment. “What was that, Pinkie… and why did I get nothing from the Elements at all…”

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside of Dusk’s Library.

Pinkie fled round to a side of Dusk’s house. Still gasping for breath, she could feel herself crying a little again, the cold tears trickling down over her burning cheeks, soothing her embarrassment, her frustration, and how torn she felt. She couldn’t stand being reminded of how conflicted she felt. When she was sure there was enough of the house and the tree in the way to prevent anypony else from seeing her, she stopped and leaned her back against the rough bark wall of the living tree, wiping her nose and cheeks with the back of her hand. “Oh, Dusk! Why’d you have to make everything…. Everything so serious!”

Author's Note

Just wanted to say, a huge thank you to all my readers, both old and new! We have had a lot of growth recently and it's really encouraging to see all this new energy and feedback of late! I hope i can keep you all entertained!

Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 3

Saturday, April 9th, Just outside Dusk’s library.

Ignoring the bolts of aching pain that shot from his spine and into his legs, Dusk threw the basement door shut, twisting a simple spell knot over the lock to secure it as he turned around and leaned against the doorway, looking for any sign of where Pinkie had gone.

A random gust blew through the still treehouse, causing the distant front door to swing open wider, banging against the door stop. Dusk leapt back into motion at that noise, his heart racing, and not from the awkward run upstairs, or the two times he'd slipped and crashed into walls when turning back to lock and secure the other five Elements. As he approached the open library entrance, a worried thought shot to the front of his mind, demanding his attention, and he caught himself on the bannister of the staircase. Turning back around and looking down the hall, past the shut bathroom door, he saw a distant red flicker from under Bronze’s bedroom door, telling him she must be reading.

Dusk cupped both hands around his mouth, raising his voice to a near-bellow to make sure she would hear him. “Bronze ‒ I ‒ I am off to go find Pinkie. She took off… she ran off with the Element of Laughter. Lo‒ look, stay here in case something happens or she returns. I'm going to go try and find her!”

A second, more powerful gust of wind howled through the open door, causing another loud bang and drowning out Bronze’s answer. Too tense to wait any longer, Dusk called back louder. “Look, I'm off after her. Just keep an eye on things, alright?” Rushing out the open door, Dusk let his magic loose, reaching out over Ponyville to hunt for the ancient power that emanated from the gem that formed the heart of Pinkie's Element. It was far more subtle than he expected, but he could sense it, sense her trail. Determined, Dusk turned to follow her.

* * *

High in the upper branches above Dusk’s Library.

Bronze loved climbing trees. Of course it would have been easier to simply fly to the higher reaches of the tree, but climbing was more thrilling, using a steady grip to find a sure perch as she made her way up to the highest level of it. The thrill of the climb started her adrenaline, making it all the more exciting. Her fingers were strong and calloused, but the rough bark was hard on her hands, and the risk of a fall was always adding so much more to the challenge of the climb.

The bag over her shoulder wasn’t heavy enough to throw off her balance, but Bronze had made sure to cinch up the strap as tight as possible; if something fell out, it would be a nightmare to find after it fell to the ground. When she’d finally reached the highest layer of the branches that still felt safe to perch on, Bronze propped herself up on the thicker of two branches that were close enough together for her purposes. She unhooked the board from her back, expertly balancing herself while she strapped the thick band around first one branch, and then the other, ratcheting them down to pin the two branches tightly together until the plant formed a safe seat for her work.

Finally, she hopped over and took a seat, leaning to one side so she could rest the thick leather-bound sketch book on the tree, her fingers nervously hovering over the page, fidgeting, adjusting, rethinking. And then she finally picked out where to start. “The Apple’s Farm. The best landmark around from the air, its massive orchard is visible even from here, highly organized into nearly straight lines.” She thought, and started to sketch at last, and continued to watch. Bronze could practically make out a few ponies working in the rows if she really strained herself to make the little details out.

The main road in and out of Ponyville ran perfectly north-south through the middle of town, mostly cleared thanks to the steady traffic, making it easy to map out, to detail from one side of town to the other, to give her a middle point to draw out all the other details: the town hall, the bazaar, and the major businesses. All of it was important, and all of it helped her to form a more concise picture of the city. Later, she would color in the buildings to mark off businesses, public buildings, and households. For now, she carefully labeled them all to make sure she had every detail down. Time and time again, she wished she had eyes like some of the Scouts that she’d trained with. They could perch on a cloud a mile above the city and draw in the details she had to skip as she worked, able only to label the doors that she could see, though the larger windows were marked as well, to make sure things were complete.

Unable to help herself, Bronze finally started to think about the details she was filling in, the reasons behind it all. The lesson plan was simple enough, but still good practice for a potential campaign. “Chart out a city in precise detail, marking out places of importance to a military incursion, including the locations for possible camps, important checkpoints, and possible places to build barricades, chokepoints, holdouts, and safe houses.”

Bronze was so occupied with her work, she never noticed Pinkie flee the library, nor Dusk following soon after. When her work was finally finished, Bronze slid off the bench, and undid the straps holding her perch in place, taking care to put it away. Finally, she climbed back into the branches, glad she’d gotten something done today, some work, some progress on her classes. “And when I get back to my room, Princess Cadance promised her calming incense would help with the rest of my studying. Please, dear Celestia, let it help.”

* * *

1:20pm, Fluttershy's Cottage.

Fluttershy reached up, one hand on the bear’s chest for support while she extended her arm as far as possible. Harry the Bear gave a happy groan, and shifted his heavy jaw into her hand, sighing in contentment, resting paws as large as Fluttershy’s torso on her back, all while making happy, low throaty noises.

She looked over to where Angel sat, crouched down, chewing on a tough gnarled old carrot while his ears fidgeted, shifting and swaying at any little sound in the house. When he noticed her watching him, he grumped audibly. “You'll get lost. You said yourself Cloudsdale doesn't wait for anypony. It moves with the wind.”

Laughing gently at the rabbit, Fluttershy spread her fingers out to scratch all over the underside of the great bear’s jaw and jowls, giggling at his failed attempts to purr like a kitten in gratitude to her affection. “I'll be fine, Angel! Cloudsdale doesn't move that quickly most days! Besides, it's still early, they're focused on light showers around Canterlot this time of year.”

With a sharp crunch, the bunny bit through the thick raw carrot, using his sharp front teeth to break apart the hard vegetable. At last, he looked back over at her, frowning a little. “Yeah, but it's such a long way up. How will you get that high up without Dash’s help?

If anypony knew of Fluttershy’s more sensitive issues, it was clearly the bunny, and she went quiet, her hands stopping their scratching. But Harry the Bear wasn't going to let that be the end, and so he tilted his great maw forward, nuzzling it against her cheek before shoving his massive cold and wet nose into her ear. That made her laugh, hugging him back and petting his gigantic belly. “They have the weather team move clouds out under Cloudsdale in case somepony needs help making the flight up. Besides, I used to live there for years, Angel!”

Unable to stop fidgeting, the bunny turned around to face her, still gnawing on the rough end of the carrot, standing up near his full height. “Yeah, but-”

Pulling free of Harry's arms, Fluttershy walked the two steps to his side and crouched down before he could react, leaning in and kissing the tip of his little pink nose. “I'm going, Angel, but don't worry, your date will go fine, and Harry will help you with all the animals. It'll be fine!”

Slouching as low to the floor as he could manage as Fluttershy turned away to gather up her bags, Angel crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled to himself. “Yeah, a bear feeding deer, fish, and rodents. Nothing could go wrong.”

If he was affected by Angel’s words, Harry gave no sign. The mammoth bear held up a bag for Fluttershy while she carefully adjusted the straps to fit comfortably around her wings. When she was all set, Fluttershy turned to the door and blew them both kisses. “Is that everything? Then I suppose I'm off!”

Turning to open the cottage door, a frog hopped directly into Fluttershy’s face, and somehow managing to find a perch, he settled there, croaking out a low-throated “Ribbit.”

There was a long moment of silence and at last Fluttershy cleared her throat and spoke around the frog perched on her cheek. “Err… Harry, dear. Can you help me get this backpack off? Mr. Croaker here says ‘the big smashy smashy’ drove them out of their creek in the Everfree Forest, and now they're desperate for someplace to live where it won't crush them.”

* * *

2pm, in Cloudsdale.

Dash couldn't help it, the quill wasn't what she wanted her hands on right now. She wanted to know what her father was doing. Why he had rejoined the ‘Bolts? But every time she tried to ask, he evaded the question and pointed her back to the seemingly endless paperwork. If it hadn’t been for the growling of her stomach, she might not have noticed the passage of time, and in spite of Surprise’s help with things like what she would be allowed to list for extra training and qualifications, the paperwork had dragged on while Surprise constantly rechecked what she wrote.

Nodding enthusiastically, the young Wonderbolt confirmed Dash's suspicions. “This is all because you gotta make sure you get everything down right. The senior Wonderbolts are sticklers for paperwork. Probably because it keeps us quiet and out from underfoot.”

If Surprise hadn't been staring directly at Blitz the whole time, Dash would have wondered if it was a plea for attention, but the old stallion snickered at her comment, and offered them both a shrug. “It is true, Dash. We give the young Wonderbolts paperwork to train their minds, and assign hours in the training yard for their bodies. And if you mess up on one, we give you extra hours on the other, to remind new recruits to do both as hard as you can. Sometimes if a recruit’s slow to pick things up, one of their seniors ends up secretly helping them on the side, otherwise they can end up drowning in paperwork, or punishment hours in the exercise yard.”

Sometime while they were talking, Rumble returned to the kitchen and started chopping up the fresh vegetables that Blitz and Surprise had picked up. The scent scattered in the air made Dash’s belly rumble again, and she couldn't help but look out the window to check how much the sun had moved. Despite how little time had passed, Dash was starting to regret not bringing something to munch on.

Blitz pulled a wood and brass pipe from a decorative box on top of the ice chest, before turning to his daughter and swatting her shoulder playful. “I'm gonna have a smoke while Rumble makes lunch. Dash, care to join me? You're basically done with that application, right?”

Flipping over the page she'd just finished to look at the last sheet of paper in the stack, a single line remained to be answered. ‘List any and all family, blood relations, and if applicable, herd member(s).”

Dash’s quill moved swiftly across the page, scribbling down Blitz's name and Applejack's. She was just about to continue with a third name before catching herself, and hesitated over the page, hovering above a half written ‘D’. Her breath was suddenly rapid, and she stared at the page, her hand shaking. Her concentration was only broken when she heard Blitz call her name a second time. “Dash, you're done, right?”

Putting away the quill aggressively, Dash nearly knocked over the inkpot and rushed to stand up and follow him. “Yeah, sorry dad. Just had to finish listing family.”

Blitz only laughed as he waited for her to join him, expertly tamping down the tobacco in his pipe, giving Surprise a little nod. “I'll deliver Dash’s paperwork if you two want to go for a flight tonight. I need to talk with the Quartermaster anyways, they're supposed to have a dress uniform ready for me by Monday.”

Excited, Surprise clapped her hands together before remembering herself and straightening up, saluting him properly. “Ohhh! It'll be great to see you in uniform, Major.”

Blitz returned her salute before bursting out laughing, and shook his head at Surprise’s antics. “I didn't make my foal call me major, I won't make her friends do it either. Now help the colt finish up lunch. Big days ahead!”

As Dash followed her sire out onto the long balcony, she still wasn't sure just what to say to him, how to express her concerns. The fact he was so happy, that he was joking with, maybe even flirting with Surprise... It was all so good to see, yet… he'd been retired for over ten years, and she'd seen what Gilda could do up close. She shuddered at the thought of what a more experienced pack of griffons could do.

Leaning on his right arm on the railing, Blitz palmed a tindertwig and struck the red tip across the wood, popping the tip of the pipe into his mouth, sucking at it while using both hands to shield the match from the wind while lighting the pipe. Puffing a little at the pipe to bank up a bed of embers before casually asking her. “So, how's your stallion, then?”

Dash could feel her cheeks burning and her wings floof out at Blitz's casual question. Unable to keep her hands from fidgeting, she found herself scratching her nails into her elbow. “Dusk isn't my stallion‒ we're‒ well, it's not like that. Anyways, what about you rejoining the Wonderbolts?! You had years you coulda done that when you were younger. And don't tell me it's your duty or nothin’! If things were so bad with the griffons, I'd have heard about it by now!”

Dash could not tear her eyes from her sire now. She felt her legs shake while they stared at one another in silence for a while, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. The stallion shifted his pipe across his mouth, still puffing at the tobacco, its scent powerful enough that the lazy breeze didn't drive it all away.

Blitz drew a long breath, blowing out a careful ring of smoke and blinked first, leaning onto the rail and looked out over the nearby barracks. "This isn't about Gilda, Dash. There are things happening in the world. Things they don't tell anypony. Maybe Dusk’s figured out a little bit of it. He's smart, he probably has twice as many contacts as I do, growing up as Princess Celestia’s right hand. Things are bad in the Griffon Empire, Dash, worse than even Princess Celestia thought. The blood's gone bad and nopony is safe there anymore. Not even their own cubs. I joined back up because that’s how I can help. No more training foals who might get into a border skirmish every few months. They’re getting eaten alive over there Dash, and the Wonderbolts’ intervention might be the last chance we have of preventing this war from going any further.”

The cold and serious tone in his voice, the way he watched the distant training yard… she couldn't help it, Dash followed his gaze and focused in just like he'd trained her. In the far training yard, she counted at least three groups of forty pegasi, all wearing the royal guard uniform, being guided through formation and spear-fighting basics by two Wonderbolts while... while Fleetfoot stood by watching, standing alongside a bat mare she could swear she'd met once somewhere… Now Dash understood why her sire was so serious. “Those aren't Wonderbolts, they aren't even cadets. Dad, they're training the royal guard to fight griffons?”

A conflicted look made Blitz’s face a closed book to her, next to impossible to read for a moment, but he sighed and beat the charred ash out of his pipe against the railing of the deck. “Don't bother promising not to share this with Dusk. If they haven't told him by now, he'll hear the official announcement soon. We've occupied the griffon’s capital and are currently maintaining an uneasy peace between their colt emperor and the clan leaders who don't like the boy. It'd almost be better to let them gut the kid, but the current clan feuds are already so violent, they're fighting in the streets as it is. No clue who’d come out on top if they were allowed to go into a full on war with themselves.”

Dash felt like she was falling, and took a grip on the railing to steady herself, trying to understand everything he was saying. “But… you're going into all that, even as an advisor to Spitfire-”

Blitz hushed her with a finger to her lips, shaking his head and stepping closer, so he could reassuringly wrap his wing over her shoulders. “I'll be her third, Dash. And we're not alone, Celestia is sending another five wings of Wonderbolts and a full battalion of the royal guard.”

Dash finally gave in and wrapped her arms around Blitz, sinking into her sire’s powerful embrace and giving a mild grunt before sighing a little. “Just- just stay close to Surprise, dad, please? If some dumb brute Griffon knocks your block off with a lucky blow, I’ll chase you to Tartarus and back. And keep your right elbow up. Last time we were training together, you kept letting it droop! That's lazy!”

The stallion laughed warmly, shaking his head. “No, that was me trying to make you think you'd spotted an opening. But I'm glad you remembered. Now, what about Applejack and your stallion? Are you three settling down or not? I want to know before we ship out.”

Exasperated by just how much he'd been able to weasel out of Rumble, and probably any of his supposed ‘contacts’, Dash elbowed him in the stomach, shifting her stance casually while the old colt gasped for air. “Not a clue what you're talking about, Major Blitz. I'm like the wind, flying free wherever life takes me. Applejack’s good though, thanks for asking.”

* * *

Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville.

Applejack planted her weight into the wooden arms of the plow before whistling a familiar note to her brother. “C’mon, Mac, nearly done! Few more rows and then we can start seeding! Granny says if we get the chives and onions planted today, it'll fix up our bug problem and remind them darn rabbits to remember Fluttershy’s warning about our fields!”

As Mac dug in his feet and started another loop through the orchard, Applejack maintained the even pressure required to keep the plow digging a straight path, ducking the worst of the overhanging branches that only missed Mac’s head because of how far forward he leaned while pulling the plow along. “This is why it's good to work with you, Mac. If a job's worth doing, you'll keep going until sunset to make sure it's done, and done right.”

As they moved down the row, Applejack found that her thoughts were drifting. She couldn't help but worry about his current… relationship with Zecora. It wasn't like she wasn't a nice enough mare, but so far, things had not been going that smoothly. How'd Rarity put it? “Their cultures clash, darling. Like how sometimes you and Dusk have awkward moments. He was raised where a stallion asks a mare to dance and they stand close together, moving slowly. You? Well, not to be rude, but sometimes I wonder if your family's idea of a party couldn't be charitably described as more of running-brawl-slash-drinking-contest with musical accompaniment. The same issue exists for Mac and Zecora, but if they truly appreciate one another, they'll work it out.”

Just as Applejack was preparing to switch places with Mac and take a turn pulling the heavy plow on the next lap, the distant cry of Winona’s warning bark caught her ear over the noise generated by the dragging wood and earth churning plow. Hopping off the runner, Applejack stuck two fingers into her lips to reply to the canine in a sharp, drawn out whistle they'd practiced plenty of times before, giving the pup enough time to locate her and rush to join them.

To Applejack’s shock, Winona wasn't alone. She was followed closely by Amethyst, despite the way the pup could cut between the rows of the orchard at a pace most ponies struggled to manage in a straightaway. Seeing her wearing Derpy’s mail hat and being followed by an empty mail sack that practically flew due to the quick pace they kept up, it immediately became obvious to Applejack why she was here. Returning to the plow and unhooking their canteen, she offered the water to the panting mare who was hugging Winona around the shoulders and laughing a little too happily. “Catch your breath yet? How about some water?”

Still too breathless to answer, Amethyst accepted the water and ended up with just as much on her face as in her mouth, a problem that Winona was only too glad to help her deal with by giving her cheeks two long licks before finally wiggling out from under Amethyst’s arm to jog over to greet Big Mac with a hug as he approached, having finally struggled free of the plow’s leather harness.

Helping the still-breathless mare stand back up, Applejack took the water back and drank a little of the soothing, clear liquid before questioning Amethyst again. “So, you got some mail for us Amethyst?”

Resting a hand on her side to help herself stand up, she fetched a tattered brown telegram from her notebook, passing it over to Applejack with the backside turned up, revealing the large red stamp that had been used to imprint the word “URGENT!!!”

Snapping up the paper she turned it over to read what had been typed in by the unicorn working at the telegraph station. In the tiny typewriter text she read:

Frm Braeburn @ Appleloosa

To: AJ @ Sweet Apple Acres

Orchard trampled, Buffalo Rampage.

Desp need saplings/seedlings to save farm.

Plz send hlp can spare coz!!!

Applejack passed Mac the short note and pulled off her hat. For a moment she was so frustrated she couldn’t decide if she should yell, kick something, or break something. When Big Mac finished reading, he simply gave an audibly depressed sigh as his shoulders drooped, while one single tear ran across a cheek before he turned away from the mares to hide his grief.

It was a struggle, but Applejack managed to mediate the worst of her response, smacking her beloved hat against the rickety plow before half-heartedly decrying. “Aw… damn it to Tartarus! Mac, whatta we do!? That was two years of our very best choices for dry weather saplings, carefully cultivated, shipped, and stomped flat! No way we can replace them in time to salvage their orchard this year!”

Stiffening up and squaring his shoulders, Mac gestured with one hand almost absently before replying. “Four weeks, maybe five, plenty of seedlings to chose from. Never fruit this year though, no matter how talented his team is."

Applejack knew what that meant. Shipping off a good fifth of their crop to keep Braeburn and his crew from starving before winter… and then when winter hit? There was no decision to make, and her mouth felt dry as she looked over at the distant outline of her tree. She could always find her baby from anywhere in the orchard. She drew a breath between clenched teeth and gave Amethyst a thin-lipped smile. “Send a reply as soon as you get back, Ame. Top priority, tell the telegraph unicorn we’ll pay for overtime, but this has to arrive tomorrow and no later.”

When Amethyst had readied a pencil over her notepad and given a nod, Applejack began speaking in the snipped style of the telegraph. “Cuz: hlp soon! 5 wks, 40 splngs+. Will brng Bloomberg. Chin up!”

Looking up from the page, Amethyst hesitated for a moment, her pencil hovering above the paper. “Applejack… I could.. well, I could mark this with Dusk's title. As a magistrate, they'd send it overnight without any additional char-”

Shaking her head, Applejack gave Amethyst’s hand a squeeze. “I won't be abusing Dusk’s title for something personal, Ame. Besides, he ain't a fan of it in the first place, no reason to rub it in. But thanks for offering.”

Amethyst closed the notebook, attaching the pencil with a rubber band, and looked from Mac’s squared shoulders to Applejack, who had walked over to her brother’s side and was carefully fixing her hat. “Alright, Applejack. I'll get this sent right now. I'm- well, I'm sorry I can't do much more to help.”

Applejack gave Amethyst a small wave, shaking her head and putting on a smile for the deputy mailmare. “You brought us the news, and did it quickly. We couldn't have asked for anything more. Thanks, Amethyst, really.”

As the mare followed their directions to get back to the road without having to walk all the way back to the ranch, Winona reached up and took grip of the still-silent Mac’s hand, squeezing it as hard as she could to show him that he had her sympathies. It wasn't until the the sound of Amethyst walking in the distance faded away that Mac finally drew an audible breath, a single ragged sob that mixed into the otherwise silent moment in the orchard.

Applejack knew better than to bother saying something to comfort her brother and simply wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging the giant close while resting his head on her shoulder. He was closer to the trees than she was. He had told her as a foal he heard them scream when their parents had to remove the dead and dying trees of the orchard. She hadn't believed him then, as a foolish filly. She did now; she'd long since learned from far too many days of seeing how much every death affected him. How could she ignore it?

It was Mac who spoke first, after taking another, far more calm and measured breath. “Braeburn should do it already, but if he hasn't, collect their seeds and bring them home. Any true roots too. Maybe something can be salvaged. And if he forgets to do it, before you go, remind him properly?”

Applejack gave her brother a nod, pouring some of the water over his face before handing him the canteen to drink from; he hadn't cried much, but even a few tears had a wretched effect on the mellow giant’s normal expression. While brushing his hair with her hands, she promised him.

The shock that came next was when Winona suddenly released her grip on Mac's hand and hopped up to her full, if minor height, and gave a sudden, sharp warning back. She was answered by the parting branches of a tree not ten feet away, and Zecora, breathless but silent as the woods around her, emerged from the orchard. “Prithee quiet, I do not mean to be rude, a warning is why I intrude.”

If Zecora’s odd way of speaking bothered the pup, Winona didn't seem to care, instead walking carefully, but no longer on guard over her, watchful, and sniffing hard before speaking up. “You don't smell of anything but trees and swamp. Why don't you smell of pony? You’re confusing and cheating! Everypony smells of pony, at least a little!”

Placing a hand on the canine’s snout so she could get a good sniff, while also silencing the pup, Zecora spoke quickly to Winona, but watched Mac as he straightened up and gave her a small nod in a muted greeting. “Some places I must dwell, to smell like a pony is to ring a dinner bell. Please hush, I pray, the news that brings me today must be told without further delay.”

Holding out her free hand to Mac, Zecora stepped forward, her voice not hiding her panicked state. “Mac my dear, I see you are distressed, and what I carry is not merry, to that I attest. I do decree, so please hear me: A Hydra has left the Everfree, and I fear it heads toward Canterlot on its spree!”

This new and more immediate headache replaced the issue of Braeburn’s trampled farm and both rushed to join the mare, Mac taking her hand, while Applejack hovered over Winona’s shoulder. The fact Mac was busy making sure she was okay left Applejack to question Zecora. “A Hydra? Are you sure? Like one of the little ones? Twenty, maybe thirty feet long at most and only three or four heads, right?”

Zecora stroked Mac’s cheek soothingly with her hand, but she answered Applejack right away. “No such chance, dear orchard keeper. It had nine heads and their glare filled me with dread climbing steeper. As for size? Beyond my eyes. To measure her would not be wise. Thirty feet is much less, than the ninety feet that I would guess.”

That was all Applejack needed to hear. “We need to find Dusk, right now. He can alert Canterlot and… well, I’m sure he’ll know what to do about a Hydra that big!”

To her surprise, Mac grabbed her shoulder to restrain her, his deep voice now booming with confidence. “We’ll come with you, Applejack. Dusk might be a mystic, but you'll still need all the help you can get for a Hydra. Get your hammer and boots. We'll meet you on the road to town.”

Looking from her brother to the shaman mare, Applejack worried and nearly bit her lip while trying to phrase her answer without sounding rude. Zecora solved that for her however. “I do intend to attend. So hurry dear or we'll leave you here.”

* * *

Just outside Ponyville on the path to Fluttershy’s cottage.

Stopping to lean against a tree, Pinkie tried to make her head stop running around in circles, to clear her thoughts,-

“But Dusk-”

to push away the serious,-

“-loves me-”

and bring back the silly.

“-for who I am.”

Turning away from the tree, Pinkie shivered, rubbing her hands over her elbows at a chill that wasn’t due to the weather or the wind. “He doesn’t. He knows the smile. The happy face I share with other ponies. He doesn’t really know-.”

Her left cheek itched, and a muscle in her right leg twitched. Rubbing at her face, she couldn’t ignore the signs. “He’s following me now. Why not go see Fluttershy before he catches up? She’s always honest. She loves you for more than the smile.”

The thought that she was being followed worried Pinkie; she hasn't even had time to think about what had happened, but worse was the reminder about Fluttershy. Turning down the path towards Fluttershy’s, Pinkie wiped at her eye, drying her cheek. “She loves Rarity more.”

“If that were true, why hasn’t she told Rarity? Or stopped visiting on the bad days?”

“She doesn’t!”

“She does. Every time.”

Unable to help herself, Pinkie clutched her head in her hands, still walking the path, but trying to drown herself out. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!”

“They both love me. So why shut them out?”

Pinkie shouted, as she threw her hands out at her sides, crying again, and not trying to hide it anymore. “Because if I let them see everything, they’d stop! They’d stop caring, they’d stop helping! Nopony ever stuck around!”

Silence greeted Pinkie as she stood panting for breath, apart from the dying echo of her voice, she was alone in the woods. Silence and nothing else. For a long time, she stood there, listening to her breath, watching the still trees rustle in the breeze. Nopony answered.

Turning towards Fluttershy’s again, Pinkie started to take a step down the road, only to be interrupted.

“Maud did. Marble and Lime did too. Ma and Pa. They all did.”

Pinkie tried to ignore her voice, and the thoughts she had no answer to, tried to continue down the path.

“So why not Dusk? Why not Fluttershy?

Pinkie tried to act casual; she kicked a stone, and bounced it off the top of her foot, hopping on the other while continuing the balancing act, tipping the stone into the air and catching it, time and time again on the top of her foot, before tossing it up again, repeating the game.

“Why not try?”

Again, Pinkie screamed her answer at the top of her lungs to drown out the voice, her voice, her thoughts. “BECAUSE IF I’M WRONG, IT ENDS! IT ALL ENDS! THE FUN, THE GAMES! THE PARTIES AND THE LAUGHTER. ‘CAUSE IF THEY STOP SMILING…”

“We’re alone, again."

* * *

Fluttershy giggled as she knelt down and let a finger tickle across the belly of the large frog, his throat expanding as he sucked in a breath to flood his vocal sac. She couldn’t help it, the way his belly expanded before a long drawn out ‘ribbit’ was simply charming, and the way the lady frogs responded was adorable! With care she walked him over to an empty picnic basket, before collecting the females that he was trying to court with his loud and often quite lurid indications and descriptions of his virility, mass, prowess in hunting, of how high he could jump, and any number of other things that made her blush to recall.

“Now really, Mr. Croaks! You can save those kinds of stories for after we move you to your new home! Froggy Bottom Bog is a wonderful place! And it’s not that far of a walk from Ponyville, so I can come bring you all extra supplies until you sort out who gets to stay and who has to move on to Mossy Top Mire. Don’t worry! You’ll have lots of time to boast!”

Secretly, Fluttershy was just glad that the unknown distant noise that had spooked the frogs was gone now. She’d nearly had all of them in baskets, then somepony started yelling, blowing off stress, probably. And as on edge as the poor froggies were, they’d scattered into the four winds and she’d been forced to start filling her wheelbarrow and baskets all over again. Frogs were such picky creatures! They got very vocal about who they had to sit with for their ride to their new home. It had taken her forever to get them back in line and into their baskets.

Standing back up and brushing her hands off with a satisfied sigh, Fluttershy examined the vast collection of baskets, and the wheelbarrow filled with waiting frogs. Hundreds of them all breathed quietly, and were staring at her. “Oh my… this might take a couple of trips, won’t it? Oh… Dash, I’m going to be late at this rate.”

“Late for what, Fluttershy?!”

Pinkie's loud and happy voice came as a shock to Fluttershy, and as she all-but jumped up, she nearly knocked over a basket. After taking a moment to make sure the frogs at her feet weren’t about to freak out on her again, Fluttershy turned to Pinkie, glad to see her friend. Unable to hide her happy smile, she greeted the mare. “Oh, Pinkie! You always have the very best timing! You see, these poor frogs were driven from their homes and now I’ve got to relocate them to somewhere safer. But I promised Dash I’d join her in Cloudsdale tonight, and there are just too many for me to transport alone!”

Pinkie stood on the balls of her feet, hovering there, impatient, excited, ready to react at any moment. But Fluttershy saw the little signs. Those hints that told her Pinkie was having a bad day. Stress tensing around Pinkie's eyes, and the way she fidgeted, but only in her legs and feet, not her hands. They were flat on her hips, still as stone. “Unless you came for something? Maybe a talk?”

Pinkie gave her a little chuckle, waving a hand dismissively and walking over to her side. She crouched down, leaning forward to balance herself on the basket of frogs. Once she was steady enough in her crouch, Pinkie slipped a hand inside to tickle one of the frogs under his adorable little chin. “Your cute little ribbiting friends lost their home? That’s awful! I’m sorry, Fluttershy! Of course I can help!”

Then, right before Fluttershy’s eyes, all of the signs of a bad day melted away and Pinkie looked normal again. She had relaxed; even the creases around her eyes went away. Pushing aside her worry for her friend for a moment, Fluttershy replied, “Ohhh! Thank you, Pinkie! I’m so glad to hear you’re willing to help me! I’ve spent so much time sorting out Mr. Croaker and Mr. Ribbit's families, I honestly was starting to get worried I’d never make it home in time. And they’re all so jumpy. Somepony was screaming ten, twenty minutes ago and it all got them into such a fit! But that’s okay now. Even though they’re scared, and soon they’ll be moving to a whole new home filled with things they’ve never seen, and having to build new homes in a strange place, they’ll be okay. ‘Cause they have their friends and family around. And with the help of their loved ones, everything will turn out just perfect for them.”

As if something she said spoke to Pinkie, the mare went quiet, her eyes wide but happy, and she smiled up at Fluttershy. She let out a low and thoughtful little sigh as she put her head on one hand and shook it. “Ohhh… you’re right, Fluttershy, you really are. Friends and family can really help with bad days.”

Throwing her arm around Pinkie, Fluttershy rubbed her hand softly against her shoulder in gentle circles, grinning warmly. “I agree, Pinkie. It does make everything easier when you just let friends help you out.”

* * *

Dusk could just make out the sounds of conversation as he approached the edge of the stream that ran parallel with the path and under the bridge at Fluttershy's cottage. At the very limits of his hearing, he could just make out the girls talking, but even with his magic supplementing his ears, he needed to get closer to make out the actual words. Carefully inching into the woods while following the path, Dusk leaned against a tree to hide out of sight, running his fingers over the rough bark. “Pinkie… are you feeling better now? Should I linger and wait? Will you flee from me again? Has Fluttershy fixed things?”

As he moved in closer, still shielded by the trees, he was finally able to pick up their conversation at last, soft whispers at the limit of his hearing. Dusk chuckled at the way Fluttershy's shock made her voice sound so adorable. “Pinkie! I just noticed! You got your Element of Harmony from Dusk?! It looks so good on you!”

Dusk could just make it out as Pinkie jumped a little, shocked as if she were reminded of the necklace around her throat. Her hand shot to the golden choker, and Dusk could just barely see the flicker of shock and worry dance in her expression. Then she relaxed and gave a gentle laugh, waving off Fluttershy’s questions. “Oh, yeah. He let me try it on this afternoon. We were talking about things in his laboratory, and one thing led to another, and he offered to let me try it on and wear it for a while! I’d better return it to him later, he worries somepony might try and steal them, and wants to keep them locked up.”

Fluttershy laughed, and stepped closer, rubbing her fingers over Pinkie’s face, probably her friend’s temples, Dusk judged. Grinning all the while, she replied. “It looks good on you, Pinkie! And if you got out your little gold earrings that look like your cutie mark, it would look even better!”

Carefully brushing her fingers across the golden choker, Pinkie looked thoughtful for a moment and gave a wistful sigh. “You’re right, Fluttershy, but… well, we’d better put it back after we get your friends moved.”

Inspecting the watching frogs once more, Fluttershy gave a little sigh, straightening up and cracking her knuckles as she flexed a little. “You’re right, Pinkie, we’d better start going then!”

Looking over at all the frogs, Pinkie’s tail began to sway rapidly, and her right heel knocked on the dirt three times in rapid succession. She hesitated for a moment, as if she were thinking about something, scratching her chin with a finger before suddenly hopping up to her full height, and overdramatically punching a fist ruefully in the air. “It’s too bad Dusk isn’t around! He’s always so eager and friendly when it comes to helping other ponies out with their problems.”

Shocked, certain that Pinkie must have somehow noticed him watching them, Dusk stepped back behind the tree, trying to catch his breath as he continued to listen in on the mares. “You’re right, Pinkie! But it’s just too bad that by the time we go find Dusk, it wouldn’t make things any better, we’d still end up taking so long, I’d be late getting to Blitz’s place in Cloudsdale.”

Dusk realized that the mares had started collecting the baskets and were paying him no attention at all. “Am I just getting paranoid? Surely Pinkie couldn't have seen me from this far away. Maybe… Maybe I’ve gotten carried away again. Besides, except for her occasional fidget, Pinkie really does look like she’s feeling better.”

Straightening his shirt, and smoothing down the worst of his hair, Dusk walked carefully out of the trees to the path, then started jogging down the path to Fluttershy’s place, calling out loudly before he rounded the last bend. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Have you seen Pinkie anywhere!?”

As he rounded the corner, Pinkie and Fluttershy both stopped; Pinkie had frozen in place while Fluttershy was happily clapping her hands, her wings spread out as she hopped from one foot to the other. “Dusk! You showed up just in time! We desperately need your help if we’re going to deliver these poor froggies to their new home before I’m late for dinner at Dash’s!”

Meeting eyes with Dusk, Pinkie tried to swallow back the lump in her throat, and gave him a half-hearted wave, laughing nervously. “Ha-huh ha haa… Hi, Dusk~ I'm sorry for getting carried away earlier. I just got a little overwhelmed. Forgive me?”

Rushing over to Dusk's side, Fluttershy somehow managed to tightly hug him without having to put down the many baskets of frogs she carried. “Oh, don't worry, Pinkie! Dusk understands! I'm sure wearing your Element of Harmony can get very overwhelming at times! Now, come on! Let's move these frogs to their new home!”

Looking from Pinkie to Fluttershy and back again, Dusk coughed nervously and reached out with his magic to pick up a vast number of the frog baskets that lay waiting, while softly petting Fluttershy on the back. “Sure, Pinkie, sure. I totally understand. Fluttershy’s right. I admit the power of the crown… it scares me sometimes. Do you mind if we put your Element back as soon as we're done with Fluttershy’s frogs though, Pinkie? It makes me nervous, having it out this long.”

Visibly blushing, Pinkie rubbed at the back of her head, and offered him a reassuring nod combined with one of her biggest smiles. “Oh, sure Dusk! And thanks again for understanding my little… umm… moment earlier.”

Levitating his baskets over while Fluttershy double checked on the frogs and Pinkie grabbed the cart, Dusk finally relaxed a little and gave a happy sigh. “No problem, Pinkie. Now let's go! It's a beautiful day out for a walk in the woods with two beautiful mares. What could ever spoil this day?”

Author's Note

Extra shout out to my editors for help on this challenging chapter. See if you can spot the couple of semi-subtle examples of Pinkie sense!

Also shout out to them for the help with the blog post related to this chapter: An Initial Series of Notes on Earth Pony Magic and Its Effects on Their Druidic Faith

It's a growing piece filled with notes Dusk's written about Earth Pony religious oddities, and how different their magic is from the Unicorn and Pegasi magic he grew up around.

Chapter 14: Feeling Pinkie Keen - Part 4

Saturday, April 9th, 3pm, Dusk’s Library

Applejack forced herself to keep to a mile-eating stride until she could see the front door of Dusk’s library. Mac had offered to carry Zecora, but the shaman matched his sister’s pace and seemed to maintain it without struggle. Barely slowing down, Applejack didn't so much knock on the door but collide with it, followed by rapidly hitting it with her balled fist while calling for Dusk in the calmest bellow she could muster, trying to pick her words so listening ponies wouldn't panic. “Dusk! Hey, Dusk!!! We got something real important goin’ on and I need to talk to you. Right now!”

The silence that answered Applejack's rapid knocking made her heart sink into her belly. Nervous at the holdup, she dug a hand under her belt, to the pocket she kept the key Dusk had given her, realizing for the first time how awkward the belt loop scabbard for her hammer made getting things from her pockets. “And ponies are starting to notice. Between the hammer and these boots, I'm not surprised.” Applejack looked down at her metal boots, or as Bronze kept insisting on calling them, ‘mythril greaves’. Their polished blue metal resisted the dirt and mud when she walked, and the padding made it feel like she could kick all day and never get a leg cramp, but they stood out like a sore thumb against her otherwise plain clothing.

As she finally managed to wedge the key free, she could just make out Bronze calling back from inside the house. “Just- just hold on a minute, Applejack!” To Applejack’s embarrassment, Bronze opened the door without needing to unlock it, swinging it open as she looked back over her shoulder and called towards the kitchen. “Hey, Dusk! Applejack’s here. You and Pinkie done in the basement yet?”

Smoothing down the pocket with her key and adjusting where her warhammer sat, Applejack moved to step into the space Bronze made for her, but the the Vicarius was watching her, and the moment her eyes saw Applejack’s hammer and boots, she stiffened up, stepping away from the door only a few inches, eyes growing cold and her voice colder. “What's happened, Applejack? Why are you armed?”

Putting a hand on the door to force it open if Bronze wasn't going to let her in any further, Applejack maintained a calm face and watched for Dusk’s appearance from the kitchen. “We've got a problem, Bronze, and I don't want to spook the townsfolk like a fox in the coop. Let's get Dusk and I'll explain.”

Looking Applejack up and down with a critical, weighing eye, Bronze hesitated for a moment. Seeming to come to a decision, she nodded her head before finally swinging the door fully open and motioning for them to hurry inside. “Swiftly please, I don't know what's taking Dusk so long. He just went to the basement with Pinkie Pie a few hours ago to study her ‘Pinkie Sen-’...” As if she realized what she was saying, Bronze’s voice cut off and she smacked herself in the face with the palm of her hand, groaning a little. “Right, forget I even said that. Let's go find him.”

Rushing into the open space as soon as Bronze gave way, Applejack forced herself to remain calm, despite the minor delay. “Bronze is just protective of Dusk, I'd probably do the exact same thing if somepony showed up armed at my door looking for him out of the blue.”

Followed inside by Zecora and Big Mac, Applejack went straight for the basement door by the kitchen. She gestured to her brother and Zecora after noticing how much the Vicarius stared at the very dull mud the zebra had used to paint her skin, trying to get her back on topic. “Some kind of disguise for the Everfree. Zecora’s been following a hydra. She thinks it's one of the crazy ninety footers like the ones my Granny Smith says devastated her family's old farm when she was a foal! Now it's left the forest and might be headed for Canterlot, and we need to get Dusk and warn Princess Celestia right now!”

Drawn back to the more immediate matter, Bronze matched her pace and got ever more grim, focusing on the door to Dusk’s laboratory while lengthening her stride and punching one fist into her palm. “By the Light! We need to get word to the Royal Guard and the nearest 'Bolt detachment; they're the ones trained to deal with this sort of thing."

Applejack's powerful, calloused fingers reached out to grab the basement doorknob, only briefly noticing a faint buzzing noise. As she began to twist she winced; the accompanying noise spiked so dramatically it made her ears sting. Cringing, Applejack looked around and raised her voice over the escalating cacophony, “Dear Celestia! What kinda experiments has Dusk been doing that make so much noise?”

Looking around for the source of the aggravating noise, Bronze settled her eyes on the basement door, swallowing and answering Applejack just a moment too late. “I don't think that's a sound from an experiment, Applejack. I think we'd bet-”

The ripple of magic came on so suddenly as Applejack started to tug on the door that she didn't have time to realize what was happening. A thunderous boom filled the room, accompanying an arc of lightning that shot from the doorknob in her hand into her wrist. The brilliant flare of blue light numbed her hand and stung as bad as hitting a thick knot while chopping wood. “Oh! Miserable rotten crab apples! That smarts!”

Big Mac and Zecora had been lingering near the entrance until now, but this brought them running down the hall. After checking on Applejack, Bronze stared at the door, her bewilderment and growing frustration clear in her aggressive stance, tense with her mounting agitation, wings ruffling and shifting constantly, but locked tight to her back. “But why would Dusk lock everypony out of the basement if he and Pinkie are down there doing some research?”

Mac inspected Applejack's limp wrist, massaging the tingling muscles with care, trying to encourage feeling back into her hand. Zecora laughed gently in her singsong tones. “Don't make yourself weary, this is not the right query The contention lies not in what Dusk wishes to keep out, but what he wants to make sure stays in, no doubt. The lock is on the outside of the door, therefore he must have left the basement before.”

Letting go of Applejack’s wrist and turning to look at the door, sizing it up, Mac asked a simple question. “So there’s no reason to break it down. Question is, what’s down there that Dusk would want to protect?”

Wiggling her fingers as the feeling started to return, Applejack noticed even Bronze was looking at her. “Well… not much, really, Mac. Dusk told Barb there was no reason to waste time cleaning it, so I've only gone down there a few times. Tons of spare furniture for the library, a laboratory room… Oh! Last time I was down there, he had that great heavy chest Princess Celestia sent the Elements of Harmony in. You don't think Dusk still has them here, do ya?” Unable to stop the wonder from sneaking back into her voice, Applejack remembered the way she felt while wearing her Element. The thrill of memories, of defeating Nightmare Moon and saving Princess Luna sent a tingle down her spine, derailing her thoughts completely.

Shaking her head a little, Bronze tried to redirect them. “So it's locked, and he isn't answering us. Where in Equestria would he have gone without telling me? Without telling somepony? Maybe I should go look for him.”

Before Bronze could get out of reach, the comment she had made before returned to Applejack. She extended her arm and reached out to grab Bronze's shoulder. “Bronze, wait! You said something about the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts? Who do we contact? What do we gotta do next? We haven't seen a hydra around here in ages!”

Those questions drew Bronze to a stop, and she hesitated, wanting desperately to hunt down Dusk, though she knew that nopony in Ponyville except Dusk, Dash, and herself probably knew what to do next. The way the three towering ponies watched her made her realize what the number one priority had to be. She took to the air, hovering a foot off the ground as she tried to organize her thoughts, forcing back worries about Dusk’s unexplained absence. She had work to do now. “First, I need to find Thunderlane. Even if he hasn't been trained for this, I'll need his assistance with organizing the weather team. After that, we'll start patrols to hunt down the hydra, while Thunderlane’s two fastest flyers go to Cloudsdale and Canterlot to get the nearest detachments of both the Royal Guards’ Unicorn Corps and at least a wing of Wonderbolts.”

Stepping forward as Bronze talked, Applejack was glad to hear the guard had a plan they could follow. Now she wanted to pitch in, too. “What can we do to help Bronze? There must be something.”

Turning to think for a moment as she rubbed her jaw, Bronze's wings fidgeted as she hovered in place, lost in thought. “You should come with me, Applejack. Your family name is well known. It will add weight to mine and Thunderlane’s in the letters we send to the guards and the ‘Bolts. Mac and Zecora, if you can find the mayor and send her to Thunderlane’s to add her authority to the letter, that would be the best help. After that… look for Dusk. He’ll think of a dozen things I probably missed. Alright?”

Offering the guard a reassuring smile, Zecora gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We'd be happy to take your request, most of all if it takes some weight off your chest."

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere on the way to Froggy Bottom Bog

“Here, Fluttershy, let me hold this branch back while you pass.”

“Aww! Thank you, Dusk! You're so sweet!”

Adjusting her grip on the wheelbarrow’s handles, Pinkie followed after Dusk and Fluttershy, wistfully watching how naturally they talked, how casually they acted. Part of her was beyond proud; she'd been helping Rarity and Dash with their shy friend for so long, and it was exhilarating to finally see her open up to a stallion. A small part of her was jealous, though, and she slowed her pace. As she lingered, she watched how Dusk used the excuse of holding a branch out of her way to brush a hand across Fluttershy’s cheek, and the way the meek mare giggled at that, her usual blush paired with a muted titter of laughter.

Dusk tarried longer, still holding the heavy branch out of the way as Pinkie passed by, only releasing it after she had passed. He rested a hand on her shoulder, while the baskets of frogs floated behind him, supported by his magic. The frogs had only grown more noisy in agitation as the trip went on. “Pinkie, if you need a break, I can probably take over pushing the wheelbarrow for a few miles. I know you are strong, but I don't mind helping.”

There was no way Pinkie could ignore the way her legs trembled as Dusk smiled at her and peered deeply into her eyes, as if he was innocently looking into her mind. Straining up as she passed him, she let her tail stroke across his belly, winking playfully. “Why don't you hop in the cart instead? I'd be happy to take you for a ride!”

Dusk simply couldn’t help himself, and he followed after her, his eyes filled with laughter. Shaking his head at the way Pinkie had phrased the joke, he chuckled as he touched her elbow when she passed by him. "Oh, Pinkie! You are such a flirt! Maybe later, but right now we've got frogs to relocate!”

Giggling at their absurd conversation, Fluttershy covered her mouth to muffle her own timid titter of delight, double-checking their surroundings before she picked a gap in the conversation to jump in at. “Don't worry! I promise we're almost there! See those mountains? They're located on the far side of the bog!”

Pinkie delayed just long enough for Dusk and Fluttershy to get a little ahead of her again, leaning over her wheelbarrow and watching them chatter, unable to keep herself from silently brooding. She still wasn’t quite sure what had set her on edge until she nearly tripped over her tail, only now noticing it had coiled tightly around her leg, no longer poofy, but clinging to her leg, all the way down to her ankle. Pausing to reach down and try to uncoil her hair, the way it suddenly uncoiled a few loops, dancing and shifting from side to side just like a wild snake. “Now stop that! Dusk or Fluttershy might notice!”

Her hair expressed a mind of its own, and only slowly relaxed under her intense glare, leaving behind lots of knotted clumps she had to deal with. Then the tremor hit, so hard her vision blurred, and she nearly crashed into the wheelbarrow. When it had finally passed, her neck, back and legs ached from the rapid spasm that had refused to let go. Leaning heavily on the wooden cart while struggling to catch her breath, Pinkie wiped her sweaty brow, unable to keep her voice to a whisper. “That was a real doozie! Just what’s going to happen at Froggy Bottom Bog…?”

* * *

Meanwhile, at Thunderlane’s place

For the second time today, Thunderlane jumped as a rapid series of knocks on his door interrupted what he had planned to be a quiet afternoon. Only this time, unlike earlier, there was no joy or playfulness in the knock. Looking up from the lunch Flitter had prepared for him before she had left, Thunderlane gave Cloudchaser a suspicious glare. "You said your sister was helping out at the school today..."

Laying her fork on top of her empty plate, Cloudchaser was all innocence, and rushed to stand up. “I promise, Thunderlane, no games today. She's helping out with the younger foals today, and I'm covering Rainbow Dash’s flight training with the foals after school. Just… Let me just go check who it is, finish your daisy salad.”

Rushing past him, Thunderlane didn't miss how she let the softer feathers in her wing brush against his shoulder. It was a more subtle display of affection that was starting to become a regular thing, and her tail swayed from side to side in a way that spoke of her good mood. As much as she had told him to keep eating, Thunderlane was still leery that the twins were playing some game with him, so he turned in his chair to watch as she opened the door.

Since she was standing in the doorway, Thunderlane could not see who had knocked, but by the way Cloudchaser’s tail drooped the moment the door opened, he could tell she wasn’t happy to see whoever it was.

Bronze’s voice cut through the quiet room before Cloudchaser could say anything, her tone serious, even official. “Cloudchaser? Where’s Thunderlane? I need the whole weather team rallied immediately. We have a situation to deal with, right now!”

Cloudchaser drew back from the door, groaning just loud enough for Thunderlane to overhear her complaint. “Not today, Bronze! We only just sat down for lunch, and we had such a nice afternoon planned! Why do you need Thunderlane? Wouldn’t one of the other weather team members work?”

Standing so he could go speak with Bronze, Thunderlane didn't miss the disappointment in Cloudchaser’s voice, but Bronze answered her before he could reach the door, her voice ominous and sharp. “There’s no time, Cloudchaser. I need Thunderlane, right now. If we don’t act on this right away, a lot of ponies will end up getting hurt, possibly killed.”

Stepping in before the the situation escalated any further, Thunderlane put a hand on Cloudchaser’s shoulder while he looked out at Bronze, and behind her, where Applejack stood watching. “You need the weather team’s help with something, Bronze? What's wrong? How can we help?”

Cloudchaser was reluctant to let Thunderlane gently push her aside out of the way. Her wings bristled nervously, shifting in frustration. Bronze and Applejack both visibly relaxed as he appeared, and Bronze stepped forward, gesturing inside the house. “We have a hydra running wild, Thunderlane, and Dusk is AWOL. That means I'm the only one with any kind of disaster training…” Her voice trailed off for just a moment, turning hopeful, even excited. “Unless Dash gave you some?”

Now Thunderlane understood, and his heart fell. “Oh, dear Celestia. We always talked about that kind of stuff, but no, things were always getting in the way. Just- come inside, Bronze, Applejack. Tell me what we need to do.”

As Thunderlane turned to lead the way inside, he felt Cloudchaser gently touch his bicep. "I was helping Rainbow Dash with the schedule and some of the planning last week," she said, squeezing Thunderlane's arm softly but looking straight at Bronze. "I know where she left a bunch of the paperwork; she said they were some sort of emergency documents. I could go find them!"

The moment Thunderlane admitted he had no preparation for such a situation, the guardsmare had straightened up, her wings folding flat to her back once more. “Please, Cloudchaser. Thank you both. Thunderlane, let's move inside. The mayor will arrive soon, and we need to draft up letters requesting the assistance from the Royal Guard and the nearest Wonderbolts detachment. You'll also need to pick out your two fastest independent flyers while we rally the rest of the weather team. We need to locate and follow this beast until the guard arrives.”

Stepping back inside and returning to his small table, Thunderlane and Cloudchaser cleared it, while offering two of the three seats he had to the guard and the farmer. “Cloudchaser and Flitter are my fastest flyers left with Dash gone. Well… some of the younger foals are faster, but Dash never trusted any of them on solo flights around the Everfree, and neither would I. They wouldn't be qualified for something important like this.” Worried by how quiet the normally vocal farmer was, and growing anxious under the tension himself, Thunderlane turned to Applejack. “When did you get caught up in all of this, Applejack?”

The towering mare shook her head, and pointed at Bronze. “Zecora told me and Mac about the hydra, we came looking for Dusk, but we can’t find him. Now I'm here to sign some requests for help, while Mac and Zee go looking for Dusk. It's… it's not like him to just wander off like this, but with a hydra around, we ain’t got time to dawdle.”

Bronze had claimed most of the table in a peremptory way that reminded Thunderlane of Dusk, and was unfolding a map covered with fine writing in some language he didn’t understand. She also pulled out sheets of paper, some covered in seals in ink that practically glowed in golden sunlight. Unable to recognize even half of the seals, Thunderlane started feeling more nervous, a finger tracing over one of the spare copies, his hand shaking nervously over the page as he followed the one emblem he knew. He muttered aloud while trying to place the words written in old unicorn dialogue beneath. “I know this one… this is the Seal of the Weather Captain, the script is something like… ‘Férnoume ton ánemo’... um, ‘We carry the wind’?”

Looking up from the map, Bronze gave him a smile, going over the other emblems with her dry quill as a pointer. “Right. This is Dusk’s personal crest, his family’s crest, the crest of Ponyville’s office, the crest of the mayor, Cobalt Treatise…” She hesitated, looking over at Applejack. “I don’t suppose you have a family crest, do you? It would help make sure anypony questioning our messengers takes us seriously.”

Applejack reached out and tapped the emblem that Bronze had pointed out as Ponyville’s crest. “Granny Smith has a stamp she puts only on the best cider Mac brews and her Zap Apple Jam. It’s the same as this; she says the old words mean something like: “We harvest the fruit of the earth” I think…”

That seemed to catch Bronze off guard, and she looked at the crest, a large apple tree lay upon two crossed sheafs of wheat, with an acorn nestled in the center. Trying to piece the symbology together, Bronze offered Applejack a smile. "I'm sketchy on heraldry, but acorn for independence and strength, wheat for abundance and hope, and the tree for nobility and antiquities?"

Applejack gave her a shrug, smiling wistfully. "It's random details like that I normally go to Granny Smith to ask about. But we don't have time for that, I suppose. Let's get these letters done before Mrs. Mayor arrives."

With care, Bronze and Applejack took turns briefly debating phrasing while Applejack wrote the letters, leaving Thunderlane to reference the hydra's general vicinity and likely path based on Zecora’s warning and Bronze’s map. Once she had explained how the map showed elevation, he marked the six likeliest paths it might have taken, while Cloudchaser left to rally the weather team, and find somepony to watch over the foals Dash normally trained.

With Bronze busy going over search patterns with Thunderlane, Applejack was left working on the letters alone. Worried she might have missed something, she paused, hovering her quill over the final line on the page. “Maybe… somethin’ like: ‘With greatest urgency, we, the undersigned, petition for your assistance:’?”

The sounds from the gathering weather team outside were growing, a reassuring sign to Bronze. Turning away from her maps, Bronze leaned over the page and quickly scanned the dire warning and details about the hydra. Relaxing and giving Applejack’s shoulder a squeeze, she nodded. “Yeah, you covered everything I can think of. Just make sure to leave space for the crests and emblems at the bottom of the page.”

Glad these days that Granny Smith had been insistent that she graduate from school, Applejack wrote on, sticking her tongue out of the side of her mouth as she focused. But with the swirl of her signature complete, Applejack couldn't help but stare at the silk ribbons on the waiting sheet of emblems. “Errr… Bronze? Did I write on the wrong page? These fancy emblems are fused with this waxy paper here…”

Casually tossing the marker she had been using to direct Thunderlane around the map, Bronze reopened the tin writing case she had brought along with the quills and papers, and pulled out a small, oddly purple-colored wad of wax. “It's something that the unicorn scribes came up with. The sigils carry the weight and family name of whoever signs for them, so they only produce them in small amounts, and seal them with magic to make sure their authenticity can be checked. This wax lets a non-unicorn transfer them from page to page. After working for Shining Armor, I got good with this stuff.”

While Applejack watched, Bronze rolled the purple-ish wax ball back and forth across Dusk’s crest, taking great care to rub a little over every inch of the emblem. A thin, glowing aura of magic slowly started forming over the surface of the emblem, spreading more and more as she worked. Already Applejack could see the edges giving away from the wax paper, eventually slipping off the top page and onto the letter. Moving quickly, she adjusted the floating emblem, squaring it with the edge of the page and pressed down firmly, watching closely. “After ten or twenty seconds, the magic fades and the emblem affixes to the page permanently. You have to be quick and careful; after the magic finishes, if you try to move it, the emblem will rip to shreds, something Shining Armor says the scribes insisted on to prevent theft or impersonation.”

Taking the wax from Bronze, Applejack started rolling it over the Emblem of Ponyville, focusing as she carefully spread the magic wax across the page until the sigil slipped free. Once she was sure that Applejack had that handled, Bronze stood, and gave Thunderlane a nudge. “Let's go get your team organized, Thunderlane. The mayor better be here soon. We need these letters sent off ASAP.”

As she stood and started towards the door, Bronze pulled her leather gloves off her hip, working her fingers into the smooth tan leather as she pushed through the door to an impressive sight. “Thunderlane was right. They might just be part-timers for the weather team, but they can move fast when needed."

While Thunderlane didn't have as much land for the weather team to mill about on, they made do, filling out nearby trees and the roofs of neighbouring houses. Eyeballing a quick count, she guessed there were around forty here, and discounting Derpy, that might as well have been the entire weather team. “Light, some of the more energetic foals are trying to show off. But I suppose that makes sense, Dash seems like the type that would probably give them more attention when they do.”

Still adjusting her gloves, Bronze lifted her head, giving Thunderland a small nod to begin, watching how the stallion handled his people rather than stampede in and disrupt the existing chain of command.

Swallowing sharply, Thunderlane slowly stepped forward. When he stopped, he stood alone in the middle of the clearing before his house, sure that everypony could see him. A few of the adults fell silent, and nudged their neighbours to do the same. Unfortunately, most of the foals, and almost half the young adults continued to talk, totally ignoring him. Twice he looked ready to say something, then hesitated. Bronze schooled her expression to avoid a wince; he looked torn between demanding silence and waiting for the others to give him their attention. Then at last, the stallion lifted his brass whistle to his lips, his powerful lungs generating an ear-piercing, yet clear note, one Bronze identified as a call for attention.

That finally got the attention of the rest of the weather team, and they all stood to watch him as he did his best to stare back up at them, finally letting the whistle fall from his lips. “All right, thank you all for coming out so quickly. I'm not like Dash, I don’t have her training or experience, so I'll be blunt. A hydra has left the Everfree Forest sometime in the last few hours and is current-”

The roar of panic from the crowd nearly staggered him; those who had gathered to see just what the weather team were up to were the loudest, but as soon as they began to voice their fears, it spread like wildfire through the simple townsponies. The volume rose rapidly, threatening to drown out Thunderlane’s powerful voice. Bronze's eyes widened-- herd panic. She was watching the unity that bound Ponyville together begin to turn toxic. She hoped Thunderlane could control it, but began to compose herself in case she needed to step in.

Doing his best to pull them back, Thunderlane started to yell, roar, louder and louder to be heard over the once-muttered conversation that was rapidly starting to deny him the chance to say anything at all. “No, everypony, please listen! This is no time to panic!”

From the crowd, a blue haired mare-- Bronze vaguely remembered her, a mare named Sassaflash --called back a question over the others. “But, Thunderlane! It’s a hydra! What’s going to happen to Ponyville?! We just finished rebuilding it after those little magical moth things ate half the town!”

Totally derailed from his speech, Thunderlane tried to answer her question in hopes of regaining some control over the crowd. “Don’t worry, Sass! If it were coming towards Ponyville, it would have already been here by now!” Instead of reassuring the crowd, this seemed to only make them all think that they could start asking questions, drowning him out even harder. He began to panic, and shout back at them. “No, shut up! I SAID SHUT UP!”

Parting her lips, Bronze put the brass of her whistle in place, and didn’t bother to send a signal to the panicked crowd. She simply drowned them all out with enough volume that most were forced to put their hands to their ears to muffle the painful shriek as best they could. Watching them all as she let the note end, and allowed the whistle to fall on its chain, Bronze stiffened up, and found herself picturing one of her first drill sergeants, a barrel-chested old stallion with a rotten sneer and evil eyes. He had been the most despised of the teachers that the Royal Guard employed, but suddenly, she knew exactly why they kept him around. His glare could curdle milk, and his bellowing voice carried forever. Now she did her best to emulate him, turning a stern gaze to the crowd and roaring like that old lion did. “YOU ALL WILL QUIET THE TARTARUS DOWN RIGHT NOW, OR CELESTIA HELP ME, I WILL MAKE YOU!”

That did it. While some in the crowd were glaring resentfully at Bronze, she matched them stare for stare, and anyone who started to argue, she silenced with a single hawk-eyed gaze. When she was sure she had let the silence hang long enough, Bronze relaxed a little and walked up beside Thunderlane, putting a hand on his shoulder, still yelling to be heard by all but no longer throwing the vitriol from earlier. “That’s better! Now, it has come to my attention that a hydra recently passed by our little town, and is heading towards Canterlot! I am a stranger to most of you ponies, so I’ve asked for Thunderlane and the Weather Team’s assistance in tracking the monster while two of your fastest flyers are sent to Canterlot and Cloudsdale to gather the Wonderbolts, and the Royal Guard!”

Clearly, some of those watching were still worried, still edging towards panic as she took a moment to catch her breath. Realizing she might lose them again if she didn’t appeal to more than just their sense of fear of her yelling at them again, Bronze layered the next part on thick, aiming to remind them of other reasons to take this risk on her behalf. “Our duty is clear, not merely to Princess Celestia, but to our families, our home, and our fellow Equestrians. Hundreds of thousands of lives now hang in the balance; we must be the tipping point, locating the hydra and guiding the Wonderbolts in to do their duty and take their risks. Therefore, we need you all to form teams, fly as high as possible, help us locate it, and help guide the Wonderbolts to it. I want no unnecessary risks. Fly high, spot, and report. Avoid all contact with the hydra!”

Thankfully, those last few comments seemed to finally help steady and encourage the entirety of the weather team. Some even started nodding in agreement, talking animatedly to one another, but much quieter than before, already planning things between one another. Pointing to the roof of Thunderlane’s house behind her, Bronze continued. “Flitter, Cloudchaser? Thunderlane suggested you two fly to deliver our appeals for assistance, and I agree. You're old enough to be taken seriously, and strong enough flyers to make the trip there and back quickly. The rest of you, listen to Thunderlane. He will be organizing you all into patrol groups, anyone missing their whistle needs to retrieve it immediately after he assigns you your flight path, and you are to keep your two partners in sight at all times. We have hundreds of kilometers to cover, everypony, so keep your whistle to your lips, your eyes to the earth below, and your ears open. The moment we locate it, we need to start warning anypony in its path.”

Finally turning from the crowd, Bronze was shocked to realize that Applejack was watching her intently, and by her side the mayor stood waiting. If it hadn’t been for the fact that the awed weather team were still looking to her for guidance, she might have sagged with embarrassment from having just yelled down a crowd of worried neighbours. Before she could, however, the mayor started gently clapping her hands, quiet enough that nopony else around could hear her. Stepping up beside Bronze, she whispered, “That was fantastic, Bronze! You really are Shining Armor’s squire. Now, I know you’re already doing so much for us, but I was thinking… Another, more subtle show of military presence might help shore up the weather team's spirits a little more.”

Feeling a little lightheaded, even dazed, Bronze didn’t understand what the mayor was implying. Watching as Applejack handed the two designated messengers bold red tunics that reminded Bronze of the uniform Dusk had given Derpy as his royal messenger, she offered the mayor a shrug. “Sure, I suppose that might help. But what did you have in mind?”

The mayor tilted her head towards the open door of Thunderlane’s house. Rarity stood inside, polishing Bronze’s plate mail armor. Where Rarity and the mayor had met, and how they had gotten her suit here while she was busy, Bronze had no idea. All of a sudden, it just felt right. Smiling and finally relaxing, Bronze gave the mayor her hand, and shook it firmly. “You're right, Miss Mayor. I’ll need a few minutes and somepony’s help.”

Rarity had clearly overheard them and lowered the polishing cloth, standing up and smiling at Bronze. “I’ve never had to help somepony put on armor, but I’ve made decorative capes and sashes enough times to understand how they work. I just wish I had a few more hours to prepare; a fetching purple sash with Dusk’s crest on it would really give your armor flare unmatched by anypony in town!”

Shaking her head, Bronze followed the mayor and Applejack into Thunderlane’s small cottage.

* * *

Outside Thunderlane’s house, Flitter fidgeted. Her new red tunic was heavy and made of some fancy kind of expensive silk. The way the rest of the weather team were watching her and Cloudchaser made up for the awkwardness, however, as everypony eyed them with envy.

She grinned at her sister and stepped closer, not wanting to be overheard. “So how’d the lunch go?”

Cloudchaser blew out a breath, rolling her eyes. “We didn’t really get around to it, for the most part. Bronze showed up a little after you left, and we didn’t really get to eat.”

Flitter frowned. Tapping her leg with one hand thoughtfully, she looked over to where Thunderlane was still organizing pegasi into groups for patrolling. Humming to herself, an idea suddenly formed, and she smiled widely, turning to her sister excitedly. “I’ve got it! Once this whole mess with the hydra is taken care of, we’ll cook him a nice dinner, to ‘make up for lunch.’”

A small smile found its way to her sister’s face, and as Cloudchaser adjusted her new tunic again, she asked, “Ok, but I mean we were basically planning that anyways. So what makes this special?”

Crossing her arms under her breasts as Thunderlane approached them, Flitter merely smirked and replied in a low breath, “The aftermath.”

When Thunderlane reached them, he put a hand on each of their shoulders and smiled apologetically. “Sorry about lunch, girls. Can I get a raincheck? I’ll still help out with whatever it is you needed.”

Blinking in surprise, the twins looked at one another, confused. After a moment, Cloudchaser finally asked, “Er, what do you mean?”

Still smiling, Thunderlane replied, “Well, you two were nice enough to make me lunch and help with shopping, right? I figured you needed help with a weather shift or something.”

Cloudchaser’s jaw dropped for a moment, and she couldn’t form a reply. Coming to her rescue, Flitter placed a hand on her arm but looked at Thunderlane, still smiling. “We just wanted to help you out, Thunder. We don’t need anything from you this time, honest.”

Thunderlane raised an eyebrow, as if he wasn’t sure he believed the pair. Flitter knew that usually when they had done something like cook a meal or whatnot for the stallion, they usually ended up asking for a favor in return, so it was fair of him to not believe her, but she just smiled wider and stepped closer to him. Placing a hand on his chest, she spoke in a lower tone. “We just wanted to make sure you’re doing well, and help out.”

Seeing what her sister was doing, Cloudchaser stepped in close to the stallion as well, placing her own hand next to her sister’s on his chest. “Yeah, we needed to make sure you were still fine after Rumble left.”

Thunderlane looked like he was about to reply, but one of the members of the weather team called to him, and he looked back over his shoulder, before turning back to the twins. “I, uh… well, I’m sorry girls, I gotta go take care of this. Maybe after, we can-”

Cloudchaser interrupted Thunderlane by stepping in closer again and kissing his lips, her wings shifting momentarily on her back. With a light blush on her cheeks, she stepped back and said, “Sure, dinner tonight. Our treat. But your place. See you then.” The mare took off before the dazed stallion could reply.

Watching her depart for a moment, Thunderlane’s jaw was slack, and he had only managed to close it before Flitter cupped his jaw and turned his face down towards her, also kissing him. The stallion made a confused noise but pressed into the kiss, though Flitter pulled back after far too short a time. With a wink, she jumped to hover in the air for a moment, before turning and slapping his chest with her tail as she took off for Canterlot.

Taking a few moments to recover, Thunderlane nearly jumped when he heard his name called again. Shaking himself, the stallion quickly moved to organize his weather team and hand out orders. Only a few had to rush home to fetch their whistles, but by the time the door to the cottage opened again, the flock of pegasi were prepared, organized into rank and file, waiting for Bronze's command.

* * *

Bronze felt odd wearing her armor again; it was the first time since that horrific day in the Everfree Forest that she’d donned it. It felt awkward, heavy-- almost alien. The sword belted to her hip felt otherworldly. The spear in her right hand, however, was like an old friend, and she gripped it tightly, drawing strength from it. To Rarity’s credit, she had mocked up a banner with Dusk’s crest, and Applejack held it up overhead as they stepped out of the cottage, a reminder of the times he had already protected the little town of Ponyville. Now as his deputy, Bronze stood tall under the banner, the sound of metal on metal creating a powerful presence as she walked to Thunderlane’s side. Rarity followed behind them, to lend her support. Bronze’s heart felt tense, worried, but her voice was calm. “Weather Captain? Are you ready to fly?”

Shockingly, Thunderlane’s fist flew over his heart in a poor, but well-meaning attempt to copy a military salute. He stood at attention, his voice giving away his anxiety, but filled with determination. “Ponyville’s weather team is at your service, Vicarius Bronze Feather. Simply give the command and we will follow.”

With Cloudchaser long out of sight on her flight to Cloudsdale, and Flitter heading to Canterlot, Bronze took a long, careful breath. She turned to face the crowd, lifting her heavy helmet from Rarity’s hands, but delayed sliding it into place. She looked over the watching ponies, feeling pride at how well organized they now stood, and waited, watching her. Thrusting her spear into the air, Bronze roared out a decree. “Now, we fly; we fly for Canterlot; we fly for the Two Sisters! We fly to protect those to whom we owe our shield! Fly with me, Ponyville! I will see nopony harmed this day!”

As one voice, the common ponies of Ponyville joined her. Some cried out “For Canterlot!”, as many of them had been born there, or lived there for years. Others instead yelled “For Celestia!”, while still more chose “For the goddesses!” As Bronze spread her wings, she could feel Rarity's hand on hers, and Applejack’s grip on her shoulder. She was grateful for their support. Sliding on the bulky steel helmet, Bronze took flight. And the pegasi of Ponyville followed.

* * *

3:30pm, at Froggy Bottom Bog

Dusk returned to the banks of the river, glad that Fluttershy had suggested he roll his pant legs up to the knee. While Froggy Bottom Bog had been properly named, the slowly flowing river that ran beside it was clear and very shallow, making for a soothing place to walk on a warm and sunny spring day. Dusk reached out with his magic as he neared the shore, gently lifting up two more baskets of the watching frogs before turning to walk off towards a distant bush he had spotted earlier. Surely the frogs would enjoy a little shade as much as he did, and Fluttershy had said to spread them out as far as possible, rather than crowding them in together. Dusk found himself truly relaxing for once, the gentle trickle of the stream washing away his concerns about Pinkie Pie, his worries over all that Shining Armor had shared with him about Tartarus… even his thoughts about how to handle Rainbow Dash once they got to Cloudsdale drifted away with the slowly flowing stream.

“It’s so tranquil out here. Such a blissful state. And you lucky little frogs get to live here all the time.” Dusk couldn’t help but laugh a little at himself. Of course he would never be happy to live in the middle of nowhere with the frogs as his only company, but still… it was a tempting thought.

* * *

Pinkie wasn’t all that far away from Dusk, but she could see him in the distance, and as he relaxed into the work Fluttershy had given them, she felt herself calming down as well. Not the frogs, though. They remained quite vocal in their commentary, and while she couldn’t understand them like Fluttershy, they made their point clear enough. Lowering the last basket from her wheelbarrow behind a bush and letting them evacuate at their own pace, Pinkie could not help herself and called out to the last of the hopping frogs. “Find a nice patch of pond and settle in! Maybe in a few weeks time when you’re all ready, me and Fluttershy will come back and give you all one big Bog Warming Party!”

As the last of the frogs disappeared into the undergrowth, Pinkie took a seat on a mossy rock, pulling her knees in close and looking over the bog to where Dusk still walked in the stream, watching him laugh and carefully place frogs one at a time beneath a little bush. She smiled and let her finger stroke over the gold of her Element of Harmony, feeling better after talking to Fluttershy… and even about talking to Dusk. “Once we get home... Sometime tomorrow maybe… I’ll make up the cheese scones that Fluttershy likes so much and bring them over. Then… somehow, I’ll tell her everything about Pinkamena, and… well, about Dusk, too...”

Rustling in the ungrowth beside the bog drew Pinkie’s attention, and crawling out on all fours from under a bush came a short, little, vividly green creature. Its eyes were a pale purple and wide, watching her intensely while he moved painfully slow, attempting to keep under the cover of the bush, while also staying in the sunlight as much as possible.

Watching him, Pinkie nearly giggled, but was worried she might spook the young thing away if she made too much noise, or moved too quickly, and fought her nature, trying her best to keep still and quiet. In her excitement, her tail’s fluffy mass swayed back and forth, causing the bubblegum mass to shift from side to side. That was what had the tiny guy’s attention, and in a burst of energy, he rushed forth, out from under the weeds and rushes, still walking gangly on all fours, but with surprising quickness. In a leap, he was on her tail and clamped down on it with enthusiasm.

About to scream, Pinkie fell short as she felt not pain, but a slight tickling sensation. It dawned on her that whatever the little creature was, he was no danger to her, and possibly not even to the frogs they’d just delivered. Reaching down, Pinkie pulled back at his jaw, trying to free her tail, and what she saw broke her heart and made her stop, watching the poor creature as it struggled to mouth her cotton candy tail. The little guy had no teeth, only pink gums. “You poor thing… you must be starving!”

Reaching inside the little emergency party bag she always kept on-hand, Pinkie pulled out the freshly baked cupcake she had made for today, placing it down on the ground beside his muzzle. Thick, whipped frosting lay on top, and sprinkles added a vibrant bonus to the visual appeal of the treat. Plus it was cherry chip, and everypony loved cherry chip!

The toothless little guy ignored it and Pinkie’s actions for a while, fully focused on subduing the meal he had already captured. As time passed, however, the scent of the freshly baked treat caught his attention, and reluctantly, he released her tail, sniffing carefully, before turning to look up at her with those wide, pale purple eyes. To Pinkie’s shock, he sat up on his hind legs, and pointed one finger at his chest, opening his maw. It was if he were asking her a question. Pinkie couldn’t help herself; she nodded enthusiastically and lifted the cupcake, offering it out to the tiny guy. “Of course this is for you, silly! Eat up! You don’t get a treat like this everyday, now do you?”

Delighted, he surged forward again, taking the cupcake from her and plopping it into his mouth, licking his short snout with his tongue while he gummed at the decadent treat. Now that Pinkie got a better look at him sitting on his haunches, she guessed he was barely two feet tall, and had a cute pale green color to his belly scales that reminded her of pistachios. Reaching out, she ran her thumb across his snout, and earned herself a happy snort and giggle from the little guy. Walking more confidently on his hind legs, he waddled over to her side and sat next to her, turning his deep, pale purple eyes to watching Dusk like she had been. Still he said nothing, but his tail was now copying her own, wagging lazily through the long grasses behind them. That made Pinkie giggle, and she put an arm around his shoulders, pulling the little anthro gator in close. “You’re too cute! I have to introduce you to Fluttershy!”

Then, from the darkness of the bubbling bog, a disturbance split the water, and made itself known. Pinkie leaned back, staring wide-eyed as slowly, nine titanic stalks rose from peat moss bog, serpentine in nature, and the hydra hissed at its newfound prey.

* * *

Sometime thereafter, somewhere overhead

Bronze was in her element, searching the sky with comrades at her back, and her spear in her hand. The weight and oddity of her armor had faded away, slipping into a familiarity that had soothed her frayed nerves. Her wings spread wide and she turned with the wind, following her search lane, focused on the ground as she searched, just like all the others. She hunted for any sign of movement, any hint of the hydra or any sign of its passage.

Thunderlane was the one that spotted Dusk, and sent up the first alarm. It wasn’t the blaring call to arms that everypony was waiting for, but instead the triple short, triple long, triple short, an SOS, a civilian in danger. He was even about to break ranks to dive bomb down to meet up with Dusk when Bronze saw it, saw why Dusk was running, and by instinct alone put out the warning signal that brought him up short, and pulled him out of the dive. The hydra was chasing Dusk, and every time it grew close, he paused, just long enough to throw out a burst of magic that was momentarily blinding, even from this high up. Somehow he delayed it with these bursts of magic, slowed it, if only by seconds. As he ran on, it only picked up speed, following after him at a terrifying pace, its titanic tail sweeping away anything that passed close by.

Dusk wasn’t alone. Fluttershy and Pinkie ran ahead of him. They were climbing an embankment rising out of the swamp, and ahead… a wooden bridge had once been strung across tall thin pillars, too small for the hydra to cross. But the bridge was ragged, ancient, half rotted away. Even if they made it that far… Bronze swallowed the lump in her throat and sent out new orders, sending all but the outermost rim of the patrol to spread out, to look for any sign of the Wonderbolts or the Royal Guard. She kept only Thunderlane with her and raced ahead. She already had a plan, but she could not ask any other pony to do what was needed. It was suicide, and Thunderlane was the only other set of wings she had.

* * *

Dusk ran. He ran because Fluttershy and Pinkie were still ahead of him, and he ran because the hydra was directly behind him, always gaining ground on him. No matter how hard he hit it, it only moved faster, and he could feel his magic wearing thin, the pool of his power growing ever shallower with every burst used to drive the beast back. His lungs were on fire, but he ran on, because if he stood for even a moment longer, it would overrun him, and if it did, nothing would stop it from reaching the mares.

Somewhere ahead, he could see their escape, a series of small bridges that lead over the worst of the swamp and into the towering mountain range to the north. They only had to make it a little further, and then the hydra wouldn’t be able to follow; the bridge looked old, and would probably not handle their weight combined. He judged the distance for a third time, and was sure there was no way that the hydra would be able to jump to the small plateaus that had been connected by each bridge.

Then Pinkie pulled up short and Dusk had to stop, turning back to face the giant hydra, planting himself this time. He didn’t have time to discover why Pinkie had stopped, he needed time, he needed space. So he tried something he had not tested yet. “First, Shining’s shield spell. As wide as the path so it can’t stampede over me, as tall as I can manage, so it can’t jump over it.”

Even as Dusk formed the thoughts, the spell kicked in, and the hydra ran squarely into a wall of magic. And it held. “Next, feed the bubble a modified version of Flintlock’s Thunder Strike.”

The magical power poured forth, and to Dusk’s satisfaction, Shining Armor's shield spell absorbed the magic and fed on the newfound source. The hydra had backed up a few feet in confusion from the invisible wall that it had encountered, but it came to the same solution its species had came up to for this problem as they did for every problem. It charged forward at full speed, face first into Dusk’s now electrified wall, while he twisted it around to envelope the beast in an inverted shield, an electrified cage encasing the titanic monster, and for just the moment, trapping it.

Dusk was getting desperate. He could feel his magic power running out, and he still had to do more to stop the hydra. “The final step… Recreate the anti-magic field from the eight point ball. Then throw that directly against the lightning cage, and push it as far away as I physically can.”

This was far harder. The magic repulsion field the ball had was made through the use of a very rare type of mithril called antinium that was in the core of the ball. But he simply twisted the field created by a second cast of Shining Armor’s shield, and brought it into alignment with what he remembered as the way the antinium felt. He threw the new shield’s wall directly into the ball the trapped hydra was locked inside. The result was explosive, and threw Dusk into the air, rolling head over heels into blackness.

Fluttershy’s face was what Dusk woke up to. She had hauled him up onto her shoulder and ran back to the bridge while he had been unconscious. Now as she settled him down, Dusk found his lungs aching, and he gripped her shoulders while he tried to straighten up and get back on his feet. He could feel the ache in his shoulders growing more piercing that it had been in a long time, but he pushed aside the pain. “Did… did it work?”

Seeing him awake again, Fluttershy clutched him close to her chest and wiped tears from her eyes while laughing at his question, giving only a tiny sob as she nodded at him. “It did, Dusk. Whatever you had planned must have worked, because that blast threw the hydra all the way back to the bottom of the incline! But, Dusk? Are you okay?!”

Dusk found himself surprised by Fluttershy’s strength again. Unable to pull away from her, he drew a breath against her neck; the floral scent of her perfume was soothing, distracting, and he took a moment to slip his hands onto her hips, seriously assessing himself before answering her, his voice still a little shaky. “I’m worn out. I could probably run a few more miles, but my magic’s running low, and that explosion blew up in my face. I don’t think I can handle much more of this hydra, Fluttershy.”

Shifting an arm under his shoulders so he leaned on her, Fluttershy walked him back to the cliff edge, where Pinkie and her newfound friend waited. The small creature clung to her hand now instead of around her shoulders like when she had been carrying him before. As they reached Pinkie’s side, Dusk finally saw why Pinkie and Fluttershy had stopped at the bridge. Where the bridge had been, strands of thick rope, and random planks of wood remained, but now it clear that nopony would be able to cross the thirty foot gap to the first plateau, nopony but a pegasus.

Turning to check back over his shoulder, Dusk saw exactly what he feared. Finally free of Dusk’s cage, the hydra was starting on getting back up on its feet again, a difficult challenge for the gangly beast, forcing it to use eight of its heads to support the process. The ninth stared at Dusk, unblinking, saliva dribbling from its muzzle as it frothed from the edge of the mouth with rage.

With no time left to plan, Dusk forced himself up out from under Fluttershy’s arm, and grabbed her shoulders, doing his best to try to control his emotions while he pointed her towards the shattered bridge. “Fluttershy, I need you to carry Pinkie over the gap, right now!”

Fluttershy looked from Pinkie, to the gap between the pillars, and was about to answer him when she suddenly realized there must be more going on. She looked back over his shoulder, gasping in shock. “Dusk! It’s getting back up, are- are you sure? I’ll never make it back-”

Dusk put a finger over her lips and shook his head, before turning to look back at Pinkie, unable to help but smile at her before pushing Fluttershy towards the other mare. “You two need to cross the water. I’ll… I’ll delay it again, and when you get Pinkie far enough across or find some more of the bridge that isn’t broken, set her down and then come back for me, alright?”

Fluttershy still looked wary, and she tried to question him again, but in the distance, the hydra shifted its weight around and lifted one of its heads to roar at the sky, its powerful cry causing the ground under their feet to shake and rumble, forcing Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to grab one another while the ground shook. Dusk looked back at the hydra, unsurprised that it had already regained its feet. Even as he watched, it began to charge at him again.

When the ground under their feet stopped shaking, Fluttershy looped her arms around Pinkie’s hips, and Pinkie pulled the little creature up so he could again cling to her neck. Then, struggling under the weight of her load, Fluttershy lifted them into the air, her wings beating feverishly as she dragged them up and across the gap to the first plateau. Turning away from the mares and blocking out how slowly they were flying across the gap, Dusk faced down the charging hydra, its nine heads now all aligned to stare him down while they frothed at the mouth, eyes bloodshot and massive clawed feet shredded into the ground with every step. It threw up giant clumps of dirt and grass as it charged, leaping massive distances with every stride, rapidly closing in on him, leaving Dusk with time for only one more spell before it arrived.

“This is it. Just like when I tried to break Shining Armor’s shield spell… just like Nightmare Moon’s armor… Just put everything into a single focused magical burst. Maybe… Maybe I can cut through its hide and show it what pain is. Anything to drive it away.”

Charging forward at a terrifying pace, the hydra’s nine heads looked identical to Dusk, offering him no clue which hid its brain, or if its brain was split between all of them. Worse, its stomach scales were so thickly layered, Dusk began to doubt that he had enough magic left to cut through the heavy defense to reach its heart before it stampeded over him. In desperation, he turned to its legs and finally found a hint of weakness.

Green, hissing blood trailed down its right leg. The flow was slow and minor, but presented enough of a target to give him hope. Locked on, Dusk gathered all of his remaining magic into a tight line, focusing it through his horn. The roar that accompanied his magic shocked even him as it ripped through the air and struck near the hydra’s right knee, causing the behemoth’s nine heads to cast skyward, all bellowing in pain and rage so loudly that they made Dusk stagger back, shaking the earth beneath his feet again.

His back pain returned with a vengeance, and he could see the edges of his vision blurring as he dropped to a knee. Struggling to stay conscious, he stood up, taking a few steps in desperation, and realized the ground under his feet was beginning to break up, causing part of the cliff’s edge behind him to collapse into the rolling swamp below him… and before his eyes, the first plateau collapsed away into the swamp, carrying away the shattered remains of the bridge with it, crashing into the second pillar, the chain reaction ripping away the ground that Fluttershy had been about to land on.

Now truly stranded, Dusk turned back to the hydra, suddenly feeling so winded that he bent over and rested his hand on his knees, trying to calm his throbbing heart. He watched as the hydra began to right itself again, ignoring the horrific cut Dusk had managed across its knee. Shaking his head in disbelief, he found that he wasn't surprised.

Far behind him, Dusk could hear Pinkie's voice crying out something, but the pounding in his head was distracting, and he struggled to turn a little to look at her. Somehow, past the pain of his throbbing head and back, he noticed that her tail was vibrating again. Somehow Fluttershy had carried them to the far side of the swamp and now lay collapsed at Pinkie's feet, panting for breath, while hugging Pinkie’s newfound green friend close. Straining hard to make out what Pinkie cried out, Dusk was sure he had misheard her. “Dusk!!! You gotta jump! My Pinkie Sense says you'll make it if you jump! I promise!!!”

Unable to even laugh at the ridiculous suggestion Pinkie was making, Dusk looked down over the cliff edge into the boiling swamp below; thick gooey bubbles formed and popped, releasing repugnant gas that befouled the air and turned his already tight stomach. Even with the recent cascade of rocks that had shaken off the cliff edge offered no safe footholds below; the swamp had quickly absorbed it all. But turning to look back at the hydra, Dusk’s heart fell. Back on its feet, and dragging its damaged right leg, it began to charge at him again, as single-minded and relentless as ever. Looking for his magic, Dusk found nothing left. He could potentially tap into his life-force to teleport, but the way his body was screaming at him, he didn’t know if he’d be able to cast the spell correctly. Left with no other choice, he reluctantly accepted Pinkie’s plan. He turned back to the cliff edge again, staring down at the hundred-foot drop. “Well… I have no better ideas left…”

Feeling resigned, Dusk took a few steps back from the edge so he could pick up some speed, and stumbled into a run directly at the drop.

* * *

Thunderlane could not believe what he had just agreed to. The metal greaves were just large enough to wear over his light leather shoes, and yet, Bronze was right, already he could feel the built-in cushioning adjusting to his feet, and the carved-in runes and their powerful magic practically vibrating with power.

Bronze was still talking, and he tried to pay attention to her. “Dusk just badly wounded its right leg, so aim for there. The hydra is an alpha predator, they aren't used to being hunted, so it'll never look behind or up. It won’t see you coming. Just try to hit the ground by its foot as fast and as hard as you can and the impact boots will do the rest.”

Unable to help himself, Thunderlane had to ask. “And you'll just grab Dusk and just fly him to safety? Just like that?”

Bronze gripped his arm and squeezed it, the metal gauntlets pinching him uncomfortably. “By the Light, Thunderlane, just trust me. This will work, I swear in Celestia’s name.”

Sighing, he nodded his head, having already agreed. As Bronze peeled away, Thunderlane climbed higher, to pick up more momentum, and speed for his dive. “I'm sorry, Flitter, Cloudchaser… guess I won't be making it home today after all…”

* * *

Leaping from the cliff’s edge with as much speed as he managed to throw together, Dusk flailed in the open air. His legs kicked at empty space, as if he had somehow hoped to run across the last of the distance to the collapsed plateau.

The impossible moment where he hung in the air, when gravity had yet to drag him downwards, seemed to last forever. Behind him, the hydra had finally reached the cliff’s edge, its ravenous heads and most of its heavy torso stretching out across the gap behind him, snapping at his back in one final attempt to capture its hard-won meal.

The moment ended, and Dusk fell towards the roiling swamp below, unaware he was screaming out loud the whole time he plummeted, flipping head-over-heels in an uncontrollable free fall.

The bubble that started to form directly in his path was bigger than any other Dusk had seen, swelling up from the boiling swamp water in seconds, bloating to a massive size. Face first, Dusk crashed into the hot goo, and to his utter shock, instead of popping and leaving him choking on the bile-inducing contents of the swamp, Dusk bounced off the bubble, and was thrown back up, directly towards the hydra's waiting maw.

* * *

Bronze ignored the aching pain that spread through her wings, and beat them harder in her descent towards the ground. The armor helped her, adding vital weight that made her dive far sharper than she had originally intended. Pushing aside her worries about what would happen when she tried to pull out of her suicidal rescue attempt, Bronze pushed on… and then Dusk jumped off the cliff face.

She knew she was going too fast to simply plunge towards the swamp, but it also felt like she was moving in slow motion now, as she watched the hydra scramble to a stop at the drop-off, and snap at the air behind Dusk's head. She watched him fall, pinwheeling through the air, and knew she was already too late. Only bothering to lessen her flight at last so she wouldn't crash face first into the hydra's side, Bronze watched with horror as Dusk hit the swamp, and then somehow, against all reason, he bounced!

With no time to even think about her actions, Bronze forced her exhausted wings to begin beating for speed again, twisting her whole body into a painfully tight curve. She swooped down under the hydra’s nine snapping jaws and snatched Dusk’s hands as he flailed in midair. Unable to adjust to his weight and her doomed trajectory, Bronze simply aimed for the nearest piece of dry land, staggering under his weight combined with her armor. It felt like she gained only inches of elevation with each beat of her overburdened wings.

Then Thunderlane landed and the air was filled with flying dirt and the shocked cries of the hydra as it plunged into the boiling swamp.

* * *

Cloudchaser was still amazed at how quickly Bronze’s letter and a red tunic got her past a dozen different ponies who all seemed to be the type to normally turn people like her away with a harsh word. Before she knew what was happening, she was in the presence of Fleetfoot herself, and some quiet batpony mare who stood quietly to the side, watching everything Cloudchaser did while Fleetfoot read the letter. Then she was escorted away to the Wonderbolts’ own barracks and a nurse demanded she drink some thick and vile concoction, while her unnamed assistants rubbed a soothing balm into Cloudchaser's wings and back.

At the time it had confused her, but as she flew with the Wonderbolts’ vanguard, she knew why they'd taken so much trouble. Keeping up with the Wonderbolts was killing her wings, and even as they approached the area Thunderlane had told her they were going to start their patrol, her stomach gurgled; the drink, whatever it was, had kept her from noticing just how exhausted she felt, and subdued her hunger until they'd finally started to slow down.

To her relief, it took the Wonderbolts only seconds to pick out the waiting members of the weather team, and before Cloudchaser could see who they were pointing at, whistles were crying out over the great distance, and directions were rapidly passed back to the Wonderbolts’ vanguard.

In a brilliant display, they forged on while Cloudchaser was still trying to translate what half the whistle blasts had meant. She recognized the patterns for directions, but they had also said something about civilians in danger, and reported that a rescue attempt was underway. Too tired and confused to fully parse the messages, Cloudchaser did her best just to keep up with the elite flyers, chasing after them.

She hardly even noticed as two of the Wonderbolts turned back to the slower, trailing main group. It made sense; they were the ones in charge here now. They'd need to know what was going on. Something in the whistle blasts that now filled the air worried her, but she was so far behind the conversation and dazed by how quickly it was moving, not to mention her own exhaustion, she simply gave up on trying to keep up anymore...

Until she finally understood what they were saying and looked down, forcing her eyes to focus… to see Thunderlane.

She watched him impact with ground by the hydra's feet. Watched as the entire cliff face broke away and plunged the monstrous thing, and Thunderlane, into the bog below. She didn't even realize she was screaming and trying to get to him until one of the Wonderbolts grabbed her, holding her back.

* * *

Shining Armor leaned forward in his chariot and watched as his soldiers got into position. At this point, it almost felt wasteful to send his elite unicorns to deal with the poor beast after all it had been through. The hour from when Fleetfoot’s unit had arrived to his own had only further embarrassed the exhausted behemoth, with two of its heads lying prone on the ground beside the swamp, both desperately gasping for air while the rest did their sluggish best to follow the harrying tactics of the Wonderbolts, occasionally taking half-hearted nips at the air.

It was his medic who finally drew Shining Armor’s attention away from the pathetic spectacle. Her report was far from unexpected, but he knew better than to keep her waiting. “Go ahead, Silver Ointment. Just how badly is my brother wounded this time?”

The mare, one of the rare few unicorns with a true healing talent, scowled at him and shook her head. “Your brother? A concussion at worst, and I doubt even that. The fact he didn't somehow kill the hydra outright is more a shock if you ask me. The Wonderbolts report he nearly severed its damn leg!”

Dusk supposedly doing the impossible was far from what Shining was concerned about, but she seemed to be quite focused on the topic, so he indulged her. “Its leg is nearly fifteen feet thick, I highly doubt he did that much damage. What about the others?”

Distantly, Shining was aware his troops had began to drive the exhausted hydra from the swamp, taking care to direct it back towards its home in the Everfree. But Silver hadn't finished. “Regardless, he’s in and out of consciousness. One of the mares with him has a cart with her and offered to take him home for supervised bedrest, and promised to inform Ponyville’s local medics to check in on him just in case. Your former squire strained her wings pretty badly. I've patched the muscle up and sent her over to the Wonderbolts’ medic for more long-term advice; I'm better at more drastic injuries. The resident Weather Captain continues to complain about his legs feeling broken, and a ringing in his ears, but is otherwise fine. Those impact greaves are probably ruined, however, and somepony spent good money on them.”

Shining openly laughed at that, waving it off. “Bronze earned them years ago, I'm just glad they held up. We’ll have to replace them for her. Dear Celestia, he was going so fast when he hit the ground, you'd think his cutie mark was for warfare, not for challenging weather magic!”

The medic had no humor, and simply continued her report. “The Wonderbolts reported several small abrasions from containing the hysterical messenger mare, but she recovered on her own when the Weather Captain flew out of the swamp and away from the hydra. As for the two other civilian mares, the pegasus, Fluttershy, proved to be very exhausted, and once she was reassured of your brother’s well-being, attempted to leave, saying something about a promise to be present at the Young Flyers Competition in Cloudsdale. I judged her unable to make such a flight unassisted and told her to wait for the Wonderbolts to finish mopping things up around here before going along with them for the flight home. The earth mare, Pinkie Pie and her pet, ummm... Gummy, it says here, are both fine, though she is anxious to get Dusk home.”

Satisfied she was finally finished, Shining Armor gave her a single nod, thinking for only a moment before smiling at last. Turning to look back over at the swamp, the trail the fleeing hydra had left as his unit drove it away was obvious. So was the fact he wouldn’t be needed here any longer. The two Royal Guards that had flown his chariot here were relaxing in their harnesses, sharing a small canteen of what he assumed was water. A sudden, devious idea sprang up, and Shining gave Silver another nod. “If you judge them to be in acceptable health, release them. But send Fluttershy to me. She’s an Element of Harmony, and it would be my honor to give her a ride to Cloudsdale. After all, I don't take my chariot out for a good flight often enough, and she made a promise to a friend. We can’t have her breaking that promise.”

Seeing the way the pegasi that drew his chariot reacted made even the humorless Silver smile, if only momentarily. She wrote something with a quill on her papers and gave him a small nod. “I’ll have her come see you momentarily, sir. It’s good weather tonight for a visit to Cloudsdale. I’m sure she will appreciate the offer.”

* * *

9 pm, Dash’s place

Drowsing under what felt like a warm but heavy blanket, Dusk was jolted awake when he felt something gently press against his horn. Opening his eyes blearily, he saw that Pinkie was lounging half atop him in the bed, her eyes shut as her half-smiling lips trailed down one side of his horn, carefully avoiding the scar that marred the spiral. He shuddered from a sudden spike in sensation as she kissed the tender base. Pinkie stopped abruptly as she noticed his wakefulness, and kissed his forehead lightly.

"Hey there, sleepyhead. How you feelin'?" she asked softly, worry in her eyes and her arms around his shoulders.

Dusk struggled briefly to sit up, but Pinkie's soft weight and stubborn earth pony strength were more than his weakened body could handle. He felt one of her hands play in his hair, lightly scratching the back of his head, and he pressed his head back into the delicious tingling sensation, forcing a grin to his face. "Like I fought a hydra and came in second."

Pinkie giggled at that and kissed his horn again, the drawn out press of her lips eliciting another shudder and a soft groan from Dusk. Irrationally, Dusk's mind briefly fixated on just how energetic and bouncy those giggles were, until Pinkie shifted her weight, and her well-padded body, further across Dusk's. Suddenly, he was almost painfully aware of how close she was pressing her body against his, all the more as she paid further attention to his horn. "Silly-billy, you shouldn't pick fights when you don't think you can win," Pinkie said, a wicked giggle accompanying her suggestion as her breath blew hot on the wetness she'd marked along his horn.

Still smiling at her, Dusk lifted a hand - a monumental effort, it felt like - and let it drop against her plush hip, squeezing reassuringly. "I don't plan on doing that again, if I can help it. And Pinkie? A unicorn's horn is really sensitive, so-" He cut off when he heard her giggle again, the mischievous glint in her eyes redoubling.

"Oh, I know, Duskie," Pinkie said, her voice a husky promise. "I know. And since Bronze is busy with the Wonderbolts, working on reports about the hydra, and Fluttershy took off to Cloudsdale with your brother after getting Gummy all checked up, I-"

"Wait, Gummy? Who is that?" Dusk couldn’t help but stare at her in confusion. He was sure he hadn't been hit in the head, but the name rang no bells.

Pinkie frowned adorably, lightly tapping his nose with a finger. "Dusk!! You really don't remember? He's the adorable little baby crocodiligator that we picked up in the swamp. He was too widdle, and his legs were too tiny to run from the hydra, so I grabbed him and put him over my shoulders for safe-keeping. It took forever for Shy to finally bribe him out of my tail to go get checked up. I think he likes me."

Dusk's brow furrowed, still somewhat confused. "And you named him Gummy?"

Pinkie shook her head and drew the finger down from Dusk's nose, to his lips, to stroke along his neck. As she let loose another giggle, her other hand shifted from Dusk's hair to play with the sunstone earring he always wore. "Of course not! He told me that's what his name was. But anyways! I told Rarity and the girls I'd take care of you in the meantime, Dusk. So they’re dealing with the Guards and the Wonderbolts."

Her eyes met his, and a light blush tinged her cheeks pinker, even as her free hand moved back up to drag a nail gently up along his horn, following the spiral, still carefully avoiding his scar. In a much lower, more sultry tone, she whispered into his ear. “I know you said you wanted to get my Element of Harmony back in the chest, but I'm sure you'll indulge me for a few more hours, right Duskie-poo?”

If Dusk had been forming any thoughts about escape, she derailed them by reaching down and lifting his hands up to cup her breasts, the hidden nipple piercings and her excited moans making it hard for him to even try thinking about anything else. Reluctantly, Dusk tried to slow Pinkie down a little. “Pinkie… I don't want to disappoint you, but I don't know how much I'll be able to participate.”

Pinkie’s giggling laughter was joyful and lighthearted, soothing to his weary bones. Cupping his head with both hands, Pinkie leaned in close again, shifting her hips and grinding their groins together in heavy, slow strokes. “Silly. This is a One Pony Pinkie Party, and you're the guest of honor!" Pinkie's eyes were bright as she braced her thighs around Dusk's and picked up the pace.

"You made me smile," she said softly, and kissed Dusk on the lips before leaning up to flutter her tongue against his hornbase. "You took care of me," Pinkie whispered, letting her breath tease the trail of kisses once more, before pulling back and winking at him. "Now lay back and relax, Pinkie’s going to make you feel REAL good!”

Giving him no time to understand what she meant, Pinkie lifted her lips to his horn again, her hands pressing against his shoulders for support. Dusk inhaled sharply, and found Pinkie's sweet scent heavy with her own arousal. Her cheeks caved in a little as she sucked on the tip of his horn, spiraling her tongue around it in careful circles, slowly suckling in even more of his appendage. He moaned out softly, gasping in sharp breaths every time she progressed further down the spiral cone of his horn

"P… Pinkie," Dusk said softly. "I should be a gentlecolt…" Rarity had insisted, and been firm that he be good to all the herd. Where Pinkie was in that didn't matter; Dusk had never felt anything like this before, and was frustrated by how hard it was to do anything, let alone give back. He weakly squeezed one of Pinkie’s breasts as his other hand moved down and gripped her plush hip for support, struggling to keep up with the way that she aggressively kept advancing. As drained as his magic was, the further she moved on, the more he felt the embers of the fire of his magic bloom under her ministrations.

"Mm," Pinkie said, licking and curling her tongue with fascination through the phantom glow of Dusk's horn, "Tastes like… chai!" Rolling her plush ass back and seating herself against Dusk's abdomen, she shook her head and placed a finger on his lips. "Nuh-uh," she said. "No work for you. Just li'l touches. You scared us-- me, you scared me, Dusk," she said, trembling. Pinkie brought her finger up to her lips, licked it once, and began to lightly tease it in a circle on his horntip.

As Dusk shuddered, his body's weakness betraying his mind's resolve, he softly tried to object one last time. "I want to…"

Pinkie grinned saucily, and brought her fingers back for a moment, but just to re-lick the finger and to lick her thumb as well. "Tingly," she noted as she began to press both moist fingers against the flickering nub capping Dusk's horn. "Promise me, Dusky. Promise me you'll let me take care of you, or I'll stop; I don't want to risk you right now!" Pinkie's eyes watered, her lower lip trembling adorably-- and her fingers worked the tightest grooves of the spiralling surface of his horn, as though she could feel his growing pleasure too.

Dusk clutched as gently at Pinkie's breast and hip as best he could, his hardness complete between his thighs and beneath her bobbing butt. He couldn't resist that, the care and love in her eyes melded with the minxy pleasuring of his horn. Dusk closed his eyes, sinking back slightly. As his magic bubbled and flickered under Pinkie's fingertips, he whispered, "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I promise, Pinkie; I'll be good." He followed it up with what he felt was a dignified statement of his intent to make good on reciprocation at a later date, his shaking fingers gently stroking and tugging on her nipple piercings through the thin covering.

"That's a good stallion," Pinkie said with a beaming smile, tears grinned away. She continued to fingerflick his horn for a few moments, sticking out her tongue to the left of her mouth in concentration and promise. Then she inched further up along him and demonstrated an impossible-seeming flexibility-- she opened up her lips wide, bent across his head, and began to take as much of Dusk's horn into her mouth as she could.

Dusk could hardly follow. His fingers did their best to show their appreciation as eloquently as Rarity had taught him, though the throb of his shaft behind Pinkie's thighs and the swirl of flickering magic in the warm wetness of her mouth perhaps spoke louder. Dusk managed to incoherently call Pinkie's name, but she caressed the back of his head with her hand soothingly. Her mouth and tongue were anything but soothing, but every bit of it pleasuring. She somehow knew just how to twist her tongue to play at the sensitized magic-etched surface whilst avoiding his scar, her lips closing all the way to let her suck noisily on his horn one moment, and opening to pass over the ring's mark without even a hint of pain, just a gentle, loving moistness.

Pinkie's free hand wandered over Dusk's face and neck, her fingernails leaving tingling little trails along his skin. Dusk shuddered, and Pinkie stroked the trembles on his tense neck; his magic flared, and Pinkie somehow managed to pull on it with the suction of her lips, as though he was feeding her ambrosia, and she summoning up the arcana of his soul. Had she done this before? Dusk didn't know; he could barely think beyond the softness of her curves, the hardness of his cock, and the fiery ecstasy between her mouth and his horn.

Then all in one moment, Dusk felt something he had become much more familiar with since meeting Rarity and Applejack. All at once he climaxed, a very different way of reaching an orgasm, yet it had one, truly amazing perk. The blooming magic that had formed around his horn released in a wet, sticky burst that soaked Pinkie’s face, coating her hair in clinging sparkles and dripping from her cheeks like the tears of giggling stars. Hardly able to focus, Dusk could just barely see Pinkie’s laughing face and tender smile, and let his head roll back into the pillow, momentarily drifting off in the bliss of his climax.

Gasping for breath as he lay under Pinkie, Dusk just held fast to her for a few moments. Finally, he managed to reach one hand up and stroked his fingers fondly through her hair, fully aware he was grinning like a goofy foal, and was equally unable to hide a satisfied sigh that escaped the moment he tried to speak. Attempting again, he drifted his fingers across the back of Pinkie's head. “That, Pinkie, was stupendous. Truly terrific.”

Giggling against the soft spot in his throat that she'd nestled into, Pinkie nipped his skin before whispering her answer back. “That was just a small taste ‘cause you’re worn out, Dusk. Next time, I'll get serious.”

They lay together in silence for a time, Dusk listening to Pinkie’s gentle breathing until he was sure she had fallen asleep. He was just beginning to consider drifting off himself when he heard Pinkie’s voice, suddenly tiny and scared, calling out to him. “Hey… Dusk?”

Dusk kissed her cheek gently before whispering back to her like a foal sharing a secret. “Yes, Pinkie? What is it?”

Still talking in that tiny voice, Pinkie refused to lift her face from his chest. “Dusk… sometimes I have... days… days when I don't feel like me… do you think… do you think you'd be able to come join me on those days and just hold me like this?”

The sad tone Pinkie had taken on worried Dusk, but he knew there was almost nothing he could do for her right now but offer his company, and be there for her. Smiling gently, he cupped her chin and made her look at him before answering. “Anytime you need me Pinkie. I'll always make time for you.”

* * *

Later that night in Cloudsdale

Left alone at Blitz's as her father and Rumble went to check out their uniforms for the Young Flyers Competition, Dash soon grew tired of waiting when Fluttershy still hadn't shown up as Celestia's sun began to set. "Damn it, Fluttershy!!! You promised you'd come to support me! Now it’s practically midnight and you’re not here! Don't tell me you got carried away taking care of some dumb squirrel that sprained its paw or something!"

Even as she complained to herself, though, Dash knew Fluttershy’s tardiness was only a part of her anxiety. There was something in the city, a tension, a growing worry shared by everypony she saw, that Dash recognized. Something had happened. A few hours ago a wing of the Wonderbolts had been called away for an unscheduled mission. Surprise had been called back to the barracks, and her wing was rotated back to being on-call.

Watching the Wonderbolts’ barracks as closely as she could in the dimming light of the setting sun, Dash could just make out the Wonderbolts on patrol. They were magnificent to watch; tall, proud, sleek warriors that walked at attention, with spears or blades, even a few wearing claws at their side. Ready for use, yet waiting, restrained, controlled. So disciplined, and calm. “Can I really ever be that confident? Is all of that just the result of years of training?”

The roar of powerful wings in flight passed so close overhead that Dash nearly jumped from the shock of it. She turned to scowl and shake a fist at the low flying nuisance, but the moment she looked, she realized it was a gilded chariot pulled by two massive royal guards in full armor. Backing down from her plan to have a word or two with the chariot riders, Dash was thrown even further off balance when an excited, familiar voice called out to her. “Rainbow Dash? This is Rainbow Blitz’s residence, then?”

Even with the setting sun behind his back, that voice was unmistakable. Feeling her knees shake a little, she admired the casual way that Shining Armor watched her for a moment before confidently jumping over the side of the chariot to land on the wooden patio beside her. Up close, the stallion towered over her in a way that only Big Mac and Princess Celestia had ever done before. She found herself at a loss for words watching Dusk’s brother acting so calm in a place that would have had most unicorns quaking in their boots. “Sh-Shining Armor? Why are you here?! Don’t you know how dangerous Cloudsdale is for unicorns?! You can’t just walk on clouds, you know; most ponies don’t even build their houses with wood or anything!”

If anything, Shining Armor’s calm response just reminded her of Dusk. An easy, calm shrug as if what he had just done was natural to him. “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash. I’ve visited Cloudsdale several times before. I’ve been given all the speeches twice, about where it’s safe to walk and what not to lean against. But still, thank you for your concern.”

Turning back towards the chariot without answering the rest of her questions, Shining directed the guards to lower until they were level with the balcony. Waving to Dash meekly, Fluttershy clutched her bag close, blushing darkly. “I’m so sorry I’m late, Dashie! But after the hydra attacked, Dusk and Bronze had to get checked out, and then I had to go back home and pick up my bags, and by then Miss Mophette had showed up and she was having octuplets, and well, you know how nervous rabbits can be!”

Overwhelmed, Dash threw up her hands defensively, trying to make sense of Fluttershy’s rambling answer. While Shining Armor took Fluttershy’s hand and helped her step down from the chariot, Dash began bombarding the reserved mare for answers. “Just wait a second, Fluttershy! A hydra?! In Ponyville? Is everypony okay? Did you guys have to evacuate town? Did Thunderlane get the weather team out alright?”

Giggling a little, Fluttershy put a hand on Shining Armor’s wrist and squeezed it gently, more affection than Dash had seen her give any stallion except for Dusk. “Thank you for your assistance, Shining Armor. I really don’t think I would have been able to make it here tonight at all without your assistance!”

Shining Armor shook his head and released Fluttershy’s hand, reaching back into the chariot to grab Fluttershy’s other bag, placing it on the balcony beside Dash before stepping in to answer at least a few of her questions. “It’s my pleasure to help out one of the Elements of Harmony, Fluttershy, and doubly so since you’re my brother's friend!” He laughed for a moment, his eyes sparkling with gentle humor at Fluttershy before he turned to address Dash. “Dusk is fine. He did more than his share in driving the hydra off. I’ve never seen a pony chew through a hydra's armored scales that quickly. And don’t worry, Ponyville was never in danger, Dash. The hydra was nowhere near town, and from the reports I’ve been given by the Wonderbolts on patrol, your second did admirably, pulling off his first Impact Landing with such natural talent, even Fleetfoot was impressed.”

Fluttershy giggled, and clutched her hands together over her heart, as giddy as a school filly. “You should have seen Dusk, Dashie! He was so worried about me and Pinkie and Gummy! He stayed behind alone and held the hydra off all by himself just to give me enough time to fly the rest of us over the gorge to safety!”

Again Dash threw her hands up in defense, too shocked and overwhelmed to understand everything they were saying, and they kept adding more to the story so rapidly she felt like she was drowning. “Wait! Dusk and Thunderlane took on a hydra? Just how big was it? Surely it wasn’t one of the seven-headed forty-footers, right? That’s insane! Thunderlane knows how to do an Impact Landing?! Who taught him that!? I haven’t had the time to even start him on combat training like that! Just what in Tartarus did I miss while I was doing bloody paperwork today!”

Author's Note

This... was a real task, but I really really like how well it came out. Can't wait to see what you all think!

ALL HAIL GUMMY!!!

See you all next in a short interlude, Followed by Sonic Rainboom!

Interlude 9 - Afterwards

Saturday, April 9th, 8pm, Bonbon’s Boarding House

Lyra sighed as shi stretched, looking down at the report in front of hir with some reluctance. Shi knew that Vinyl and Silken Flight would take it as it was, but something just didn’t feel right about it. It didn’t quite feel finished.

Rubbing hir neck, shi read through it one more time, eyes scanning the parchment rapidly. It covered all the important parts - who had discovered the hydra, where it had started going before finding Dusk, how Dusk had managed to halt its progress…

Shi sighed at that as shi rolled hir shoulders back, trying to dislodge the tension. It still seemed insane, something out of a faerie tale or a three sheets to the wind story, that Dusk had somehow managed to make the monster recoil, even if it had been temporary. Shi’d known that he was more powerful than the average unicorn, but for him to rival a full squad of the Guard’s battle unicorns? That was something else shi’d have to put in an inquiry about. Shi had to have been left out of some loop. Bad intel, incomplete intel, was almost worse than no intel. What was shi stepping into here, and how many bear traps were just out of sight?

Pushing those thoughts aside, Lyra opened a drawer on her desk and slipped the letter into a notebook, which she then placed on the bottom, under other assorted notebooks she kept as a distraction. Getting up from hir desk, she stretched again, popping a few joints. Shi’d deal with the rest of the report after shi’d cleared hir mind. Somehow when something exciting or stressful happened in Ponyville, Dusk always managed to be at the center of it, which meant there was always extra work for hir to do.

As shi walked into the common room, shi heard familiar humming. A smile finding its way to hir face, shi followed the comforting noise into the kitchen, and saw Bonbon standing at one of the counters. The mare’s back was to the door, and her tail was twitching from side to side in time with the song she was humming. Lyra leaned against the doorframe, content to just watch Bonbon bounce, for the moment.

In spite of all the extra work Dusk usually ended up causing for hir, shi still told hirself shi still had to thank him for getting hir stationed in Ponyville. Shi was also glad, grateful even, that Bonbon had been so adamant on becoming hir friend - and then more. Lyra’s fears that Bonbon would find hir disgusting had been completely wrong, and now shi was happier than shi’d been in a long time. Shi had… a home, not just the house, but in Bonbon's arms.

Pushing off the doorframe, shi remained quiet as shi sauntered up behind the oblivious mare, a gleeful smile on hir face. Waiting until Bonbon's tail twitched out of the way, an innocent enticement, Lyra wrapped hir arms around Bonbon’s waist and pulled the surprised mare into a tight hug. Smiling, shi burrowed hir face into Bonbon’s hair, flaring hir nostrils wide and enjoying the familiar candy-scented perfume of hir… marefriend. Yes, the scent hir marefriend always wore.

Giggling, the smaller mare pressed herself back into the hug for a moment, sighing before returning to what had been occupying her attention. Lyra looked up from Bonbon’s hair, and saw what had hir landlord so busy. She was wrapping candy up and bagging them. She already had a dozen bags put together, and looked like she had two dozen more waiting to be filled. Kissing her neck, Lyra finally voiced a question. “So who’s all the candy for?”

Bonbon’s trapped tail tried to move where Lyra had it pinned between them, succeeding instead in a snuggly wriggle. “Just putting together a ‘thank-you’ package for the squad of soldiers that came down. I still can’t believe there was a hydra that massive near Ponyville. If it had found the town…" Bonbon shivered for a moment, going silent.

Lyra squeezed the smaller mare in hir arms, comfort for comfort, before speaking. “Well, good thing that we have Dusk around, huh? Hard to believe the story the Guard was telling about him holding off the hydra on his own.”

Bonbon nodded slowly, having halted in her candy wrapping, a cold shiver running up Bonbon's spine and back against Lyra's front. “Lyra, it took over a dozen battle-trained unicorns - one of them the Captain of the Guard himself - to drive that thing off. How in the Light did Dusk manage to hold it off by himself?" She shook her head before her hands absently began to wrap the candy again, though Lyra didn't miss the light tremors in Bonbon's fingers.

Lyra didn’t respond for a long while, instead moving hir hands to massage Bonbon’s sides, curling around the soft, delicious curves. Shi wondered just how much to tell the mare, like every time something came up regarding hir real job in Ponyville. Shi bitterly hated not being able to tell Bonbon the real reason for staying in Ponyville, though by this point Lyra was sure shi’d fight as hard as shi could to remain here; the pull of this warm, cushy little mare was somehow greater, somehow hotter, than all the heat and grandeur of Canterlot. Keeping an eye on Dusk was all well and good, but Lyra was almost certain that there was more to the stallion than just being Celestia’s student. Something more worth watching out for, and something to help hold hir to Bonbon's side.

Realizing shi’d been silent for too long, Lyra clenched hir eyelids tightly and gave a careful sigh before replying. “I couldn’t tell you, I wasn’t there." She put a bit more pressure into her impromptu massage, caressing the stout earth pony strength beneath the comfortable softness, and pressed hir hips-- and more-- against Bonbon’s inviting flanks. “I know what I can tell you, though," shi continued after a moment, letting her lips trail hungrily along the side of Bonbon’s neck.

Humming happily, Bonbon wiggled her hips saucily back against her lover, before asking, voice arch and eager all at once, “Oh? And what’s that?”

Smirking, Lyra leaned in to Bonbon’s ear before whispering, “I could really go for some candy right about now.”

Bonbon’s eyes went wide for a moment, and she went stock still, hands clenching around her latest bag. “Wha- candy? That’s what you want? Lyra, I swear…" Bonbon let out a sad little puff of a sigh before going back to wrapping her candy, shoulders drooping slightly. She pulled a spoon out of a nearby drawer, before placing it negligently on the counter for Lyra. “I know you just like the filling anyways, so you only get one spoon-full of it." Her voice was rough with disappointment, and her tail had fallen still between the two of them.

With a wicked smile on hir face, Lyra picked up the spoon, looking over towards the big bowl of cream that Bonbon used to cover some of her candy. Scooping up a generous dollop, shi looked down at the dejected mare in front of hir. Poor, poor Bonbon, thought Lyra. I really am being mean; time to be sweet to my sweetie.

Lyra took her free hand off of Bonbon’s hip, and brought it lightly, carefully, up to the side of her neck, brushing aside some of the mare’s hair in careful flicks. When Bonbon's soft skin was clear, shi brought the spoon up and, with deliberate grace and hungry sureness, smeared the cream in a cool line following the contours of Bonbon’s neck. The gasp and sudden tensing of Bonbon’s body elicited a shiver of excitement from Lyra, and shi abruptly pressed hir hips forward, pinning the mare in place.

“Lyra!" Bonbon’s voice was shocked, almost a whine, and she put her hands on the counter for support, inadvertently pressing herself back against Lyra. Just as shi’d planned. “That’s cold! What are yo- oh…" Bonbon’s confusion melted into a soft moan when she felt Lyra’s demanding lips on her neck, sucking on her tingling skin and licking the cream off in teasing flicks of hir tongue. She ground her flank into Lyra’s heated groin, already feeling her lover’s arousal growing.

“You’re right," Lyra whispered into Bonbon’s neck, before rapidly kissing and sucking on it again, making sure shi had cleaned off the cream, breath hot over the moist trail. “I love the filling, especially when I can put it on my own little treat." Shi put the spoon down, and slipped hir hands up and into the bottom of Bonbon’s shirt, massaging her sides directly. Inhaling the candy scent of Bonbon’s hair again, Lyra gave a soft groan as shi felt Bonbon grind firmly back against hir. “So are you still busy?”

Bonbon reached a hand back for Lyra’s mane, burying her hand in it before moving Lyra’s head so she could kiss the side of hir jaw. Humming thoughtfully, Bonbon replied, “~Well, I guess I have some free time. The Guard are probably going to be here for another day or two. But didn’t Bronze ask you to talk to Thunderlane for her?" Bonbon cocked her head for a moment, her hand in Lyra’s hair massaging the taller mare’s scalp absently, leaving distracting little trails even as her question augured in. “Why did she ask you, anyways? You’d think she has plenty of soldiers to get in touch with him right now.”

Lyra froze for a moment before thinking up a quick answer, hating that shi had to lie to Bonbon. “I… guess it was because I was just nearby when things were starting to calm down. I was near the mayor’s building and Bronze just caught me." Lyra let one hand move up from Bonbon’s side, trailing a nail along her stomach and up to the underside of her bra-covered breasts, enjoying the feeling of the mare quivering in hir grasp; the sweetness of myriad scents intermingling. “So, you said you had some free time?" Lyra brushed hir tongue along the edge of Bonbon’s ear, feeling the mare shudder again.

Suddenly, Bonbon whirled around in Lyra’s grasp, surprising the unicorn. Before Lyra could pull back, or even decide to do so, Bonbon had grabbed hir wrists and placed hir hands on her ass, inhaling sharply when Lyra reflexively squeezed. Meeting Lyra’s hopeful gaze, Bonbon let a smirk of her own reach her lips, her eyes glinting hungrily. “Couch. Now.”

* * *

Nearly an hour later, at Thunderlane’s place

“If I never see another hydra again, it’ll be too soon," Thunderlane groaned as he slumped down next to Cloudchaser while looking down at the report that Bronze had asked him to write up. It detailed whom he’d sent for help and where, listing all the ponies that had been involved from the moment she’d arrived at his door until the Guard had taken over security regarding the hydra, and any other relevant information he could think of. The last he’d heard of the monster, it had been redirected further into the Everfree Forest.

Flitter shrugged from where she stood by the stove, watching the soup while she buttered some bread. “I’m just glad it’s gone. Did you hear what they said about Dusk, though?" She shivered briefly, then looked back at the table, where Thunderlane and her sister sat. “I heard he was able to hold off the hydra by himself for a bit.”

Cloudchaser nodded, sitting close to Thunderlane. Her head was tilted to the side so she could read Thunderlane’s report from where she sat. When she finished, she leaned her head against Thunderlane’s shoulder before replying. “That’s what I heard, but it just seems so… can one unicorn really be that strong? It took that whole group from the Guard and the ‘Bolts to drive it off, and even then it was a strain for them, from what I saw." She sighed, rubbing her cheek comfortably against Thunderlane’s shoulder and slipping an arm around his waist, almost possessively.

Thunderlane let out a heavy breath before going back over the events of the day. All he’d wanted to do today was go and buy some groceries. Then the twins had popped up out of nowhere, started acting even more flirty than usual, not that he was objecting, and had taken charge of his simple grocery run. They’d co-opted his kitchen, booted him out, and cooked up what had been a mouth-watering meal. Then, almost as casually as if she had just dropped by to chat, Flitter had left to take care of her job at the school, leaving Thunderlane alone with Cloudchaser. To top that off, Bronze had shown up with news of the hydra, and the day had quickly become a mess. Or messier. Had the last mess stopped? Was this why Dash napped all the time?

And now, Cloudchaser and Flitter were still here; still fussing around him and the kitchen. If he was honest with himself, though, Thunderlane couldn’t complain. He never could find it in himself to say no to the pair, though he had to wonder what they were up to this time. They weren't just flirting, they were… serious. As serious as the hydra. If it had been any other mare, let alone mares, he'd have felt hemmed in-- they were in his space, both the kitchen and personal. This would have been talk-about-the-future territory for anyone else, but Thunderlane was used to their odd antics by now. Maybe, he figured they just need help with a particularly large project for one of their part-time jobs? Strangely, however, they seemed more relaxed than when they usually tried to bribe him. Like he'd already said yes, but -- they seemed to keep ‘accidentally’ brushing their wings against him, like that one night when they were out under the stars near Fillydelphia.

Taking a deep breath, Thunderlane steeled himself, as though for a launch or dive, and prepared to find out what their plan was. “Okay, you two, what’s going on?”

It was like he’d doused them both with ice water. The pair froze as one. Flitter stopped stirring the soup she’d been making, her wings freezing tight against her back, and he felt Cloudchaser’s arm tense up around his waist, her hand going flat, half releasing him, half holding tight. After a moment, Flitter looked back at her twin, and the two shared a long look before Cloudchaser let out a loud sigh and nodded her head with a wry grin. Flitter turned back to the soup with a tense stomp, her wings ruffling up momentarily before she rustled them and they smoothed back down, still held tight to her back.

“So, Thunder," Cloudchaser began, too casually, even for her, sitting up and pulling her arm from his waist to his back, scratching along his lower spine. “How are you doing without Rumble around?”

Eyes narrowing at the obvious evasion, Thunderlane shrugged even as he unconsciously relaxed his back against Cloudchaser’s nails. “He hasn’t been gone that long, but it has been a bit quiet around here. Actually have to figure out how to cook now. But Chase, what-”

He was cut off as Cloudchaser smiled and brought her nails up and under one of his wings, where muscle met muscle and magic met blood. The wing involuntarily unfurled slightly, and she took full advantage of the opening by sliding her chair closer to him and leaning in against his side, under the embrace of his tensing wing. Her breath was hot against his neck, and he could hear the smile in her voice. “You haven’t called me Chase in a long time.”

Thunderlane opened his mouth, ready to reply, but then thought about what she’d said. “What? When was the last time I called her Chase? It can’t have been that lo-" Thunderlane’s eyes widened, and he realized she was right. The last time he’d called her Chase had been when they’d still been officially dating, years ago. “Huh," he said simply, looking down at the table; the wing, he stretched further around Cloudchaser.

Flitter’s voice called cheerily over to the pair of them. “Soup’s done!" She turned with a bright smile towards Thunderlane and her sister. The smile grew wider when she saw how close Cloudchaser was to Thunderlane, the mare having taken one of his hands in hers, her touch as warm as her breath. Flitter’s smile faltered when she saw the look on Thunderlane’s face, brow furrowing in concern. “Thunder? What’s wrong?”

Shaking himself, Thunderlane sat up and pulled away slightly from Cloudchaser, tucking his wings back. The mare frowned momentarily, looking confused but not quite offended, before he continued. “Girls, what’re you two up to? You’re usually flirty when you want my help with something, but not like…" He gestured at the two of them with his free hand, trying to encompass generosity and tenderness and awkwardness, all rolled into one. “This.”

Cloudchaser bit her lip, scooted in defiantly, and pressed her forehead against Thunderlane’s shoulder, not meeting his gaze. He felt her squeeze his hand, and one of her wings extended and laid itself flat on his back, the feathers brushing close beneath his own. She was silent for a moment, and as the quiet became a chasm, Thunderlane was about to continue when she finally spoke.

“You scared the shit out of me today, Thunderlane." Her voice was quiet, but more serious than he'd ever heard her, and she tightened her grip on him for a moment. She took her hand from his and put it on his bicep, squeezing down on the muscle, as though testing its reality. “I thought we’d lost you because you had to go and do something so stupid and brave." She squeezed down even harder, flat out possessively, and for a moment Thunderlane thought he might lose his arm.

Protesting, and hoping to restore circulation, he put a hand over hers. “Chase, I just did what Bronze asked me to do, I-" He cut off abruptly as her head came up, tears threatening to fall from her rose-coloured eyes.

“Do you have any idea how hurt Rumble would be if he lost you? How hurt we’d be?" She pressed her forehead against his shoulder again, shoulders beginning to quake.

Thunderlane felt on solid, or at least, less shaky ground. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and kissed her mane before murmuring, “Hey, hey, don’t cry. I’m fine, everything worked out okay. The boots took the brunt of the landing.”

Flitter finally spoke up from where she was standing, her voice clipped and tense. “But they broke, didn’t they?" She moved over to where the other two sat, and leaned against the table, close enough for her leg to brush quite deliberately against his. She shook her head, sighing. “I only saw the cliff collapse with the hydra, I didn’t realize you were in that mess until Cloud told me later on.”

Thunderlane merely shrugged, once more unsure of what to say. He defaulted to body language. He rubbed Cloudchaser’s hand in what he hoped was a reassuring way, and pressed his cheek against the top of her head. Meanwhile, he extended a wing in what he hoped passed for a gentlecoltly fashion in Flitter's direction.

Pushing off the table with an easy glide, Flitter slid to sit on one of Thunderlane’s legs. She put a hand on Cloudchaser’s shoulder and squeezed it before wrapping her tail quite tightly around Thunderlane’s leg. “So, Mr. What-do-I-need-to-help-you-girls-with-this-time, we came to a decision. We want you. No jokes, no games this time, Sparky." She leaned towards him and, despite the awkwardness, pressed the side of her face close against his neck. She breathed his scent in for a moment, a soft hum on her breath, before saying, “We want you as our stallion, and only our stallion.”

Thunderlane’s jaw had dropped, stunned, when Flitter had laid the sisters' aims out so bluntly. Shaking his head in slight disbelief, he finally managed a hopeful, yet cautious reply. “Flit, you know how long I’ve wanted to hear that, but… you girls really aren’t pulling my wing?”

Sniffing with mock disdain, Cloudchaser finally looked up from his shoulder, but she had a devious smirk on her face that Thunderlane recognized. His heart started to sink into his stomach until she spoke up-- and something else rose. “Oh, I can think of something else we’ll be pulling on, Sparky." She squirmed in her chair until she managed to slide one leg over his, deliberately entangling her sister and their potential stallion. “Now, why don’t we-”

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, causing the trio to jump in their seats, and destroying whatever mood Cloudchaser had been trying to set. Cloudchaser let out an angry noise and shot up from where she had been half-sitting in Thunderlane’s lap. She stamped a foot, her wings flaring angrily. “Oh, come on! This is seriously not happening!”

Thunderlane was upset as well, and wondered who would be visiting so late. Then his eye caught the report on the table, and he coughed and put a hand on it. “Uh, Chase? It’s probably just Lyra, here for the-”

Cloudchaser cut him off, pointing at him while looking at her sister and speaking firmly. “Flitter? Make sure he doesn’t go anywhere." Looking down at Thunderlane, she held out a hand and snapped her fingers, just once. “Give.”

Raising a bewildered eyebrow, Thunderlane handed the report to Cloudchaser, and was about to turn to follow her to the door when all forward motion was arrested in one of the best ways possible: Flitter slid a curvy leg over his hip and pulled herself into place. She grinned at Thunderlane, straddling him and keeping him in place. She stroked both hands through his mane and gave her plush rump a little shake, as if to ask what Thunderlane intended to do about it.

Looking up at the mare, Thunderlane recognized the smile on her face and came to a decision about what, indeed, to do about her. He matched her smile with his own and put his hands on her hips. Thunderlane was about to speak when Flitter leaned down and pressed her lips firmly against his, silencing him, devouring doubt.

Surprised yet again, it took Thunderlane a stunned moment to return the kiss, but Flitter was already grinding herself sinuously against him. Thunderlane let out a low groan into the sweetness of the-- of his?-- mare’s lips, his hands moving with slowly burgeoning confidence down to her legs and squeezing the taut strength of her pegasi thighs.

When Flitter let out a half-muffled giggle into the kiss, Thunderlane heard Cloudchaser at the door, speaking gruffly to their visitor. “Yeah, yeah, this is his report… He’s kinda occupied right now, sorry… No, I’m fine, just an emotional day… I’ll tell him, yeah.”

Flitter suddenly thrust her tongue into his mouth and grabbed his jaw with gentle firmness, forcing his attention back to her. Breathing in deeply and getting a heavy, heady dose of her scent, Thunderlane slid his hands under her shirt and brought them up her smooth, bare back to the base of her wings. He gently squeezed down on the base of them, that sensitive secret of the Windborn Tribe, and smiled into the kiss when she groaned and pressed herself against him even harder. This was everything Thunderlane had wanted.

Thunderlane only realized that he was mistaken on that when Cloudchaser abruptly pressed her half of the twins' suit, sliding her arms around his shoulders, palms stroking his muscles, kissing along his neck. "Forget someone, Sparky?"

Thunderlane somehow managed to pull away from kissing Flitter, and tried to look back at Cloudchaser. “So that was Lyra, then?" Flitter refused to help, taking over nibbling and lightly lipping a soft trail over the base of Thunderlane's neck.

Nipping her side of his neck gently, Cloudchaser chided him. “You have two mares fawning over you right now and you’re asking about another? Sparky, are you trying to make us jealous?”

Blushing, Thunderlane was about to reply when Flitter squished her ample chest around his face, cutting off his view and filling his nose with her scent once more. As Thunderlane became intimately aware of the fact that Flitter was braless, he heard her pout, “Cloud, he’s got his hands on my wings, he’s cheating," as she bounced gently in his lap and over his muzzle. Grinning into Flitter's cloth-covered cleavage, he inhaled deeply and squeezed the base of her wings with wicked gentleness, eliciting a full-body shiver and moan from the mare. Thunderlane was immediately rewarded with a redoubled dose of Flitter's scent. It was getting harder and harder for him not to become lost in the comforting arousal.

Chuckling, Cloudchaser brought her own hands back and down to Thunderlane’s wings, gently rubbing her thumbs into the muscle between them in turn. When the stallion hissed in a breath and flexed his wings outwards, Cloudchaser pressed her own chest against the back of his head, trapping him in place.

“Come on, Flitter, we should let him up so we can have dinner," Cloudchaser said with an odd tone after a moment longer. She stepped back from Thunderlane, but left her hands on his shoulders, fingertips trailing her motion.

Thunderlane knew this dance, or thought he did. He brought his hands down from Flitter’s wings and out from under her shirt, placing them on her stomach to try and push her back gently. He was surprised when her arms tightened around his neck and she held fast.

“We can eat later, Cloud! We’ll just-just reheat the food!" Flitter whined, sounding desperate. Having none of their nonsense, she swiftly brought one hand up to the back of his head and pressed him more firmly into her cleavage before continuing. “I want him now!" She moved her legs with surprising swiftness, trapping her groin fast against Thunderlane. As he tried to process the abrupt sea change, Flitter ground herself against Thunderlane again, earning herself a muffled groan from the stallion.

Thunderlane finally untangled himself from Flitter’s surprisingly aggressive grip and stood up, still holding the mare close. She let out a surprised noise and flapped her wings in an attempt to right herself, arms tightening around his shoulders. “Thunder! What-”

She let out a loud squawk as Thunderlane hauled her over one shoulder, one hand on her hip and the other on her ass to hold her in place. He squeezed her ass and gave a grin as she laughed loudly. Turning to Cloudchaser, he extended a hand and said, “I’m with Flitter, Chase. We can just reheat the soup.”

Cloudchaser rolled her eyes, before smirking and taking his hand, pressing herself tight against his body. “Well aren’t we Mister Confidence all of a sudden. Can’t wait to see what you have planned, Sparky.”

* * *

Nearing 10pm, Ponyville Train Station

Mac sat on the bench, nearly alone at the train platform, as stoic as ever to any outside observer… unless they really knew Mac well. In a pattern so slow it took nearly ten minutes to loop, Mac first squeezed his right hand tightly closed, drawing three long breaths as he silently counted to twenty in his head, then, as he exhaled the final breath of the sequence, he let the hand relax, opening against his knee while tapping with no visible importance at his kneecap, keeping a rhythm with the beat of his heart. Next, the process repeated with his left hand, in just as slow and drawn out a manner.

Tonight it was much, much later than Mac often stayed in town and he was tense, awaiting the second to last train of the day.

Stepping behind him, Zecora finished her detailed inspection of the newsboard and the scraps that had been pinned up about major stories across Equestria. But as fascinating as brief glimpses into distant lives might be, they had a limit, and now restless, she studied her stallion instead. “You are so very tense, as rigid as a fence. Just tell me why this package matters so, what is it that you will not let it go?”

Mac rolled his broad shoulders and stretched his legs out, trying to loosen up and relax despite the worries that lingered deep into his roots and as far as his mind's eye could see. “Things, Zecora. Every day we work hard, tend our land, and care for family. But things keep happening. Granny Smith once told me how the Apple family came to Ponyville. A horrible disaster wiped out their home, their farms, their whole livelihood. Th’ Princess gifted her father the land that became Ponyville as a new place to farm, but recently? My cuz’ Braeburn’s fighting every day to raise a new orchard in the far south, bringing an orchard to the badlands. But all their work lies in ruins because he couldn't defend his home. I won't have that. Sweet Apple Acres is my home, and I won't let that happen to my family.”

Reaching her toned arms around his chest from behind, Zecora rested her cheek on the comforting shelf of his shoulder, softly kissing his temples while slowly but inexorably undoing the top three buttons on his shirt. Blushing darkly, Mac reached up and tried to stop her hands, shocked at Zecora’s forwardness. “Zecora! Wha-”

Zecora silenced Mac’s protest with a deep, passionate kiss, letting him feel the taste of her, while her hands undid the fourth button on his shirt, then swiftly pulled it back off his shoulders. When she reached for him anew, her fingers and palms were covered in a white cream and moved almost predator swift to massage the balm into his tightly knotted shoulders in soothing soft circles, her thumbs following with surprising force to grind against the reluctant tenseness that resisted her assault. Unable to help himself, Mac gasped gently, and let his head hang forward, mane falling around his temples. He softly groaned, the soothing heat that emanated in the wake of Zecora's massage seeping into his flesh. Its minty scent reinforced the relaxing feeling from her touch. “Each tree that shelters us from rain, does not come simply by the train. You, my love, call them from their seed. And thence make miracles, indeed.”

Mac melted into her soothing rhythm; Zecora unwound tense muscles with rare skill. He tried to unwind his emotional knot-- to meet her halfway and not be self conscious about her very public display of affection. He was slowly learning to be more open about communication-- hay, he loved how she eloquently conveyed deeper truths in simpler phrases.

He was the seed? The tree? No, wait. The trees were like Bloomberg, arriving to give life and strength in the desert. But it didn't start there, fully grown, right off a train like the one they were waiting for here. No. He smiled thoughtfully back at Zecora, nuzzling his face into her forearm as she continued to caress his bare torso. The strength that would save his family there, and could protect his life and friends here, he had to grow it on the farm first. From little seeds.

So as long as he took care of the little things-- yeah. Yeah, as long as he took care of the little things, as long as he held fast on his family land with his friends and loved ones, it would grow and take care of the big ones, over time. Flexing and rolling the loosened muscles of his back and shoulders, Mac gave a low grunt, nodding his understanding to Zecora. “I can't fight the whole world, but just maybe I can protect our corner of it.”

Mac couldn’t see it, but Zecora beamed at his words, and leaned against his back, brushing her jaw against his. “So little a word others may miss. This is something that I can't dismiss. When you say 'our' to display your fears, it brings this zebra to tender tears. Right now, dear Mac, I will make it known, this life's burden need not be yours alone."

Suddenly, the sharp, powerful cry of an approaching train’s whistle made Mac and Zecora jump, interrupting their conversation, breaking the moment. Rushing to stand up and pull his shirt back on, Mac’s cheeks had burned an even darker red. He started pacing around the bench, staring at the train’s brilliant light as it approached the station.

Almost ten minutes later, when the train had settled to a halt and the small rush of passengers had filed off the platform. Mac and Zecora stood alone, waiting by the cargo car. With impressive industry, little Derpy and the stoker were unloading a growing pile of mail and other deliveries for Ponyville. After they had declined Mac’s offer to help twice, he busied himself sorting the pile, finding the process surprisingly easy once he noticed the small yellow labels on the boxes had the names of businesses or ponies he knew. By the time Derpy had noticed what he was doing, Mac had sorted the giant stack of boxes into six piles, amazed to see that two thirds of them were for Berry Punch and Sugarcube Corner.

Straightening up, Mac turned to look where Derpy’s voice had called for him and found the little mare waiting, embarrassed; she wasn't looking at him, but focusing instead a little off to the side. “Err... sorry we don't have the package you were waiting for Mac… but umm... well, Blast Furnace and I can't do much more than budge this box for Bronze. And it's got the royal seal on it, so only I can open it and if I do, that’s a whole lotta paperwork that I gotta fill out, and then Dusk’ll have to look over it too, and this late at night, I just wanna get home to Dinky… do you think that y-”

Stepping up to the stairs into the train, Mac cut her off with a warm grin and a hand to her shoulder. Little seeds, he thought. This, I can do. “No worries, Derpy. My package will arrive soon. Let me help you today."

Unable to help herself, Derpy jumped forward a half-step and gave Mac a powerful hug, proving that as small as she was, she was still made of stern stuff. “Ohh! Thanks, Mac! I promise next time I'm in Canterlot, I'll try to find out what happened to your order!”

Ruffling Derpy’s hair and blushing darkly at the quirky smile Zecora was giving him, Mac stepped aboard the train and gave the stoker a nod in greeting. While Mac had never met his equal, the stallion was as close a match as he had even seen, a powerful tower of muscle, skin darkened by the coal he shoveled all day. There was no need for words, Mac could already see the crate that was giving them so much trouble.

Eyeballing the massive wooden box, Mac judged it to be easily six feet in length, perhaps a little more, with five metal bands that wrapped around the narrow end, reinforcing the whole. The royal seal hadn't simply been stamped on the wood. Somepony had taken pains to burn the royal seal into the wood, marking it unmistakably as government property. Mac could feel the shiver of magic through the wood.

With a shared nod, the two stallions knelt down in parallel and took a hold of the band at their respective ends. Mac was astonished at the weight hidden inside the box, but he lifted his end with his usual ease. The stoker managed his end, and together they started shifting the load towards the open door where Derpy was waiting, watching them closely. “Just… be careful! You wouldn't want to drop that on your foot!”

As if she were the prophetess of some goddess of misfortune, no sooner had the words left Derpy’s lips than, with a traumatic twang, the second of the five bands from Mac's end gave way in explosive agony, snapping in half and shooting off into the roof of the train.

For a moment, Mac and the stoker were frozen in shock, staring up and watching the still vibrating metal strap as it wavered back and forth in place. Only the sound of a heralding creak followed by the snapping crack of the wood in their hands pulled their attention back from the ceiling. With one violent, shaking groan, the weight inside the box shifted towards Mac, and the closest side of the bottom of the crate fell away, splitting open like a jaw opening. With a thunderous crash, packages wrapped in purple velvet burst forth from the opening rip in the bottom of the box, the roar of metal crashing against metal filling the small train car. Mac winced as the first of the weight smacked into his legs… and feet.

The look in Derpy’s eyes was so sad, so pained, it almost hurt Mac to watch. In slow motion, a creeping visage of terror and distress spread over her normally peaceful expression. Overwhelmed and overcome, she was near tears. As rage and depression grappled within her, Derpy stamped a foot on the train car, before crying out in frustration. “Oh! Fiddlesticks!”

Struggling to ignore the growing ache in his feet, Mac adjusted his load while trying to recover something from this debacle. The remaining weight inside shifted further and he froze, looking first to the stoker, then back to Derpy, worrying about how to help the mare. To his relief, Zecora suddenly joined Derpy, leading the mare off the train while whispering soothing words Mac could just barely hear. Shrugging off the last of his hang-ups, Mac finally spoke up to the other stallion. “Derpy will insist we document the contents. May as well do so while she calms down.”

The stoker didn't appear to have any reason to argue and followed Mac’s lead, settling the shattered box on its side with care. While the stoker began sorting the wrapped packages, Mac reached into the broken box and found a thick metal pipe inside that rang like temple bells tuned to his soul. Somepony had carefully mounted the one end, and Mac had to slip a harness off to slide the pole out. It was wrapped in leather with a thin, silver wire from the base, up a full foot to a pommel. Mac’s heart skipped as he began to draw the metal from the box, the haft fitting his hand like the missing piece of a puzzle. He noticed that the far end was heavy enough to call on his strength; heavy enough to call to his strength, at that.

With growing excitement, Mac broke open the far end of the box to reveal a titanic hammer head of a depthless black metal, reflecting his own appearance in its depths, eyes meeting eyes. But as he pulled the great weapon the rest of the way free of the shattered remains of the box, an axe blade of that same dark metal emerged, nearly two feet long and covered by a velvet-wrapped wooden guard tied to cover the edge of the axe blade from one end to another. Fascinated, Mac hefted the heavy weapon to his shoulder, intrigued by its balance and impressed by Bronze’s creativity. It rested on the breadth of him like another arm, waiting to be raised in defense of his home, of his family. “I guess she took my word. An Axe and a Hammer… thank you, Bronze.”

Stepping a few feet away from the stoker, who was still writing notes on Derpy’s clipboard, Mac gave the massive weapon a few trial swings, enjoying how its weight made him have to work to handle each pass. Learning the heft of it was like his first meeting with Granny Smith’s Orchard-- something new that felt like it had always been waiting for him to return. Just as he placed the heavy hammerhead to rest on his shoulder, the faint hint of white paper escaping from between the velvet guard and black metal caught his eye. Pulling the paper free with care to avoid cutting it or his hand on the axe head, Mac unfolded the paper, discovering that the smith had written a note for Bronze. Feeling more than a little guilty, Mac unfolded the letter and read.

”When approached by Princess Luna’s agent to forge a weapon of meteorite, I assumed it would be another dagger or claw like so many of her agents wield. I can not express my joy at the challenge I was gifted when she told me to make a weapon not for some spy, but a brother earth pony. This project took all that remained in my supply, but I care not. Make good use of it, brother, so few of our kind get to handle the black steel that falls from beyond the sky.”

I have named him in the old tongue: “Mac na Réaltaí, Céile an Domhain." May he defend your home. Live well, and defend the hearth.

There was no name signed below, but Mac understood now. The craftsman had poured his soul into this gift, and Mac was honored. Hiding the small letter, Mac turned to join the stoker. It was late, and they would have to deliver things to Dusk’s door. But Mac’s burden felt lighter with the heavy weapon in his possession. Finally he could be of some help.

Mac pondered that name, recalling all that Granny Smith had taught him of their ancient ways. “Child of the Stars, Husband of the Earth, is it? Guess we're both somepony's Mac.”

* * *

10:30pm, Carousel Boutique

Bronze paused for a long moment to gather herself, needing the recovery before knocking on the door to Rarity’s house. The itchy, growing sensation of the muscles in her back and shoulders tightening up had to be addressed before she dared to get trapped in another social situation. Turning her back to face the exterior wall, Bronze rubbed her tender, stiff muscles against the hardwood, stealing a moment of minor relief every time she managed to get the angle just right. She did her best to be quiet and relieve the ache before knocking; she was worried that Rarity might hear her and come investigate the strange noise.

There was no question that Rarity was still awake, of course; the lights in the lower half of her boutique were all still on. Bronze was quite impressed at how smoothly Rarity had managed, having to suddenly host some of the higher ranked members of the Guard and Wonderbolts that had stopped in town to visit. Bronze was embarrassed and perhaps a bit dejected that apart from Shining Armor, only a few of the Guard had come at her offer of a celebratory drink. She was glad that his medic had been one of those few, as the ointment she’d rubbed into Bronze’s wings was a welcome relief to the soreness from the day’s exertions, despite the itchy, irksome tingles it left behind.

Thinking about Cloudsdale turned Bronze’s train of thought towards Rainbow Dash, and Bronze couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy as she pondered just how she was going to ask Rarity how to handle the problem that had been plaguing her mind all evening. Once they were alone together, Dash had shocked her deeply, but not unpleasantly; her prismatic-haired friend abruptly kissing her on the cheek and then speeding away. It had been a small blessing that she hadn’t had time to worry about it... until now.

Bronze wished she had a more… fitting? Comfortable? Perhaps ‘less socially terrifying’ was the way to phrase it-- some easier opportunity to question Rarity for information on the nature of Dusk’s herd. In the past, she'd seen how seriously the Canterlot nobles took theirs, and she absolutely needed to ask Rarity for specifics before disaster struck and she made some major or fatally embarrassing faux pas that might make them shun her from their group; she needed them, too. Not just Dusk, though he was the center of it.

She knew that Dusk was far more laidback than any of the stuffy nobles of Canterlot, but he had still grown up in their society, and more importantly, he had that refined air of unicorn nobility about him, and no matter how much he protested, it shone through his every action. The last thing she wanted to do was assume anything when it came to Dusk, though her heart reminded her that at the very least, he was noble of spirit as well.

Knocking lightly on the door as her wandering mind turned to Dusk, and she began to wonder just how well Pinkie was taking care of him, Rarity’s door opened a crack. The soft lighting revealed the short mare in question. Her voice was light and breezy, and her breath had a faint but obvious scent of wine that made Bronze wish she could have offered the guards more than the small keg of mead she’d had on hand. Rarity's greeting cut through Bronze's day-dreaming. “Oh, my, Bronze! Light, it’s so late, you scared me, you silly filly! One moment, darling." The door shut swiftly. She heard the sound of a chain being pulled aside, and then the door opened fully. Rarity stood in the doorway, surrounded by the light.

Even after the hectic day, and having hosted half a dozen military officers, Rarity still looked pristine and radiant. She was dressed in a bright, perfectly white dress that fell down to her feet, but still short enough to show off her high-heeled shoes. Her purple hair still looked as though it had been freshly styled, with not a single hair out of place. Bronze didn’t realize she had been staring until one of Rarity’s eyebrows raised quizzically, and a gentle smile twitched at the edges of her lips. Shaking herself loose, Bronze gave the mare a smile of her own in return. “Hey Rarity," she began, attempting at a casualness she didn’t feel after the day’s ordeals. “You, uh, mind if I come in for a bit?”

Rarity’s eyes sparkled with delight, and her smile widened. “Of course, dear, do come in!" Rarity stepped aside, leaning against the door and making space within the light for the guard. “I still have some wine as well, if you’d like to partake, Bronze."

Bronze paused for a moment, ready to decline, but after today… “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks." She stepped inside, brushing past the smaller mare.

Bronze nearly jumped when she felt Rarity’s tail slyly brush her thigh as the mare shut the door behind them. “What is with me? I already know she likes being flirty, just calm down. You’re only just about to ask her about Dusk’s herd and potentially hear… ugh."

Bronze followed Rarity to where her reclining couches were, and sat down with anxious stillness as she waited for Rarity to get the offered wine. Trying to calm her nerves, she once more took to scanning her surroundings. On the table in front of her, she noticed two magazines. Assuming they were fashion magazines, and with nothing better to do, she picked one up.

She was quite surprised to find that it was a copy of The Dish, a well-known tabloid journal that she’d seen some of the younger guards reading from time to time. It was popular for its scandalous gossip about the upper-crust of the Canterlot elite, but Bronze had never read it before. Snorting in disbelief, Bronze ruffled the pages in contempt before calling out to Rarity. “Rarity, do you actually read these trashy magazines? You know these are full of garbage and nonsense, right?" Bronze read some of the more outrageous titles on the cover, chuckling at the lurid way they were worded to catch somepony’s attention.

Rarity sauntered back in, carrying two wine glasses and a half-empty bottle, a light blush marking her cheeks. “We all have our vices, dear Bronze. Mine just happens to be juicy gossip from Canterlot. They can have some amusing articles, as well; one does need to keep up with trends in my business, you know." Deftly setting the glasses down on the table, the fashionista filled them nearly to the top. Picking her own up with practiced ease, she elegantly sat down on the couch next to the guard, half leaning on Bronze's more muscular shoulders. She looked at the magazine in Bronze's hands and made an excited noise. “Ooh! Let’s read that one, darling, it says ‘Princess Nepotism? Celestia Gives High-Ranking Job to Untrained Unicorn!’ I bet Prince Blueblood irked somepony of note by getting a position with some actual power.”

Bronze smiled indulgently and rolled her eyes, checking the table of contents. Flipping to the article in question, the two were shocked to see a picture of Dusk taken at his graduation from Canterlot University. Bronze’s jaw dropped in outrage, and she turned to look at Rarity, whose eyes had narrowed, like a wolf seeing a threat to her own. The smaller mare took a simple sip of her wine, but didn’t say anything, eyes already flying across the page.

Bronze began reading through the article, but was only half done by the time Rarity leaned back into the couch, letting out a decidedly unhappy noise. When Bronze looked at her, she saw that Rarity’s eyebrows had furrowed, and she hadn’t touched her wine beyond the initial sip. Hesitantly, Bronze asked, “Uh, Rarity? Everything ok? It looks like they’re just saying he should have been given a minor posting first, not been trusted with something as serious as a magistrate’s mantle. Seems mostly harmless.”

Rarity sighed before taking another sip of her wine, and gesturing at the other glass on the table for Bronze. “Drink some wine, dear, it’s been a long day." Rarity let out a small, dissatisfied hiss as she thought about the article. Bronze picked up her own glass and gave it a preliminary sip. Finding the taste to her liking, Bronze took a longer gulp before setting the glass back down.

Rarity drank from her glass again before finally continuing. “The problem, darling, is as much what they’re not saying as what they are. That article was written by their editorialist, Hackneyed Scribe, and he only ever writes hit pieces on ponies that the paper’s owners positively hate. So having him write an article on Dusk is very telling…" Rarity drained the last of her glass, looking at it like she was surprised it was empty already. She gave a muzzy-headed smile. “Almost a badge of honor, really. Oh dear, I think I’m done with wine for the evening. But this is an interesting puzzle. What could Dusk have done to irritate the owners enough to have an article written on him?”

Bronze set down the magazine in disgust, leaving the article unfinished and her opinion on the industry as a whole unchanged. She reached for her own glass of wine, trying to settle her wings comfortably against the couch when she leaned back. Rarity seemed to notice her discomfort, and asked, “Darling, are you okay? I know today was rather hectic, but you seem particularly tense." There was an odd purr in Rarity's slightly slurred voice.

Bronze was unable to find the nerve to speak for another moment, instead taking another large gulp of the wine, enjoying the bubbly texture. She shivered as she felt a rush of warmth shoot down her spine. Bronze turned the glass in her hands, almost willing the wine to dissolve some of her inhibitions. Watching the wine as she rotated her drink, Bronze took a deep breath, still unable to meet Rarity’s somewhat unfocused gaze. “Rarity, what are the… um, rules? Guidelines?... Boundaries?" When Rarity didn’t answer the meekly-voiced questions immediately, Bronze rambled on more bluntly, feeling reckless now. “Regarding being in Dusk’s herd, I mean.”

Rarity seemed taken aback at the abrupt subject change, and simply sat there blinking for a few moments. Her mouth dropped open as though to speak once, but she closed it and thought on. Then her indistinct smile sharpened and turned sly, and she leaned her soft weight into the guard a little more, entwining one elegant arm around Bronze’s. “Why, Bronze, my dear, is there something between you and Dusk I should know about?”

Bronze’s face lit up in a hot blush, and her body tensed up as she began stammering, her own throat seemingly trying to choke down her words. “Wha- I-I mean, n-no, but I just-just wanted to know…" She closed her eyes tight for a moment, trying to recenter herself after Rarity’s distracting teasing, exhaling slowly. Rarity's leaning caress was so not helpful! Opening them, she tried to relax herself against the smaller mare leaning on her. “Rarity. I just… just want to know what rules you’ve set down as Dusk’s alpha mare. Regarding relationships with mares in and out of the herd, I mean.”

Rarity sat in silence for a moment, before a shock seemed to jolt her upright and sober. “Dusk’s wha- hisalpha mare? Darling, that’s so… so old-fashioned! I didn’t think anypony still did things that way.”

Bronze froze for a moment, a confused look on her face. She wondered if she'd managed to step onto a pike here-- again. Taking a small gulp of wine this time, she set the mostly-empty glass on the table, stretching one wing out to stop a stress kink she could feel coming on. She forced herself to abstain from panic and turned to face Rarity before asking, “Wait, really? But you really seem like his herd’s alpha… I mean, Applejack at least seems to take cues from you whenever something comes up. Like when she asked you about me maybe dating Dusk, so I figured…" Bronze let the words trail off nervously, waiting for Rarity to say something. Anything.

Rarity’s mouth opened and closed a few times, unsure of what to say. Finally she sat up, taking her weight and arm off of Bronze, folding it against her chest, holding the opposite elbow while she gestured defensively with her other hand. “Darling, Applejack and I are equalsin Dusk’s herd, I assure you. As anymare would be if she were to join us." Rarity was quiet for a moment, as an idea began to rapidly form in her keen mind. Snapping her fingers, she said, “Canterlot. Of course! That’s why you’d think I was his alpha mare. I’d heard rumors some of the nobles still use that old practice, but I honestly never thought... Hm. That is interesting." Bronze could almost see the wheels turning and notes being filed from the suddenly crisp focus of Rarity's gaze.

Bronze nodded slowly, heat rising to her cheeks as she remembered again that for all Rarity's charisma and sheer grace, she was an outsider to the games beneath Celestia's throne. “Yeah. I mean, I guess they’re kind of like an open secret with some of the nobility." Shaking her head, Bronze continued, telling Rarity what little she knew regarding the subject. “Every herd there has an alpha mare, one that’s more-or-less ‘in-charge’ of the other mares. At least to some degree, I mean. She sets the rules for the herd mares, like if they can see someone outside the herd, or even who gets into the herd in the first place. A lot of the nobles don’t talk about having a herd openly, let alone alpha mares. Still... I’ve even heard some of the mares in those herds are only there because they were manipulated into the group, not exactly because they wanted to be there. Nothing really concrete though.”

Rarity shook her head, disbelief and no little disgust coloring her voice. “Why, Bronze... That just sounds so… controlling. Why should the relationship be anything but a group effort? I can’t believe that Dusk would want us to have our own little hierarchy regarding him." The normally-refined mare shook her head again, not quite sure what to make of the concept, her adorable refined moue¹ of distaste returning. “That just makes me wonder how much Duskknows about them. I love him to bits, but the darling knew next to nothing regarding being in a relationship when he arrived in Ponyville."

Rarity leaned back in her seat, tapping her lips with one well-manicured nail. “Well, I suppose if Dusk is going to stay as magistrate, we may have to at least looklike we have an alpha mare. I’ll have to talk to AJ. Knowing her, she’ll laugh herself silly at the idea." Rarity rolled her eyes, looking like she’d bitten into something particularly tart at the thought of explaining the concept to the bluff, blunt farmpony.

Bronze chuckled at the thought and Rarity stuck her tongue out impishly at Bronze. The stress of the moment seemed to briefly lift, and the guardsmare began to laugh openly until a muscle in her back twinged. She cocked a shoulder, an angry hiss escaping her mouth as she half-extended a wing. She flexed it hopefully for a moment, trying to calm the muscle down.

Rarity leaned forward, concern etching her stately features, and raised a hand towards Bronze’s wing, but didn’t quite touch it. “Bronze, darling, are you alright? Did you pull something when you caught Dusk?”

Shaking her head slightly, Bronze grimaced as she managed to fold her wing back in. Rolling her shoulders, Bronze leaned forward towards the table, reading the cover of the other magazine as she tried to distract herself from the irritated muscle. The cover had a picture of Prince Blueblood, and the most eye-catching headline read ‘Wingless Royal Kook Has Flown the Coop!’ Under that, it continued ‘Ignoring traditional family standards, Prince Blueblood forms a public herd, much to the family’s shame!’

Her interest piqued, Bronze picked it up and leaned back into the sofa once more. She showed Rarity the cover, before saying, “Did you see this? I’m surprised that the Prince would be so open with having a her-”

Rarity cut Bronze off as she lightly plucked the magazine from Bronze’s hands and tossed it back to the table. “Bronze, put your back to me, darling. It’s clearly bothering you." Her voice had changed. Bronze wouldn't call it severe-- she'd heard Rarity become harsh!-- but it was certainly a command, and no less forceful than any drill sergeant's!

Bronze’s jaw dropped in shock, and she hastily replied, “Well, uh, yeah, but it’s just been a long day. I had a hard workout with Dash this morning…" Remembering her brush with the other pegasus and an all-too similar emotional firezone, Bronze’s cheeks heated up, and she rushed on, stammering, “An-and then the whole mess with the hydra, wearing my full armor for the first time in forever…”

Rarity waited patiently for Bronze to finish, her now completely clear and sharp eyes locked on Bronze's as she waited, before lifting a finger and making a gesture that clearly meant turn around. Exhaling loudly, Bronze’s head slumped forward resignedly, and she turned her back to Rarity. Rarity herself turned on the couch to face Bronze’s back more directly, and brought her dexterous seamstress' hands up to Bronze’s shoulders.

Bronze was silent as Rarity began to massage her upper back, still thinking about Dusk’s herd. Rarity really hadn’t said anything, with how quickly the conversation had gotten sidetracked. Still wanting an answer, Bronze spoke up hesitantly, “Uh, Rarity? About Dusk’s herd, I-”

“Oh yes, yes, dear. I’m sorry, I forgot." Rarity worked her fingers into the guard’s shoulders, admiring how muscular the mare was. “She really ought to show it off more, she’s worked for quite the body…”

Rarity stopped that train of thought, trying to get herself back on track. “Answers now, pretty toys later, Rarity. Especially if you are a good mare… " Clearing her throat, Rarity spoke out loud. “Well, Bronze, I shall be completely honest with you. Officially, Dusk’s herd consists of Applejack and myself. Unofficially, however… he has been on some dates with Pinkie Pie, and I know she likes him quite a bit. However, she is… shall I say, less than eager to settle into a defined relationship?”

Bronze nodded slightly, eyes closed. She absently leaned back into Rarity’s hands to increase the wondrous pressure against her back. “Okay, I can see Pinkie being that sort of mare. No problem there.”

“Exactly so." Rarity took her hands off Bronze’s shoulders with a light chuckle and moved them down to her sides, fingers kneading into the adorably shapely muscles she found there, trying to relieve some pressure. “Now, Fluttershy, the adorable girl, has become quite close to Dusk, for her. As far as I know, I am the only pony she’s ever stayed the night with." Rarity found a knot in one of the muscles she was putting pressure on, and worked to unwind it. Bronze made a low, approving noise in her throat and pushed her back against her masseuse’s hands even more. Rarity smiled to herself, counting a mark internally, before continuing. “She’s very reserved, and for the longest time has shied away from even the slightest physical contact. The fact that she accepts and gives hugs to Dusk speaks entire volumes for her trust and attraction to him. Speaking for myself, I find that rather important."

Absently nodding, Bronze didn’t notice as her wings began to lift off of her back and flex outwards slowly. “Fluttershy?” she thought, but couldn't for the life of her think of a reason to dislike sharing with Fluttershy, of all ponies. Her voice was soft, and distracted. “Yeah, Fluttershy is pretty reluctant to talk to anypony…”

“And lastly, there is our dear, gallant, and occasionally rather dense Weather Captain, Rainbow Dash." Rarity noticed Bronze’s wings twitch at the name, and she nearly giggled at how obvious Bronze wanted to hear about Dash. “And do you think I've been a pegasus' mistress this long without being able to recognize arousal feathering, hmm?"Managing to stay quiet, Rarity’s hands climbed up to massage the tense, powerful muscles normally covered by Bronze’s lovely wings. Bronze let out a delighted groan, and her wings extended to ensure that Rarity had full access to her back, even as she shifted backwards, closer towards Rarity.

Eyeing Dusk’s Vicarius with an almost hungry look, and now contemplating some fun play upon this ridiculous ‘alpha mare’ concept, Rarity let her voice drop into a softer, huskier tone. “Dash has been on quite a few dates with Dusk. She tries to deny it, but she loves the attention he gives her. Much like AJ or myself, Dusk had gotten quite close to Dash. Well, not quite as close as AJ or me… as our little Dash can be quite the… tease." On that final word, Rarity’s fingers drifted to a nerve cluster on the muscles between Bronze’s wings, and she pressed down firmly.

The reaction was exactly as she wanted. Bronze let out a throaty, indeed pleasured, groan, wings flexing to their full breadth, and pressed her back firmly against Rarity’s front. The smaller mare was pushed against the corner of the couch, trapped between the plush cushions and the eager pegasus’ muscles.

Realizing what she’d done, Bronze’s eyes snapped open and she made to move away from Rarity. She was stopped, however, when she felt Rarity’s hands grasp the base of her wings, eliciting another groan. “Ra-Rarity! I-I’m sorry, let me get off you, I didn’t mean to-”

Rarity smiled as she gently squeezed on the base of Bronze’s wings again, licking her lips at the resulting noise the younger mare made. “Who has whom trapped? We shall see."“Bronze, darling, if I didn’t want you right here, I would let you know, trust me. Now stopthis uncouth squirming, I’m quite comfortable." Shifting around with a liquid, almost feline grace in her seat, Rarity moved her deft hands from Bronze’s wings to her shapely sides, pulling her in closer.

“Now, my darling Bronze, regarding the herd…" Rarity brought her fingers up under the guard’s shirt, nails teasing along Bronze’s sides. Rarity smiled when she felt Bronze shiver, and lowered her voice to a heavy purr. “The first, and most important rule is that we must all respect one another. Every pony is an equal part of this relationship. With no exceptions. In fact, if you were to tell me to stop right now…" Rarity let her talented fingers drift over the muscles of Bronze’s stomach, feeling her well-defined abs flex and contract at the touch. Rarity shuddered at the feeling before leaning forward, letting her breath tickle Bronze’s ear as she whispered, “I would stop right now, no questions asked. Do you want me to stop?”

Bronze’s mind was a mess of scattered thoughts. Rarity’s touch was electric, and the massage, however brief, had seemingly done wonders for her wings. At least, she assumed it had - she could barely feel them, but what little she felt was a deliciously warm tingle. However, she still felt some vague hints of guilt towards the mare; her past, the poison joke, the-- everything. “Rarity, I… I don’t think I deserve your-" Bronze gasped loudly when she felt Rarity’s hot breath blow across the back of her neck.

“Bronze, do you remember what I said when I told you I could reassure you that those were just nightmares? Believe me, darling, you deserve anything you could ask me to do for, or to, you." Rarity nipped Bronze’s neck, just a little rake of her teeth before sitting back slightly. “Now, secondly, the herd has to agree - entirely - on who is included in the group. We are a family, and we must respect one another. No silly reasons for excluding a mare from the group. If she loves Dusk, and he loves her back, and we can agree that she would be a good fit, then she is in.”

Bronze tried to bring her wings back in, but Rarity’s fingers danced from her stomach around to her back, tickling and scratching at the muscles along her back. Bronze heard a soft, eager noise, and blushed hotly when she realized that it had come from her. The only words she heard for a few moments was a soft "Nah-ah-ah," when she tried one more time to retract her wings.

Working her fingers into Bronze’s rapidly untensing back once more, Rarity continued. “And lastly, while relationships with ponies outside of the herd are allowed, as we are Dusk’s herd, those relationships should be limited to mares. The only time we will interfere with those relationships is when we see that it is toxic to the group."

Bronze nodded, most of her attention on Rarity’s fingers. She inhaled slowly, bringing her own hands up, before realizing she didn’t know what to do with them. Rarity took advantage of her uncertainty and took her hands out of Bronze’s shirt, trailing her nails down the mare’s back. Reaching around Bronze, Rarity gently took the mare’s hands and pulled her into a warm hug. Angling the guard so that her head rested on Rarity’s shoulder, Rarity gently blew across Bronze’s ear, tightening her arms around the mare when she shivered. She offered Bronze a world in her arms; one that had been tightly shut away before.

Rarity smiled and placed her warm, eager lips against Bronze’s ear, giving it a soft kiss before whispering to her. “Now, Bronze… I want to ask you something before answering the question I know you really want to ask me. Is that okay?" Rarity began trailing her elegantly maintained nails reassuringly along Bronze’s hands, feeling them tremble.

“Wha-the question I really want to ask? No way she knows about Dash, so what?...” Bronze found herself unsure of what to say, so she simply nodded her head again. Her wings shifted behind her, pressing against the softness of Rarity’s breasts. Feeling emboldened by Rarity’s lack of a rejection, Bronze took a chance by moving one of her hands onto the small mare’s leg, gently squeezing the thigh.

Rarity’s tongue wet her lips, shivering at Bronze finally making a move of her own, however small. “I was worried she didn’t want this, but maybe…” Rarity gently took Bronze’s hand on her thigh, and began moving it slowly back and forth, encouraging her to take some initiative.

After a moment, Rarity moved her hand up to Bronze’s taut bicep, massaging the fencer-strong wondrously taut muscle, a sure sign of her dedication to training, before speaking. “Bronze, I must apologize if this comes as quite…" Rarity’s voice trailed off before she abruptly took the matter more in hand, and grasped one of Bronze’s breasts and squeezed gently, grinning eagerly at the excited little noise the mare made. Biting her ear gently, Rarity continued, voice barely above a whisper. “Forward, but it’s quite obvious to me that you want Dusk, and I know he returns your feelings. So what is stopping you from making him yours, darling?" On that last word, Rarity squeezed Bronze’s breast again, pinching the nipple between two strong, yet gentle fingers.

Bronze gasped and involuntarily pressed her chest forward, one desperate hand latching onto Rarity’s to keep it in place over her breast. Taking a few shaky breaths, Bronze tried to gather herself before speaking, but her voice was still unsteady when she spoke. “I-I nearly did once, bu-but I wasn’t ready…" Squeezing Rarity’s thigh, Bronze’s cheeks burned red at the thought of having Dusk mount her, but her voice sounded steadier when she spoke again. “I do want him though. Light, it almost scares me how much I want him. It’s just… we’re always so damn busy. Something always comes up. There’s been no time… But Light, Rarity, he drives me mad with how calm he seems about us sometimes. Some days I just want to tear his clothes off and throw him to the floor.”

Rarity nodded, knowing exactly what she meant, and understanding that Bronze did not quite yet comprehend the deliciousness of the dance, not yet, which meant it was hers to guide her-- heart sisters, she supposed-- in the steps, whilst taking her own dips and twirls when she could. Keeping her mind on the mare at hand, though, Rarity gently kissed Bronze’s supple, corded neck, before telling the mare what Rarity thought she needed to hear. “Then do both of yourselves a favor, darling - let him know what you want. He won’t push you aside… at least, unless Cerberus itself comes to town.”

Bronze laughed at the thought of Tartarus’ guard dog in Ponyville, and the panic that would cause. Her laughter turned to a sharp hiss when she felt Rarity’s hand begin to wander down to her legs, and she tensed her thighs out of sheer reflex. Rarity’s hand froze, and the two mares were still and silent for a moment. The air grew heavy, less with tension than with potential. Bronze turned to look at Rarity, but she found herself unable to speak.

Rarity looked into Bronze’s eyes, seeing the uncertainty there, and tried to convey compassion and trust with her own look. Rarity spoke first, her voice still low. “I won’t hurt you Bronze. If this is too much, just say the word.”

Bronze stared back at Rarity, unsure of what to say. For a few, long moments, her jaw seemed to open and close of its own will, but no noise came out. Bronze closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at Rarity again. She nodded her head slowly, whispering back. “No, yeah, I can do this - I mean, I want to do this.”

Trust, as Rarity knew, was a powerful weapon. Trust, and generosity.

Rarity smiled encouragingly as she felt Bronze’s tense legs relax, and began unbuttoning the pegasus’ leather pants. When Bronze let out a shaky breath, Rarity decided to extend a bit more of both trust and generosity. She leaned down and nibbled on Bronze's ear before whispering, “And as for Dash, darling... If she’ll have you, then there’s nothing against making that little mare sing." Rarity swiftly slipped her hand into Bronze’s pants, silencing the mare’s surprised gasp with a deep kiss.

* * *

Sunday, April 10th, 6am, Philomena’s chambers, Canterlot

Barb lay curled up in her bed, fully aware she was awake, but busy doing her best to pretend that wasn't true; she'd had quite a bit of practice with that, of late. Somehow, things had gotten worse since she started staying in Philomena’s spare room, not better. At Cadance’s apartment, she had felt adrift; out of place and useless. The servants insisted on ‘helping’ her with any cleaning she tried to do, and before she realized it, they had taken over the job completely, leaving her feeling worthless. Then, when Cadance, Shining Armor, or Princess Celestia came to bring her to visit Philomena… It had been even more painful, one morning; the cold and growly Silken Flight had come for Barb with the emotional subtlety of a mace to the forehead while everypony else was busy.

Now, though, she was staying in one of Philomena’s small, familiar suite of rooms, where she could hear every rough cough and raked breath through the wall. To top it off, the nurses came and went constantly. At least Princess Celestia visited four or five times a day, and then everypony else left them alone, and a precious, tiny bit of peace settled… better yet, if anything could said to be better about this whole mess, it was one of the few times she was allowed to help Celestia care for Philomena, without the nurses constantly freaking out over Barb’s use of so much fire.

Finally, after yet another hour that made Barb feel like climbing the walls, a familiar light knock rang out against her door. Princess Celestia's voice was always so tender with her. “Barb, dear? Are you up? I've brought Philomena’s breakfast, and I think she'd appreciate it quite a lot if you could come massage her hands so she can feed herself.”

Throwing aside her blanket and slipping off the bed, Barb pulled on the light ankle-length blue silk dress Princess Celestia had given her on her first day back, while calling back to answer the princess, her throat dry and swallowing as hope warred with fear. “Of course I'll come! Do… do you think she's… she’ll be feeling any better today?”

There was far too long of a pause before Celestia finally answered her; to Barb, that was a much clearer answer than her response. “She’s been much better since you came to Canterlot, Barb. But… she doesn't have long left. It might be weeks, or even months, but I'm so sorry, nothing will change that…”

Barb froze at the door, her heart tightening up in her chest, suddenly short of breath, with a pounding noise in her ears drowning everything else out. She closed her eyelids tight, even the nictitating membrane. Leaning against the wall beside the door and fighting back tears, Barb tried not to sniffle like a filly and hunted for something, anything to say before the princess got worried. Unable to find a real answer, she mumbled a half-hearted reply. “I-I know princess… I… I'm almost ready, I'll be out in just a second.”

Pulling a hanky off the dressing table, Barb did her best to blow her nose as silently as she could before returning to her bedroom door, while struggling to keep her emotions in check. Barb wiped the backside of her hand across her snout before trying to smile as she opened the door for the titanic goddess. She must have missed something, however; the moment their eyes met, Princess Celestia knelt down to Barb’s level, and swept Barb into her arms, brushing a soothing hand down Barb's back, running across the soft scales and over the spines running down her spine. Her voice was a gentle, sad whisper against Barb's ear. “Oh, Barb. I'm so sorry.”

Fighting back against a new onslaught of overwhelming emotions, Barb tried her best to resist the driving need to start bawling. In a final vain attempt, she made herself smile, and placed her shaky hands on Celestia’s shapely shoulders, attempting to brush off whatever the princess had seen in her expression. “It's o-okay, really Celestia. I… I knew already… I-I just wan… wanted-" she had to pause and brush her cheek, fighting back another sniffle. “-I… Oh, by the Light… does… does it ever get any better? Now it's Philomena… but some, probably far sooner- someday… Dusk’s gonna- gonna… oh, Celestia! Why do ponies like Dusk and Philomena gotta die!?”

Outright bawling into Princess Celestia’s silk-covered shoulder while the goddess soothingly shushed her and continued to brush her powerful hand up and down over Barb's spines, Barb felt like an incoherent newborn. When at last she finally managed to stop crying, the sudden offer of a fresh hanky by one of Celestia’s myriad handmaids was somewhat soothing, but the foul look her compatriot was giving Barb was hard to miss as she did her best to use her pale lavender magic to fix the damage Barb had done to Celestia’s dress. Barb was shocked by the look of disdain, and she nearly missed Celestia’s soft voice, as the goddess finally answered her question. “Sometimes, I pretend it does, that the passing of a mortal's life isn't so hard to handle anymore. But the truth is, Barb, if you truly love somepony, it never stops. The pain might ebb away, but then you remember how he held your hand, or his laughter… Cielan… always loved to laugh..."

Lost for a moment in her vast span of memories, Princess Celestia’s eyes went so distant that as Barb stared into them, she began to see the true depths of the lifetimes Celestia was drifting back to while remembering some lost friend. “Will I ever be like this? Will remembering Dusk someday take me centuries away from everypony else in the world?”

Snapping out of her frozen gulf of distant thought, Celestia squeezed Barb's sturdy hands and smiled at her. “We should feed poor Philomena first, and talk about the sad reality of immortality after we've taken care of our dear one." Straightening up to her full, towering height, the princess offered a hand to Barb.

Doing her best to mop up her face with the handmaiden's hankey, Barb put on a new, braver face for Celestia. She returned the maiden's handkerchief, and accepting Celestia's offered hand firmly. Ignoring the way several of them were looking at her now, Barb walked beside Celestia, glad to have the princess so nearby. Her quiet confidence was infectious, and made Barb feel strong enough to stand tall as they crossed the sitting room to the door to Philomena’s bedroom.

Just as they reached Philomena’s door, Celestia suddenly drew up short as her handmaidens moved to hold the door open for her. Turning with a sudden aura of authority and releasing Barb's hand, the abruptly regal goddess held her hands out to the mare with a silver serving tray with Philomena’s meal, a young filly. “Today Barb and I require some time alone, so I'll take that tray, my dear.”

The little filly blinked, opening her mouth for a moment, as though confused by this sudden change in the matronly deity. Barb judged the filly to be around fourteen years old, and was likely to have just come into Princess Celestia’s service, coming from a wealthier family than any of the older handmaids based on the fact she wore platinum jewelry compared to their silver. She started to blush as the firm but loving smile, and gaze that spoke of eternity, came down upon her with the weight of the sun. Celestia merely waited patiently as the young lady stammered out a few attempts to assert what she probably thought of as "the Correct Order of Things," but the will of the Unconquered could not be denied. She blushed completely scarlet, and handed over the tray.

At that, she might have fainted when Celestia softly said, "Thank you, dear," and bowed slightly over the tray in gratitude. A few quiet words, certain actions, and Celestia imparted more about true grace and ‘orders’ than a thousand edicts. Her elders, more used to their ruler's acts of unprincessly self-sufficiency, curtseyed, using the action to catch the filly before she fainted dead away.

Barb was secretly glad of the humor of it all, even though she was polite enough not laugh. Before opening the door, the Princess tilted her head, a moment's forethought striking. She cleared her throat and added, "And mares? Should our beloved sister, our grandfoal, the Captain of our Guard, or the spy mistress come for me, let them in immediately. They are well aware of my schedule, so if they come here, it's likely due to yesterday’s nightmare, or for a very good reason.”

Before anypony else could say another word, Celestia entered Philomena’s chamber, leaving Barb alone with the handmaids, most of whom were already filing out of the room. Still feeling very nervous but somewhat better, Barb gave the still-dazed filly one last little wave before she turned and followed Celestia’s lead.

The large room had been cleared of much of its clutter, and felt alien to Barb, almost offensively shorn of the signs of Philomena's life. She followed Celestia to the head of the bed, to the center of the emotional maelstrom. Lovingly propped up on a mound of pillows, Philomena’s bronze flesh had paled almost completely in the weeks between Barb’s visits. Worst of all, the phoenix's brilliantly colored and vivid feathers had all gone a faded red, as if mirroring her decaying health. The nurses had cleared out before Barb entered, and she was grateful for that. They never seemed to do much more than pester her frail surrogate mother over every little cough, without ever being able to do much to make Philomena feel any better. “At least they keep the fire stoked. That's the least they can do.”

Unable to sit up any further on her own, Philomena extended her long, frail arms out for Barb, calling for her in a giddy voice. “Oh, Barbara! Come over here, girl! When did you get back from Ponyville? Surely Dusk will miss you, if you stay away too long.”

And thatwas why Barb didn't simply stay at Philomena’s side day and night. In the ongoing free-fall of her health, she'd lost nearly all of one of her most precious gifts. Her sharp mind went dull some days, leaving her grasping at slender reeds: somedays it was what she'd eaten yesterday; others, how long Barb had been in town. The worst had been the day she'd looked into Barb’s eyes and only seen a stranger. Doing her best to smile through her heartache, Barb squeezed Philomena’s hands and gave the old bird a nod. “I'm here for a few days, Philomena. Want me to give your hands a massage again? I'm sure it'll help make you feel better, right?”

Delighted, the old phoenix wrapped Barb up in her bony arms, pulling her closer and planting a heavy kiss to the dragoness’ cheek. “Why, Barb! You're so thoughtful today! Of course I'd love that. Have you finally mastered fire breathing that gently?”

Glad that she was finally able to do something to help out Philomena, Barb carefully lifted one of the ancient woman's hands up to rub against her blunt snout, nuzzling gently against her bone thin hands for a moment before answering. “I've been practising really hard just so I could help you feel better." Then, to show her again for the first time, Barb parted her muzzle, blowing gentle gusts of breath, charged with only the slightest flicker of her green flames’ heat.

The transformative effect on Philomena was instantaneous; but by now Barb had grown too accustomed to how briefly the effects lingered. She knew better than to get her hopes up. Everywhere her dragon's fire had touched on the elderly woman’s age-weathered hands, arms and face, decades melted away, restoring for the moment a lingering echo of her lost vitality.

Looking around, as if for the first time, seeing everythingthat was missing from her room, Philomena spread her wings, a vibrant rainbow of flames once more in the hues of her feathers. ”Celestia! You let somepony steal all my knick knacks and curios while I was napping! How could you?”

This time, Barb was sureshe caught it. That momentary flare of grief that danced in the goddess’ ageless eyes. Placing both her hands to hold her dear friend’s rejuvenated grip, Celestia shook her head and spoke tenderly, even smiling a little… for Philomena’s sake. “When you fell and broke your hip last year, you agreed to let us clean things up for you, remember? And nothing is stolen. We just cleaned it all, and put some of it on display while the rest is being stored for now. Now, since Barb's got your strength back, how about some breakfast? Fresh oatmeal from my own cook, with raisins and brown sugar, just how you like it.”

The old phoenix accepted Celestia’s assistance setting up the dinner tray, but the moment the princess removed the lid to reveal a still-steaming bowl of oatmeal, she gave a momentary sigh of disappointment, picking up a spoon in her rejuvenated hands and picking through the bowl, muttering her criticism aloud. “You didn't say they added these damned banana chunks again. You know I can't stand all this wet fruit. I swear Celestia, you're nearly as bad as the nurses. They always try to sneak wet fruit into my food.”

Always good-natured, Celestia didn't even flinch at the tirade of complaints from her old friend. Instead she waited for a gap in her complaints to chide her in return, voice far more playful and teasing. “I know you don't like them, Philomena. You've spent nearly three hundred years reminding me you don't like wet fruit. I remember the first time we went on vacation together in the tropics, and after that bad storm, all they had fresh was bananas. You sulked for almost a week until you found that nut tree. But the bananas help with your joints, and Barb can't stay with you day and night to keep soothing your weary bones.”

Scowling at Celestia’s doting smile, the old phoenix pointed her spoon at Barb, glowering half-heartedly. “Would you believe it's been nearly six months since they've let me have red meat? I don't know how you put up with ponies sometimes, Barb. They hardly even begin to understand what makes food edible.”

The more the two women playfully bickered, the better that Barb felt. It was like the weight that sat on her heart making it so hard to breathe was beginning to finallylift off her chest, giving her a chance to relax, and she even managed to gently laugh along with Philomena’s question. “I know! The only time Dusk has ever let me go wild with raw meat was after the whole Gilda incident, when we suddenly had all this meat sitting around that noponyin town wanted to buy off us.”

Chortling with renewed laughter, Philomena stopped her complaint long enough to eat her first spoonful of oatmeal, chewing thoughtfully at the slightly mushy food before giving a content sigh… Then rolling her eyes a little overdramatically. “And this oatmeal! It's barely even tepid at best! Did one of your cooks study magic before becoming a chef? Because for all the steam that came off it when you first opened the tray, you might as well have soaked it all down with cream!”

Celestia must have finally had enough of Philomena’s guff, rolling her eyes in return and pointing down at Barb. “It's not magic, Philo, it's that hot. But if you want it topped off, ask Barb. She's got plenty of control with her fire breathing, and I'm not going to ruin the summer harvest just because you think it's a little chilly in here.”

Eager to keep helping Philomena out, Barb rose onto her tiptoes, ready to blast some more fire. But Philomena very slightly adjusted herself to pull the bowl closer to her mouth by palming the bottom of the bowl and resting it against her chest. Ignoring Barb's move to assist her, Philomena scowled at Celestia, turning her head up a little. “Bah! Right! Like I can't tell when somepony's been trying to fool me with some silly little cantrip!”

Philomena’s breakfast continued that way, with the two adults firing small barbs back and forth while occasionally giving Barb a chance to join in. The best part of the meal came as an enormous relief to Barb, as Philomena’s strength lasted through the whole bowl for the first time since Barb came to Canterlot. It wasn’t until the old phoenix had slumped back into her pillow and drifted off to sleep before her years leaked back into her face and hands. Walking to the door holding Celestia’s hand, Barb felt better than she had all week.

Opening the door to the sitting chamber, the previously calm room was suddenly in a frenzy of activity. Everyone of Celestia’s handmaids were doing the most unobtrusive job they could find around the room, all in an effort to not witness what was going on in the middle of the chamber. Since they were talking softly, Barb had to struggle to hear anything they said. Shining Armor and Cadance practically stood on top of one another's feet, and from how flushed the young princess’ face looked, they were having quite the heated argument.

Jabbing one unsubtle finger into Shining’s chest, Cadance’s voice never rose above a level tone. “And I've hadit! She's gone too far this time! The thought that anypony could handle a hydra, even Dusk, is simply ludicrous! I thought she'd finally agreed to lay off on him until after he had a few months to recover! Hopefully until sometime after the Gala!”

Holding his hands up defensively, but off to the side so the towering mare could continue to jab him without interference, Shining Armor remained the calm half of their relationship for the first time in Barb's memory. “Hush, now. There is no way Dusk would have challenged a hydra, he-”

Catapulted from a moment of calm bliss to sudden panic, Barb pulled free of Celestia’s grip and bolted across the room, leaping up as soon as she got within range. Her breathing was frantic as she scrambled up Shining Armor’s back, her pudgy belly pressing into his back and making the climb awkward, but her sharp claws were able to find purchase on his light dress armor. Crawling over his shoulders and gripping the collar of his dress jacket, clinging on to keep her balance stable, Barb frantically shook the towering stallion. “Dusk was fighting a hydra? How? Why? Ohhh! I knew I should have gone home already!”

Wrestling to get a hold on the tiny rambling dragoness, Shining Armor alternated between amused laughter and distress, as Barb's razor sharp claws shredded the cloth and silk parts of his dress uniform, even managing to leave deep gouges in his thin showy armor. "Barb, Barb! Dusk is fine, he came out of this like a hero!"

Stunned by Barb’s intrusion into a conversation that so many other ponies were trying their hardest to ignore, Cadance fell back a step, watching in shock as the desperate little dragoness struggled back against Shining’s best attempts to gently fend her off. Barb was ignorant to all of this, the ire in her voice skyrocketing. “Shining, just tell me! What happened to Dusk?! Was he testing out some crazy new spell and attracted the hydra?! Was he making silly notes about some rare flower that only grows in the Everfree Forest?!”

Finally managing to get a decent hold on the scruff of Barb’s neck, Shining Armor winced as, in the process of pulling Barb off his chest, she tore away the front of the expensive blue and white silk brocade of his shirt. Exasperated, and seeing no assistance coming from the staring mare he had just been arguing with, Shining gave a hearty sigh. He tried his best to smile at her. “Hello, Barb. It's nice to see you too, little sister; I said Dusk is fine! He just used up all his magic, so he's probably a littletired and sore today, and if it was anypony but Dusk, I'd say he'll need a week or two off magic to rebuild his stores. Knowing our brother though, he’ll be back to 'normal' by tomorrow.”

While Shining Armor was busy fighting with Barb, Celestia had stopped for moment to speak with the head of her handmaids before finally crossing over to join her granddaughter in the center of the room. The epitome of calm, she gave Cadance a polite nod. “Grandfoal, Shining… I was hoping to get Silken Flight’s report on the hydra and Dusk’s condition before worrying dear Barb. She already has quite a bit on her plate as it is.”

Cadance’s face twisted briefly through a momentary glare of pure frustration as she struggled to find a safe reply, even while she watched a squirming Barb grappling with Shining Armor. At last she gave an exasperated sigh before her normal calm smile returned and she gave Celestia a polite nod. “I didn’t think she would be with you. Why isn't she with Philomena?”

Celestia gave a gentle sigh, and wrapped Barb in her magic, drawing the tiny dragoness off Shining’s chest and into her arms, trapping the little dragoness in her arms like a kitten, scratching a deft fingernail across Barb's spine, addressing her first. “Hush now, little one. We had a scary day yesterday, but it's okay. Remember, you are my hero, too, your flame so potent in helping dear Philomena.”

Fidgeting against the bonds created by Celestia’s magic, it took the best of Celestia’s admittedly expert spine scratching to finally get Barb to calm back down and recline in the soft hug. Seeing that Barb had finally stopped squirming, she answered Cadance. “Philomena is peacefully sleeping for the first time in ages thanks to Barb perfecting her soothing heat breath. And as for Dusk... it looks like Silk has finally arrived with her reports.”

The batmare in question was still dressed in her combat gear, sweat soaked from having accompanied the Wonderbolts’ vanguard all night. She stormed past the two handmaids who had attempted to delay her with the offer of water, likely for a bath more than drinking. She ignored them easily, adjusting a bundles of scrolls under her arm. Oddly for the former mercenary, a quill pen rested where it had been shoved behind her right ear, offsetting her otherwise fearsome demeanour. Stopping only when she reached Celestia’s side, the spymaster waited only long enough to be sure she wasn't interrupting before speaking up. “I've already gone through all of the reports from Shining Armor, Fleetfoot, and various members of Ponyville’s weather team as well as a few... ‘concerned citizens’. If you want to read it all yourself Princess, I will supply all the letters, but if you don't mind me simply summarizing, I can put it all bluntly in two simple words: Shit happens.”

If the handmaids hadn't already been put off by Silk's foul attitude and total lack of respect for the sanctity of Celestia’s presence, after language like that, it was only due to the casual way Celestia continued to pet across Barb's spine that kept them from attempting to bodily force the far more physically-fit and battle-scarred spymaster from the room. Looking at the thick bundle of scrolls, Celestia gave a little sigh and gestured for one of the handmaidens to take them from the guard. “Very well. I will review them later, but for now, could you expand on that statement, please?”

The ex-mercenary glared at the maids as she took the scrolls but returned her focus to Celestia after a brief inspection of Shining Armor’s ruined clothing. “Of course, your majesty. The first warning we... missed... was months ago, during the Everfree Black Lotus fiasco, Rainbow Dash also reported to us on the presence of a rogue hydra wandering around a massive amount of territory in the region.”

Licking her lips to wet them, Silk shifted herself to lean from one hip to the other before continuing. “More recently, numerous members of the weather team, as well as citizens of Ponyville, have reported on the Everfree Forest becoming unnaturally quiet. Finally, the events of yesterday are quite simple. Dusk was out of his home and couldn't be located when Zecora and Applejack came to Ponyville to warn everypony. Discovering his absence, Bronze took on her role as Vicarius, assumed command of the weather team, and assigned those citizens available to search for Dusk in the meantime. Meanwhile, Dusk met up with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and the three were spending time together in a bog not too far from Ponyville. There was no suggestion of any kind that Dusk was out hunting for the hydra or that anypony else set him up for this.

“Finally, Dusk showed dramatic growth in the power of his magic, and was able to hold off the hydra on his own through sheer magical brute force, severely wounding the creature. It’s entirely possible that he might have managed to single-handedly drive the hydra off if he hadn't been protecting the other Elements.”

Far more than anythingelse, that single statement caught Celestia’s attention, and she paused halfway through stroking Barb's back. For just a moment, the veneer of her calm outwards appearance broke, and Celestia looked honestly worried. Cocking one eyebrow, Celestia looked back and forth from her knight captain to the spymaster before speaking, in a voice that spoke volumes of her enforced calm. “Given how strong a hydra is, I must ask you both personally, is Dusk really growing that powerful already? I remember the last time I accompanied the military to hunt a hydra. They are difficult to handle, and even I required considerable attention to the task."

Shining Armor needed no time to consider, shaking his head and addressing the princess bluntly. “Last summer.. he tried to challenge the full might of my shield spell I've spent nearly a decade perfecting into an uncrackable defence… head on. Last year I would have neverbelieved he could grow so powerful, even after witnessing his fight with Nightmare Moon! He's strong, but… not really any more experienced, or rather, more skillful, than when he was here. His combat magic is mostly crude, direct spells, with his primary strategy being the application of overwhelming power, but he has no art or precision."

The stallion paused, accepting a glass of wine from an attentive handmaid and taking a sip before continuing. “However, in the last year, he has only gone from one challenge to another that constantly pushes his magic to its limit, especially considering his battering ram style. Starting with an absolute defeat at the hands of Nightmare Moon, he then recovered enough to journey into the dream domain, solve the riddle of Princess Luna’s disappearance, and find the Elements of Harmony. Later, he battled a rogue unicorn who could duplicate his own magic, and attempted to hold off an Ursa Minor singlehandedly."

He rubbed his eyes, the concerned brother giving further way to loyal captain in him. "After that, Dusk led the Elements of Harmony to a dragon's nest and survived its initial assault. And let’s not forget how he managed to harnessa dose of black lotus to use healing magic, which he openly admits is one of the few types of magic he can’t normally use, in order to save the life of a mortally wounded Wonderbolt cadet. That excludes all of the otherside adventures he has been up to, like the parasprites, mastering teleportation without instruction and any number of other examples. These days, I wonder if he has the power to crack my shield spell via direct and unmodified intervention. The damage he did to that hydra would certainly have mortally wounded anything smaller.”

Silken Flight was silent as she waited for Shining Armor to finish his not at all panicky (really) reply. When he finished, she just thrust a thumb towards him, shaking her head in a visible display of annoyance. “I hate to be forced to agree with him, but he is right. If Fleetfoot hadn't called the Wonderbolts back, we probably could have killed the hydra simply from how badly Dusk's assault exhausted and maimed it. Not to mention the sheer blow from those impact boots, or the fall it took afterwards." Silk shook her head, letting out a tired breath. “Honestly, Princess Celestia, if Dusk had some propertraining in battle magic, he would be nearly unstoppable in a fight.”

Celestia’s shoulders visibly deflated, and she turned back to Shining Armor, handing him the now-tamed Barb. “Enough then. Shining, take Barb and get changed, you both look like you've been in a brawl. Afterwards, why don't you treat her to dinner in that griffoness’ diner that opened last week? Barb's been hiding in her room long enough, it's time she got out and saw more of Canterlot. Silken Flight... we need to go speak with my sister, now.”

The previously impassive Silk was abruptly self-conscious, nervously rubbing her hands over the sweat soaked leather armor that clung to her body. The sour smell of the wet leather was powerful and her hair hung in an ugly mess. “We? Uh… Right this moment, Princess?" The hint of wheedling in her voice was a clear sign of what was really on her mind. “I’m… well- shouldn't I at least go produce a copy of my report for Princess Luna first?" Hope rose, like an earth pony in flight.

From a catapult.

Celestia's gentle smile held a slight smirk that only Barb could see, probably at how Silk so suddenlyneeded to find any excuse to delay seeing her beloved princess. That said, she had no reason to let the spymaster go clean up and change if she couldn't have done it before reporting to her. Waving politely, she waited until Barb and Shining Armor were out of sight before speaking. “No, Silken Flight, we do not have time for such delay. I've been worried about something like this happening. Luna has to understand. She'll take you at your word.”

Following them out of the chamber, Cadance swiftly moved to block the rest of the hall with an outstretched wing, feathers trembling with wrath, glaring defiance at her grandmother. Her face was flushed red with anger, and her voice dripped anger, though she kept her tone low. “You said you'd stop playing games with Dusk and put off all these tests, at least until he has had a few months to recover. Do you seriously expect me to believe a hydrajust happened to stumble upon Dusk in the middle of nowhere?!”

Stopping level with the red-faced mare, Celestia looked back over her shoulder at Silk, her tone now cold and serious. “Silk, swear to Cadance that your report was the truth. Swear it in my sister’s name, if you think she will believe that more.”

Dropping to a knee and bowing her head on one arm extended at her chest level, Silk's voice was quiet, rough, and serious. “I swear in the name of Princess Luna. I swear to you I had no part or knowledge of any of these matters until the weather team’s messenger arrived in Cloudsdale, and that there is no evidence Princess Celestia was involved in any of this in any way, Princess Cadance. I swear by the Mother of the Night that all of this is true.”

Slowly, Cadance let the anger flow out of her. Her indignance visibly humbled by the seriousness of Silk's reply, Cadance bit her lip, slowly retracting her wing and arm while looking nervously from Silk's devoted kneel to Celestia’s stern gaze. Drawing in a shaky breath, she gave a small nod. “Well… good then. Thank you for reassuring me Silk… I... I apologize for accusing you of breaking your word to me, grandmother. I suppose I should join you in talking with Princess Luna then if this situation is so serious.”

Shaking her head, Celestia responded with a fond smile on her face. “It’s perfectly fine, dear. I know how protective you can be when it comes to your patients." She then took on a more serious tone as she continued. “Also, you don't need to accompany us. I am proud of your skills, and prouder yet of your heart, Cadance. I promise, while we work for the good of Equestria-- and the world, to stave off a cub from becoming a Wolf-- we will keep him and his happiness in mind. Go join Shiny and Barb for dinner. You spend much too much time in the hospital yourself.”

Suddenly horrified, Cadance threw her hands over her mouth. “To a griffon’s barbecue? Grandmother, they eat their food practically raw! I've even seen them eat living creatures!”

Celestia smiled indulgently, and kissed her granddaughter's forehead. “You know that's uncommon even in their homeland, dear. And a condition of any griffon’s citizenship in Equestria includes a ban on all barbaric behavior. Besides, she’s been dating a nice bat stallion a few weeks now and broadened her menu at his request. I'm sure you'll be able to find something edible." She winked. "I imagine the place is rather resonant with you at this point, as well."

Flustered by Celestia’s teasing, and suddenly once more a foal before her grandmother, Cadance meekly turned and left with only a mumbled word of acquiescence. As Silk stood back up, she shook her head slowly, her voice soft-spoken now. “May I at least ask what is so urgent we must wake Princess Luna so early? She can’t have been asleep for more than a few hours at most." Her eyes widening, Silk hit upon a recollection. “Additionally... one of my agents in Ponyville… she wants to know why Dusk is so special, so powerful, as she feels she's being left out of important information on purpose… and so do I.”

Remorse filled Celestia’s eyes, and she paused, looking up and down to the hall and horn glowing with golden light to make sure they were alone. Taking in a deep breath, Celestia moved to the wall that Silk stood by, and rested her head on the stone of the castle wall. In a hushed tone, she spoke without ever looking at the spymaster. “Dusk was born with incredible power. More power than any unicorn I’ve seen in a long time. To protect him, and all of Equestria, I sealed much of his magic behind a spell crafted by Starswirl the Bearded, originally intended to stop Nightmare Moon peacefully. Even after sealing the majority of his power away thusly, Dusk’s magic has only continued to grow. Now, I fear he might shatter the seal… and if that happens, it’s entirely possible that something will occur to make the Night of the Red Moon look like foal’s play.”

Shocked, Silk's eyes gained a haunted look, the implication of the strength Dusk potentially had yet to tap into mind boggling. “But to seal away the power of such a potentially powerful unicorn... Surely you could have taught him control instead!”

A single tear ran down Celestia’s golden cheek and she exhaled a heavy, lingering breath. “It's true, he could be a great boon to Equestria if he could be taught to control such power. But a foal? A foal's magical power is wild and unpredictable, well out of their control. It is far more likely that he would have destroyed his home, assuming he didn't take the city block with it.” Celestia shook her head slowly. "No, I did what was right. I already had one alicorn foal on my hands, I--" Celestia cut herself off, and cleared her throat. "Dusk will grow to be a powerful mage, but he must be taught to control that power. Equestria might not survive another Wolf." Pushing off the wall, Celestia began to walk towards her sister’s rooms.

Silenced by the sight of Celestia's silken mask of calm breaking, Silken Flight followed the goddess in silence as they traversed the castle, black shadow to Celestia’s white and golden glory. Nearing Princess Luna’s chambers in silence, the few servants around moved quickly and spoke only in hushed tones that set Silk's nerves on edge. Somethingwas obviously wrong, though for the most part everything looked fine. Feeling a bead of sweat running down her neck, Silk bit her lip, pressing on further into the castle.

As they rounded the last corner into a waiting chamber before Luna's private suite, it was the sight of her honor guard that finally broke Silk's nerve. One stallion sat on the marble staircase, his leathery wings folded around his body like a cloak, his polished helmet between his feet, while a mare stood over him, stroking her hand through his hair. Two more were still in position, but their stance was more of the damned than proper guards on duty, with an oddly familiar-looking mass of broken wood piled up just beside the door. Shocked by how rattled the group looked, and what it might mean for her beloved princess, Silk rushed ahead of Celestia, and reached the concerned-looking batpony mare before she had even noticed her arrival.

Silk snatched the mare’s armor by the protective pauldrons that covered her shoulders, clamping both hands down on the metal and rooting the surprised mare into place. As the guard tried to stammer and stutter out a regulation challenge, Silk’s questioning voice overrode hers, concern and worry in her tone. “What happened? Has the princess been injured? Why is that chair broken?”

Celestia was right on Silk's tail, her aplomb restored even as Silk's shattered, the spymaster shaking the befuddled mare for answers that weren't coming. The mare eventually managed to get Silk to stop shaking her. Finally, she managed to stammer out an answer. “Silk… Silken Flight…. You… you just, you don’t understand! She swore us to silence! She- She ordered us not to tell anypony! Inkspot- he… he opened the door so we could charge in when we heard Princess Luna screaming, and she threw her favorite sitting chair at the door just over his head, demanding she be left alone! We thought she was in distress, so we went in regardless, and the door slammed shut behind us! I-I... " Her voice trailed off for a moment, before she shook herself and soldiered on. “I won’t repeat what the Night Mother said, but she swore us to silence at what we saw. Then when we were leaving, she told Inkspot to stay. We only heard yelling for a long time, but we couldn't make it out through the door, the noise was too muffled. Eventually, Inkspot came out, but he was so pale, and he was shaking so hard he could barely stand, and Princess Luna had lodged her hairbrush in his chest plate!”

When the mare finished, Silk looked down at the sitting guardspony, his leathery wings still covering him like a cloak. When he eventually noticed Silk’s attention, he spread one wing off his chest, revealing the ornately-carved wooden hairbrush Luna always made her brush her hair with... stabbed into his dark armor. Silk had no idea how the stallion himself wasn’t injured, but she kneeled down for a moment to inspect him. He looked fine, just shaken up. She reached out a hand to pull the hairbrush free, but when she gave it a sharp pull, it remained stuck fast. She tried again, only succeeding in pulling the entire breastplate forward, the stallion wearing it giving a soft grunt in reply. Silk’s curiosity only grew when she’d heard all that her princess and lover had done.

Celestia kneeled down beside Silk, brushing her fingers over the hairbrush. She braced the stallion’s chestplate with the palm of one hand, and tugged the hairbrush out after a moment, the wood coming free of the steel with ease. She tenderly stroking the stallion’s cheek with the hand she’d held him in place with, and spoke at last. “Oh dear. Is it really happening this early? I can’t even remember the last time that poor Lulu had a bad hair day.”

Flabbergasted by how casually Celestia was treating the situation, Silk slowly stood back up, letting the guardsmare at her side return to comforting the still-pale stallion. Turning to look up at the princess, Silk couldn’t help but stare with astonishment. “Just- what in Tartarus do you mean, a bad hair day? Are you telling me she nearly attacked her own guard because of her hair? She loves demanding I brush it, but...”

Rather than answer, Celestia gave a soft nod to the guardsmare trying to soothe the stallion on the ground, watching as she stroked her thumb across the guards cheek. Smiling to herself, she rapidly turned and tapped a single digit on Silk’s nose. “Just release the poor dears from their duty. Give them the day off, then join me at the door. She won't need any guards today. We will be here all day if she’s going to join us in Cloudsdale tomorrow.”

Silk couldn't help but openly stare as Celestia then turned, sweeping the rest of the way up, walking as swiftly as possible, and very softly knocking on the towering doors to Luna’s private chambers, before speaking up in an astonishing sickeningly sweet voice. “Lulu!~ Little sister! Are you-u-u up? It’s Cele~! Can I come in?” Birds chirping in harmony could not sound so sweet, nor raptors screaming at their prey so eager for the hunt.

From inside the chamber, a roar of anger cried out loud enough that the elaborate candelabra overhead shook, showering the room with tiny droplets of hot wax. “WHO DARES BREAK THEIR WORD AND TELL OUR SISTER?! WE DEMAND THEIR NAME! WE WISHED TO BE LEFT ALONE!”

Undeterred by her sister’s rage, Celestia folded her arms behind her back, her voice soft, and yet still so sickeningly sweet that Silk could only stare for a moment in shock. “None of them told on you Lulu. I needed to talk to you about something very important! But nothing is more important than you, my dear little sister. Now let me in so we can talk.”

This time, Luna’s roar was gentler, but still it was easily heard throughout the room. “WE WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR TEASING, CELESTIA! TODAY IS NOT A DAY FOR JESTING!”

Raising her voice a tad, Celestia cooed through the doorway, hardly able to suppress a foalish giggle in her voice. “I’ll make Silk brush your hair with your favorite brush while we talk!~” If Celestia had hopped up and down on her toes and clapped her hands, it would have been less a shock.

There was silence, save for Silk’s breath and the echo of her footsteps as she walked up the stairs to stand by the elder princess, and for a moment, the mercenary felt as if the world had frozen solid. Then, in a voice she had to struggle to hear, she heard Luna ask softly, “Silk’s there? Oh Cele!~ I must look like such a foal right now!”

The soft sound of the heavy portal before them unlatching from the inside echoed in the now abandoned chamber. Smiling gently at Silk, Celestia gave her a cheerful wink before pushing the door open with one hand, gesturing for Silk to go in first.

Stepping through the familiar door, Silk was shocked at the sheer darkness that flooded the normally dimly-lit room. The cushion from Luna’s favorite chair lay on the ground beside the door, likely where it had landed after her beloved had tossed the offending furniture at the intruding guards. As Celestia stepped in to follow her, a faint aura appeared, pressing back against the darkness, glowing off the elder princess’ very flesh to drive back a little of the invasive dark. At her wordless urging, Silk accepted the wooden brush, stepping carefully through the chamber and turning towards Luna’s bed, breathing shakily as she caught sight of Luna’s towering form standing before a shattered fullsize mirror.

It was her hair then, more than darkness, more than the destruction, as Celestia had foretold. After everything the guards had suggested, the sight of it caught Silk’s breath in her throat, making her lock up as she stared in shock. Luna’s supernal hair floated in the air, moving on its own about the room! It floated and flicked in impossible, long eerie blue-black ethereal tendrils, flecked through with black threading. For all the times she had seen either of the elder Alicorn Princesses’ hair move all on their own, it was always in small ways, as if moved by one grand breeze that affected them alone. Walking slowly forward and summoning her courage, Silk finally spoke up. “Night Mother… May… may I brush your hair?”

Against the inky aura of spreading darkness, the flush of Luna's pale cheeks was nearly as vivid as Celestia’s glowing aurora to Silk’s night-trained eyes. Luna turned half away, hiding her heated face with one hand. “Oh-! Silk, please! I've told you before… when you are in my chamber, don't use that name… it feels so silly coming from you!”

Feeling a little more confident that she could make her adored goddess blush despite her supposed anger, Silk approached in slow steps. Lifting the brush, she began to stroke with slow skill through the resistant, floating tangle of knotted hair. It was difficult, with the ethereal strands fighting back against her best efforts to be gentle with Luna's enraged hair. “You only said I shouldn't use that title if we were alone, my princess. We aren't alone.”

Looking up and remembering that Celestia stood over them, a silent sentinel, Luna groaned and covered her further flushed face with both hands, releasing an intensive and above all exhausted sigh. “Cele! Why do you have to have all the luck with your hair!?”

Stepping in close to her younger sister, Celestia cupped Luna's cheeks and kissed her forehead with gentle sympathy. Looking into her eyes, she spoke softly. “Because you're the one who can live for the moment and take so much joy in the little things in life. You feel the liveliest love but bear the nearest pain.”

As the sisters stared into the glittering mirror together, talking very softly, Celestia’s golden magic floated a violet bottle of perfumed hair oil off the table for Silk. Accepting the obvious suggestion, she took the oil in one hand, pouring the oil with care over her goddess’ levitating locks, relieved at how it made the tangled mess a little easier to work with every stubborn stroke. She couldn't help herself as a curious thought returned again, and blurted out the question before she could stop herself. “Why doesn't Cadance’s hair move or glow like yours, my princesses? Is it because she is so young?”

With both goddesses now staring at her intensely as she continued to brush Luna’s wild hair, Silk felt a sudden rush of regret. She licked her suddenly dry lips, and was just about to retract her question when Luna nudged her sister in the ribs and Celestia just sighed. "I told you questions like this would become more common with your alicorn grandfoal around.”

Celestia wasn't listening to either of them anymore; her mind and senses were far away. She stared into the mirror and off into the distance of ages in silence before laughing softly to herself. “Nopony questions little things like that very often, at least not until little Cadance’s parents made such a massive spectacle of announcing her birth. The parade was simply too much.”

Rather than pause, Celestia shifted to sit beside Luna on the edge of her massive bed, still looking deeply into the shattered mirror’s surface, still talking in a far off voice. “Starswirl discovered us and took us in as foals. The Unicorn elders claimed they could best teach us magic, but it was really only because of the intervention of Queen Pure Radiance of the Crystal Empire that the Earth and Pegasi Kingdoms didn't outright declare war over ownership of us.”

Celestia shifted and at last broke off her stare looking at her feet as she rubbed her hands, together shivering a little. “Years later, I awoke one morning, but unlike all the other dawns, the sun wasn't up yet. Wandering outside, I discovered Starswirl in the center of a circle of forty other unicorns. Many had collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Starswirl leaned on his staff, barely breathing. I rushed to his side-- after all, he was the closest thing to a father I had.”

Celestia spoke of such personal yet pivotal events in an impartial tone, rarely meeting Silk or Luna's eyes as she continued. “He could hardly speak, and what he could say was lanced through with pain and grief. The Crystal Empire had been convinced by the Earth and Pegasi kingdoms to send us to their lands to be raised in exchange for the ongoing peace. The Council of Elder Unicorns were adamant in their refusal of letting the other tribes take us away. In punishment, the Crystal Empire took control of the sun and moon from the Unicorn Kingdom. The Elders had simply ordered Starswirl to do as he had always done: Find a solution. But against the mighty magic of Pure Radiance and undiminished power of the Crystal Empire, Starswirl’s best efforts failed. He told me all of this, begging my forgiveness, heart breaking that he could not protect us anymore.

“Seeing this stallion, the one who had taught me magic, who had protected my sister from the world's thorns, suddenly far older than his years, on the edge of death after fighting in secret to protect us from the political greed of three empires I hardly understood… I burst. Somehow I convinced him to teach me the spell pattern they used to raise the sun. A spell that took forty-two adult unicorns to cast. I soared high into the darkened sky, pouring my magic into the design, feeling it fit as though I'd scribed it personally, glory and love rising on a trail of empyreal fire. The sun welcomed me, like a long-lost sibling. But some grand force, some impossible weight resisted me." Celestia exhaled once, eyes searching and mind reliving the grand moment.

Nodding, the princess continued. "She wanted to test me. For me to prove my worth to her. I didn’t relent, throwing all of my magic, all of my soul behind the spell, demanding that the sun move. And eventually, it did, all resistance melting away in the inferno of my rage. Once I had moved her and brought forth the dawn, I finally landed, exhausted utterly. Lulu ran to my side, ignoring the warnings from the watching adults. I'd discovered my cutie mark. The very sun itself lay embossed on my hip, burned right through my clothing. And my once bubblegum pink hair had changed, now an echo of the radiant light form of the sunrise.”

When Celestia’s voice trailed off, Luna cut in, almost as if the sisters had practiced this speech a thousand times before. “By the evening, Starswirl had barely recovered any of his strength. But I knew if Cele could move the sun, I simply had to move the moon. Starswirl resisted me harder than he had Cele, spurning my youth, but relented when she managed to set the sun, but was unable thus to move the mercurial moon. I took to the evening sky, and I too found an incredibly joyous greeting when my magic found the moon. Where Cele found weight thrown against her, the clash of wills, I was hurled into a game of wits with the ultimate prize: my soul lost or my destiny gained. I danced through dreams; I sung truth from illusion. In the end, I beheld her, and those who witnessed saw me, as my sister, save that I burst into a wreath of ebon flames. When I landed, the moon had whispered its secrets to me, a watchful eye alone in the night sky. My hair became a mirror of the night sky, speckled with the light of stars.”

“For Cadance, when she truly embraces the duty her cutie mark truly represents, we suspect she will ascend as well. But until that day, she remains a mortal mare.”

Celestia quietly added, "And more vulnerable than she knows."

That somber thought called forth awkward silence that lingered too long. Hunting desperately for anything to fill the somber air, Silk found only a poorly conceived joke waiting for her. “So, uh, what part of being the Night Mother involves frightening and assaulting your personal guard?”

Instead of laughter, Luna wearily rubbed her face with both hands, groaning audibly. “I apologize, Silk. I.. clearly didn't handle this morning well. I must make reparations to them. As soon as you have finished taming my hair.” A spark of life at last touched her face, and she winked at Silk.

Looking wearily from the small portion of Luna’s hair she had managed to straighten, to the unnameable, contorted mass of tendrils that remained writhing in the air, Silk gave a weary sigh. “I love you dearest to my soul, Princess Luna, but taming your hair might be near impossible. Next time, may I ask the Elements of Harmony for help? They appear rather good at impossible tasks."

Bursting out in gentle laughter, Luna finally relaxed completely, letting go of her dire embarrassment and simply enjoying her lover’s jest. Despite herself, Silk cracked a grim smile that grew with Luna's pure joy, returning to work her goddess’ hair when she at last had it under control. Her smile eventually grew into a smirk, and Silk spoke, barely-concealed laughter in her tone. “You almost look like a bad comic book villain, my princess.”

At Celestia’s open laugh, Luna raised an eyebrow at her lover, confusion clear on her face. “A… comic book? A book meant for laughter?" When Celestia began laughing harder still, Silk barely managed to contain her own snorts of amusement. Luna's brow furrowed and she turned imperiously to her sister. “Cele!~ Tell us, what is this 'comic book' she speaks of?”

Holding up one hand for patience, Celestia took a few moments to collect herself. Still half-giggling, Celestia finally spoke up. “Oh, Light, I needed that. Thank you Silken Flight." Celestia cleared her throat before turning to her sister. “Well, er, Luna, comic books are sort of like… I guess-- picture books, for adults. They tell stories via panels of drawn characters, with their speech, or a narrator’s, being the only text in it. I’m surprised our Silk is familiar with any of the villains involved in them. Not unlike frescos with captions, or drawn pantomimes.”

When the pair of princesses turned to look at Silk, she stubbornly refused to meet their gazes, attention focused very thoroughly on the lock of hair she was working on. Feeling her cheeks heat up under their combined divine scrutiny, Silk broke after a handful of seconds. “I… may have read a few graphic novels in my mercenary days, when I was still a boot.”

Leaning in close to her sister, Celestia spoke in a loud whisper. “A graphic novel is what snooty, embarrassed ponies call comic books.”

Luna began giggling rapidly, the sound quickly becoming louder before transforming into full-bodied laughter. Silk knew her face was a bright red by now; she could feel the searing heat of her embarrassment. When Celestia began laughing as well, Silk groaned, stopping her vain attempts to tame Luna’s hair. Looking over at the pair of-- well, sisters, Silk stuck her tongue out at her lover before breaking out into laughter herself.

After a few more minutes, when the laughter finally began to die down, Celestia placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder. When she had the night princess’ attention, she spoke gently, her tone gravely serious. "Luna... we need to talk about Dusk.”

Author's Note

And thus ends our first guest written chapter, thanks to the hard work of one of my editors , Shawkthorian who wrote around half of this interlude. Of course as always, I want to thank all of my editors for their assistance, most of all considering how massive this chapter has become.

1: Moue = French, noun

a pouting expression used to convey annoyance or distaste.

Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 1

Sunday, April 10th, Too Early, Under Pinkie? Dash’s Spare Room

Dusk was sure his eyes were open, but he couldn't see anything that could verify that fact. As if a great, squishy weight lay upon his chest and head, he was unable to move any part of his body, or see past the warm void before his face. Reaching into his soul's hearth for the spark of his magic, Dusk only found tiny embers around a banked fire, where his normally roaring inferno waited.

Floating alone in the inchoate void, Dusk had begun to wonder whether any sensation traveled in the comfortable, lethe-inducing darkness. Was this filled void, this repleted mislocalization, completely locked fast from all save a sort of toasty, plush pressure against his full frame? No-- not entirely, he realized. There was a scent, comforting and familiar, that he couldn't name, sweet in its aspect...

"Snuggf, margh, mehhh... No, no more pancakes." The words echoed in his ears, whispering in from all around him. He abruptly knew under what enchantment he lay and what-- no, whose-- pressure was surrounding him with luxurious imprisonment.

Those words gave the dark and moistly warm isolation in which Dusk lived sudden definition. The welcome pressure on his chest was Pinkie, her large, tender breasts resting against his bare chest. The oddly Pinkie and candy-scented darkness? Her wild and poofy hair. Taking an educated guess, Dusk shifted his head through the exhilarative miasma, attempting to tenderly kiss her lips. It took several attempts before he finally aligned the kiss properly, and he whispered softly to the dozing mare. “Pinkie?”

In cozy silence Dusk waited, too weary to push the sleeping mare from his chest, too amused that she'd stripped both him and her in order to cuddle closer in her sleep. Moving slowly due to his exhaustion, Dusk slipped his hands out just enough to find the curve of Pinkie’s gorgeously generous ass, giving both cheeks the strongest squeeze he could manage. “Pinkie? I need to wake up. I can hardly breathe.”

Dusk already knew a riskier strategy might be required than his current plan, but for a brief moment, his heart-- and perhaps other organs-- soared with hope as Pinkie stirred, giggling as she kissed his cheek, mumbling coyly. “Mrmmm, such playful hands… don't tease a mare if you don't mean it!”

But after speaking, Pinkie shifted her body and nuzzled her cheek against his jaw, playfully nibbling a few small bites before slowing down, drifting off again as her arms tightened around his shoulders. Soon he was sure of it, she had drifted off to sleep. The drool, frankly, was disheartening.

Realizing he was losing this battle, Dusk used the sparse freedom she'd granted him to glance towards the window. That one design choice absolutely guaranteed that Dash’s home had been built by an earth pony. No other aspect of unaligned architecture was quite so signatory of design philosophy. Nearly eight feet wide, and set high off the floor, the window stretched from wall to wall, the view giving an uninterrupted glimpse of the small town outside. Relaxing back against the plush pillow’s weight, Dusk lazily attempted to follow the way that the rising sun drew lines across nearby homes, outlining a distinctive separation between the advancing dawn and the retreating night.

Eventually Dusk accepted that Pinkie showed no signs of waking up, leaving him with only one recourse. Sliding into dangerous territory, Dusk released Pinkie’s comfortable rump, and slipped both hands up to take a firm grip on the mare’s fluffy tail. Bracing himself for unexpected consequences, he tugged her tail as gently as he could.

Pinkie bolted up, face flushed and mouth gasping, while her hips locked down upon his, pinning him to the bed. The instinctive motion pinned her bare cleft into a grind against his pants, her voice an excited mewl of surprise and pleasure. “Ohhhh!!!~~ Duskie! I didn't know you wanted me up so badly!”

Unable to help himself, nor truly wanting to try, Dusk slipped his wandering hands back from Pinkie’s quivering tail to hold her curvaceous hips. He enjoyed a long, comfortable moment to relax and catch his breath, the warm pulse in her powerful thighs rousing him in more ways than one. Eventually he sat up against her, and nuzzled his cheek against her throat before cooing up into her ear. “I've been trying to gently wake you for an hour or two, Pinkie~ You really are a deep sleeper!”

Calming down into his arms from the jolt of energy that had woken her up, Pinkie started to curve her lip into a pout before giggling playfully, tapping the tip of his nose with a single digit. “I'm a practiced, professional sleeper! Second only to Maud! She's the real expert. She can sleep like a rock!” A further curve tilted her smile into salacious territory. "Besides, somepony was an extra fun playmate last night…"

Slowly sliding his open palms back and forth in adoring admiration across the surprisingly powerful muscles of Pinkie’s hips, Dusk massaged her muscles as she spoke. When she finished, Dusk gently laughed, leaning against her, kissing along the ridge of her neck until he found her ear. “Maud? Your older sister, right? I'm sure it runs in the family. But, Pinkie?" He sighed regretfully and moved to kissed her chin. "As much as I would like to continue-- Sadly none of this is getting me to the hospital… and I don't want to think what Redheart will do to me if I don’t check in before tomorrow's trip, if Scootaloo is still coming with us.”

Pinkie’s comfortable, soft and pliant body was nearly enough to tempt Dusk into lingering in bed a few hours longer just on its own, and she clearly knew it. She angled her waist, slipping her weight against his hip, then back to his loins, rubbing her inner thighs across his arousal. “You’re not arguing that hard, Dusk. We could always tell Nurse Redheart I made you breakfast in bed.” Her light, giggling tone emphasized that playful distraction might well grow into distracting play.

Glancing far more reluctantly than he'd like to admit out the window, Dusk mentally juggled and re-juggled his schedule, finding the results never balanced in his favor, and his muscles slumped slightly beneath her. Looking back into those inviting eyes and dreading seeing disappointment take hold, inspiration struck, and he grinned in abrupt innovation, whispering soft notes of contra-temptation into the mare’s ear. “Would you settle for a shared shower?”

Bursting with mirth, Pinkie threw herself off Dusk’s lap in a liquid, almost feline series of curling arches, grinning from ear to ear. “Deal! But you'd better make it up to me later!”

* * *

8:22am, Ponyville Hospital.

Redheart couldn't help herself. Lowering her clipboard, she turned to the doctor, shaking her head tensely. “By the Light! Why do we even bother with a physical? I've given him so many since he came to town, I could have told you the results before he walked in the door! Blood pressure high, but stable. Pulse steady as a rock, vitality above average, and all stress tests we could try on his magic are so woefully inadequate for the task, it's pointless to even bother!”

Writing out his own notes with care before lifting his head to acknowledge Redheart’s frustrations, Dr. Horse scratched a hand thoughtfully through his unshaven stubble, staring distantly at Dusk through the glass wall that separated their viewing room from the magistrate. Watching as the unicorn balanced a medicine ball on the tip of his horn, the thin wisp of magic that held the ball in place was so faint, the doctor had to focus to make it out. “I was about to suggest something similar... but look at him again, Redheart. And not just as a parent concerned about the stallion who's taking her filly on vacation tomorrow. He usually uses much more power than this when casting spells, and he doesn't need to be showy about how little effort magic like this requires from him. That makes me wonder. There are only two reasons a proud unicorn like Dusk would be conserving magic…”

Unable to help herself, Redheart rushed to blurt out the answer that had been nagging at her mind. Her lip quivering subconsciously, the words escaped from her lips before her professional detachment could choke them back. “Because he hurt himself yesterday, in some way he’s too proud to admit? And now he’s trying to hide it, afraid to admit he can't keep up?"

The doctor made another brief note on his sheet, then ticked off three more boxes on the form before passing her the clipboard, using his free hand to remove his glasses, rubbing his thumb and index finger against the bridge of his nose. “Or what happened yesterday reminded him that just because he is on a path no other living unicorn has managed and despite his involvement with the Elements of Harmony, he is still just a pony. Perhaps with a little luck, he has now learned his limits, and is conserving his magic. Maybe he's figured he needs to be ready when Princess Celestia asks him to do the impossible again. So he will be ready to answer her call with everything he has, having wasted none of his power on petty matters.”

Turning away from her, Dr. Horse picked up his cane, walking casually to the observation room door, pausing in the doorway to smile back at her. “Regardless, Red, you're the one in charge of his case. My professional opinion? Do you think he is smart enough to know when to admit his limits? Does he think there's a reason to leave Scootaloo behind? Because you know he’ll watch out for her. She’d be as safe as a foal in her sire’s arms.”

Left alone, Redheart picked up Dr. Horse’s clipboard, reading over his notes. Just like hers, he had noted Dusk easily passed physical and magical assessments, yet in his written comments at the bottom, the sarcastic old stallion had scribbled: “While the patient easily surpassed all physical requirements, and shows no signs of fatigue, our inability to properly measure his magical ability prevents any informed decision. I default to Redheart’s frustration, and agree Dusk is virtually impossible to assess.”

Gently lowering his clipboard to a hook for later collection, Red scooped hers back up, straightened the small white nurse’s hat on her brow, and tried to put back on her professional face. Watching Dusk one last time through the window, she was amazed at how thin the spell he used to control the medicine ball really was, even as she wondered if Dr. Horse was right to trust her judgement.

The moment she opened the door and stepped into Dusk’s room, he turned to face her, but continued to balance the eight pound ball on his horn, his bare back shining with a faint sheen of sweat. Redheart didn’t let her gaze linger on that sculpted back for more than a second, though she did have to admit that Applejack and Dash had been good for him. Redheart could easily judge that he was probably ten pounds heavier than last summer, but all of that was visible muscle that rippled as it spread over his svelte figure. Smiling up at her, Dusk offered a shrug, spinning the ball in place very gently with his hands, without affecting its tenuous balance. “So? Do I pass? Anything new in the blood tests?”

Redheart couldn't help herself. After all these months of blood tests, physical exams, and any number of experimental trials she could hardly name anymore, she was fed up with never getting any answers. Casually, she tossed the clipboard onto the exam table, grabbed the spare chair, and pulled it around so she could sit on it sideways, resting her arms on the chair back, twisting so she could stare back at him. She searched his eyes, the movement of his face, and the way his laugh lines shifted as they talked. “Why don't you tell me, Dusk? You challenged a hydra yesterday, and got away just before the Wonderbolts’ rescue party showed up. How would you assess yourself?”

A twitch (Did his eyebrow stiffen up for just a moment?), he was still smiling at her, but his eyes had gone quiet, serious. And then he tried to play it all off as calm, casually batting at the air with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I was beyond tired last night, but I feel a lot better this morning. Refreshed, after a good breakfast and shower. I admit though, I feel a little stiff, and the best way I can describe it, I suppose, is by making an analogy to the feeling of a pulled muscle in my shoulder, except it is my magic that is stiff and slow to respond.”

Redheart felt surprised by the honesty in Dusk’s answer, all the while wishing she knew just how much of what he'd said was really a concern. She knew that unicorns could strain or even bruise their horn, but Dusk has said it felt more like a pulled muscle, not an ache in his horn. Leaning her chair forward on two legs, Redheart palmed the medicine ball in one hand, and tossed it against the wall casually. Placing her palms flat on his forehead on either side of his horn, she massaged the muscles around the base of his keratin horn. She nodded to herself, finding the muscles slightly tense, but not to any serious level. Looking down into his eyes, she let her tongue wet her lips, drawing a careful breath. “Is it your horn? Straining or bruising a horn does happen, and after the injury you sustained at Gilda's hands, it is possible that any new strain could cause secondary bruising.”

Dusk kept quiet as she worked, holding his head still and doing his best to breathe as softly as he could. When she turned his chin up so she could look into his eyes, he finally spoke, his voice soft. “I've bruised my horn before, Redheart. I remember how odd that initial numbness comes on, and a pained aching feeling afterwards. This is different. It… when I woke up, I felt so tired that I couldn't move Pinkie off my chest. While I felt that way, I couldn't find my magic, like the worst of the side-effects from taking Black Lotus last fall. It was momentary, but it made me… worry. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost my magic again. A few minutes alone was frightening enough. To lose it for days or longer? I can't imagine what I'd do with myself…”

Feeling a genuine chill run down her spine at the fear in his tone, Redheart smoothed back Dusk's hair. Fitfully, she rested her thumbs on his temples and listened to his heartbeat. Like always, it was far too fast, too energetic for a stallion in his theoretically good health. Today, though, she knew why Dusk was concerned about his magic, and to stop her brain from running off on its own, she took a long and careful breath. She focused, giving herself one last chance to change her mind before she sat back into her chair. At last, her hand searched his out, and squeezed his fingers tightly.

Finally she released her breath, closed her eyes, and spoke firmly, denying all possible interruption. “First of all, you’re a bloody fool, and lucky Princess Celestia sees the value in keeping you around! After everything you've gone through in the last year, I don't know if it's worth even trying to find a known medical explanation for any of your health issues anymore! My best guess on what you just described happening this morning? You need to slow down somedays. Sleep in. Have breakfast in bed. Miss a bloody appointment on purpose sometimes!”

Realizing she had lapsed from her professional detachment to the point of yelling at him, Redheart paused for a moment. She took her time and straightened her off-kiltered hat once more before resuming at a calmer pace. “Besides Dusk, your magic isn't why Ponyville loves you. It was your actions that made the ponies in town come to believe in you. From trying to protect them from Nightmare Moon, to coming back from the dead, you've stayed true to us. I trust your intentions, it's why I am willing to let a damn fool like you use some newly-crafted spell and take Scootaloo to Cloudsdale, by The Light! Now, I'm going to sign off on your medical results, but you're going straight home, getting as much bloody sleep as you can before this trip starts, and you and Rarity are to make sure that Scootaloo doesn't get too many sweets. Because Celestia help you if your little vacation sets back her fantastic progress...”

Staring back at her, dumbfounded, Dusk was a picture of a stunned and baffled academic, frozen in shock, as if her thorough and yet emotional advice had cut off the blood to his rigidly logical method of thinking. As he sat there staring at her, his jaw slack, Redheart started to wonder if she had gone too far, and even possibly broken him. Stallions, she thought venomously. Worse, a stallion with an advanced degree. All the same!

Before she could try to get him back on track, like a new doctor finding out that his sheepskin was no match for her experience, Dusk shifted up in his seat, his eyes suddenly bright with excitement. “Your suggestion to my current woes is that I take a few days off and maybe foalsit Scootaloo on a ‘vacation’ to Cloudsdale? Why Redheart, I think your suggestion lines up marvelously with my own schedule… well, except for the relaxing and sleeping part. I had plans to catch up on rather a lot of paperwork…”

As he started wandering off the precise path she'd set up for him, Redheart began to scowl at him. She raised a hand and pointed a stern finger as she prepared to set him straight with far less subtlety. Just as the words formed on her tongue, Dusk’s train of thought wrecked before her yet again. He lifted a hand to wipe over his face, in the process resetting his appearance to a neutral state, before settling his hands on hers. “I'm sorry, Redheart. Let me try this all over again. Nurse, you couldn't be any more right. After all, medical orders are important to follow carefully. I promise I'll take a few days off and maybe even fit in a calm, peaceful trip with Scootaloo and Rarity for company. Do you think, say… Cloudsdale might be a good choice this time of year?”

Unable to keep herself from smirking just a little at Dusk’s attempted jest, Redheart scribbled a few notes on his chart before squeezing his hand in return. “Good. Now go lay down, before I have to get Bronze to brain you across the skull and Pinkie to sit on your chest for a few days to ensure you get a proper sleep.”

Watching as Dusk walked out of the room, whistling quietly and accepting Pinkie’s offered arm when she joined him outside the door, Redheart worried she'd regret her decision, but it was hard to regret much, not after Dusk had smiled at her that way.

* * *

9am, Dusk’s Library.

Sitting at Dusk’s desk, bent over the stack of paperwork that a woeful Derpy had tearfully delivered, Bronze sipped at her black tea, biting back a scowl at the hot, foul drink. Taking strength from the tea's force, she turned her head to the side so she could look at the stack of sealed packages piled up on the floor beside the desk. It gave her the strength to face the reality of it all and again wondered why simple and straightforward things like this always managed to go wrong in Ponyville. From the simplest mail delivery, to anything that had happened since she started visiting the normal-looking little farm town, it seemed like there was never a day where something didn't go wrong.

She took a different kind of strength from remembering when things went very, very right, instead.

Pulling the mail shirt from one velvet bag, Bronze took a minute to admire the fine craftsmanship on the tiny, linked metal rings, polished to a bright shine before muttering to herself. “Thank Celestia the smith packaged everything so carefully. I can't wait to see Dash’s face when she returns. This armor will serve her for years, even if she doesn't get into the Wonderbolts.” There was a tight thrill in her taut stomach, as she realized that she now had a more personal stake in Dash's safety. That she had a stake that she'd never seen, even with Shining. The thanks she gave for foresight were substantially more effusive for a brief moment.

Returning to her paperwork, Bronze scribbled her signature beside Derpy’s description of the armor and the condition she'd found it in, proud the mail mare had done such a detailed job filling things out. She hardly noticed the soft click of the front door opening as she continued her paperwork. Without bothering to look up, she greeted the visitor. “Morning there. Anyway I can help?”

From the entryway, Pinkie giggled loudly enough to identify herself before calling back in her playful voice. “I'm fine, Bronze~ But Dusk’s got orders for bedrest from Nurse Redheart. Think you got enough rope to tie him down? Or should I go borrow Rarity's fuzzy handcuffs?”

Pushing out of Pinkie’s groping hands, Dusk half-stumbled into the library. The clearly well-worn unicorn hid a yawn behind his hand. As Bronze looked up and flushed a bit behind a speculative smile, he waved gently, his tone playful but much more serious than Pinkie’s. “Now, Pinkie. That simply won't be necessary, and I only told you about Redheart's orders because her suggested punishment was funny!”

Trying to catch up with their conversation, Bronze could only stare at them as Pinkie stalked after Dusk. Before Bronze could speculate too much about the intent replacement for the usual light bounce, Pinkie latched her hands aggressively around his hips, suspending him off the floor in an aggressive bear hug. With a gentle swing, she carefully flopped him down onto the couch.

Bronze's jaw dropped as the display continued. Pinkie swiftly clawed on top of the couch so she could lay beside him, half straddling his chest while she nibbled at his ear. “Nuh, uh! I know you, Dusk! You say you'll relax, but then ten minutes from now, Rarity will show up with some new disaster, like… her shipment of dresses for Hoity Toity gets destroyed in a train crash, and before anypony can blink, you'll be up to your neck in plans to help her replace the lost shipment before we leave town tomorrow!”

Trapped under Pinkie, Dusk's laughing answer was lost in Pinkie’s smothering kisses. Bronze couldn't help but feel a flare of sharp jealousy as she watched him snort and giggle, hugging Pinkie’s plump hips. “How does she do that so easily? I wish…” Shaking off those thoughts, she sat up in her chair, cleared her throat, and returned the quill she'd been holding to Dusk’s silver inkwell. “If Dusk says he'll behave, he will, Pinkie. Besides, shouldn't you be heading to Sugarcube Corner? Don't you have to get back to work today?”

Looking back over her shoulder at Bronze, Pinkie pouted a little as she gave a melodramatic sigh. “Oh!~ But, Bronzie! I promise I'll let Dusk sleep! I just wanted to make sure he was really comfortable on the couch first!” An irritably free-wheeling part of Bronze's mind noted that Pinkie really was delectably cute when she wobbled her lower lip like that.

Standing up so she could cross the room to stand beside Pinkie on the couch, Bronze put her hands on Pinkie’s hips while releasing a heavy, and quite honestly over dramatic sigh. She held one wing over her face like a dramatic old military family member, looking at the ceiling as she struggled to suppress a foalish giggle of amusement. “Now, Pinkie. I can't have you mauling Dusk! At least, not when he's supposed to be on bed rest.”

Pulling her arms back from Dusk's neck, Pinkie shifted her weight away from his chest and towards Bronze. A hopeful smile danced on the pink-haired pony's face, her arms reaching up behind her to wrap comfortably around Bronze's neck. Her eyes dancing with a deliberate tease, she laughed, "I wasn't going to hurt Dusk!~ But if you want, we could wrestle over him!”

“No, no wrestling today, Pinkie. Just a quiet nap for Dusk while you go to work.” Bronze decided this was a time to show no humor to Pinkie’s unsubtle comments. She suppressed a thin smile and hefted the heavier mare into the air with a grunt. The maneuver suspended Pinkie by the hips and all Bronze needed to do was twist sideways to return her captive friend to the free seat on the other empty chair.

Crying out in delight with a giggling ‘Whee!!!’, Pinkie plopped on her wiggly butt and scooted forward on the chair Bronze had plopped her down on, turning it to face the serious guard in the process. Panting hot air against the skin of Bronze's neck, she slouched against Bronze’s chest, extending her arms around Bronze’s neck. “That was nearly as much fun as wrestling! Again! Again!”

Bronze was astonished as Pinkie’s lips found a comfortable ridge on her throat, and kissed with tormenting pleasure down the line of a training scar from her youth that ran along her jugular. A long gasp escaped Bronze's lips as the sensation sent jolts of joy bolting through her spine. In a second, the playful pony had the Vicarius frozen in shock and totally ruining her intended seriousness. At least, until Dusk suddenly spoke up.

“Pinkie, I could really use one last favor if you can squeeze it in before work. I had intended to go ask Cherry Berry to come over tonight with Rarity and Applejack so she could reassure them about any worries or concerns they might have about the balloon trip to Cloudsdale tomorrow. But I don't think Redheart would appreciate me wandering around town so soon after she told me to go rest. You've worked with Cherry before, at the ‘Running of the Leaves’ last fall, right?”

Distracted from her intended assault on Bronze's muscular throat, Pinkie half-turned to get a better look at him lying casually on the couch. As she shifted, she cocked her head to one side, her face turning into a quizzical expression. “Well of course, me and Cherry Berry are the best of friends! But Dusk, you're sure that you feel up to a long balloon flight? Most earth ponies and unicorns struggle after an hour or two off the ground…”

Scooping up one of the books on the coffee table beside his adopted couch/bed, Dusk read over the cover. He flicked through a few pages at random before lowering it back against his chest, offering Pinkie a content grin. “I'll take today to rest, per doctor's orders. I'm sure that by tomorrow I'll be as bright and lively as ever before. Besides, I promised Scootaloo she'd get to see Dash perform, and by The Light, I refuse to break that little filly’s heart.”

Bronze was surprised when Pinkie simply accepted Dusk’s words. Releasing Bronze’s amazonian body, Pinkie took a second to be serious, and straightened her shirt. Not too serious, however; she puffed up her thick mess of hair before standing back up and tightly hugging Bronze close. Once more, Bronze was left in the party pony's wake, passively accepting a fevered assault of light kisses over her cheeks. Bronze's heart thrummed in her chest and Pinkie gave a wink. Then, just as swiftly as she stopped arguing, she suddenly bolted to the door, stopping just long enough to wave. “Bye Dusk, bye Bronze, bye Treebrary! I'll bring Cherry Berry with me tonight!”

When Bronze had brushed off Pinkie’s playful goodbye, she turned around to look at Dusk. The stallion was reclining on the couch and reading from whatever book he had picked off the coffee table. Faintly amused, Bronze gave a grunt, returning to the work desk. “Well, I suppose somepony has to finish up this paperwork.” When Dusk looked up over his book at her, she scowled back, pointing a stern finger at him. “Oh, no. Don't even offer. I don't need Redheart after me just because you couldn't follow orders!”

* * *

A few hours later.

It wasn't until Dusk awoke and saw the blurred lines of a detailed and highly technical drawing of an aqueduct and dam far too up close that he realized he must have drifted off to sleep at some point in his reading. Stealthily, he lifted the book, turning his head towards the scratching of a quill on paper. Bronze's soft muttering and cursing told him that she must still be working on the paperwork he and Pinkie interrupted. There was a tranquil sense of busy dedication in even the sharpest whispered curse that brought a smile to Dusk's face.

Unsure of just how much time had passed, or how loud his snoring might have been, Dusk tried his best to remain silent. With a library addict's practiced ease, he adjusted the book to a more comfortable distance from his face before returning to his reading. The material was fascinating, yet somehow, the story about Fillydelphia’s grand aqueduct simply wasn't capturing all of his attention. The odd distraction left his mind to wander, and wonder.

Feeling far more restless than tired, Dusk couldn't ignore the way Bronze continued to mutter and curse under her breath. The drone of her relentless, demanding voice sent a flood of energy through his exhausted body, driving away the weary haze that had hung over his head. Moving with nimble ease thanks to Dash’s training, Dusk rose. Walking casually but silently around the desk until he could lean over Bronze’s folded wing, he placed a hand on her far shoulder. Fascinated as always, he tried to peek at her paperwork.

He tried his most ‘Innocent as Cadance’ tone on Bronze, asking, “Need some help? I'm great at paperwork....” After all, it was technically his paperwork, wasn't it? Even before she could answer, though, Dusk decided to experiment again. Leaning closer, inches from her ear, he traced one devious, dexterous and adventurous finger down from her shoulder. He let it temptingly explore the soft and sensitive part of her back at the base of her wings. Hope of a different kind prodded him to add, “Unless I can convince you to take a short break?”

Bronze must have heard him coming, for she didn't jump at his touch. Instead, her lips curled into a tolerant grin as she started to unfurl her wing, spreading it for a moment. Peace and contentment reigned temporarily, and then his fingers snuck into the sensitive, strong muscle at her wingbase before it was able to expand fully. His deft touch made her pause and roll her eyes back with a deep and husky groan from the depths of her throat.

It was a beautiful moment; a warrior in repose, and a primal side of Dusk stirred to meet the call of her groan. Alas, she recovered shockingly fast, and spread her wing the rest of the way brusquely. With a dismissive flip, she pushed him back while blocking his view at her paperwork and cut off his access to her sensitive back. Turning to look back over her shoulder at him, Bronze shook her head. Even as she took duty's path, a blush shined on her cheeks, eye dancing with… eagerness? Reluctance? She pointed a stern finger at him, and gave him a reproachful look. “Oh, no no no. You promised you'd take the day off. So no tormenting me, or helping with the paperwork! I'll figure all this out, on my own! Why don’t you go back to reading, or head upstairs and go to bed. Don't make me throw you over my shoulder and haul you away.”

His disappointment at her refusal of help was checked by the confirmation of his latest theory. That is to say, that seemingly all pegasi shared that sensitive bundle of muscles built around the junction at the base of their wings and shoulder blades. Dusk backed up under the steady pressure of Bronze’s wing, and put one hand over his mouth to muffle a yawn, his eyes squeezing reflexively shut...

Bronze’s mind hardly had the time to react! It didn't need to; as Dusk got caught up in a yawn and collapsed sideways, her body responded to more primitive protectiveness and a hard-wired gallantry. In a flash, she lunged out of her chair to catch his limp body just before he collapsed to the ground. Once she caught him, Bronze took a moment to assess him. The dim sound of his breathing, and the soft hint of him... snoring? flooded her worried heart with relief. Rolling her eyes at the dozing stallion, Bronze hefted him to his feet, squeezing his shoulders and giving him a little shake. “Dusk! Wake up! If you're really so damn tired, I'll drag you upstairs!”

Rather than answer, Dusk limply leaned his weight in her supportive body. The irksomely affectionate stallion didn't make her job easier at all, his head nuzzling into her throat, rubbing his lips across sensitive skin beneath her jaw, while he left his eyes closed. The most she got out of him was incoherent mumbling right in her ear. “Fluffy pancakes with strawberries AND whipped cream? That sounds delightful!”

That rambling nonsense from the stallion sleeping on his feet was the last thing Bronze needed to hear. Shifting her grip to support Dusk’s weight across her shoulders, Bronze ignored the ache in her wings. She focused on the lovely, echoing tingle of his lips on her neck instead. She pressed a soft kiss against his temple before muttering, "You're lucky you're so damn charming, Dusk, or I'd just toss you face down on the kitchen floor and let you sleep the fatigue off.”

It was awkward for Bronze to half-walk half-carry Dusk through the small library; the slumbering stallion only just barely managing to keep his feet. She had to struggle against his listing and stumbling over himself despite her best efforts to keep him stabilized against her shoulder. A sudden sharp pang of pain flared up in her stiff back as she leaned Dusk against the staircase bannister to catch her breath. She rested her hands below her ribcage as she bent over, balancing her weight on the balls of her feet, fighting back against a sudden realization. “I must really be out of shape. There is no way I'd feel like this after a massage like the one Rarity gave me.”

Muttering aloud, she shook her head. “You're too damn awkward to drag up the stairs… I- I think you're gonna have to settle for stealing my room for the day, Dusk.” Straightening up and stretching the stiffness out of her shoulders, she braced Dusk against her shoulder. Resolute in her new plan, she changed her path, dragging the sleeping stallion down the hall to her bedroom.

The spare room Dusk had given her was narrow, with hardly any furniture. There was just enough space for her to sit at the small, but carefully organized desk without hitting the chair against the bed. She brought one hand down to grasp the blanket and fling it aside, before she shimmied Dusk onto the bed by hoisting him off his feet and rolling his sleeping body onto it. In 'thanks' he muttered sleepily and rolled on his side. Of course, when he hugged her pillow tightly and rubbed his cheek against it before drifting off to sleep again with a happy murmur, a strange, rewarding warmth rose in her heart nonetheless. Unable to help herself, Bronze pulled out her chair and sat down beside him, watching closely. “I’m... sorta jealous, she got you for the night all to herself." Bronze sighed to herself wistfully, reaching out to brush her fingers through Dusk's bangs. "I wish I had the courage to do that, to be yours like that."

For his part, Dusk simply nuzzled further into her pillow, the whole time breathing in quiet, even breaths. The sudden arrival of a wicked thought made Bronze’s lips curl with the dawning of a devious idea. "I might not be ready for that quite yet, Pinkie, but... I don't think he'd mind some company..."

Slipping out of her chair and pushing it back under the desk, she slipped onto the free space on the bed. She molded herself to fit against him tightly as she grabbed the blanket and pulled it over the two of them. Nearly holding her breath, she wrapped one arm around his waist while curling the other between the two of them. Bronze took in a deep breath when she got into place, taking in a long draw of his scent. Sighing happily, she leaned forward and kissed his nose before placing her head on the pillow next to his. This close, with her cheek beside his on the pillow, Bronze felt content. She lay like that for a time, before she drowsily noticed how warm and right she felt, and how his calm nap was so infectious, and soothing to watch...

* * *

A few hours later that afternoon.

Bronze bolted awake to the warmth of the late afternoon sun that had settled over her face as she slept with Dusk. His powerful arm lay across her shoulders, hugging her close so his chin could rest on her head. Mind still foggy from dozing, as it began to catch up to her situation, she felt herself start blushing for some reason. Pushing that feeling aside and ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her head, Bronze snuggled in closer, nuzzling at his throat, and breathing in Dusk’s wonderful, invigorating scent. Feeling a little giddy, Bronze could help but giggle softly. Feeling daring, she leaned closer, to kiss his neck, risking a soft lovebite. “You're a comfortable pillow, Dusk. I should nap with you aga-”

The realization of what she was doing finally dawned on Bronze all at once, and she froze at the embarrassing thought. “Here I got on Pinkie’s case for mauling Dusk when he needs sleep, but I forget my paperwork and end up doing the exact same thing.” Bronze began to wonder if Dusk had something like a male heat-scent, something that drew her and distracted her-- and all the other mares around him! He certainly smelled good as well as felt… There I go again!

Reluctantly and with great care, Bronze snaked herself out from Dusk's comforting grip. With ginger, nervous motions, she did her best to avoid disturbing the sleeping stallion. Settling the blanket down against the bed, she turned to leave Dusk napping there. Unable to help herself, however, she lingered when she reached the door. It was both a cruelty and kindness to her heart; she leaned against the frame so she could wistfully watch as Dusk rolled over. A content sigh made his chest rise and fall as he resettled into the free space her absence had created.

Finally, Bronze made herself turn away, leaving the bedroom door ajar just a crack. She had paperwork to finish, and knowing Rarity and Applejack, they'd be sure to show up early to help prepare for Cherry Berry’s visit.

* * *

8pm, Dusk's Library.

After waiting for what had felt like forever, Scootaloo snatched a fourth cookie from the plate the moment she was sure that all the adults were distracted. They were just milling around, introducing each other to Cherry Berry, after all. Sitting back in her chair and munching at the cherry-filled sugar cookie to finish it off quickly, she savored all the exciting flavours she discovered as she gorged on the freshly baked sweet. Watching the room wearily, she noticed as Dusk waved to and began to approach. With a smile, he introduced the balloonist at his side. “Scootaloo, there you are! This is Cherry Berry. She's an aeronautical enthusiast, and will be handling our trip to Cloudsdale tomorrow. Have you met her before?”

Urgently struggling to swallow her mouthful of cookie and wiping the back of her hand over her mouth to get rid of any stray crumbs, she disposed of the evidence. That complete, Scootaloo accepted Cherry’s hand and gave it a shake. “I did a few times. She comes to the school every couple months and takes us for a balloon ride, and it's a lot of fun, ‘cept she only flies a few feet off the ground.”

Laughing openly in her gruff but lighthearted tone, Cherry Berry shook Scootaloo’s hand in return before answering. “There are rules on my balloon regardless of who is riding with me, kid. But flying to Cloudsdale? Trust me, you'll feel real wind in your feathers when we get up there.”

Excited by the prospect of spreading her wings and leaning into the wind, Scootaloo unconsciously unfurled her little wings and gave them a small flap. Standing tall and trying not to act like a giddy foal, Scootaloo saluted Cherry Berry the way she had seen Bronze and the Royal Guard doing weeks before. “Of course, Captain Cherry Berry. Anything you say goes, just as long as I get to see Cloudsdale!”

With Cherry gently laughing at that jest, Scootaloo puffed up her chest and made her wings fold back down neatly. The added plumage and muscle in her back made this harder than she remembered it being a year ago, but that just made her all the more proud. Cherry gently laid a hand on Scootaloo’s shoulders and motioned towards the circle of seats around the coffee table. “Good to hear, but move into the circle and pay attention. Just ‘cause you're a pegasi doesn't mean you're excluded from basic Cloudsdale safety.”

That demand ended the ‘sugar cookies and hiding behind Applejack’ part of Scootaloo’s night, and put her front and center as Cherry Berry launched into her presentation. She began with the introduction of seat belts, safety ropes, before finally moving on to the only interesting part of that boring lecture, parachutes. Deeply caught up in a daydream about how much fun it would be to ‘borrow’ Cherry Berry’s training parachute to ‘test’ it by jumping off the roof of town hall or the school, she only kept half an ear on Cherry as the lesson turned to the weather. Applejack’s openly worried voice caught Scootaloo’s attention, and dragged her from her daydreaming. “So you mean a bridge we take to and from the Wonderbolts’ training field after breakfast might be gone when we go home for supper? How's anypony supposed to be able to figure out how to find their dang way home?”

Flipping to the next page on the display she'd hooked to the wall, Cherry revealed a ‘map’ of Cloudsdale, made of small puzzle pieces taped to the larger sheet. “Every major cloud and most of the medium sized ones have map stands built around the perimeter every fifty to eighty feet. These are easy to find even in a high wind because the brightly painted safety poles are built every five feet between each map. The weather team in Cloudsdale, as well as any military or Wonderbolts on patrol, regularly check the safety posts in case somepony needs help back onto the clouds, as well as to update the maps and move bridges as the city shifts. Remember, in the case of an unexpected wind storm, there are at least six or seven harnesses at every safety post, so if you're feeling uneasy about the breeze, go hook on, or step inside a house or shop. They all come with wind shielding spells these days.”

Bored by the continuing conversation, Scootaloo munched on another of the cookies. Perfection in sugar! She gave Pinkie a little grin and the excited mare gave her a happy smile in return. Still only half paying attention to the presentation, Scootaloo muttered softly to herself. “I think it'd be more fun if the safety harness had longer straps. Then I could jump off the side and test my wings out for real.”

Clearing her throat sharply, Rarity reminded Scootaloo exactly why she had been careful not to speak up until now. Sitting on the other side of her chair, the older mare had been reviewing a booklet from Cherry Berry and was now glaring down at Scootaloo. “Then you'll be happy to know, Scootaloo dear, that that's often how they train foals to fly, with many special facilities built for exactly that purpose. I'm sure if you sit up and pay proper attention to Cherry’s lecture, Dusk and Dash will be able to figure out some free time to take you to visit one of them.”

The unspoken threat of being locked in somepony's house while Dash was off doing cool things in the coolest city in Equestria without her was clear as day to Scootaloo despite Rarity’s gentle tone. It lived in her eyes behind that biting glare, and was a warning that said loud and clear that she had definitely seen Scootaloo take the last cherry cookie, and the last strawberry creme one, and that no, she'd better not think about taking the last caramel drizzled nut crunch cluster if she knew what was good for her.

Feeling her heart quiver none-too-faintly, Scootaloo sat up straight, unable to ignore the fear that Rarity's behavior inspired. “She’s as bad as Redheart. Worse in some ways. At least when Redheart's busy with paperwork, she usually misses me snatching extra cookies. I wonder how Sweetie Belle puts up with her when their mother is out of town?”

Gathering her patience and hoping she could last longer than in class, Scootaloo gave a little nod to Rarity. “Sorry. I'll try to do better, honest.” She could already picture herself lashed to a cloud while Dash glided beside her. Dusk, of course, would be somewhere overhead calling back directions from some silly book on flying. Soothed by that daydream, Scootaloo powered through the rest of Cherry Berry’s instructions.

”Tomorrow morning, I'll be in Cloudsdale. Where Rainbow Dash will teach me to fly.”

Author's Note

Sorry for the slow progress this month. Not sure what it was that took so long to get this finished, but at least I finally got rolling the last few days. Thanks for all of your patience and I can't wait to show you all everything I have planed for this chapter.

Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 2 [Bronze Feather, Masturbation]

Monday, April 11th, 5am, Dusk’s Library

Long before Bronze reached full awareness, the intoxicating presence of Dusk’s scent had filled her lungs. It was a glorious awakening; his aroma flooded her senses so powerfully it felt as if the stallion himself had crawled into bed alongside her at some point in the night.

She lay there in bed, pressing her face into the pillow, sighing happily. Her strong legs shifted slowly, and she just luxuriated in the contact high of sleep, comfort, and stallion. Even though she knew she had to get up for her run, the temptation to skip it this morning and just stay in bed was strong. She imagined Dusk lying next to her; she could almost feel him if she just closed her eyes…

Unconsciously, two of her fingers slipped between her thighs, massaging into the folds of her sex. They teased out a wonderful tingle, but it was just a shallow echo compared to the feeling Rarity’s dexterous fingers had given her. Still, familiarity counted, familiarity and the intensely intriguing memory carried on his scent. After a few moments, an even greater heat flared between her slick, quivering lips.

Toned muscles rippled and tensed as the sensation forced its way out from her core. She gripped her pillow closer to her face, murmuring Dusk's name softly into it like a secret. Her delectably toned hips bucked lightly, and she firmed her strokes, kneading the warmth against her dewy labia, her lustful imagination overpowering her just-awoken mind. Dusk's fingers replaced her own - less callouses, she recalled, but with a scribe's supple strength - and she gasped, hazily reinterpreting the delicious drip of sweat as the moistness from his lips kissing along her neck.

Soon she could feel him with every movement of her still bed-stiff body, his weight pressing down against her back. Faster, deeper his digits probed into her pussy as he whispered her name into her ear. Imploring, she hoped; as needful for her orgasm as she was. She knew he would be; hadn't Rarity promised her an ardent gentlecolt in him? Gasping, panting now, Bronze’s spine arched, while she struggled to hold back her climax. To edge it, for a few more glorious seconds longer...

Urges stronger than any warrior, even a pegasus in the model of Hurricane would not be denied for long. Need hard, savor the moment, and find your glory, that was the way. Unable to remain quiet any longer, she let out a loud groan into her pillow, face flushing as some still-rational part of her mind worried about being heard. Her well-groomed and better-exercised wings spread out, and she knew his other hand had found its way to her wing base. A further stretch; a delicious hiss of strain and she could believe there was force applied; insistence. Voice slipping out again, she moaned his name into her pillow, seeing stars even as his fingers kept moving.

Relentless, eager to please the mare beneath him, phantom-Dusk added a third finger to probe her drenched depths. Meanwhile, she could feel his hot breath on her cheek as he began whispering lewd things in her ear, telling her just how he was going to please her, going to make her beg him to keep going. Overcome by the half-feeling, half-certainty of her stallion pinning her down, holding her in place as he played generously with her needy body, Bronze felt her sex tighten with the oncoming tidal wave of pleasure at her climax. Falling forward to bury her face back into the pillow and the Elysium of Dusk’s scent, Bronze rode the sense-shattering wave emanating up from her pulse of her clit and the need of her core.

It rode her, too, sending her tightly conditioned warrior's body thrashing against the mattress, squirming over the bed in delicious, moist abandon. Time after time she had to recover her mouth, cries of relief escaping into the pillow's protection with moments to spare. Her breathing was ragged, hot and filled with the tang of Dusk burning her lungs, and she came with it, her peak all the more savory for the wait.

After her climax finally began to fade from her sweat-drenched body, she lay face down and panting for breath, beautiful daydream regretfully retreating. Gently glowing, the dawn sun shone through her blinds, creating a demanding and persistent reminder that she had to get out of bed. Groaning reluctantly, she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling in an effort to delay the inevitable.

Sudden embarrassment made Bronze sit up rapidly. She heard the bathroom door down the hall open, followed by the noise of Dusk trudging up the staircase. Unable to help but worry that she'd been so loud that he might have noticed her voice, she struggled to remember hearing him start to shower. Heart racing, she gathered her clothing for the day and peeked out at the hallway, making sure it was clear before racing the short distance to the bathroom.

When the door was locked safely behind her, she panted breathlessly, resting her head back against the cool wood of the doorframe. Distantly, she could hear Dusk walking about in his room. Feeling a sudden need to hide the results of her ardor despite his prior interest, she resolved to clean up. It made good policy, anyway. Setting her clothes aside, she turned the shower on as hot as it would go and tried to wash away her embarrassment and smell in the cleansing water.

Not too much later, she felt sufficiently clean, and stepped out of the shower. Silence filled the room after the roar of the water, leaving her calm enough to breathe freely again. A sudden rapid knock on the door nearly made her jump out of her skin, her embarrassed flush returning immediately. She wondered at what point this damn stallion turned her into a raw page once again, and if it could be harnessed as a weapon.

No, she decided. It was nothing she or any other mare in his life would share with an enemy after all.

Dusk’s voice was unmistakable and swirled through her almost as completely as his scent had. “Morning, Bronze. I'm packed. Just going to Rarity’s. Cherry Berry will be picking us up there in a few hours. If you've got time, come say goodbye. We're scheduled to leave around eight.”

Struggling to speak around the thick lump in her throat, Bronze croaked back a feeble reply. “O-of course, Dusk. I'll-I’ll be there.”

Calling back through the door, his voice was cheerful and calm. The rich joy of it acted as an absolute anodyne to Bronze’s wrecked nerves. “I'll be waiting, my Vicarius.” Bronze still wondered if it was an inherited trait; she'd always been able to hear Shining's smile as much as see it, or more.

Swiftly, she set to work, drying and dressing with crisp efficiency. By the time she stepped from the bathroom dressed in her light jogging clothes, Dusk was gone. Just as with her bed, the taste of him lingered on the air, as though a part of him stayed with her, whenever, wherever.

Alone in the house, and flooded with nervous energy, Bronze snatched a banana from the kitchen and headed for the door. Looking where the sun was already beginning to climb into the sky, she decided it was too late for a cool predawn run. Despite that, she was way too keyed up to go back in and deal with any new paperwork that might have - who was she kidding, had - arrived this morning.

Resigned to a warm, mid-morning run, she stepped out under the glorious glow of the morning sun and let her wings flare out to their full expanse. Giving them a good stretch, she sighed at the soothing sensation of the wind blowing through her feathers as she began to run. Her muscles were still stiff from the night's rest, but thankfully the previous day’s stress swiftly began to melt under the heat and aura of the sun’s radiance.

Feeling better than she had in days, Bronze ran, wings outstretched under the watchful eye of the Light.

* * *

6am, The Wonderbolts’ Training Field, Cloudsdale

Dash couldn't help but fight back a giddy squeal as she watched Soarin take three long, bounding strides across the cloudface. In one hand hoisted over his shoulder, he held a javelin steady despite his rapid pace. Then, in a single, smooth and effortless motion at the end of his final stride, he hurled the bladed javelin into the air.

Arcing as it soared across the open field, the javelin’s path to the target never wavered for even a moment. Dash felt a little better when she realized she wasn't the only pony in the watching crowd that gasped in awe. Despite his javelin weighing five pounds, when the spearheaded weapon made contact with its target, it bit through the steel shield at the center of the ten foot ring. What came as a real shock was that he had not even bothered to watch where his javelin hit. Instead, he had run back to the waiting cadet, taken a second throwing spear, and repeated the process with exactly the same pace and precision. Three more times he hurled javelins and repeated the process at a breakneck pace, bolting back and forth over the clouds as fast as he could. Stopping in the end so he could watch where the final javelin impacted.

The resounding ring of the impact of five expertly tossed javelins hung in the air as the crowd fell silent, but was suddenly blotted out by the whoop of joy from the Wonderbolt 2nd Lieutenant. He had managed to pierce the target shield on all four sides, the fifth nearly standing straight through the middle, off center by only a few inches.

Turning back to face his audience, he seemed just about ready to rush over to the other watching Wonderbolts before reigning in his excitement. Looking around sheepishly for a moment, he cupped his hands around his mouth then bellowed much more officially, his nervous energy suppressed as he stood at attention and squared his shoulders. The act made him suddenly appear massively more mature before Dash’s eyes. “That is your target for today, but don't be mistaken! This isn't about just hitting the center once. When your turn comes during today's event, you'll be given five javelins! You'll be judged on how consistently you can hit the target zone as a whole! You've got an hour before we close the field so get all the practice in you can if you're not used to our field, the elevation, or the weight of a war javelin! No excuses will save you if you’re not ready during the event today!”

With his speech done, Soarin joined the other senior Wonderbolts in the air overhead, and Dash quickly moved to follow after Surprise. Each of the ponies that had entered the Young Flyers Competition had been paired off with a Wonderbolt, mostly with Cadets hardly two years their senior. A few though, like Surprise, were full Wonderbolts, making Dash wonder just how many must be herd sisters, or more distant relatives. Most shockingly, Fleetfoot herself stood beside a young stallion, lecturing the oddly familiar-looking, stern-faced boy.

Unable to put a finger on why she recognized him, Dash leaned in closer to Surprise as she took up position beside the yellow line that marked the outer edge of the running start. Her voice was a measured shout in an effort to be heard over the crowd but not overheard nonetheless. “Do you see that colt Fleetfoot is talking to? Who's he? Some cousin of hers?”

Pausing long enough to look over her shoulder across the ring of ponies as they set up around the target, Surprise looked over and shook her head slowly, her voice much quieter despite the crowd of loud ponies. “Him? Oh, that’s ‘Thrash’. He's Spitfire’s nephew. He’s always been a top flyer. You aren’t thinking about… pranking him. Are you?” Unsurprisingly, Surprise didn’t look angered, but instead excited by the idea of another chance to return to her old ways.

Shaking her head and laughing Surprise’s offer off, Dash accepted the first of the javelins from her, stepped inside the marked ring in the clouds. She made a few short stretches before answering. “What? No. I just wanted to know who my competition is. If he’s Spitfire’s nephew, then he’s probably the second best here.”

Giggling as she readied another rainbow coloured ribbon to mark Dash’s next javelin, Surprise asked exactly what she knew Dash wanted to hear. “Oh? And who's the best?”

In a burst of speed, Dash didn’t bother to try copying Soarin’s three massive strides. Muscles honed by long hours of practice at Applejack’s cornfield kicked into motion. In four leaping steps, she crossed to the inner ring, and hurled her decorated javelin in a practised motion. Smugly turning away without watching where it hit, Dash put a hand on her hip. She cocked a thumb over her shoulder, just as the resonating thwack of metal impacting metal rang out. The clear tone was easily heard even over the busy crowd of other pegasi practising throwing at that very same target. “Who else? Me.”

* * *

Fluttershy had come along when Dash, Surprise, and Rumble left for the Wonderbolts field despite the early hour. However, she quickly realized that everypony else had grown fixed on the stick throwing, and despite her best intentions to cheer Dash on, she was just so… bored!

Looking around the grandstands Fluttershy initially recognized none of the ponies that were gathered. Distantly she could just make out Rumble as he exited a gate far across the field. Following him closely were two other colts and a dozen fillies all dressed in the same dark blue uniforms. Intrigued, Fluttershy decided to get up from her seat. The odd badge on their shoulders reminded Fluttershy of a thunderhead, but the green trim on the badge, cuffs, and collar looked out of place.

Making her way to the edge of the field, Fluttershy looked around to see if there was somepony she could ask for permission to go talk to Rumble. With all of the guards fascinated with watching the contest, she decided it would be fine if she stayed out of everypony’s way and simply kept close to the edge of the arena.

Carefully Fluttershy began circling around in the shadow of the grandstand. In the process, she got to watch as the group of foals split up and spreaded out in all directions. In the end they all took up positions around the older contest entrants. When she finally reached Rumble, the colt had stopped and removed his shoes, his body sinking barefoot into the cloud past his ankles, nearing his calfs.

Just when she was about to step closer to say hello, Rumble slipped a tiny silver whistle into his lips that looked different from the ones that Dash’s weather team used. When he blew on the whistle, she heard nothing, but could feel the magic of a spell whispering out. Looking up, she realized all the younger colts had sunk just as deep as him into the cloud, with a few pressing their hands in as well. Even as she observed them, magic flooded into the cloud. In moments, to Fluttershy’s surprise, the cloud beneath her feet hardened. Soon it felt like she was walking on rock, not the wispy white pillows most clouds felt like.

Finally understanding what was going on, Fluttershy couldn’t help but speak her shock out loud. “Oh! They’re reinforcing the magic that holds the cloud together! That makes so much sense now.”

Twisting to look back over his shoulder, Rumble opened his eyes and grinned at her. However, his face sobered and he lifted a finger to his lips to try to quietly hush her. Soon his eyes closed again and he focused on the cloud. Feeling embarrassed for interrupting him while he was working, Fluttershy decided to turn back towards the grandstand. Feeling a little proud of the efforts of her friends, she couldn’t help but admire how far the colt had come in so little time. “He must be in charge of this group of foals. None of the others have whistles like he does. I should get Dash to tell Thunderlane all about this when we get home!”

* * *

7:50am, Outside Rarity’s Boutique, Ponyville

Approaching Rarity’s boutique, Bronze was surprised at just how many ponies had gathered to admire Cherry Berry’s balloon. She was relieved to see that most were simply gawking good-naturedly. As she drew near, however, all but the most distracted made way, offering her a path through the crowd.

Escaping the worst of the crowd and finally able to fully see the boat beneath Cherry’s balloon in person was reassuring. ”She’s into the true classics, that's good. It’s not one of those silly glass-bottomed sky trawlers like the unicorn nobles prefer. This looks like one of the old longboats. A sturdy, traditional choice, probably with a history.” Stepping up to the side of the boat, Bronze ran an approving hand over the gunnels. They hadn't simply been polished to look pretty, but expertly curved to an aerodynamic angle. The effect would help Cherry cut the wind more efficiently.

Jumping over the railing to land by Bronze’s side, the captain herself lifted a brow. The proud mare did not even attempt to be subtle at the challenge she unleashed towards somepony critiquing her ship. “Well Vicarius? Does my lady meet your approval?”

Bronze nearly laughed, but instead approvingly stroked the railing, grinning back at Cherry Berry. “A true, classic design. She’ll serve better than anything short of a royal galleon… but I suppose living in Ponyville, getting to see something that big is a rarity.”

Bronze could see the laughter in Cherry’s eyes, but couldn’t say what had amused the mare. Turning, Bronze saw Dusk and the others gathering on the far side by the gangplank. Swallowing back her nerves, Bronze made her fingers lay flat and stepped around the hull of the ship to face Dusk.

Freshly showered, Bronze dressed in the tunic Shining gave her as his squire. It was oddly refreshing to wear again after so long, but the soft sky blue silk felt awkward against her skin. Trimmed in silver, Rarity had painstakingly stitched Dusk’s sigil over the formerly bare right breast. The twined scrolls and heavy tome were a contrast to Shining’s crest over her left breast, a lance crossing over a scroll. Unsure what to do and still concerned that he’d heard her this morning, Bronze stiffly saluted Dusk before speaking. “Vicarius Bronze Feather, reporting for duty, Magistrate. I promise I'll care for your ponies in your absence.”

The laughter in Dusk’s eyes made Bronze weak in the knees, and behind him, Rarity was watching her. The sly look the alpha mare - no matter what Rarity said, after so long with Canterlot’s nobility, Bronze couldn’t help but think of the mare as such - gave her made it seem like she was expecting something from Bronze. Of course, that only made her all the more nervous.

Still smiling at her, Dusk gave a crisp salute that showed he had learned from his brother’s style. Breaking off and stepping forward, he offered Bronze a steady hand, his eyes still dancing with amusement. “I will only be gone a day or two unless the weather turns against us, but I trust Ponyville will be in good hands, Bronze.”

Accepting Dusk’s handshake, Bronze briefly felt both faint and elated. The thrill gave her the courage to ignore the watching crowd, but her pulse now drummed in her ears, drowning out everything else.

Dusk released her hand and stepped forward to talk to the crowd, but she heard nothing of the speech. Behind her, his herd climbed the short gangplank into the hovering boat, until only Scootaloo was left waiting, while Cherry Berry was busy helping the others secure their luggage and strap into their seats.

When Dusk was finished, Bronze stepped up beside him as nerves fought against her careful plans. Leaning up against his side, her throat felt raw as she spoke. “Dusk… Can I talk to you real quick, alone?”

The stallion nodded, and trying to swallow down her nervousness, she guided Dusk over to a gap between the house and the boat. Though the boat blocked the view of the crowd, Bronze still spread her wings to give them a semblance of real privacy before looking into his eyes. He still had a grin on his face, though his eyes looked a little worried now. She forced a smile onto her own face before speaking. “I’ve got a, uh… a message I want to give Dash. If you could pass it along, that is.”

Quirking an eyebrow, Dusk reached out and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before replying. “Of course, Bronze. What did you want to tell her?”

Her eyes flicked back to the boat, where she knew Rarity was, and she heard the mare’s words in her head. “Let him know what you want.” Steeling herself, she reached up, grabbing the back of his head, and fiercely pressed her lips to his in a sudden, aggressive kiss.

Dusk seemed to hesitate for a moment before returning the kiss, putting his hands on her hips. Blood roaring in her ears, Bronze breathed out through her nose as she deepened the kiss, her arms moving around his neck to pull him against her tighter. The heat from his hands seemed to urge her on, relaxing her, and she wanted to push things a bit more. She forced her tongue into his mouth and let out a soft noise, Dusk eagerly responding by crushing her against him more.

After what seemed like a blissful eternity, she reluctantly pulled back. Dusk tried to follow her for a moment before pulling himself back, and Bronze’s heart pounded excitedly at the thought of him not letting her pull away. The stallion took a moment to swallow before trying, and failing, to speak. He cleared his throat before attempting again. “Well, that- I, uh… I can pass that-”

The roaring in her ears came back louder than ever, and it took Bronze a moment before she realized it was the excited crowd cheering. Cherry’s balloon had drifted while she was locked in the kiss with Dusk, revealing their private moment to everypony. Above them all, Applejack whistled sharply around two fingers before hollering. “‘Atta girl!” Meanwhile Pinkie chattered off to her in an excitedly indecipherable but joyful rant.

Bronze felt her face flush, and she quickly pulled away from Dusk, but made sure to brush her tail against his before stepping away. Seemingly fed up with waiting, Scootaloo finally managed to make herself heard over the crowd. “Either bring her along or don’t, Dusk! You’re holding us up with all this lame kissing business!”

That earned the filly a round of laughter from the adults, but Apple Bloom rushed to her side and aggressively threw an arm over Scootaloo’s shoulder before grinding her knuckles against the top of Scootaloo’s head. “Aww, come on! The mushy stuff can be fun sometimes too. Sweetie Belle showed me a couple of stories that made it work.”

Scowling at the taller and stronger filly, Scootaloo did the best she could to escape from Apple Bloom's impromptu noogie. Using both hands to push her friend's face away, she rolled her eyes and shot back good-naturedly, “Yeah? Is that 'cause she had to help you read the big words?”

Stepping out from Big Mac’s shadow, Sweetie Belle squeezed Dinky’s hand for support before replying to Scootaloo’s jibe. “Only the really big ones, and most of those I had to ask Rarity for help with.” The filly’s face screwed up for a moment before she continued. “Then she took the book away and said it wasn't appro-priate for foals.”

Above them all in the boat, Rarity groaned in embarrassment and buried her face in her hands where she was strapped into her chair. She took a moment to recompose herself before calling out to her little sister. “Sweetie dear? Remember to do what Big Mac and Granny Smith say to do while you're staying with them, alright?”

Confused, Sweetie looked back up at Mac before turning back to Rarity. “But… Mac never says much of anything, Rarity.”

Deciding to tease Sweetie Belle before leaving, she looked over the railing at the little filly, and gently smiled. “I know Sweetie, dear. Why not try following his example? He's very good at it.”

From the gangplank, Cherry Berry stuck two fingers into her lips, whistling sharply. “Oy, filly and you lovebirds! Are we going to Cloudsdale or not? Because if we take too long we'll be fighting against thermals the whole way!”

* * *

10am, Blitz's Balcony, Cloudsdale

Blitz could tell Silken Flight was nervous. It was in the way she rolled her half-full teacup loosely between her fingers, spinning it from the palm of one hand to the other. He could read her little nervous tick like a textbook, despite her serious expression. Only the fact it had taken him nearly an hour to identify a tell in the former mercenary’s behavior kept him humble enough to not outright question her. He felt rusty. He wanted more practise, and searched her every action for a sign.

Lowering the paperwork to the table, Blitz crossed his hands, watching still as he finally spoke. “So Fleetfoot’s departure during the event today is... what? A show for the civilians? To boost morale?”

Silk's hands passed the cup back from left palm to right, pausing just long enough to take a sip before answering. “You’re officially being delayed for a day to get personal affairs in order. Dash’s participation in the competition today has worked out to be a convenient excuse. Three of the lieutenants and four sergeants assigned to Fleetfoot and Spitfire’s squadrons are being transferred in from other wings. We've experienced casualties in the Griffon Empire and need experienced hands used to dealing with hostile griffons. You'll be able to follow her Tuesday night at the latest, though some of the transfers will need to ride in a supply chariot. One is coming straight back from a mission in the ruins of Pegasopolis.”

Memories of the distance and difficulties required in maintaining such a deep patrol into the lost kingdoms came flooding back, and Blitz flexed his wings as he remember having to shake off the feeling of frostbite in mid-flight. As Silk passed the cup back again between her hands, he lifted the teapot and reached over to top off the spy’s cup. With care, he kept his tone mellow. “So what has you so nervous? Surely having both princesses in Cloudsdale can't be causing you this much worry.”

Turning her gaze up from her tea to glare him in the eye, Silk huffed at him with frustration, adjusting her leathery wings and refolding them before answering. “Princess Luna has insisted a bat mare she just discovered last week be added to today's competition. The filly’s talented, a good fighter, and smart enough. But she's only sixteen, and might as well have been raised by bison. The problem is that it’s made everypony else pissy. The Elder bats are angry because they want her to find a clan and have at least one foal before joining the ‘Bolts - they’re willing to overlook the fact that she’s a stray - and the Elder pegasi are angry because “tradition” excludes bats from service in the ‘Bolts after the Nightmare Night rebellion. Apparently they’re deciding to ignore all the exceptions Celestia herself has made over the years. And, true to being a fresh boot, the foal herself got into a fight and bit an earth pony guard last night in a bar brawl in Canterlot.”

Startled by the idea of a filly that young becoming a mother, Blitz simply had to ask. “Wait, but you said she's sixteen. That's way too young to start thinking about starting a family.”

Silk scowled at him again, rolling her eyes and folding both hands over her teacup. “We don't have the same kind of luxuries the rest of you ponies enjoy, Blitz. A foal, colt or filly needs to start paying their clan - or in her case, a clan that’s offering to take her in - back for raising them by the age of sixteen. Which is usually done either by joining their clan’s mercenary band or rearing foals. We're not doing any better these days than we were a hundred years ago. Every pony counts.”

The sudden reminder of the gravity of the bats’ low population problem meant that it was clearly a sore subject with the mare, and Blitz gave her a nod, trying to forestall a fight. “I'll grant you that, Silk. There's no arguing that.”

Drinking his tea and wondering how well an apparently fiery mare at sixteen would take to joining the Wonderbolts, Blitz started grinning despite himself. Stopping to refill his cup before taking another sip of the hot rose tea, he shook his head a little at Silk's headaches. “Forget about the Elders. They still think we should try reestablishing a colony in Pegasopolis. The Wonderbolts will be the real judge of this mare’s character. I served with the first griffon wonderbolt, Captain Crimson Ripbeak, back during the Night of the Red Sun. Nopony there even worried for a moment that she'd betray us. When a fight broke out between some mercenaries and the griffons we'd taken captive, she dove head first into the brawl while everypony else had their hands full. Your foal will be fine if she can back up her attitude with talent.”

Firmly but carefully returning her cup to the table before half rising, Silk's leathery wings unfolded and lifted threateningly as she leaned forward against the table. “Watch what you say, Blitz. She isn't my foal. She's not even the foal of my former clan members. She's just some wildling with no respect for authority that Princess Luna found while dream walking. Maybe in five or ten years she'll earn her place in a clan, but until then, she’s a headache with a lot of extra baggage.”

Remembering his fights with Dash only a few years ago, Blitz let his side of the conversation flag until the bat mare had calmed down and re-folded her wings, silently sipping at her tea. Eventually, he cleared his throat and asked the obvious. “So… what's her name?”

Twisting her scarred face into an amused smile, Silk didn't bother to hide the irony as she answered. “Gentle Breeze.”

* * *

8:15 am, Aboard Cherry Berry's Balloon, Approaching Cloudsdale

Scootaloo strained the lead on the twin tethers to their limit, grinning from ear to ear as she leaned as much of her body as she could over the railing. Ignoring the wind blowing in her face, Scootaloo beat her wings as hard as she could. The feeling of lift from the impact of wind on her feathers was exhilarating... She just wished that Dusk and Rarity hadn't insisted on tying her to the boat like a foal.

In the distance, she could already make out little hints of Cloudsdale if she strained her eyes, and couldn't believe how many pegasi she could already see. Roaring through the sky, Wonderbolts in full uniform were everywhere, in groups of two, five, or sixteen, while others in brown uniforms with bright yellow patches flew in groups to balloons that were gathered at the perimeter of the cloud city. A few were allowed in, but most waited. At some boats she could even see teams of adults unloading cargo. Wondering how much longer she would get to stay at the helm, feeling the wind in her wings, Scootaloo looked over her shoulder at Cherry Berry. “How come so many of the bigger ships are waiting outside? Will we have to wait very long?”

Cherry Berry was too busy looking out in every direction to answer Scootaloo’s question at first, twisting around to look out in every direction she could manage. When she finally had a free minute, she laughed a little and tapped a sheaf of papers bound in leather and hitched to her wheel. “We won’t have to wait long. Soon the weather team will stop us and look at Dusk’s paperwork and my pass. If Rainbow Blitz's place is clear enough, I've got a pass for anchoring next to his house for the day. If not, I know a few friends with a bar that always have space for me. And a very nice cider.”

Picturing the earth pony captain constantly falling through clouds whenever she stepped off the boat, Scootaloo just had too many questions to ask. “You visit Cloudsdale regularly? But, how? There aren't that many walking paths, are there? And most ponies make their homes out of clouds, right? And why? Who'd you want’ta visit so badly? Huh?”

Laughing openly at all of Scootaloo’s questions, Cherry pulled a long lever that made the wings on either side of the airship fold back into the body. Then she walked to the railing, slipping a silver whistle into her lips. To Scootaloo’s embarrassment, she couldn't make out the whole message the earth mare called, even after she repeated it twice. Without warning, Cherry cupped her hands around her mouth and cried, “Anchors away!”, before pulling another, shorter lever. The boat gave a slight lurch, and when she looked over the side, Scootaloo could see a heavy red iron block drop away from the bottom of the boat. It crashed down into a cloud beneath them, and Cherry continued answering some of Scootaloo’s questions from earlier. “I like my cider, but not so much I forget where it’s safe to walk. And my friends run a tavern for all the clans. Most days they even have griffons visit.”

Scootaloo barely noticed what she said, as she was too absorbed in trying to figure out the anchor that Cherry had dropped. The metal block hadn’t dissipated the cloud it struck, but instead sank into it a bit before holding fast. Scootaloo felt a shiver run down her spine at the feeling of weather magic, and as she watched, other nearby clouds were sucked into the one that had been hit. Soon, Cherry’s boat stopped gliding forward as the chain hooking them to the cloud reached its limit. Impressed, Scootaloo cried out, “But earth pony's magic doesn't work that way! How did you do that?!”

Free from her work on controlling the balloon's flight, Cherry lifted a spyglass from a leather holster on the side of the steering wheel. Pointing out towards the massive city just past a drifting cloud bank, she watched carefully but answered Scootaloo’s question right away. “That’s because it isn't earth pony magic. A smith crafts the anchor, then a unicorn with weather or metal magic and a pegasus good with clouds or weather work together to make the spells stick so it attracts the clouds and holds a balloon in place. After that, I just have to get the spells inspected every year or so… Ah! Here comes the traffic pony.”

To Scootaloo’s shock, Dusk was out of his seat for the first time since they had taken off, and together with Cherry, began a boring conversation with the traffic pony, who reviewed their paperwork in enough detail to bore Scootaloo senseless. Watching over the distant cloud bank, she could see hints of landmarks she had only ever read of.

The Wonderbolts arena looked to be the busiest place in the city, with hundreds of pegasi roaring into and out of the massive structure. An odd feeling of magic directed Scootaloo’s attention to a massive structure of odd, pink-hued clouds with metal edifices built all over.

When the traffic pony finally blew his brass whistle, Scootaloo got to watch as four new pegasi approached in similar uniforms. As all five took up flight positions around the balloon and Cherry returned to the wheel, Scootaloo pointed to the seemingly-abandoned pink monolithic structure in the distance. “Cherry… what's that place?”

Screwing a wheel to retrieve the anchor, Cherry glanced to where Scootaloo pointed and laughed gently. “That? That's the ‘Rainbow Factory’. The pride and joy of Pegasopolis and the heart of Old Cloudsdale. Today's a holiday, so it’s closed, but if you're lucky, you might be able to visit it someday.”

Unable to help herself, Scootaloo puffed up her chest, bragging to herself. “Someday, I'll run it.”

* * *

8:40 am, Blitz's Balcony, Cloudsdale

Dash dragged her fork around the rim of the bowl of salad Blitz had prepared for her when they returned from javelin practice. A dull dish with only the lightest of dressings and a mild surplus of minced carrots to spruce it up, it did nothing to distract her from daydreaming about her two newly-revealed rivals: Thrash and Lightning Dust. Knowing their names… remembering their skills... it did nothing to make her thoughts any calmer. Dust was fast, just judging from her javelin throw. Thrash was… ”Thrash scored just about as many points as I did. Pfft! Just a few lucky hurls, no way I can't do better next time. I just needed a few more practise shots to get used to Cloudsdale’s atmosphere again.”

Only half listening to Surprise and Fluttershy’s conversation, Dash’s attention drifted away, watching far overhead and moving slowly while being escorted by a massive team of traffic ponies, an airship passed overhead, and Dash looked up casually. The Royal Guard lined the ship's railing, piquing Dash’s interest more than her dull dish ever could.

Despite the bad angle, she could just make out the banners being flown high overhead. One bore a golden sun, surrounded by a prismatic rainbow of familiar colours that matched Celestia’s hair. The other was an unfamiliar crest of deep purple and a nearly black hue of royal blue, but Dash realized who’s it was when she saw the large yellow-white crescent moon. Luna's emblem. Finally distracted from brooding thoughts of her newfound rivals, Dash sat up, pointing. “Surprise, did you know both Celestia and Luna were coming today?! I finally get to show off my moves before both princesses!”

Sitting way back in her chair and looking up at the sky, Surprise watched as the ship slowly progressed overhead, drifting at almost a walking pace as it approached the nearby Wonderbolts Training Field. With the stands already half full, Dash felt a sudden, little twinge of nervous energy. When Surprise finally answered, it was so casually that it made Dash instantly suspicious of Pinkie’s cousin. “Well, except for a few very rare exceptions, Celestia’s come to every Young Flyer’s Competition. The rumor about Princess Luna coming has been going around for at least a week now. But you've already shown off for both princesses before, right? Why is today any different?”

Crestfallen, Dash fell forward onto the table, covering her face with one arm while she slammed her free hand into the table. “That's not the same! I was fighting against Nightmare Moon both times! I doubt Princess Luna even got to see anything I did! And Princess Celestia is always busy whenever I've done a show. Not to mention the last time I saw her was when I got in trouble with Gilda. I've never had a chance to show off…” Pausing for a moment, Dash grinned a little to herself. “Maybe you could count the Running of the Leaves.”

As another airship started to pass beside Blitz's house, nearly running parallel to the balcony, Surprise leaned in, her excitement only heightened by Dash’s vaguely worded comment. “You mean… that time you brawled with Applejack in front of everypony?! That was great! If Celestia saw that, she probably loved it!”

Unable to help herself, Dash groaned, burying her face further into her arm. “Oh by the Light! Please don't let her remember me brawling with another of the Elements. That would be so embarrassing.”

The sudden sharp sound of two ponies landing on the wooden deck behind her made Dash straighten up in a vain attempt to try to preserve her dignity in front of strangers. But as a look of incredible amusement spread over Surprise’s expression, Dash felt her stomach drop. Fluttershy let out an excited squeal, and then a certain familiar stallion spoke, making Dash’s blood run cold. “Do you know if Princess Celestia witnessed you two fighting, AJ?”

A familiar heavy hand came down to rest on Dash’s shoulder, her farmpony lover’s voice was full of laughter. “I can't recall. After a good fight with Dash, things tend to get a little blurry. Do you remember, sugarcube?”

Turning in her seat to look up at the errant pair, Dash struggled to think coherently, mumbling awkwardly. “I… I don't know. But… how? Why are you two here?! Cloudsdale is really dangerous for non pegasi!” Straightening up as she remembered Fluttershy’s story about the hydra, Dash jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair so she could jam a finger into Dusk’s chest. “And just what in Tartarus were you doing trying to fight a hydra? Nopony, not even a wing of Wonderbolts takes on a 90 foot hydra without any backup!”

The impact of another pony jumping overboard to join them on the deck announced Pinkie’s arrival. Far more casually than Dusk or Applejack, Pinkie strolled over and picked up Dash's fork, taking a large bite of Dash’s salad. Seemingly unaware of Dash’s last words, she chewed on her mouthful before butting into the conversation. “Well, doesn't Dusk write the princess detailed reports on everything that happens in Ponyville anyways? So I guess she’d know all about the fight!”

Flabbergasted, Dash semi-consciously opened and closed her mouth several times, watching as Pinkie quickly devoured her salad. Glancing up at the airship, Dash saw Scootaloo and Rarity both wave down at her while Cherry Berry coordinated with several traffic ponies in securing the placement of a cloud anchor beneath Blitz's house. Finally, Dash burst out in shock as Pinkie dropped her fork back into the empty salad bowl. “Pinkie!!!”

Looking up innocently, Pinkie licked a little dab of dressing off her lips. “That was good, Dashie… what was it?”

Despite her shock at the incredibly odd situation, Dash groaned and picked up her chair so she could slump back down, even as Fluttershy slipped over to Dusk’s side, squeezing him into a tight and clinging hug while flooding him with questions. Rubbing her face, Dash shook her head slowly. “It was my breakfast, Pinkie.”

Suddenly realizing her mistake, Pinkie cried out in panic. “Oh! No oh no oh no! I'm so sorry Dashie! I'll make you something really quick!”

As Pinkie bolted to the door into Blitz's cloud house, Dash lept up, crying out a warning that came far too late. “Pinkie! That's a cloud house, you can't-”

Already in the kitchen as Dash tried to warn her, Pinkie had to run back to the door. With a befuddled grin she peeked past the doorway. “Yeah Dashie? I can't what? No more salad ingredients? Don't you worry! I'll chop you up some healthy fruit full of lots of energy!”

Her heart racing at a frantic rate, Dash’s mind tried to process how Pinkie could be standing on clouds, before it hit an answer. Slowly turning to Dusk, her finger came back up in an accusatory point. “Just what in the world did you do, Dusk!?”

* * *

Sometime during Dusk's explanation to Rainbow Dash, Pinkie had found Rainbow Blitz, and together they returned with a platter of chopped fresh fruit with strawberry yogurt for dip. With the airship now properly docked and everypony eating, and Fluttershy having trapped one of Dusk’s arms in an affectionate but aggressive grip, Dusk turned to observe the retired Wonderbolt.

It had amused Dusk when he realized that Scootaloo wasn't fawning over Dash for once. Sitting on Blitz's other side, the foal sat with her mouth agape, eyes glazed over with awe. While Dusk fished out a piece of strawberry from the collection of fruit, Scootaloo seemed to straighten up in her seat, a serious look and tone entering her eyes and voice. “Are you the Rainbow Blitz? The one who fought on the griffon border? The hero of Grayclaw gorge? The- the one who captured Hilmara Thunderclaw?”

Rainbow Blitz chuckled at the foal’s questions, munching at a sliced bit of banana thoughtfully before Scootaloo mentioned the capture of a griffon. When he heard her name, he swallowed sharply, holding up a finger to halt Scootaloo’s prattle of words while he chewed and swallowed. Once he was finally ready, he lowered his hand, his eyes still mildly amused. “I wasn't the only one there when we captured that griffon clan leader. Hilmara and her clan had flown too far past the border while terrorizing farms. With my wing, we caught them on the ground, and even though Hilmara escaped, we captured the rest of her clan. When we camped with our captives that night, she attempted to ambush us in revenge. If …” Blitz's voice grew thick, and he paused to cough and clear his throat before finally continuing. “She jumped me while I slept, but Firefly… she caught Hilmara in the act and rescued me. She should have been the one given the praise.”

With everypony watching them closely now, the excitable filly pressed on. "Lt. Firefly? Didn't she retire early?"

Even as Scootaloo spoke, Dash went pale. But Blitz just smiled before answering her with a far more mild tone of voice. “Back in those days, I was the Lieutenant, and Radiant was a wingmare, my Staff Sergeant. You know a startling amount about the Wonderbolts for a foal who lives outside of Cloudsdale. What other Wonderbolts do you know about?”

Delighted to show off for Dash and Blitz, Scootaloo lifted one hand and started counting off as she named Wonderbolts and their famous accomplishments. “First of all there was the famous General Firefly, er... sorry, Blazing Firefly. The founder of the Wonderbolts and famous for establishing the city of Cloudsdale after the Exodus. Later Colonel Purple Dart led the Wonderbolts during 4th century of Equestria and established our modern borders with the Griffon Empire, despite how much they've contested them over the centuries. Next was Commander Easyglider, who established the modern art of Choreography and battle dance still used by the Wonderbolts today.”

As Scootaloo grew even more excited, she started leaning forward in her seat and gripped Blitz's hand with both of hers. “Admiral Fairweather made it his life's mission to bring the Rainbow Factory to Cloudsdale. A-and now, Fleetfoot is in charge of the local air force. Spitfire leads the border force and Silver Zoom the third air force, who patrol everywhere outside Equestria’s borders in all other directions.”

Growing winded, Scootaloo paused, catching her breath and looking frustrated. She let go of Blitz’s hand and counted off her fingers, before making an irritated noise. “Ummm… A mare… named… named… umm…. High Wh… wh… wind? Winds! She’s the head of the Weather Team and a Wonderbolt… umm… Lieutenant Colonel! And there’s a griffon currently named…. Umm... oh, I knew it yesterday! His nickname is Obsidian ‘cez of his black wings. He's a captain, and the head of the Wonderbolts’ heavy brigade. No clue what they do, though.”

Outright laughing now, Blitz tousled Scootaloo’s hair affectionately, shaking his head. “Gerard Obsidian is a Major now. He commands the heavy brigade and the irregulars, true. They’re the muscle to back up the traffic ponies around Cloudsdale normally, but in situations where muscle is more important than speed, they are invaluable. Just a few weeks ago, they got called out on an important mission. They had to tear down the wall of a fortress some Diamond Dogs had established, despite the terms of our current treaties.”

Somewhat bemused by Scootaloo’s ability to give a lengthy and detailed list of important Wonderbolts, Rarity coyly arched an eyebrow, sipping at her tea. “Now Scootaloo dear, please tell me: why exactly do you need to study with Sweetie Belle again?”

Suddenly sheepish, Scootaloo lowered her head to look down at the wooden deck, idly fiddling with her plate before finally meeting Rarity’s gaze. "It's well… it's because everything else is just so boring! I don't care about math, or the old unicorn empire, or how earth ponies adapted their old faiths to include the princesses. The ‘Bolts are just *so cool*"

Part of Scootaloo’s answer had reminded Dusk of the Rainbow Factory, and he turned to look for it across the busy sky. It was surprisingly easy to find, its grand pink cloud bank still vibrant and distinctive compared to the more dull white of the rest of Cloudsdale. Idly stoking the embers of his magic, testing his reserves against the spell he was maintaining, he was surprised when he heard - or maybe felt was the better word? - the ancient relic of Pegasopolis suddenly sing out to him in soft lilting tones.

For a moment, Dusk sat in complete silence, entirely absorbed in the hauntingly beautiful music that seemed to drown out all other sensations. After a few moments, he looked back and forth between Rarity and Dash, hoping to see one of them take notice of the song. They had proven to be the most sensitive to magic of his friends, but they didn’t appear to notice anything out of the ordinary. Finally, as the song began to die off, Dusk knew he couldn't wait any longer. “Do any of you hear that? Hear the Rainbow Factory? I swear to Celestia I heard it singing just now…”

With everypony else at the table offering him only slow shakes of the head, Blitz broke the silence with a heavy sigh. “I've never heard it, but Firefly said she could - and I thought she was just messing with me. It was part of why I built a freestanding home instead of building one with the barracks, so we could always stay near the factory.”

Standing up and pouting while pounding a fist excitedly on her knee, Pinkie pointed at the distant structure. “Ohhhh! This isn't fair! I was the one who got that door in the Castle of the Two Sisters to talk! How come the Rainbow Factory won't sing for me? I want to know what a singing building sounds like!”

Idly scratching at the stubble that had grown on his chin in Barb's absence, Dusk couldn't help but laugh a little at Pinkie's rampant enthusiasm. Turning to look at both her and Blitz, he placed one hand over Pinkie's on the table. “What are the odds we could request a visit to the Rainbow Factory, Blitz? Perhaps even a tour?”

The old stallion gave a mild but amused chuckle before offering him a shrug. “It might be difficult… you see, it's a holiday in Cloudsdale today, but I can ask. Plenty of old friends work there, so I'm sure I can arrange at least a visit. You are the Elements of Harmony after all, and Princess Celestia's favorite student. Give me some time between rounds and I'll figure something out.”

Almost like one pony, Pinkie and Scootaloo whooped with joy, the filly high-fiving the mare before they joined hands and danced around in a circle singing out together. “We're going to visit the Rainbow Factory!”

Rubbing her head where the short hair met the long and sighing a little, Dash stood up and pushed her chair back under the table. “I guess I'd better head to get ready for the first round. Think you can escort my friends across the bridge, Dad? I'd hate to ask Cherry Berry to leave dock just to cross a two hundred foot gap.”

Smiling lightly, Blitz snatched up the last sliced peach, chewing quickly and sucking his fingers dry. “No problem, Dash. You go show them what a real pegasus can do.”

* * *

10am, The Wonderbolts Stadium

Dusk examined the stadium as they walked the long way over to the freshly installed bridge that linked the Wonderbolts barracks to the cloud neighboring Blitz's. As he strode up the wooden staircase up from the entrance, he remained fascinated by the merger of wood and cloud in the construction. Just as they turned the bend onto the third story, the sudden appearance of a familiar face made Dusk freeze in his tracks. Walking into him from behind, Rarity nearly stumbled, catching herself by gripping his waist. “Dusk, dear?”

Waiting for them not twenty feet away, holding up a sign with Dusk’s name, was Winter Harvest, the snow expert he'd met at Ponyville hospital during the Running of the Leaves last fall. Spotting him and the way he suddenly stopped, face shocked, she covered her laughter with the sign, hardly able to say hello through her amusement. “He- snerk- Hello, Dusk. Rainbow Blitz. Princess Luna had a premonition you'd show up here today. She ordered a couple of us to wait by the different entrances so we could find you and deliver tickets for one of the boxes. C’mon, I'll show you the way, there's plenty of room for everypony!”

Struggling to picture what, if any, limits existed regarding the scope of Princess Luna’s dream walking, Dusk gave Rarity’s hand a squeeze and followed the weather teacher into a guarded hallway. To everypony’s wonder, all use of wood to reinforce the rooms from here on had stopped, with only clouds forming everything except the doors and windows facing the rest of Cloudsdale. When at last Winter opened a door for them, Dusk stepped out only to discover they'd been given a deluxe box, constructed entirely from silvery-blue clouds. Letting Rarity in first, Dusk followed after Applejack and guided her to the front two rows of seats. He felt tension in her powerful, calloused grip. With the others busy talking, he leaned in close and carefully whispered in the mare’s ear. “Are you okay, love? We can go back to the wooden stands if you can’t handle the clouds.”

Squaring her shoulders and weakly smiling down at him, Applejack maintained an even voice as she whispered back. “I'll be fine, Dusk. Just ‘cause I ain't bouncing about like a filly the way Pinkie is don't mean I won't stay and watch Dash’s show.”

Grinning despite himself, Dusk nodded and took a seat beside the towering mare, still holding her hand. As she sat, he could feel her grip momentarily tighten until the seat proved to hold up against her frame. Finally, she leaned in close again, muttering softly. “But if Dash finishes early, I might walk back to Blitz's place. I saw he had a garden out front, and with no earth ponies around, I’d bet it needs a whole heap o’ help.”

Settling into the seat behind them, Blitz offered an embarrassed cough before speaking up. “It would be nice to have a real earth pony take a look at my poor little flowerbed. I fertilize it yearly but the flowers just don't grow like they used to.”

Watching as a group of Wonderbolts took flight in their striking blue and yellow silk display uniforms, Dusk nodded slowly. “Applejack runs her Granddam’s ranch, so I'm sure she will be able to help your flowers.” The smooth and steady way the Wonderbolts moved drew Dusk’s attention and he turned to Blitz. “Do the Wonderbolts always fly the same pattern? They move so fluidly, as if they've practiced this routine a hundred times before.”

Laughing comfortably, Blitz shook his head before leaning forward to talk easier as some of the crowd started to cheer on the struggling young mare that chased after the Wonderbolts. “They don't fly one single pattern, but a collection of sets and how to move fluidly from one to another at a moment's notice. A clockwise spiral to gain height, followed by a backwards flip into a corkscrew dive. Those kinds of things. They rarely ever fly identical paths; it makes the senses dull if you get too used to routine.”

Scratching his chin, Dusk leaned back, speaking gently. “Then how do the contestants know what to do?”

Blitz laughed and pointed to the struggling mare who trailed five or ten feet behind the group of Wonderbolts. “They don't. This tests how well they can think on the spot and adjust quickly.”

* * *

Watching as the Wonderbolts returned to the enclosure and traded off with another team of seven, Dash nervously rubbed at her elbow. Ahead of them all, Fleetfoot herself reached deep into a bag, pulling free a tiny slip of paper. Bellowing in a voice that was all-too familiar now, she called out another name. “Number 64! Gentle Breeze, you're up!”

Dash's eyes were instantly drawn to where the mare herself was milling against a wall alone, the only bat pony in the room with four griffons and nearly eighty pegasi. As she straightened up, Dash judged she was as short as Rarity, her silvery hair streaked with blue. Other than a single scar that crossed her nose from left cheek to right eyebrow, she looked in good shape. She wore what was a cleary brand-new, skintight black flight suit that matched her dark mocha skin, and her dark auburn eyes danced with excitement. Grinning wickedly from ear to ear, she followed swiftly after the Wonderbolts as they ran out into the open area, her black leathery wings beating at the air even before she hit the sunlight.

Almost as one, Dash and the vast majority of the other contestants turned to rush to the line that Fleetfoot had marked off limits. Just barely able to watch from there, Dash focused on the seven Wonderbolts as they drew into formation. Flying in pairs as a tight line, with the last spot open for the bat mare to join, Dash judged they were still matching the same pace as the previous three displays.

“This just isn't even fair... Aren't they even going to go a little easy on her? Bats and griffons both get the short end of the stick on formation challenges...” Feeling sorry for the mare, Dash stuck two fingers between her lips and joined those few in the crowd who were cheering the mare on by whistling sharply.

With powerful muscles working overtime, Breeze inched closer to the tailing Wonderbolt and her spot in the formation. As they turned into a broad, arcing curve, she cut across the gap rather than follow them exactly. In another obviously exhausting burst of effort, the bat finally reached her spot, and for one wonderful moment, she held her own. The curve twisted tighter, then turned into a sharp dive, but she held on…

Right until the last moment, she kept up. But when the lead bolts turned up rather than hit the clouds that formed the arena floor, Breeze reacted too slowly, and without the wing strength of a pegasus, her crash into the cloudbank was inevitable. With so much momentum, the mare skidded across the hardened surface before finally recovering to look for where the formation had gone.

Already soaring high overhead, they turned as one, returning to another slower spiral before landing all around the panting mare. To Dash’s shock, the mare that Breeze had been meant to fly with used the sleeve of her uniform to wipe blood from the bat’s nose before shaking her hand. The lead stallion of the formation threw an arm around the bat’s shoulder, and as a group they walked her from the field, gathering around and talking excitedly to the sullen and embarrassed girl.

Without realizing she was speaking out loud, Dash scornfully said, “But if they knew she couldn't keep up, why didn't they slow down and compensate for her?”

Fleetfoot’s answer was sharp, and Dash could feel her cheeks redden with embarrassment at being overheard. “Because if we embarrassed Princess Luna’s last-minute entree by going easy on her, she'd never forgive us. Now if you've got time to talk, Dash, how about you go next?! Hey, Soarin! Dash’s supposed to be quick; full-speed, like in practice!”

Shooting their leader a salute, the fresh team of Wonderbolts charged forward, rushing as one out into the sunlight. Caught off guard, Dash stumbled out of the crowd of other contestants, shifting her mother's goggles down over her eyes as she rushed to catch up with the older pegasus team. Under the radiant warmth of the sun, Dash marveled for just a moment as Soarin and his partner took off, then leaned into her sprint to catch up with the gray-and-white-haired Wonderbolt that was clearly her partner.

Dash landed her final stride in time with her partner before the stallion lifted off, at exactly the same spot that Soarin had. Dash leapt with him, glad she'd been watching every move Soarin made. Soon, she found herself caught up in the rhythm of their flight, wings beating in time with the formation as they soared high over the crowd in such a tight and twisting formation that Dash was sure she could reach out and touch Soarin’s foot if she wanted to.

Somewhere, distantly in the back of her mind, Dash’s younger self was screaming at the idea of flying together with real Wonderbolts, but it took all of her concentration to keep up. Every turn she was certain something was about to go wrong, but with rapid adjustments and her partners forgiving and attentive assistance, they avoided any devastating impacts.

Far below, Dash heard the sound of a single tiny voice crying high over the roar of the crowd. Turning one eye from Soarin to glance to the stands, Dash could just make out Pinkie’s brilliant hair as she jumped up and down. With Scootaloo sitting on Pinkie’s shoulders with her brilliant orange wings spread wide, there was no doubt her friends were cheering her on. Grinning, Dash winked down at them before turning her attention back to Soarin...

With barely any time to spare, Dash caught the sign of Soarin reversing the direction of their flight before immediately dropping into another steep dive. A half-second behind everypony else, Dash turned and dove, but in the process she clipped the Wonderbolt at her side hard, just below the shoulder with her elbow. She could see the stallion momentarily wince but hold formation. Internally, Dash knew she'd failed.

Struggling to do her best, Dash pressed on, matching move for move and shift for shift until at last they returned to the tunnel. Around her, Dash heard a roar of cheers, but she couldn't handle that - not with how she’d failed. Pushing her way out of a circle of other contestants, Dash hesitantly stepped up beside the stallion she’d flown by. With her voice trembling, Dash spoke to him. ”I’m- oh… by the Light. I'm really sorry. Are you okay?”

Subconsciously running a hand over the place Dash had hit him, the stallion looked briefly shocked before reaching out and punching her playfully in the shoulder. “You’re kidding, right? A little bump like that's nothing compared to some of the accidents we have sometimes during practice. Don't be so hard on yourself!”

But as the stallion turned away and walked off, Dash’s heart sunk as he started to rub his arm again.

* * *

The moment Dash disappeared from sight, Applejack rose to her feet. While everypony else was cheering wildly, the towering earthy pony ducked her head down to avoid disturbing anypony else and made for the door.

Following quickly behind, Dusk caught up with her just inside the hallway, where she'd paused to rest her back against the wall while catching her breath. Squeezing her hand, Dusk waited for his lover to calm down.

After what felt like forever, Applejack still only held his hand, leaning against the solid cloud wall of the hall so others could pass them. Eventually, her eyes opened and she shook her head. ”I’m sorry, Dusk. But I think… I need to feel the dirt under my feet again. You'll tell Dash I stayed to watch her as long as I could manage, right?”

Dusk nodded a little, but looked back to the door to where the others were still cheering the other contestants on, chewing at his lip. “Are you sure you're okay enough to get back to Blitz's place alone? I can walk with you... Pinkie and Scootaloo are doing more than enough cheering to make up for the rest of us.”

Behind Dusk, Blitz's distinctive voice grabbed their attention. “How about you stay, Dusk? I'd be happy to show Applejack to my garden. She'll be able to feel dirt beneath her feet again, and once she's settled, I can fly back much faster. No risk of me missing Dash’s next turn to show off.”

Surprised that Dash’s father had joined them, Dusk was grateful for his offer of assistance, but still hesitant. “Applejack… are you okay with that?”

Smiling over Dusk’s head, Applejack gave Blitz a small nod before looking back down to Dusk’s eyes. Leaning in, she planted a gentle kiss on his lips, brushing her nose gently against his. Squeezing his hand again, Applejack grinned once more. “I'll be fine, really Dusk. Besides, it'll be nice to have a chance to talk with Dash’s pa alone. Go back and join the others. I'll see you later.”

Watching as his lover and Blitz took off, Dusk felt a lump of guilt that he wasn’t sure he could ignore. Breathing out a sigh, he turned away and rejoined the others.

* * *

It wasn't until the next contestant took flight before Dash got any room to breathe. It felt so strange to have a dozen other excited pegasi crowded around her and asking questions. Instead of feeling epic at the attention, Dash couldn't help but remember her mistake, or the way the unnamed Wonderbolt had winced.

Before Dash had time to realize it, the next contestant was back to a much milder fanfare. A second, then a third each had their turn, and at last Dash’s crowd thinned out. Lost in her own thoughts, it wasn't until the familiar-looking stallion ‘Thrash’ jumped to attention as Fleetfoot derisively called his name that Dash finally remembered the colt she'd known years ago.

“Thrash! Hey, Contestant #4! … Hey! Dumb Bell! You're up! If you can't pay attention here, maybe Soarin can take you for a lap at full speed and remind you that real Wonderbolts work for a living!”

Sheepish, the colt Dash had once challenged to a race over his tormenting of Fluttershy bolted away from a mare he had clearly been talking with. Joining Soarin’s wing just in time to run out into the sunlight with them, they took off as one.

After hearing Fleetfoot call out the colt and send Soarin to put him through his paces, just like she'd done with Dash, she couldn't help but follow the others as they rushed to the edge of the sunlit path to watch.

Turning to focus on the display high overhead, Dash marveled at the tight formation that roared past the crowd in one downward spiral, then back again in a broad, long arc. It was Soarin that held Dash’s attention at first, but inevitably she found herself shifting to ‘Thrash’. Somehow, he kept up with the Wonderbolts flight in style, making smooth shifts in time with their own. In the loop-de-loop, she never once caught the colt struggling with micro-adjustments the way she had been forced to do. And soon, both in the stands and the tunnel, the crowd was roaring, cheering them on again.

When it was over, the Wonderbolts returned to the tunnel, panting heavily and breathing hard. While Cadets handed out water, one of Soarin’s team ruffled ‘Thrash’s hair and the other contestants surged around to pelt him with many of the same comments they'd asked Dash before. Finding a wall to linger against, Dash was surprised when a mare with vivid green feathers joined her, giving a dismissive grunt. “So, Dash. How's it feel to be upstaged by Spitfire’s nephew? Rotten, right?”

Remembering the mare from this morning’s javelin throw, Dash almost stared at her cocky smirk and confident indifference. Breathing a sigh, Dash shrugged, trying to play it cool. “You’re Lightning Dust, right? I remember seeing you during the morning's event. You crushed everypony else but ‘Thrash’.”

The mare’s laughter was excited, and she snorted derisively before extending Dash a hand. “Thanks, Dash. But hey, that was nothing! I've been watching every Wonderbolts practice for three years. Just wait until I blow you both away. I'm going to get Soarin’s team and lap them if that's what it takes to impress Fleetfoot.”

Shaking her other rival’s hand was odd to Dash, but the way she smiled and laughed reminded her of Applejack. Remembering all the times they'd raced or wrestled soothed something in Dash's wounded pride, and she tried to relax a little, firing back at the mare. “Sounds good, but you haven't seen me in the solo flight. I've got half a dozen moves prepared that'll blow the Wonderbolts’ socks off. So don't disappoint me, I've been looking for a real challenge.”

Snickering, Lightning gestured over her shoulder at ‘Thrash’ who was talking boastfully to the other contestants while a new group of Wonderbolts took flight together with one of the few griffons. “You mean Dumb Bell and his fat, bloated ego weren't enough for you? Don't worry. This, I've got!”

Having a new friend to distract herself from the stress of the competition was good, and Dash enjoyed Lightning’s frank opinion of ‘Thrash’. Hyped by their conversation, Dash finally started watching the griffoness that struggled to keep up with her partner in the sky overhead. Doing an impressive job, Dash tried to cheer her on like she had the bat pony, joining a small but serious group in the crowd who were clapping in rhythm.

When the flight ended, Dash grabbed one of the cups of water from the cadets and joined the taller griffon who sat on her knees, panting for breath. Offering her the drink, Dash tried giving advice. “You gotta keep walking around after racing that hard or you might get cramps. You did great, by the way.”

Meeting Dash’s eyes, the stranger was reaching out to take the cup when Lighting Dust suddenly called out to Fleetfoot. “Hey! Can't anypony but Dash and ol’ Dumb Bell fly fast enough to keep up with the Wonderbolts? Shouldn't you just disqualify these slow pokes and let the real contest start?”

Fleetfoot shot a nasty glare at Lightning as she spoke out, her silver whistle suddenly in her lips. After the shrill call she pointed to the spot at her side, eyes burning with unsubtle anger. “You think you're so hot, Lighting? Soarin. Full time. See if this blowhard has anything to say after flying a round with your crew.”

Sprinting together, Lightning Dust and the Wonderbolts whipped up a powerful gust as they rushed out into the sun. Only half-watching as she left, Dash was shocked when the panting griffoness spoke up. “Why would you care to help me? Aren't you busy gloating about being in the top three today?”

Still holding out the water, Dash tried to play it cool and shrugged casually. “I already knew I'd be good at flying. I mean I am Rainbow Fucking Dash. I made a Sonic Rainboom as a filly. But you're a griffon. You could easily skewer anypony in this room to the wall with a blunt stick! That's why the Wonderbolts are so powerful. They know what makes each of us great, and teach us how to be even better. Now stand up and walk with me, or you'll get cramps when you drink this water.”

While other contestants around Dash were shocked by a number of things she'd said, the griffoness took Dash's hand and let the pegasus help her back to her feet. Accepting the water, and not so slyly grinning, the tall mollen leaned against Dash as they started walking around the chamber. “Why’d you think I'd ever be willing to drink water a pegasus gave me in the first place?”

Snickering openly, Dash punched the mollen gently in her ribs before answering. “Because, you screwball! If you don't drink it, you'll wear it! And then we'll end up fighting. And sure, you might win that fight, but you’d get DQ’d in a heartbeat, and you’re not stupid!”

Behind Dash, Fleetfoot’s loud and vocal snort of amusement was unmistakable even while she wrote on a clipboard the cadet at her side passed to her. “And Dash, regardless of which one of you won that brawl, you'd both have hell to pay. But Dash is right, all of you! Knowing who flies fastest helps us groom those of you we take on. But we judge you on all of your talents. Attitude and effort are both extremely important.”

A sudden outcry from the crowd forced Dash’s attention away from her newfound griffon friend. Looking to the sky, Dash couldn't see Dust or any of Soarin's team. Searching everywhere, she at last found the mare flying alone, rushing back to where the others had landed. Utterly shocked, Dash didn’t realize she was speaking out loud. “She was doing well, right? How'd she end up flying alone?”

From his reclined pose on the wall, Thrash laughed, tossing his long bangs with a shake of his head. “Are you kidding? She missed a cue any foal could have seen! Hell, even that bat mare nearly recovered from that dive. Guess she just blows at landings. Oh well, just me and you now, Dash. Want to surrender and join me for lunch? I've got plenty of room in my herd for a mare with wings like yours.”

Shaking her head at Thrash’s sad attempt to flirt, Dash pulled away from the mollen she had been talking to and turned to leave. Just as she reached the archway back to the public areas, Dash stopped and turned to roll her eyes at Thrash. “Hey, Dumb Bell? I've got lunch plans with Fluttershy. Remember how you tormented her as a foal? Yeah, she's one of the Elements of Harmony. Who's got time for your rude ass?" Spreading her wings wide, Dash couldn’t help but throw out one more barb. “And get a good look, because this is as close as you’re ever getting to my wings.” Stretching them to their full limits, Dash strode out of the tunnel, going to look for her friends.

Author's Note

Hey guys. Making faster/better progress, but sadly I have now lost the assistance of my 3rd full time editor and another of my part time editors. I already posted a blog about this, but I'd really appreciate anyone who can offer some assistance with editing in the future. Feel free to drop me a line here or via pm.

I had lots of stuff I wanted to talk about here, but things haven't been going right for a few days now, so I'll just post this and go back to bed. Hopefully you all like what we've got going, and see you again next time, when Rainbow Dash rediscovers the Sonic Rainboom!

Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 3

Monday April 11th, 11am, The Wonderbolts Arena

Sitting on the edge of her ornately-crafted cloud chair, Luna’s excitement shone brighter than her moon on a clear night. Every emotion that ran through the crowd, even subtly, was magnified tenfold on the reclusive sister’s face. Roaring along with everypony else in the crowd, her balled fist thrust high in the air overhead, she cheered on the last contestant with just as much enthusiasm as she had the very first. Celestia wished she could push away their concerns and enjoy the show, but there was a faint trace of ancient, archaic magic she could sense threading through the air that nagged at her mind. It was unidentifiable - yet oddly familiar - and its presence frustrated her, keeping her from cheering her little ponies on.

The sound of footsteps resonating off the wooden staircase approaching the Princesses’ private box drew the guardsponies to attention, the unannounced visitor making them draw their lances into a defensive posture. But as Winter Harvest rounded the corner, chewing carefully on an apple danish, they relaxed again. An attendant opened the waist-high gate and allowed the pegasus into their presence. When Luna noticed the newcomer, she gave a happy gasp, clapping her hands together. “So!? Is he here? Did you seat him? Was he as surprised as We'd hoped? Tell us everything!”

Savoring the lingering flavor of the danish as she cleaned off her fingers, Winter walked past Summer Orchard, the studious old unicorn deep in one of her books. She stole a handkerchief off the table before turning to face the night princess. “He was shocked, but still very thoughtful. They accepted the seats you'd prepared and were settling in before the first display started. But Dusk was very distracted - he’s maintaining a spell that allows the Elements to cloud walk like pegasi.”

Celestia perked up, turning away from the crowd to look back at her pegasus agent, crossing her hands lightly over one another. “Strange… with Dusk's attention to detail and research, I wonder why he hasn't found one of the cloud walking spells that don't need to be maintained. Perhaps we should review his library again sometime... this is a rare black mark for my dear student. Thank you, Winter.”

Cocking her head, Winter gave Celestia an odd look. “I don’t recall having heard of any cloud-walking spells in recent memory. Why would you think Dusk would know one?”

Looking confused, Celestia went to reply before catching herself. Eyes widening, she laughed. “Oh my, I forgot how old that spell was. A unicorn from a few hundred years ago cobbled together a cloud-walking spell - it’s a hassle for most unicorns to cast even once, but Dusk could easily handle it a dozen or two times… I’ll have to make sure he gets a copy of it later.” Shaking her head, she chuckled again before adding, “As it is, if he’s confident enough to use a spell that he has to maintain on all of them while he’s here, then I’m sure he’s fine for now.”

Turning to look at her sister, who was still beaming at Winter’s news, she couldn't help but tease her younger co-ruler. “Sometimes I think you enjoy spoiling Dusk's surprises a little too much, dear sister…”

Sticking her tongue out at her sister, Luna shook her head emphatically, sitting up tall and crossing her arms over her chest even as she thrust her jaw forward defiantly. “If he plans something that I can discover, predict and spoil, then it's my right to challenge him! Besides! Next time he'll try even harder. If we don't challenge him occasionally, how else will he ever be ready for the Wolf?”

Rolling her eyes, Celestia sipped from her cup of tea, hovering it near her mouth as she paused to comment. “And yet Cadance blames me if Dusk catches even the mildest of colds.”

From her table behind them, Summer Orchard suddenly straightened up in her seat, shivering noticeably before looking around. Hands shaking a little, she reached out, stiff fingers gripping nervously at her teacup, the hot cup warming her old digits. “Did… do you feel that? Some magic touched me... So old, yet still familiar. It tasted like… nothing that belongs here anymore. Celestia, do you think it could be..." The mare's voice trailed off as she shivered again.

Disturbed at how the presence had continued to roam the arena, managing to weave throughout the crowded amphitheater and somehow still evade Celestia’s best attempts to probe its origin. After a long moment, she sighed before answering. “It is possible, but...”

Cocking an eyebrow at her sister, Luna’s horn illuminated as she reached out with her magic. Distantly, Luna felt the whispering of the Rainbow Factory’s song start off again. Giving a mild sigh, she rolled her eyes even as she shrugged off her sister’s concerns. “The factory has been singing to me every time I attempt even the smallest spell. That’s probably all it is. Do you think Dusk’s presence has excited the building into showing off for him? He is the most powerful unicorn that has visited Cloudsdale since the last of Starswirl’s student’s passed away, right?”

Celestia sighed wistfully, a regretful thought creeping in unwanted. "If only she'd stayed... I wonder where she is now." She pushed that train of thought aside roughly, not willing to consider it now. She was gone, and that was that. “I… suppose…” Celestia nodded, regretfully turning to look at the far off Rainbow Factory. “I suppose it's partly my fault. If I knew how lonely she's been, I'd have visited her more often… still… this feels different from the Factory’s song…”

* * *

11:00am, The Wonderbolts Arena

For all of Dash’s disappointment when Dusk told her about Applejack and Blitz’s departure, the grin she sported at his suggestion of lunch was priceless. Dusk turned to Rarity, offering her a hand. “Would you care to join us, love? It's not far to one of the canteens and-”

Cocking a playful eyebrow at Dusk, Rarity shook a finger at him, a frightening yet enticingly playful and wolfish grin dancing onto her face. “I would never think of getting in the way of your and Dash’s lunch! Besides, Fluttershy was saying she wanted to visit her sire, and I thought that would be a good time to take Scootaloo for a walk around town. Now hurry off you two, or you'll make Dash late for the next round!”

Rarity’s plan to take Scootaloo off somewhere without him made Dusk pause, and memories of Redheart’s threat flashed back and caused him to stumble mid-step. But Dash was faster than he was, the mare crouching down before Scootaloo, ruffling the filly’s hair. “Don't let Rarity get too distracted by some jewelry store or something else ridiculous like that. I need you here cheering for me when the next round starts!”

Excitedly giggling at Dash’s attention, Scootaloo snapped off another impressive impersonation of the official Wonderbolts salute, giving a chipper reply. “Are you kidding me? If I gotta drag Rarity back here over my shoulder, I sure will Dash!”

Squeezing Rarity’s hand, Dusk looked deep into her eyes, keeping his voice soft. “You'll keep to places with wooden and other solid structures, right? Redheart wasn't very subtle about what she would do if something went wrong with Scootaloo.”

Leaning up and kissing his cheek, Rarity kept her voice low, a velvety whisper. “We’ll walk with Fluttershy to the hospital where her sire stays then go for lunch. Enjoy your date with Dash, I'll care for Scootaloo.”

Before he realized it, Dusk was alone with Dash. Even Pinkie had abandoned the viewing box, without any explanation for her departure except for an excited giggle and cry of, “Bye! Bye Dusk and Dashie Pie!”

Throwing an arm around Dusk’s shoulders, Dash dragged him close so she could lean against him, laughing happily. “C’mon, Dusk! Let's get to the canteen. The faster we get there, the more time you have to tell me how fantastic my flying was!”

Relaxing a little, Dusk put an arm across Dash's tight hips and drew her close as they walked down the hallway to the main staircase. They made idle small talk along the way, Dash’s fingers teasing into Dusk’s tail, even as he admired the way her muscles shifted under the tight suit she wore. When they arrived, nearly all of the tables were occupied, the room filled by pegasi excitedly talking about the competition. As soon as Dash and Dusk joined the queue however, pony after pony stepped aside, insisting they move to the front of the line. Most of them offered Dash soft words of praise and light cheers, the young athlete responding happily, but never taking her arm from around Dusk’s shoulder. After they’d gotten their food, Dash led Dusk to a table, letting go of him only so she could flick her tail against his upper thighs. Once they’d reached a quiet corner of the room, the two sat, each with a plate covered with fresh and steamed vegetables.

Generously slathering butter over a large corn on the cob, Dash dug in with an open display of rabid hunger. Pausing to nudge his leg with hers, Dash grinned wickedly at him. “So? What do you think? Just how awesome was I?”

Taking his time, Dusk grabbed a salt shaker, flavoring his own buttered corn cob and taking a casual bite before answering her. He enjoyed the clearly anxious look she developed as he made her wait. Unable to help himself, he chuckled when he finally replied. “You were clearly in a league all your own, Dash. With the sole exceptions of Thrash and Lightning Dust, nopony else even came close to matching your speed and style. Despite being restricted to following the Wonderbolts’ pattern, you showed off just how good you are.”

As he finished telling Dash how he thought she’d done, he jerked in surprise. Dash’s bare foot stroked teasingly along his calf, the mare grinning innocently at him. Taking another bite of her corn, her grin turned into a smirk when Dusk raised an eyebrow. The mare swallowed her food before speaking, voice full of confidence. “Oh really? So you're saying I've got the freeform flight display in the bag?”

Swallowing hard as he struggled with Dash’s new and risky method of flirting, Dusk tried to stay calm. Dash’s foot continued up his leg, her toes trailing up to knead against the muscles of his inner thigh. Attempting to keep any visible signs of how she teased him suppressed, Dusk tightened his grip on his corn before speaking. “I've been trying to see any suggestions in their flight style if they have something hidden to show off. But alI I can say is they sure don't seem to have your… flair? For pulling off exciting tricks mid-flight.”

Dash’s flirtatious grin spread wider as she began dragging her foot back and forth over Dusk’s thigh and she opened her mouth to speak - then swiftly ducked down as she dropped her head into her hands, her foot retreating from toying with Dusk. “Oh! By the Light. Why is he here!?”

Shocked at the rapid shift in Dash's mood, Dusk twisted around to look back over his shoulder to try and figure out who Dash was talking about. Only one pony in the canteen stood out to him immediately - a towering green-winged stallion dressed in Royal Guard armor, obviously thin and gangly despite the protective gear. The stallion was talking the ear off one of the Wonderbolts cadets standing in line with him. Turning back to Dash, Dusk couldn't help but question her about her reaction. “The really tall stallion with the green feathers? His armor’s emblem says he is a private in the Royal Guard.”

Still covering her face as she moaned in despair, Dash slouched low in her seat to use Dusk as a shield. “That… is Zephyr Breeze… Fluttershy’s little brother and a walking embarrassment to the whole family. Don't tell me he got time off just to try pestering me here!”

Turning his attention back to Fluttershy’s surprisingly tall brother, Dusk sat up to help hide Dash in his shadow. Exceedingly curious at Dash’s reaction to the stallion, Dusk’s horn lit as he attempted to focus his hearing spell on the stallion specifically. After a second of concentration, Zephyr’s voice came into sharp focus. “-Now I'm not saying that I'm the most important guard here. But Fleetfoot’s had me carrying messages back and forth to the Princess’ private box all morning. I nearly missed my old marefriend Rainbow Dash showing off for me in the first round!”

Picturing Dash’s rather brash nature and what he'd already gathered from the way Fluttershy’s brother spoke, Dusk covered his mouth to muffle an amused snicker, whispering to the mare in front of him. “You used to be his marefriend? I didn't know you were showing off for him today, Dash.” Theatrically placing a hand on his chest, Dusk feigned fainting like Rarity sometimes did when she got too carried away. “I'm hurt, I thought we had something special.”

Her chair nearly fell backwards as she shot up to her feet, her cheeks fiery red in indignation, Dash forgot about trying to hide and thumped a hand on the table. “I was never his friend, let alone his marefriend! He's an insufferable, egotistical asshole with no self-awareness!”

When Zephyr suddenly gave a delighted cry, Dash’s eyes went wide before she sank back down into her seat, cradling her head between her hands. It was too little too late, however, as the tall stallion weaved his way through the crowd to Dash’s side, abandoning his place in the line. “Rainbow Dash! You devilish mare! You're here showing off just to get my attention? That's so sweet!”

Groaning loudly in frustration, Dash slammed her hand down on the table, looking up to glare at Zephyr, clenching her jaw as she struggled to stay even remotely civil. “I've never done anything in my life to impress you, Zephyr. Right now I'm just trying to have a nice lunch with Dusk, he's-”

As if shocked to realize that a stallion was sitting with Dash, Zephyr turned to face Dusk. The tall stallion half-crouched down next to Dash so he could throw an arm around her shoulders. “Oh, Dash! You’re volunteering your free time between rounds to show some dull Canterlot unicorn around Cloudsdale? That's so kind of you. But it would be a way better use of your time training to join the Royal Guard. We do so much more than the Wonderbolts anyways! But I suppose if you love the tight uniforms and are looking for an excuse to show off for me, I can hardly complain!”

Shocked at how fast the humor had disappeared from the situation, Dusk straightened up, glaring at the stallion. He had to remind himself that this was Fluttershy’s brother before he spoke. “Now listen, Zephyr-”

Railroading over Dusk, Zephyr stood up, placing a hand tragically on his forehead. “Forgive me, Rainbow Dash. I've wasted too much time talking with other ponies that would have been better used wooing you away from a dull day of escorting around some boring and flightless unicorn absolutely out of his element. I have to return to Fleetfoot’s side, she probably has more work for me.”

And like that, he was gone, out of the door before either pony left at the table could get in another word. Both Dusk and Dash were slack-jawed at the stallion’s rapid retreat. They felt uneasy from Zephyr’s callous words and sudden departure, an uneasy silence hanging between them.

Picking at the mixed veggies left on her plate, Dash drew a heavy breath and let her shoulders sag as she breathed out, searching for something to break the silence with. Finally hitting on an idea, she spoke up softly. “Hey… Dusk? What’d you think about my performance in the first round compared to Thrash’s? They… well, they hadn't posted our scores yet when we left.”

The way Dash refused to look up from her plate and continued to pick at the last dozen pieces left on her plate told Dusk she was more worried than she wanted to admit. Reaching over, he squeezed her free hand gently, offering a smile when she looked up at him through her bangs. “Well, I've only seen Thrash fly once, but he has clearly watched the Wonderbolts perform many times before. The way he reacted so easily to Soarin’s every signal no matter how subtle they were makes that clear. However, your ability to make rapid corrections that kept you neck and neck with the Wonderbolts a split second after they did proves you're able to instantly adapt to a whole new team without any warning. I'd say that you're tied with him, even if you did accidentally bump your partner.”

For a while, Dash hung her head, staring down at her plate. She eventually offered him a quiet chuckle, Dash turned her own hand up in his grip, squeezing his back. “You damn unbiased egghead. You should have just said I was the best you've ever seen.”

Entangling his fingers with hers, Dusk laughed gently, before leaning forward across the table to softly kiss her cheek without making her look out past her heavy bangs. “You were the best I've ever seen. That goes without saying, Dash.”

Cheeks tinting red, Dash finally looked up from her plate. Seeing Dusk’s smile, and the way it seemed to reach his eyes brought out a grin of her own. “Yeah, and don’t you forget it.” She squeezed his hand once more before letting go of it to return to eating.

The two finished off their plates in silence, just enjoying one another’s company. Glancing up at the clock, Dash knew her time was running out before she had to return to the competition. Sighing, she tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, and how she felt her wings tighten up against her back. She looked at the stallion sitting across from her, voice coming out softly. “Hey, Dusk, can I ask you something personal?”

Somewhat surprised at the sudden mood change in the mare, Dusk nodded, leaning on his elbows before speaking. “Sure, Dash. You can always ask me anything.”

Breathing out loudly, Dash looked around at the other patrons before leaning forward and speaking in a soft tone. “On the, uh, application paperwork for the ‘Bolts, they wanted me to list a few ponies that, uh… that they can get in touch with… if something happens, I mean. Ponies that I’m close to. Apart from family, I mean.” Feeling her cheeks heat up, Dash dragged her eyes back to look down at the table. “I already put AJ down, of course, and I wanted to know if I could, um, maybe add you?” She finally forced herself to look up at Dusk, hating the blush she could feel still heating her cheeks.

Dusk was quiet for a moment, before realizing just what she was asking. He’d looked over the application before, and it wasn’t too dissimilar from the paperwork for the Royal Guard that he’d seen his brother sign at one point. Smiling widely, he nodded as he spoke. “Of course, Rainbow Dash. I’m…” Voice welling up, Dusk coughed thickly, trying to clear his throat before trying again. “Thank you. Yeah.”

Wings lifting from her back slightly, Dash found herself grinning like a fool right back at Dusk. “Really? I-I mean, yeah, awesome! Thanks, Dusk.” Looking back up to the clock, Dash sighed again as she realized they were out of time. “Well, guess we need to be getting back. Next round starts soon.”

The pair stood up, taking their trays to the drop-off for the kitchen, before leaving and beginning the walk back to the arena. Dash’s hand found its way to Dusk’s, and she gripped it tightly as they walked.

Thinking about the next few rounds of the competition, Dusk’s curiosity finally got the better of him. “So Dash, you haven’t even really gotten to show off yet. What special move do you have planned for your big finish later?”

Dash excitedly laughed, and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, grinning widely. “I could get their attention with my Super Speed Strut… or maybe mesmerize them all with my Fantastic Filly Flash. But I think my best move for my grand finale might just be the Buccaneer Blaze! That one would make the ponies go wild!”

Laughing, and getting caught up in Dash's energetic mood, Dusk lifted her hand up to kiss the back of it as they walked. “Why not do another Sonic Rainboom? That alone would win you the competition.”

Dusk was surprised when her shoulders slumped. Looking down at her, he saw her sigh and shake her head. “I've never been able to pull that off again, no matter how many times I've tried to do it. Maybe I'm just not good enough to do it anymore.”

Unsure of what to say to that, Dusk chose the safest route and didn’t say anything. Instead, he just turned his head to kiss the top of her mane as they entered the arena.

* * *

11:20am, Blitz's garden

As she knelt down in the short-trimmed grass, for the first time since Cherry Berry had taken them from Ponyville, Applejack finally felt the world beneath her stop spinning. She was grounded again, and even though the dirt in Blitz's garden was stale, she could feel the life hiding in it. Almost feeling like she had found a muscle she had never exercised, Applejack couldn't help but wonder to herself. ”I wonder if this is how Big Mac always feels… this life, all this energy. I really never noticed it until it was missing.”

Reaching slowly out to stroke the edge of a pale pink-and-blue flower, Applejack felt the flower rapidly bloom against her fingers. The dull blue and pink petals quickly grew more vivid in hue, with the richest of blue slowly darkening to purple streaks that filled out the rest of the bloom. Behind her, Blitz's gasp of surprise encouraged Applejack, and she tried to push herself, attempting to coax the stale life in the ground to flow around. For one exhilarating moment, Applejack gasped with joy as the flowers and even the grass surged with life.

Then, just as quickly as the joy of spreading life roared beneath her hands, Applejack suddenly felt very faint. She struggled to shift from her knees to rest her weight on a hip. Finding herself gasping for air and fighting back against a sudden wave of exhaustion, for just a moment, she found it a struggle to even hold her head up.

Opening her eyes after a few moments, and shaking off the last twinges of that momentary exhaustion, Applejack met Blitz’s eyes as he knelt, holding her hand and shoulder. “Applejack, are you okay? I’ve never seen an earth pony make things grow that quickly.“

Squeezing his hand gratefully, Applejack shifted to sit more comfortably on her ass, shaking her head as she admired the bed of pink-blue flowers, now filled in with nearly fifty flowering buds and a soft but sweet fragrance. “I think I now know how Dusk feels after doing some damn foalish magic trick. But I’ll be alright. Was just a lil’ dizzy, but it's gone now.”

Watching Applejack worriedly for a moment before taking a seat beside her, Blitz shook his head, pushing a canteen of water he'd fetched from inside the house to her. “That makes two favors I owe you now. At this rate, I'll never be able to pay you back. Which reminds me, Applejack… thanks for the letters.”

Taking the canteen and throwing her head back for a long draft of the cool water, Applejack laughed, lightly slugging him in the shoulder. “Are you kidding? We both know Dash’s as stubborn as the roots of any tree in my field. You'd have more luck beating her in a boxing match than making her put a quill to paper. Just ask Dusk, he's started helping her write her reports for the weather team.”

Groaning in mock despair, Blitz rested his head in his hand as he watched the brilliant flowers. “She was never good at paperwork in school. If her natural aptitude hadn't gotten her into advanced classes, I don't know what I would have done with her. Now though, I think she's ready to join the ‘Bolts. It's … nice to know I didn't mess her up too badly.”

Chuckling softly, Applejack leaned back, taking a moment to drink from the canteen again before passing it back to Blitz. Resting her weight on her hands, her fingers dug deeply into the lush grass. She was surprised to see that it had grown nearly two full inches since her arrival. Applejack took a moment to wonder just how much her brother truly did on the farm. Shaking her head but smiling, she finally replied to Blitz. “Oh that filly’s doin’ just fine. I’ll admit, it was kinda weird when you asked me to keep in touch instead of her, but I guess I get it now. She never really talked about you before the whole Gilda thing. I mean, I know me’n her’ve only been together for about a year, but since she beat Gilda, she’s actually talked about you from time to time. Not much, but more than none. Celestia knows it’d kill her to write a letter, but…” Applejack shrugged before smirking. “She’s really settled into Ponyville - I mean you know she’s Weather Captain’n all, but she does a fantastic job of it. Even if the ‘Bolt thing didn’t work out, she has a job that she loves… even if she acts like it’s a hassle.”

Blitz smiled, one hand reaching out to cup a flower gently as he admired it. “That sounds like her.” Staring at the flower a moment longer, Blitz sighed before looking at Applejack, an oddly resigned and serious look in his eyes. “May I ask a more personal question, Applejack?”

Cocking an eyebrow at the older pegasus, Applejack nodded slowly. “Sure, I guess. Within reason, ‘course.”

Blitz nodded once in reply, before bluntly asking, “Is Dash a part of Dusk’s herd? You never said whether or not she is in your letters, just that they’re spending time together. I figured since you and her are a thing, and you’re already in his herd… Besides, I’ve seen how she acts around him. Still, she denies feeling anything for him. I figure you’d be able to give me a straight answer.”

Applejack looked surprised for a long moment before throwing her head back and letting out a deep guffaw. Blitz was somewhat surprised by the volume of her laughter, but remained silent while the mare took time to compose herself. Wiping a tear away from her eye, Applejack finally managed out a soft, “Oh, that silly little filly. Light, I love her.”

When she’d finally calmed down, Applejack took in a deep breath, making sure she was done giggling at Dash’s antics. Feeling like she could talk without giggling again, she finally spoke. “She’s crushin’ something hard on Dusk, trust me Blitz. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t hooked up yet, but nah, not for now at least.” Applejack sighed, shaking her head. “She won’t talk much about why she doesn’t want to be in Dusk’s herd, but Light knows she’s welcome.”

Her mouth screwing up at one corner, Applejack let out a short huff. “Truth be told, Blitz, right now Dusk’s lookin’ like he’ll have a big herd. Rares, me, Pinkie sooner than later, I bet. Dash, if that silly filly would say something. I’d say Fluttershy, but that mare’d have a panic attack before anything could happen. Bronze too, but you haven’t met her. She’s Dusk’s Vicarius - ‘s like a bodyguard for magistrates.”

Blitz’s eyebrows had gone up at the list of so many mares, before he chuckled, the lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Well, that’s good, then. Means I can go off with the ‘Bolts and not have to worry about her, if she’s got that many of you watching out for her.”

Looking at Blitz out of the corner of her eye, Applejack laughed. “Yeah, we’ll keep an eye on your girl, Blitz. Don’t you worry.” Watching as the stallion returned to admiring the flowers, Applejack almost felt compelled to ask him the question that had been bugging her since she’d seen the garden. “Why only one kind of flower, Blitz? Are they special or something? I've never seen them around Ponyville, and Roseluck grows a pretty impressive range of flowers year round.”

The expression that settled on Blitz's face reminded Applejack of Mac’s whenever their parents were brought up. The stallion always grew quiet and thoughtful, his eyes taking on a far-off look. For a while, she was worried she might have crossed some line, but after a minute or so, Blitz took a swig from the half full canteen and smiled, though he was still looking at the flower. “They match Firefly’s hair and feathers. Even the tiny hint of purple on the petals match her eyes. I discovered them once, ages ago it feels like, while in old Pegasopolis on a recon mission for the ‘Bolts. I brought some back, but none of them would take root when I tried planting them as a surprise present for her.”

The stallion gave a sigh, and leaned forward, carefully pouring the rest of his canteen over the small flowerbed as evenly as possible before continuing. “When she... fell ill, I requested a team to help me search for them again. We spent three weeks searching with no success.”

Blitz was looking at the flowers, but Applejack could tell he didn’t see them right now. “When I came home, she'd only gotten worse. She was bedridden, and in the hospital, I couldn’t find it in me to leave her again. Then one day, Firefly’s sister showed up… and we fought. We always fought back then. Now… we just don't talk. It's easier.”

“Finally, one day, I found Princess Celestia waiting in Firefly’s room when I arrived with Dash. Somehow, someone from my team had told her about Firefly and the flowers. She brought the only one she had in her garden. Firefly’s smile was brighter than I’d ever seen it. She was so happy to show it off for Dash.” The old stallion smiled, eyes misting and still far off.

“She died the next morning.”

Combing his fingers through the grass, Blitz sighed heavily, smile still on his face. “When I tried to return the flower to the Princess, she took a single seed from it, and ordered her personal gardener to help me plant this flower bed. So I've kept these flowers alive as best I can, in memory of Dash’s dam.”

Jaw agape at how open the older stallion was being with her, Applejack whistled softly. She leaned forward again to stroke one of the petals thoughtfully. “Dash never mentioned her ma… Or you, really, but you know. She never talked much about her life before Ponyville. She's quiet about personal things, though. I'll be sure to get you some fertilizer, and some fresh, home-grown earth pony soil that's better for your lil’ - hey, what are they called, anyway?”

Looking slightly proud of himself, Blitz shrugged a little. “Princess Celestia told me their name is unpronounceable in modern Equestrian, and that they only grew naturally in the old unicorn empire. Here in Cloudsdale, we call them Fireflies.”

Grinning back at him, Applejack whistled softly again. “Sounds like a good name to me. I'll whip up a better fertilizer for the elevation, but trying to compensate for their native soil will be a lot harder. Nopony alive has tried to grow crops back there since the Exodus.”

Laughing in return, Blitz shook his head. “You'd be surprised what crazy things some of the stubborn old pegasi get up to. Trying to recolonize Pegasopolis is practically an annual tradition. ‘Cept they're too stubborn to ask for earth pony assistance.”

For a while they sat together in the grass, laughing together. A soft but growing breeze blew in the air, staving off the growing warmth of the day. After a few minutes of just enjoying the weather, Blitz finally turned to look at Applejack, his voice soft. “So how… how is the herd holding up? You’re all so young, and from what you’ve said, the herd is probably going to grow quickly. I hope that won’t cause too much trouble.”

Exhaling contently at the light gust that ran over her neck and against her hat, Applejack chuckled softly. “It’s been good, Blitz. We mesh together as friends, first and foremost. The romance is just a sweet bonus. I have to admit though, it was hard at first. Sharing Dusk, I mean. Still is, sometimes. I was struggling not to make a big deal of how much Fluttershy was clinging to Dusk. I think she’s still worked up after everything that happened with the hydra on Saturday...”

Sighing a little, she pulled off her hat, fanning herself a little with it. “I suppose that’s the hardest part. Dusk and Dash are both so reckless, in their own ways. Dusk gets caught up with his research for the Princess, that he doesn’t realize until it’s too late that he’s gotten himself in trouble. Dash’ll train until she can’t fly straight, then do it all over again the next day. Pinkie does the oddest things without any warning, and most of the time it don’t make any sense. I try to help ‘em out, and keep ‘em out of trouble, but... Well, at least Rarity’s a sensible mare most of the time... except for when she gets carried away with her projects or worked up in a tizzy over something or other. Really, only Fluttershy keeps herself out of trouble, except for when she rushes out into the woods to help each and every injured creature she can.”

His grin growing wider as Applejack’s list when on, Blitz began laughing so hard his shoulders shook before standing up. Blitz dusted his hands off against one another before speaking. “Well, once Dash is busy with the Wonderbolts, that’ll keep her out of trouble... mostly. You ready to head back now?”

Shivering, a sudden wave of tension ran up Applejack’s spine. She looked across the great gap to the distant arena before sighing heavily. “I… I’m not. Go ahead, Blitz. I’ll stay here in the grass, where an earth pony belongs. Wish Dash well for me, okay?”

Pausing to inspect her, Blitz fished a set of keys from his pocket, tossing them to her. “If you need a drink or something to eat, feel free to grab whatever you want. I’ll come back and check up on you between rounds, alright?”

Laying down on her back, Applejack stuffed the keys into her tight jeans, nodding at him. “I’ll be fine… But thanks, Blitz. You’ve been a good dad for Dash, however crazy that mare is. See ya soon.”

* * *

11am, Long Term Care Ward, Cloudsdale Military Hospital

The soft sound of beeping machines echoed from the open doors as Fluttershy walked down the quiet hallway. Every room was a story, and Fluttershy had seen so many of the faces so often over the years that she knew every single one by heart. Approaching the open door for the last room on the right, Fluttershy paused just outside, taking a deep breath to steady herself before stepping into the doorway and rapidly knocking. “Dad? Are you up? Do you mind if I come in?”

What, or rather who, she saw waiting for her made Fluttershy’s heart soar. Sitting up in his bed, a blanket wrapped around his legs, her dad was smiling brilliantly. From the rosy hue of his grinning cheeks to the bright glimmer of delight in his eyes, Fluttershy’s sire was the picture definition of happy. Folding up a newspaper and settling it into his lap, he leaned forward, laughing joyously. “Fluttershy! You impulsive filly! You should have written! I was thinking about going to the Young Flyer’s Competition, but my old academy buddy, that hardass Alto’s foal Cirro Stratus, you remember her, right? She stopped by to talk, and said she’d gotten a promotion out of nowhere!. So now she's packing, getting ready for some new deployment. Got her new shiny silver stripes and everything already.”

Leaning forward and away from the wall, Fluttershy’s father spread his wings wide, holding them and his arms out for her. “Come over here, little butterfly! Have you seen your brother yet? He's in town too. The Royal Guard loaned him to Fleetfoot, for some reason. Perhaps they'll finally see his real value.”

Walking over and sitting on the edge of his bed by his hip, Fluttershy returned her father's strong hug, wrapping her wings under his and resting her cheek on his shoulder. Squeezing her sire close, Fluttershy worried as always at how lanky he was, but remembered that her father and brother’s wings and builds were nearly the same, and pushed those thoughts aside. She tried to project some happiness of her own into her voice as she replied to news of her brother. “Oh, that’s wonderful for Zephyr, dad!”

After a few moments more, Fluttershy pulled out of the hug and held her dad at arm’s length, looking him other with a critical eye. “Now sit up, dad. Let me get a good look at you.” Fluttershy looked her father up and down, admiring how healthy he managed to look despite his gangly frame. She couldn't help but giggle a little as a wild curl of hair fell over his cheek. The vivid pink lock fell across his eyes, reminding her of Dusk. That grounding reminder of the other reasons she was here made her return to more serious matters… as directly as she could. “Remember when I visited you before Hearth's Warming? I… well… remember how I told you about how Rarity’s been helping me with my anxiety?

Laughing gently and rubbing the back of Fluttershy’s hand with a thumb, her father easily recognized how nervous his daughter was. He grinned at her, trying to soothe her worries. “Yes, you've talked about Rarity before. I remember. She's like your marefriend, right?”

Blushing furiously and mumbling a near-inaudible response, Fluttershy found that she couldn't look into her dad's eyes now. “Yes, her… it's just- you see she- I've- well, I wanted to tell you, dad… I've met a stallion, dad. He's a wonderful unicorn named Dusk Shine.”

Her father had been patiently waiting while she tried to tell him about Dusk, but was overwhelmed by Fluttershy’s surprise. Her sire couldn't help but pull her back into a hug, kissing her cheek. “A good, nice stallion? Who understands how quiet and gentle you are? Why, my little butterfly, that's marvelous! Have you introduced him to your mother yet? Summer Soil will fly higher than the sun with news like that!”

Beyond embarrassed, Fluttershy buried her face in her hands against her father’s shoulder, shaking her head emphatically despite being held close. "Dad! We both know that mom will just end up interrogating him until he runs away! Or she’ll do something like make sure he can ‘take care’ of me or something silly like that!”

"Now, now! Your mother’s not that bad. She only jokingly challenged me to a wrestling match when I asked to marry her. She never really meant any of it."

Fluttershy pulled back out of her father’s arms, raising an eyebrow disbelievingly. She met her father’s eyes, and gave him an incredulous look. “Then why did Uncle Alto tell me you got three weeks of medical leave for bruised ribs?"

Squeezing her hand, the stallion laughed gently before changing subjects abruptly. “Your friends have done you a lot of good, my little butterfly. My therapy’s nearly done for the year. Maybe you should bring this stallion of yours and visit the farm. Your dam’s current tour ends this fall, you know. And your cousins miss you.”

Blushing and unable to look into her father's eyes again, Fluttershy squeezed her father's hand gently in return. Suddenly, a voice spoke up, and she only realized it was her own after she’d finished the question. “Will you- do you want to join us at the show, Daddy? We have a private box, so there’s plenty of room.”

There was a too long pause, and eventually, Fluttershy looked up, the sad but loving gaze of her father's eyes watching her closely. At last, he shook his head slowly, and leaned forward, kissing the top of her head. “You're sweet to offer, little butterfly, but you and your stallion don't need to trundle me around in a crowded place like the Wonderbolts arena.”

Squeezing his hand harder, Fluttershy felt an odd streak of stubbornness hit her, and looked around for the harness he always had nearby. “Don't be silly, it would be no bother, really. I can carry you if places there don't have enough room for you to fly.”

Slowly but seriously shaking his head again, her dad pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. “I know you can, Fluttershy; you take after your mother in more ways than one. But I've got another treatment in an hour or two. Better for your friends to meet me at the farm where I can fly freely, not stuck in a sack on your back. Now go have a fun time, and at least say hello to Zephyr. Please?”

Flushing darkly at her dad’s refusal, Fluttershy stood up. She carefully avoided disturbing the blanket that covered his legs. She could set bones for her animal friends day in and day out, or treat their wounds, be they burn scars, bite marks, or simple torn muscles… but somehow, the sight of her father’s withered legs always disturbed her far more than she liked admitting. Hugging his hand to her cheek, Fluttershy gave a heavy sigh before turning to kiss his palm and release his hand. “I promise, Dad. I'll figure out some time we can all come visit you and Mama properly. I'll… I'll try to talk to Zephyr, I promise.”

* * *

11:15am, Wonderbolts Arena

As Dusk stepped out of the tunnel into the box Celestia had reserved for him, Pinkie hopped up from the cloud seats where she had been sprawled out on top of the whole row. With a mouth full of popcorn, her attempts to say hello blended into a wild cacophony of noises and excited arm gestures that ended with more popcorn in his hair than her box. Laughing openly, Dusk slipped his arms around her plush hips before sliding into a seat, pulling her into his lap while hugging her close. He kissed her neck, getting a whiff of her candy-scented hair before finally speaking. “Why hello to you too, Pinkie. I'm glad you found something healthy for lunch.”

Giggling around her mouthful of popcorn, Pinkie leaned against his chest, nuzzling her nose against his neck tenderly. After some vigorous chewing, Pinkie reached up, stealing a piece of the popcorn stuck in his hair. “Want some? It's fresh, and they used the very bestest amount of butter and salt!” When Dusk shook his head, she giggled with delight, tossing the popcorn into her mouth. “Oh well! Just means there's more for meee!~”

Laughing comfortably as he hugged the playful pony close, Dusk turned his eye up to the grand arena, exploring the area closer, searching for Celestia’s private box. Locating it in the highest tier of the boxes turned out to be embarrassingly simple, as the moment the first competitors for the next round entered the arena Princess Luna leapt into the air above the roofless box. The Princess of the Night was screaming with enthusiasm that rivaled Pinkie's. Dusk fancied he could likely make out what she was saying if he tried.

Unable to help himself, Dusk watched the lunar princess closely. She was dressed in silver jewelry set against very dark blue and black silks that clashed with her energetic demeanor. Dusk found himself laughing, admiring the towering, pale goddess and how exuberant she was today, a far cry from how she normally acted.

Excited, Pinkie’s hand slipped deep into his hair, while she distractingly bounced up and down in his lap. “Dusk! Dusk! That's the stallion that beat Dash in the first round! Dumb Bell! And the mare who came in third is there too! Lighting Dust! Ohhh, Dash better knock their socks off this time, she tries way harder than either of them!”

Turning away from the oddly mesmerizing image of Princess Luna to look where Pinkie pointed, Dusk rested his chin on her shoulder as he looked out onto the field. He could easily make out five contestants as they were split up by Wonderbolts. Led to the far side of the field, the one nicknamed Thrash was taken to a wooden weapons rack which held dozens of identical javelins. To Dusk’s shock, Rumble and three other young foals in odd uniforms he didn't recognize waited around the area that had been marked off for the javelin toss.

On the other side of the field, the four remaining contestants were paired off with different Wonderbolts. Excluding the one towering griffon, everypony was armed with lances, with two of the contestants and one of the Wonderbolts carrying small round shields buckled to their forearms. The lone griffon carried a massive iron mace casually in one hand.

In the middle of them, Soarin swept his gaze over them all, clearly giving out orders to the small group. Pulling a small silver whistle from under his uniform, Soarin raised a hand high overhead. For a moment nopony moved, all frozen in a ready position.

All at once Soarin dropped his hand and blew a note on his whistle. In a blur, the young contestants lept into action. Some like Lightning Dust and the griffon went straight on the offensive, while others took flight, trying to gain elevation. The Wonderbolt that had been paired off with the contestants each responded in their own way to their paired challenger.

The griffon’s charge was met in turn by a confident lunge. A Wonderbolt Dusk recognized as Storms Shadow shoved her buckler into the towering griffon’s face, blinding him while she shifted the butt of her lance to rap against his ribs.

A roar of excitement drew Dusk’s attention from the controlled melee to the javelin throw. In the short time Dusk had been distracted, the young stallion Dash had been worried about, Thrash, had hit the target shield three times, piercing the metal shield near the outside edge each time. As he ran forward and hurled his fourth, there was a collective gasp from the crowd, and a metallic song rang out as blade cut into the shield again. On the far side from the first three, even Dusk could see this time the young man had nearly missed, as half the javelin’s head was exposed outside of the shield.

Pinkie’s sudden grasp of Dusk’s collar and her cry was drowned out by the sharp sound of Soarin’s silver whistle. Turning back to the melee, one of the cadets was on her knees, clutching a snapped spear shaft that had shattered in her grip. While all the other fighters halted and medics rushed onto the field to carry her away, the griffon, and the mare Dusk remembered as Lighting Dust, and their Wonderbolt opponents moved higher into the air, continuing to trade blows.

Soarin looked momentarily frustrated at the ongoing fights, but as the wounded mare was taken from the field, the other two contestants turned to walk away with her, and Dusk understood why. The crimson of real blood stained the clouds underfoot, and while it would fade soon enough, some of the contestants would likely bow out after witnessing what could happen, even in mock combat.

The crowd was silent as the song of metal cutting metal echoed again in the arena, and as attention shifted back to Thrash, he was alone in celebrating the impact of his fifth javelin, nearly dead center on the target shield. A few started to cheer, but it was no longer the powerful roar that had come during the first event.

After several more minutes, Soarin again blew his whistle, sharper this time, followed by several notes Dusk couldn’t translate. The contestants seemed to understand, however. As one, the four flew back to Soarin’s side, the griffon short a few feathers and with a cut on his left arm. Lightning Dust had a black eye but a grin so wide it reminded Dusk of Dash when she'd played a particularly big prank.

With the other contestants gone, the mare and griffon switched places with Thrash, and soon a new shield target was in place. Thrash’s round at combat would also go to time, while both Dust and the griffon whiffed a single toss on the javelin throw, scoring four strikes out of five.

It was only as the contestants traded out with new ponies that Dusk realized Scootaloo and Rarity had returned and were sitting behind him. The excitable filly leaned forward, elbows against her knees and chin against her fists as she flashed him a bored grin. “I found a pamphlet on these contests. They say only one in a hundred contestants manage to disarm or force a Wonderbolt to yield before time’s up. But I bet you my allowance Dash’ll do it!”

Laughing at the filly, Dusk lifted three fingers where she could see them, but still watched the field. "I won't take that bet, Scootaloo, for three reasons. First, I've seen Dash practice fighting with Bronze and Applejack. She's good, probably good enough to challenge a Wonderbolt. But we've already seen them pair the better contestants off with harder challenges. I'd put my bits on Dash being up against somepony with experience. Possibly even Soarin himself."

Watching him closely and growing impatient, Scootaloo realized Dusk had no intent to continue as he turned back to watch the new group of recruits enter the arena. Desperate to get him to finish his explanation, she grabbed his hand and started shaking it before blurting out, "So? What's second and third?"

Using the two extended fingers to playfully tweak the filly’s nose, Dusk chuckled. "Two, if I did bet against her, and she found out, she'd probably do a whole lot worse to me than three, what Redheart would do if she knew I was teaching you how to gamble. And that’s if they didn’t team up and do something unthinkably nasty."

Turning back to look up at Rarity, Scootaloo reached down to a bag she had at her feet, and pulled out a caramel apple. Getting ready to take a quick bite, she asked the older mare, “Rarity? Would Dash and Redheart really do something mean to Dusk just for betting with me?”

Her eyes sparkling with amusement, Rarity took a dainty nibble at the red candy coating on her own apple, struggling not to laugh. “Oh yes. Just like I told you about not telling anypony about our less than ladylike lunch. Now watch, here comes the next round.”

* * *

11:30am, the bridge from The Cloudsdale Hospital to The Wonderbolts Arena

Rubbing one arm uncomfortably as she left the military hospital, Fluttershy felt her stomach drop at the thought of how hard it would be to comfortably fly at her pace back to the arena. Watching a unicorn in a white doctor’s robe eat a sandwich as he jogged across the massive wooden bridge that connected the medical ward to the Wonderbolts arena, she turned to follow him. She felt more comfortable there rather than joining the busy sky overhead.

As large and carefully reinforced as the bridge was, Fluttershy almost never felt the uncomfortable moment when a breeze picked up while walking beside the railing. The sweet soft song of birds in conversation made her slow, looking around distractedly for where they were... And why they were thanking somepony she couldn't see for lunch. Finally swallowing back her fear of heights, Fluttershy leaned over the railing to look for the source of their birdsong. She gasped with joy at a flock of forty snow white Cloudsdale pigeons crowded around a young bat filly, who sat alone on the thin lip formed from the hidden steel framework that supported the bridge.

One of the larger males, with flecks of grey in his white feathers, greedily snatched a larger chunk of the bread the young filly was handing out to the birds, then leapt away from his rivals to perch in the filly’s white hair. He crouched low in his ‘camouflage’, and it was simply so adorable that Fluttershy couldn't have stopped the “Awww!!~” that she let out if she had wanted to.

While the flock of birds mostly ignored her, only a few turning to watch Fluttershy for a moment, the filly froze up, hanging her head forward, ignoring the protestations of the male perched on her head. Her long bangs covered her face, and she focused on handing out shredded pieces of bread to the birds, seemingly trying to ignore the fact that Fluttershy existed.

Unable to help herself, Fluttershy grinned as she watched the male on the bat’s head finished his bread. He leaned forward and began picking at her hair, preening the young girl. As though she sensed Fluttershy still staring at her, the girl finally looked up, scowling at her sharply despite the first hints of a blush on her cheeks. “What?! Why are you staring? They're birds. They need to eat, too!”

Crossing her hands over one another so she could rest her chin on them as she continued to watch, Fluttershy grinned and nodded excitedly before enthusiastically replying. “Exactly! So many ponies here just see them as nuisances ‘cause they steal seeds or food sometimes. But so few ponies keep farms or gardens these days, so of course they have to hunt for any scraps they can find!”

Before Fluttershy’s eyes, the filly’s expression momentarily softened into an excited grin, then just as quickly she stiffened up again, the smile disappearing. Sitting up a little, scratching her fingers along the male bird’s neck as he continued to preen her hair, she finally looked up at Fluttershy. “How come you care so much about birds? I thought all you pegasi just cared about weather and crops and winter.” The bat filly rolled her eyes and made an exasperated noise. “They won't ever shut up about winter!”

Giggling softly, Fluttershy shook her head and offered a finger out to one of the larger females who had come to investigate her pink hair as it blew in the gentle breeze. “Oh dear. I'm afraid I won't be much better conversation for you then. I'm Fluttershy, by the way, and my special talent is talking to animals. Later in the year it's almost all the birds care about, too. You see, they have to bulk up or fly south or hibernate for winter, and it can be horribly stressful if the harvest is bad.”

The filly watched Fluttershy closely as she lifted the white bird to her cheek, nuzzling it fondly while the bird replied with beautiful singing. Her eyes growing wide, the filly rose, walking casually through the birds on the sliver of thin steel as though it were as wide as the bridge. When she got near Fluttershy, she leaned in close, excitement clear in her eyes and rosy cheeks. “You can talk to them?! What's she saying?! I've always wanted to talk to birds! I can only kinda get an idea about what they’re chirping about… Still, they're better company than most ponies.”

The rush of questions from the foal almost made Fluttershy step back. She caught herself, though, and tried to work through her anxiety now that the batmare was so close to her. ”Come on, Fluttershy… you can do this. Talk to somepony new, and make a new friend. Just calm down, relax, just like Rarity always says…” Doing her best to catch her breath while standing on shaking legs hidden from the foal by the railing between them, Fluttershy held up one very pointed finger, just like her Mistress did when she wanted silence. Lifting the bird on her other hand close, Fluttershy pretended to be comfortable showing off for the younger filly. “Miss Tweeters? My friend here, ummm-”

Catching Fluttershy’s hesitation, the filly moved even closer, eyes wide with fascination at how the bird watched Fluttershy’s every word. “I'm Gentle Breeze, Miss Tweeters. Did you like the bread today? Sorry it was a little stale.”

While her attention had been momentarily diverted from Fluttershy when Breeze talked, the bird turned back to Fluttershy. “Er- Yes. My friend Breeze wants to know-” With a voice full of song, the little white pigeon interrupted Fluttershy. Leaning in closer to the little bird, Fluttershy listened closely, nodding along several times and relaying her answers back to Breeze. “Well, she says she doesn't mind the stale bread, but she liked the browner bread you gave them yesterday. Birds aren't great at describing types of bread, but I'm guessing it was pumpernickel? And she says you need to tell the- oh… my… um…”

A look of worry spread over Breeze’s face, and she stepped closer, grasping both of Fluttershy’s hands over the high barrier. “What? Tell who what? What did she say, Fluttershy?”

Blushing furiously now, Fluttershy looked away and spoke towards her feet, struggling to repeat the bird’s rude words before a near stranger. “She… er- well, she said you should tell ‘that fat peacock’ that he steals too much food from the other birds in the flock... and if he keeps doing it, he’ll end up as fat as a budgie and get left behind when they migrate. I think she means the one that was sitting on your head. And I sorta had to clean up her language, she wasn't very polite, sorry.”

Fighting the urge to laugh, Breeze released Fluttershy’s hands and nearly fell off the thin platform as she danced back across to where the fat male had perched. She poked him playfully in the chest, giggling as she said, “You hear that, ya little chunkster? Better behave or Miss Tweeters will leave you behind this winter!”

Pulling away from Breeze’s accusatory finger and shrilly answering the female’s accusations, the large male lept into the air. Singing out the entire time, he flew in several complex loops and spirals before landing again and standing up tall, pridefully fluffing his chest feathers before the whole flock.

Meeting Breeze’s wide and questioning eyes, Fluttershy lifted her hands, waving them in surrender. “There's no good way of translating that either. Mostly he just declared that he’s the most handsome and strongest flyer in the flock.”

Giggling happily, Breeze reached out and started scratching the pudgy bird on the side of his head, cooing a little at him when he pressed into her fingers.

Across the bridge, a sudden massive roar of voices united as one cried out, and began chanting a single name. “Fleetfoot! FLEETFOOT! FLEETFOOT!!!”

Shooting up straight, Breeze’s eyes went wide as she began searching her tight and clingy black flightsuit, swearing in frustration. Some of the words shocked Fluttershy. “Oh no, oh no oh no! Where in Tartarus did I leave the fucking papers Silk gave me?! She and the guards were both really serious about how important they are!”

Realizing the girl was panicking, Fluttershy ignored her own fear of heights, and climbed onto the railing of the bridge, looking around between the birds now roused up by Breeze’s panicked search. “Like, identification papers? Why do you need that? You're a bat filly, surely the guards at your hotel should recognize you easily enough.”

Stomping a foot in frustration and sending the gathered pigeons into flight, Breeze turned back and grabbed Fluttershy's hands. “Not some hotel. The contest!” Eyes widening further in realization, her dark skin became a shade lighter, almost as if the blood had run out of her cheeks. “Oh, shit! I left them in my locker. Fluttershy, what am I going to do!? Princess Luna said she was looking forward to seeing me compete! And Silk gave me this flight suit and a set of brand new blades of real steel! If I don't make it back for my turn to compete, I’m going to let down the Night Mother so badly!”

Squeezing the filly’s hands in return, Fluttershy felt an odd confidence creep into her, and she squared her shoulders, smiling reassuringly. “Look, Gentle Breeze. Relax and look at me. I'll get you in. Nopony will stop us. I’ll make sure Princess Luna gets to see you on that field.”

Author's Note

Decided the current chapter was getting too big and was still only half done, so I break it here and offer to you that start. With so much more to come, I can't wait to hear back from you all.

Also still looking for new editing assistance. On the plus side, I finally heard back from Frankie, who is sadly having personal issues still and has no eta on their return. A real shame, but glad to know they're doing ok.

Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 4

Monday, April 11th. 11:40 The Young Flyers Competition Contestants entrance

The roar of the crowd overwhelmed Dash at first. She gripped her lance tighter for a moment, glad for the thickly-padded leather gloves Bronze had insisted she wear, no matter how much Rarity had argued they stood out like a sore thumb against her flightsuit. It had all happened so quickly. Entering the arena, walking to Soarin's side... The other three contestants had been ordered to fight in the melee while she was throwing javelins. She had managed to score five solid hits on the javelin throw.

When it was her turn to join the combat display, however, she noticed that there was nopony else waiting except for Soarin and her father, who was holding onto her mother’s lance. Soarin grinned at her and blew his whistle, a short series of blasts that she knew immediately was a signal for someone. Like she’d been waiting for this, from Celestia’s private box, Fleetfoot rose into the glorious aura of the noon sun. She wasn't in a show uniform, with the glitter and soft silk like the rest of the Wonderbolts were. The shape of the chainmail reinforcements under a thick velvet shell was obvious to Dash. Apparently Fleetfoot meant business. Dash felt her mouth dry out, and tried to swallow a few times, attempting to ignore the rapid beat of her heart.

“Fleetfoot! Oh Light, that’s Fleetfoot! Why in Equestria is she going to be my partner?!”

Moving to Dash’s side, Blitz offered out her mother's lance, his prideful grin wide and firm. Humor danced in his eyes, and Dash suspected he’d known who was going to fight her all along. When she took her lance, Blitz finally spoke up. “The ‘Bolts were arguing over who'd get to fight you, but Fleetfoot won out. She was your mom’s wingpartner a long time ago. Do us both proud.”

To Dash’s shock, her sire slipped one of the flowers from his garden out of his suit. It looked healthier than she’d ever seen any of them bloom. Uncomfortable feelings welled up in her chest, and she tried to speak, but Blitz beat her to the punch. “Watch her left leg. She got a nasty scar on it years ago, and it still bugs her sometimes… I have always loved you, Dash. Your mother would be proud to see you here today. “

As her father tried to avoid looking her in the eye, Dash saw his begin to tear up. He pinned it to the zipper of her flight suit. Dash took a moment to look down at the flower. The faint flecks of purple in the blue were just like her eyes. When Blitz clasped her shoulders firmly, she finally looked up at him, as he gazed deep into her eyes. His voice was soft and quick. “Now go kick her ass.”

Nodding sharply and blinking rapidly to stem the tears already trying to form, she gave him a smirk. She didn’t trust herself to speak. Not right now. When he nodded back and stepped aside, Dash took a deep breath.

Stepping out from under her father's shadow, Rainbow Dash adjusted her grip and lifted the blade of her mother's lance. A new roar joined that of the crowd; as one, every Wonderbolt Dash could see stamped their feet and clapped their hands. Unlike the wild, uneven roar of the crowd, their united effort was timed as one, and over the crowd’s roar, a new name was called.

“Dash!”

A pause, and Dash’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn't think; couldn't breathe. All as one, again the Wonderbolts roared:

“Dash!”

They knew her name. Everypony watching knew it now. A slow trickle of sweat ran down Dash’s neck, but distantly, she remembered Blitz bringing her to the Young Flyers Competition as a filly. They had done the same thing for Soarin, and Blitz had told her afterwards it was because his dam had died from injuries she sustained on the Night of the Red Sun.

Remembering how Soarin had responded, Dash echoed his response. Thrusting her mother's lance into the sky, Dash saluted them in return, and the cheer fell off.

Across the melee circle from Dash, Fleetfoot shifted her stance, her right leg drifting back as she hefted her lance. Meeting the Wonderbolt’s gaze, Dash lowered her lance, and shifted into a ready stance. Walking between them, Soarin lifted both hands high overhead, his silver whistle glinting between his lips as he took up position.

Eyes locked, bladed spear in position, Dash felt almost foalish as the scent of the flower tied to her flight suit drifted up to tease her senses. Her father’s voice came to her from the memory of watching Soarin stand where she stood now preparing to fight: “Remember, Dash. It’s important that they don't tense up while waiting for the whistle. They have to stay loose, stay on the balls of their feet, and use their eyes before anything else. They watch the way each other breathe. The shift of their leg muscles. Every action they take tells a story.”

Very carefully, Dash shifted her weight and adjusted her stance while never taking her eyes off Fleetfoot. Nearly hidden by the roar of the crowd, Soarin suddenly inhaled and began to blow. For a moment, the world slowed down, running in slow motion around her as if covered in jam. A muscle in Fleetfoot’s cheek twitched, and her left leg tensed to accept weight. Unlike every other sparring match this morning, the Wonderbolt officer wasn't waiting for Dash to act first. She sprang into motion, lunging forward before Soarin’s hands had even dropped past his chest.

Yet in Dash's slow, silent place in the world, for all of the older mare’s tremendous speed, to Dash, she moved in slow motion. Almost without needing to think about it, Dash dove to her right, moving away from Fleetfoot’s more powerful side. Her body moved practically on its own, whipping up into position to jab once, a swift, focused strike at Fleetfoot’s left shoulder.

For the briefest moment, Dash could feel a bit of pressure on the tip of her bladed lance head. There was a whisper of metal cutting fabric and a flash of glitter as the sun caught a hint of the hidden mithril chainmail. Then, all at once the world came back, flooding her quiet moment of focused thought, and washing it away with a cacophony of noise and motion. Where she had momentarily felt like she had forever to plan a reaction to every action Fleetfoot made, Dash now struggled to keep up with how quickly Fleetfoot reacted to everything Dash attempted.

Sweat began to stream down Dash’s back, but her mind was flooded with memories of the last time she had fought somepony this challenging.

* * *

Nearly two years before, The Apple Family Barn

Applejack had knocked Dash to the floor of the barn, pinning her to the ground with a foot on her shoulder. The taller mare held Dash’s trapped arm with two hands to keep her from wiggling free. Panting for breath, Applejack whistled sharply, her breathless voice making no attempt to hide how impressed she was. “You have got to be the squirmiest mare I've ever rumbled with, Rainbow Dash. Do they teach that in Cloudsdale?”

Dash lay face down, trapped by the weight planted on her shoulder. She was unable to break Applejack’s iron grip no matter how much she twisted her arm. Panting for breath into the loose stack of hay, Dash pushed her head out of the scratchy mess before snapping back. “Sure. You say that, but if I try to fight you now, you'll break my arm! How's that fair?”

Not pausing to watch as Applejack started to rationalize herself, Dash shifted all of her weight onto her free arm and leg. She rolled herself over sideways to loosen the pressure on her arm, instead of pushing up against Applejack’s restraining foot like the farm-mare probably expected. Off balance from the sudden loss of footing, Dash caught Applejack further off guard by grabbing her hands where she was already gripping Dash’s other hand and, with all of her strength, pulled Applejack down on top of her. The result was a sweating mess of panting bodies and tangled limbs, and a crude mix of cursing and laughter from the powerful earth mare.

Enjoying her minor victory deeply, Dash awkwardly moved one tangled arm over and pulled a piece of straw out of Applejack’s face. “So, I’ll ‘never escape your best hold,’ right? What do I win?”

Her cursing and laughter stopped, and in answer, Applejack leaned in, her eyes half closed as she pressed an aggressive kiss to Dash’s lips. Gasping for breath when Applejack eventually let Dash pull back, Applejack cocked an inquisitive eyebrow high. “What do you think you win, sugarcube?”

* * *

Crashing back to reality, Dash barely had any time to react to Fleetfoot’s next move. The older mare made a thrust at Dash’s exposed left side, and Dash tensed as if to leap away once more. But at the last second, she twisted her upper body instead, the lance missing by only a hair’s breadth.

As the blade whistled past, Dash wrapped her arm around the wooden lance’s shaft, trapping it against her side even as Fleetfoot continued forward in a rush. Ready for the impact, Dash was still shocked by pain as they collided together. Momentarily regretting that she hadn’t worn her own chainmail, Dash did her best to ignore the distracting pain of Fleetfoot’s armor crashing into her chest.

Reacting as swiftly as she could, Dash cocked her head back before lunging forward and attacking in that brief opening. Dash knew that the crack of their skulls colliding would continue to haunt her well after the fight.

Ignoring the sickeningly dizzy feeling that dominated her head, Dash let go of Fleetfoot’s lance and dropped her own at the same time. She balled her fists together and struck Fleetfoot’s right shoulder, landing three rapid, heavy blows down onto the Wonderbolt’s weapon arm. In the process, Dash shredded her leather gloves on Fleetfoot’s exposed chainmail, and took a stunningly accurate and hard punch to the temple for her efforts.

Dazed and barely able to focus with her left eye after the blow to the side of her head, Dash kicked up her lance and retreated to a safe distance. The only condolence she could take was that Fleetfoot was breathing just as hard as she was, and her grip on her weapon appeared loose. Dash was only allowed a moment of reprieve before Fleetfoot pressed the attack once more.

The next few minutes were a blur. Dash’s world consisted of feints, dodges, attacks, and the constant roar of the crowd. Eventually, the two pulled apart, trying to gain some space. Fighting her scattered thoughts, Dash desperately tried to recall how long they’d been fighting. She knew that the time for their match would run out soon, and she had to win this fight.

A faint feeling of slick warmth distracted Dash momentarily, and she couldn’t help but notice distractingly that she'd cut her hands more than she'd first noticed on Fleetfoot’s armor. Hunting for a plan, Dash remembered some advice Bronze Feather had given her from their duel.

“Sometimes Dash, you'll encounter a foe too heavily armored to beat in a fair fight. When that happens, you need to get smart. Every armor has holes somewhere: the back of the neck, the elbow, the shoulder. And if you can’t find it? Disarm them. Almost anypony will give up a fight if you can steal their weapon out of their hands.”

Dash forced her lazy eye to focus on Fleetfoot’s right leg, ignoring the growing pain that throbbed in the back of her head. It would be so simple: just rush forward, distract her, and steal the win. But was she fast enough to trick a Wonderbolt twice?

Widening her stance, Dash lowered her lance and aimed for her new target. Trying to minimize how obvious her breathing and movement might give away her real goal, committing her body to the strike as though it were her final chance to win. She only hoped it would be enough to throw the seasoned veteran off her guard.

Despite how hard she was breathing, Fleetfoot was still light on her feet. And for just a moment, Dash worried that the senior mare would dodge her completely. She beat her wings to add speed to her frantic charge. Adrenaline pumped through her body in time with a heartbeat that pounded in her ears. It took everything she had to turn her lance in the final beat before the two fighters met.

Spiraling her blade to wrap around Fleetfoot’s lance, Dash twisted sharply and used the leverage to pull against the older mare's grip as hard as she could. This time when they crashed together and locked body to body, Dash kept driving forward, using her wings’ powerful beats to knock Fleetfoot back and off balance.

In a final surge, Dash twisted her lance straight up and thrust her arm out to the side, finally overpowering Fleetfoot and forcing her away. Breathing hard, a dazed part of Dash’s mind realized that a sudden silence had filled the arena. As Fleetfoot’s lance soared through the air and clattered to the ground, nopony moved. Bouncing several times, the lost weapon rolled to a stop nearly twenty feet away. In one motion, Dash spread her wings wide and leveled her lance at the Wonderbolt, forcing her weary arms to point the blade at Fleetfoot’s chest. Her dry lips and weary voice cracked as she croaked out the traditional request. “Do you yield?”

Before Fleetfoot could answer, the piercing shriek of Soarin’s silver whistle split the air, signaling that their time was up. Suddenly sagging, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, Dash dropped to her knees in a dazed stupor while the arena exploded in a newfound roar of energy. It wasn't until Blitz clasped his hands on her shoulders and Surprise took her lance away that the words Fleetfoot whispered with a small smirk as the whistle sounded fully registered.

“I yield, Rainbow Dash.”

* * *

The ringing in Dash's ears had not faded from the chanting of the crowd by the time Surprise and Blitz helped her back into the waiting room. She was greeted by the roar of other contestants, followed by their jubilant cheers and overly-enthusiastic slaps on the back. Eventually a medic forced her way past the gathered crowd with the help of a guard, and after seeing the bruise on Dash’s forehead, she demanded to inspect it closer. There had even been threats of stitching a cut on her brow closed when Dash tried to say she was fine.

Dazed and feeling slightly nauseous, Dash simply tried to ignore how far her stomach had sunk, despite her victory. She took a deep breath, trying to stop her stomach from jumping around. ”I mean, I won, but if I feel this bad now, I’m not going to be able to do much of anything during the free-flight part…” She fought down the panic that thought brought on, and instead just looked up to where her dad was, smiling proudly. She flashed the cockiest grin she could manage at him. Distantly, she could make out a familiar voice, but the tone was strange, and the room was so noisy that she just shrugged it off.

Changing back in from the tunnel entrance to the arena, Soarin roared over everypony in the room, a breathless cadet at his side carrying his lance and shield. “Where in Tartarus is Gentle Breeze!? She's supposed to be up now! Anypony? She ain't exactly easy to miss in a crowd. Bat mare, about five foot six, white hair? Anyone?!”

Earning a moment of silence with the powerful volume of his voice, Soarin scanned the room. Meanwhile, the guard at the door continued his argument. “...And I told you, lassie, if she doesn't have her competitor’s ID, she can't bloody enter the locker room. Just ‘cause you say she's part of the competition doesn't change anything.”

Confused, disoriented, and unable to do much more than focus on the odd conversation that wouldn't end by the door, Dash watched the guard as the familiar voice outside grew more frustrated with every word. “And. I. Said. SHE. FORGOT. THEM! INSIDE!”

The next thing that happened made Dash actually worry about how hard she’d hit her head. One moment the guard was snorting derisively and had begun to close the door in the face of whoever he had been arguing with, and the next he was thrown back several feet, his breastplate dented inwards from a terrific blow. Everypony in the room was immediately on their feet and rushing to react, while Fluttershy walked demurely through the doorway, a worried look in her eyes. “Ohhh- I hope he's okay… I told him we didn't have time to talk.”

Jaw agape, not believing her eyes, Dash watched as a short bat mare stepped around the downed guard, shaking her head. She looked as surprised as Dash felt, and she said exactly what Dash was thinking. “But… you didn't even have gauntlets on or anything! How did you do that, Fluttershy? And can you teach me how to do it, too?”

Soarin recognized Breeze and rushed over to her while gesturing for the rest of the crowd to back off. He tried to appear calm despite grabbing the bat filly by the hand but his voice sounded frustrated. “Oh by the Light! Hurry up, Breeze, you’re late and not even geared up! Where are your blades? And where were you, anyways!?”

Uninterested in being rushed, Breeze rolled her eyes and snatched her hand out of Soarin’s. She took her time walking over to her locker and unlocking it. She muttered under her breath at the older stallion. “I did what I said I was going to do. I went to feed my bird friends. I got a loaf of bread from the kitchen and stayed out of everypony's way. No fights or anything, just like I promised Silk.”

With her young friend taken care of, Fluttershy only needed a moment of looking around the room at stunned or confused ponies to become immediately self-conscious. But as soon as she noticed Dash watching her, she gasped and rushed across the room to the medic’s side. “Oh Dashie! What did you do to your hands!? You cut them up really badly!” Rifling through the medic’s open bag, Fluttershy’s only response to the medic’s glare was to point her back at her work. “I’m just an herbalist, so I’m no good with complicated medicine, but I can at least dress her hands while you do something about that big bruise on her face, alright?”

Whether it was due to remembering that this unassuming mare had dented the breastplate of the guard with just her bare hand, or the oddly powerful stare she leveled on the medic, there was no argument. Fishing out of another bag still clipped to her side, the medic passed a bottle that Dash didn’t recognize until they opened it. At the faint but familiar scent of iodine, Dash’s stomach only sank lower, rolling against her will, as if offended by the mild metallic odor. Starting to get a little worried, Dash finally spoke. “You don’t really need to stitch anything, right?”

Wetting a cotton cloth, the medic turned to Surprise, who Dash was shocked to see, and gave her a nod. “If she needs stitching and won’t hold still for me, you hold her head. But-” Turning to look at Dash, the medic glared at her sternly. “If you hold still, and let me clean the blood off, we can see if I need to stitch you or not. So stop getting so excited, alright?”

Swallowing back the feeling in her stomach, Dash gave the mare a serious nod, but couldn’t keep herself from gasping when Fluttershy poured the sterilizing liquid over her scraped up knuckles. Making herself breathe slowly, the squeeze of Blitz’s grip on her shoulder was reassuring, and she made herself relax as best she could.

As the medic started rubbing the cotton over her face, Dash needed something, anything to focus on to get away from the splitting headache that spiked through her skull as the medic put pressure on her face. Her distraction came in the form of Soarin and the bat mare that had showed up with Fluttershy. While she had added almost no armor to complement her black flightsuit, Dash was equally surprised to see she had also grabbed the oddest choice of ‘weapon’. On each hand, the mare had fitted heavy steel bladed gauntlets that enveloped her arms from hand to elbow on both sides, while the metal guard on the outside of her arm continued all the way up to her shoulders. They were clearly recently forged, with only a few faint nicks on the highly-polished metal. The twin, built in, claw-like blades extended forward a full eighteen inches from between the index and middle finger as well as the pinky and ring.

She was fascinated by the way the young and tiny mare walked with confidence beside Soarin out into the arena, standing as tall as she could manage beside the towering Wonderbolt stallion. Moving slowly to the middle of the sparring area, Breeze and Soarin squared off. A stallion - and not just any stallion, Soarin - with lance and shield against a mare with claws. Dash almost felt bad for the small mare - this would be over before it even began.

Dash glanced down at the work Fluttershy was doing to wrap up her hands, the clean white bandages helping to stop the bleeding. Truth be told, her hands felt better already. As a whistle split the air, Dash’s attention jumped back to the fight outside.

The two combatants watched each other until the start whistle pierced the air. In an instant, the filly bolted forward, her wings beating just as furiously as her legs pumped. She dove and slid feet first on her suddenly-folded wings to come up under Soarin's upraised lance and shield taking the Wonderbolt by surprise. Using her tiny size to her advantage, Breeze leaped back up inside his guard, pressing herself close against his body. One of her bladed gauntlets trapped his lance between the blades, while the other scraped over his shield wrist, shredding the cloth and raking against the chainmail beneath.

Climbing higher, Breeze unfurled her wings for balanced and braced her feet on Soarin's knees, inexplicably clinging onto him. With a flick of her wrist, her bladed gauntlet raked across the back of his weapon hand, shearing through the silk of his suit and into the skin beneath. Between the pain and the wrenching motion of her bladed gauntlet, Soarin was forced to let go of the lance.

As shocked as Dash was, the filly didn't stop her rapid, berserker-like combat style. The moment Soarin released his lance, that gauntleted hand shot up, balled into a fist. The mare expertly landed three rapid blows to Soarin’s temple, without once scraping his face with the blades.

Reeling backwards, his eyes glazed over, Dash could already see it, even if the rest of the crowd hadn't noticed yet. In a split second, the diminutive mare had knocked the Wonderbolt unconscious, and was even now riding him to the arena’s cloud floor, still trying to make him release his shield with rapid and calculated blows to the wrist.

Silence spread over the arena as the crowd realized just how quickly the tiny bat mare had felled the stallion. Surprisingly, growing slowly from the Wonderbolts themselves, a cheer began to rise. Unable to join in after a glare Fluttershy leveled at her when she tried to, Dash could only mutter under her breath. “What in Tartarus happened there?”

* * *

1pm, The Wonderbolts Arena, Fleetfoot’s Office

Dusk had been on his feet with many of the audience when the bat filly knocked out Soarin, holding Scootaloo on his shoulders so she could see over the crowd. Which was how the royal messenger found him when he arrived. With a bemused expression on his face at seeing a magistrate hold a filly on his shoulders, the messenger handed Dusk the scroll. Once Dusk passed Scootaloo to Pinkie, he accepted the scroll and sat down, breaking the seal only after carefully inspecting the crest.

Magistrate Dusk Shine,

If you are free, it would be best if we talked before the rankings for the first two three rounds get posted. Simply show my crest to any guard on duty and they will direct you to my offices in the barracks.

Major Fleetfoot

Excusing himself from the box, and giving Rarity’s cheek a soft kiss so he could whisper in her ear where he was going, Dusk mulled over the few facts that this letter added to the enigma. Until now, he had been willing to ignore the odd comments from both Dash and Blitz had made about how strange the missing announcements of what the current standings were. Why would a member of the Wonderbolt command ranks wish to talk with a civilian about a matter of military concern?

It wasn't until he noticed an old flyer on the wall as he made his way back to the main staircase that Dusk picked out an answer. An answer that left him fuming.

Just as Fleetfoot had said, all Dusk had needed to do was show her crest to the first guard he met, and soon he was being led out of the arena grandstands, and into the older building that was the Wonderbolts barracks. Trailing after the guard in the tight stairways but matching at her side when they came to a flat landing, Dusk attempted to focus, relax, and gather more information. “Tell me, Senior Airpony, has Winter Dust of the Pegasopolis Historical Society or Spring Rain of the Commander Hurricane Memorial School judged one of these contests before?”

Shocked out of her measured pace, the young mare fell off her stride for two or three steps before realizing she had fallen behind Dusk and had to catch up with him in a quick rush, answering hurriedly but trying to act casually. “What? Oh, well at one time or another, they've each taken a turn as judges of the Young Flyers Competition. I suppose now that you mention it, it is a little odd, but they are both respected elders in Cloudsdale society.”

Nodding calmly, Dusk worded his next question as diplomatically as he could manage. “And do many of the Wonderbolts consider Blueblood’s marefriend, Red Rail, a skilled enough judge of the talents of a Wonderbolt? I don't mean to be rude about her medical condition, but she is listed on the pamphlets as the replacement judge for Spitfire.”

Unsure of how to respond to Dusk's carefully selected phrasing, the young Wonderbolt mare coughed nervously into her hand, looking around for some way to change the topic. “Say! Did you know, Magistrate, that the Wonderbolt barracks is built based on the original plans made by Blazing Firefly himself? We've had to scale the building up over the centuries, but he thought it was important officers and recruits live together with their families to improve morale!”

Noticing how the mare refused to meet his gaze, turning away from him to stand before one of the grand windows that lined the hall, Dusk gave her a definitive sigh. “In other words, you are all annoyed that a Canterlot Noble is getting to judge a Wonderbolt tournament despite her obvious lack of military or real world experience. But you're also too polite to openly protest against a disabled mare.”

Idly fingering the blue drapes, Dusk’s escort answered - after a fashion - as she looked out the window. “It sure is a nice and sunny day. No reason to linger on disappointing weather while the sun is shining.”

It wasn't hard for Dusk to understand the uncomfortable situation he had put her in, and rather than bother her anymore, he simply nodded to himself before gesturing to the distant door at the end of the hallway where two guards were watching them. Conveniently far enough away to be out of earshot… at least for most ponies. Dusk was sure she had stopped to avoid being overheard, even at this distance. “I take it that's Fleetfoot’s office, right?”

Springing to attention as if they had never broken off their original conversation, the mare rushed to Dusk's side and returned to a stiff but professional posture. “Yes, of course, magistrate! The medics should be done with her. Her brawl with Firefly’s foal left her a bit bruised, if grinning like a filly!”

Making himself relax a little as he approached the door, Dusk saluted the guards with respect while his escort showed them Fleetfoot’s letter. Proving they were good at their job, the guards spent a few minutes intensely inspecting the finite details, and even looking through a silver-edged book. Dusk was confused at the presence of portraits drawn on almost every page until they stopped on a picture Dusk instantly recognized as himself. He was also surprised to see that on the opposite page, a stunningly accurate copy of his crest had been drawn.

Satisfied, the book was closed, and both guards offered Dusk a salute in return, the tall mare speaking up at last. “Sorry for the delay, Magistrate Dusk Shine, but security is tight right now.”

Accepting their apology and leaving his escort behind with a gentle wave of thanks, Dusk walked into the office alone. The single window across the room was shuttered tightly closed, meaning all the light inside the chamber came from a small fireplace on the north wall to Dusk’s right and a collection of candles upon the cluttered desk. The rich scent of honey hung in the air and drew his attention to the mare behind the desk. Her shoulder was covered with a heavy poultice, held in place by a cloth wrap. It mostly hid the bruising that had already begun to form over the spot Dash had hammered on her shoulder, while the stitching over her left eye was fresh. Dusk then realized that the honey in the air was an attempt to mask the slight smell of blood coming off from her.

Lifting a hand, Fleetfoot forestalled Dusk before he could speak, signing paperwork on her desk with efficiency. Regardless, her serious expression barely hid a grin that curled up the edges of her lips. When she spoke, laughter danced in her eyes, and her words sounded surprised. “You’re not screaming at me, yet. If you’re that much like your brother, it means you’re either in seething-rage-mode, or are busy calculating all the political angles… unless, I suppose, Princess Cadence showed up unexpectedly and talked to you before you got here. She has a knack for calming your brother down to at least a ‘frustratedly accepting’ level.”

Remembering the few times he had met and talked with Fleetfoot before moving to Ponyville, Dusk wondered just how often his brother’s work overlapped with the Wonderbolts’. Stepping forward, Dusk placed both hands flat on the desk and exhaled with great care, making sure to do it overdramatically, as he remembered his mother doing before talking to a particularly sharp-tongued retainer from Saddle Arabia years ago. “I might have been angry, Major Fleetfoot, but it wasn’t your fault Spitfire got new orders. I might have been infuriated, in fact, if the Wonderbolts ran a rigged event. I might have been livid, Major, if I thought for a minute some council of elders was playing a secret game of favoritism behind the curtains. But I talked to a mare on the way here, and without ever saying a word, she expressed the shame running through every Wonderbolt at the mishandling of today’s events. And that is why I am not upset. Because that is what you wanted to talk about, correct?”

Bursting into laughter, her hard demeanor dropping entirely, Fleetfoot pushed the page she had been reading across the table to him, her signature still wet and fresh at the bottom. “You figured it out already. Well, that just means I have less to explain and apologize for. These are the current standings according to three judges whose opinion will not matter after today. But ignore them. Dash may not know our moves as well as Thrash, and she isn’t as crazy as that little bat pony, but so far she’s the best pony on the field… and if you ever tell anypony, I’ll have to deny it, because three judges who have never held a weapon in their lives voted for political reasons instead of brains, skill, and natural talent.”

His eyes dropped to drift over the paper before him. Dusk wasn’t surprised to see that Thrash had made it in first due to ‘perfect’ scores in all three opening events. That Dash had been forced into second came as no shock now, but the thought that somehow Blueblood was earning favors from others by dragging her down angered him. He took solace in the fact that the young filly Gentle Breeze was in third due to how impressive her martial skills were, no matter the embarrassing way she had crashed during the first flight routine. Pushing the paper back towards Fleetfoot, Dusk made himself remain calm, breathing with focused care. “And you would count it a favor if I didn’t tell Rainbow Dash? She’d never stand for lies this obvious. She’d-”

Shifting in her chair a little, Fleetfoot coughed loudly, interrupting him. “She’s the Element of Loyalty. The Wonderbolts… The real Wonderbolts, we pride ourselves on loyalty… and self-sacrifice. I have a feeling you’re underestimating her. I think these results will only make her try harder. At least, that’s if she’s anything like her mother. And after that fight, I think it’s safe to say she has a lot of Firefly in her.” Pausing to sip at a cup of thick herbal tea, Dusk noticed the way she winced at just lifting it. Fleetfoot’s voice was softer when she finally continued. “Speaking of parents, you should know your own are doing well. Your mother has made it her mission to show Celestia’s compassion to the poor and clanless griffons.”

Caught by the whiplash of Fleetfoot's sudden change of topics, Dusk’s mind raced to adjust. His last conversation about his mother with an outsider had not been reassuring, and to have the taste of political favours on his lips moments before having her brought up left him uncomfortably ill-prepared. “I- she… well yes. But why-”

Placing her empty tea mug on the only bare corner of the desk, Fleetfoot gave him a wan smile. “Not that I would ever discuss military policy with a civilian, even a magistrate appointed by Princess Celestia herself, but you can be assured that your mother’s charitable work will continue. It’ll be announced before the flying display that I am bringing reinforcements to Spitfire personally. And what’s more, a respected hero of many skirmishes with the griffons will be at my side. Coming fresh out of retirement, Rainbow Blitz will make a great advisor to help with the ongoing Griffon Civ-” Cutting herself off, and giving a long and pained sigh of annoyance, Fleetfoot started again, raising her hands up to further empathise the words she already clearly disliked. “Forgive me, I obviously misspoke. We are attempting to help calm the current griffon ‘unrest’.”

Now Dusk understood. Fleetfoot was clearly not supposed to speak on these topics, but felt it worthwhile to bring them to his attention. Perhaps she wanted to soothe his worry about his parents, or maybe to show her own frustration at the political doublespeak she was forced to deal with. Regardless, the idea of the largest battalion of the Wonderbolts joining Spitfire’s in dealing with the Griffon Empire was reassuring. Trying to relax, Dusk picked up Fleetfoot’s quill and scribbled on a piece of paperwork that had been discarded under the mess upon her desk. Passing it over to the Wonderbolt, Dusk stood up again while putting her quill back in its inkpot. “I daresay the young Emperor will be grateful for the opportunity to have the Wonderbolts’ assistance in quelling this unrest. With Blitz to advise both you and Spitfire, there will soon be peace again.”

Fleetfoot looked over his note, and folded it up, slipping it somewhere inside the loose torso of her uniform. Suddenly professional again, she snapped to attention, her salute as crisp as any that Shining Armor had given. “It was a pleasure to talk with you Magistrate Dusk Shine. I regret my new orders mean I won't be able to see you after this tournament is over, but duty is duty, and the Princess never asks more from us than she sacrifices herself.”

Returning Fleetfoot's crisp salute, Dusk started to turn away, but a half-thought tickled his mind, and he paused, turning back. “By the way, Fleetfoot. If a new applicant wanted to add details to her paperwork… just where would one have to submit the changes?”

The confused look that appeared on her face lingered for just a moment, before Fleetfoot shifted to rest her hands on her hips. “A recent application? I've got them all on file here for the tournament, Dusk. But they ship off to Canterlot once all the judges’ scoring is finished and attached.”

Relaxing a little, Dusk stepped back up to the desk, returning to a professional posture as he addressed the Wonderbolts commander. “Rainbow Dash asked me to add another name to her contact list, and since it would save time and paperwork if I did it now, before it gets filed in Canterlot, I'd like to ask for your permission to do so. If we need an additional witness, surely one of your guards will do, right?”

Pulling open a drawer on her otherwise-messy desk, Fleetfoot revealed crisp pages of paperwork, a stunning contrast to the dull and smudged mess that lay all over. Reading off the names, she drew out Rainbow Dash’s and gave him a shrug. “If a magistrate witnessed by a member of the Wonderbolt command staff isn't enough for the pencil pushers, a random guard would never make a difference.”

Relaxing and laughing a little at Fleetfoot’s playful but open contempt for the administrative side of her job, Dusk scanned over the paperwork, finding the space where Applejack and Blitz’s names had been written. Oddly, beside Blitz's name there was a highly detailed stamp. It was emblazoned with many symbols and filigree that resembled the Wonderbolts’ own emblem. There were two notable differences on this one, however. One of the wings of the sigil was folded in, where the Wonderbolts’ were normally spread wide. Additionally, there were two letters inscribed in the center, simply reading ‘D.D.’ Pushing his confusion aside for now, Dusk signed in his own name then added it to the bottom of the page along with his own emblem, and passed the page back to Fleetfoot.

While she signed her own name beside the two places he had, Dusk couldn't help but inspect the silver emblem again. Its similarity to the Wonderbolts’ emblem made it feel like he should know it, but its minor difference stumped him. “Fleetfoot, what does that mean? ‘D.D.’?”

Flicking her eyes to the sliver design, Fleetfoot gave him a small shrug, her tone mild, careful. “That’s an emblem for special ops.”

Realizing she was being evasive, Dusk pressed the commander gently. “But Blitz isn't special ops… is he?”

Giving Dusk a mild, blank stare, Fleetfoot blotted the wet ink and returned the page back to its drawer before answering stiffly. “No, Blitz isn't.” Using a knee to close the drawer, the noise of it banging shut seemed to close the discussion as well. Fleetfoot straightened up, pulling up her uniform to cover the bandages. “We’d better be going now Dusk. The Wonderbolts display starts soon, and Dash is scheduled to go first as soon as we're done.”

Clearly not interested in talking about the odd emblem, Fleetfoot escorted Dusk from her office. Dusk mentally filed the emblem away, wanting to look into it further. He doubted it would harm Dash in any way, but he also didn’t like potentially problematic surprises when it came to his friends.

* * *

2pm, The Wonderbolts Arena

The thunderous applause echoed through the staircase as Dusk rushed two steps at a time on the way back to his seat. He paused once, just long enough at a window to peek out and see what had the audience going so crazy. Nothing had started yet, but in the air overhead, lone Wonderbolts flew in full military uniform, moving with such speed that they left behind contrails. It was clearly part of some planned, organized effort, with each new arrival passing once over the crowd before crossing the arena in a straight line from where their display ended, until they landed on the upper wall. Every time another joined, those on the wall shifted a few feet over, leaving exactly equal distance between every Wonderbolt standing at crisp attention. Already, over a hundred stood at attention, and the pace only seemed to be picking up.

Pulling away from the poor view, Dusk turned back to the stairs, rushing up the last flight to finally return to the level where his box waited. Grabbing the railing for support as he bolted around the corner, Dusk collided straight into Fluttershy.

For what felt like an embarrassing eternity, one of Dusk’s hands rested on Fluttershy’s chest, while Fluttershy’s arms grasped at his sides. Lost in her eyes, Dusk felt his cheeks heat up, but his mind had shut down, and seemed to have no reason to try and restart anytime soon.

Loudly laughing and cuffing Dusk’s shoulder, Blitz was the one who broke the oddly serene moment created by two ponies accidently rushing through the halls. His boisterous voice booming in the empty stairwell. “Are you two going to stare at each other all day? Or are you going to kiss the mare and hurry back to the box seats? My filly is set to go as soon as the Wonderbolts finish and I'd like to be there to see what new tricks she's come up with while in Ponyville.”

Embarrassedly pulling out of Fluttershy’s arms - and his hand off her invitingly-soft chest - Dusk tried to stammer out an apology to the shy mare, but Fluttershy didn't give him the chance to do so. She wrapped her arms around his free hand, pressing her chest against his side as she began to lead him down the hallway. Her own cheeks were tinged a soft pink, but her voice sounded oddly confident. “Dash was pretty beat up after her fight with Fleetfoot, Dusk. Thankfully she didn’t need any stitches. I bandaged her hands up and made her some herbal tea to help calm her head and stomach… I’m a little concerned, I don’t think she should be doing the free-flight after that fight. But she was really proud! She even got a little giddy when Zesty Turnover, Soarin’s assistant, came and offered her the first flight after the Wonderbolts. Isn't that great? She’ll practically get to fly with the whole Wonderbolts corps watching!”

Bombarded by Fluttershy, both verbally - and nearly physically - Dusk found himself unable to ask Blitz about the odd emblem he’d seen on Dash’s paperwork. Dusk relegated the thought to a distant mental note, and instead squeezed Fluttershy’s hand tightly, leaning close to be sure she heard him over the crowd’s ongoing roar. “Really, Fluttershy? I’m sure Dash will do just fine. You know how she can be. Besides, I’m sure she's practically beside herself at the idea of getting to show off for so many Wonderbolts!”

* * *

Alone on a cloud high over the arena

Rubbing her bandaged hands together nervously, Dash circled the lonely cloud she'd had set aside for her by Zesty Turnover. Far below, if she really strained her vision, she could just make out the weather school students as they removed the clouds that formed the arena floor. An hour ago, she'd been beside herself at the offer of going immediately after the Wonderbolts. Twenty minutes ago, she was panicking over what to do with such an important role in the show. Now she just wished she had thought to bring a spare pair of gloves and a toque or hood. Pacing helped, and she contented herself in watching the lightshow the more veteran Wonderbolts made as they continued to pile on top of the arena. “Two hundred… so many Wonderbolts, and all in one place… Surprise wasn't kidding at all… I hope you know what trouble you're getting into, Dad.”

* * *

Upon returning to the boxed seating, Dusk found himself sitting together with Fluttershy in the back row of seats, with Scootaloo standing up on her chair at his other side. The excited filly was shouting at the top of her lungs, along with most of the crowd. Standing up together in the front row of the box, Pinkie, Rarity, and Blitz were completely absorbed in the flight show the Wonderbolts were putting on. Racing at speeds that left faintly blurred trails of magic behind them, the professional flyers never seemed to run out of new acts to perform. A full wing of sixteen Wonderbolts flew with arms linked, mimicking the wings of a great bird soaring in grand arcs and slow spirals, diving down through the hole where the floor of the stadium had once been, only to return from outside the wall, separating and racing so fast they all left a blue blur in their wake.

Dusk tried to relax and sit back, simply enjoying the show and company. He gripped Fluttershy’s hand as she scream-whispered names of ponies moving too fast for him to recognize in one ear, while Scootaloo bellowed the names of the moves they were pulling off into his other. Overhead, Fleetfoot directed them all like a conductor, blowing signals on her silver whistle and using simple gestures to give commands. For a moment, the show was pure bliss.

Dusk turned to make a comment to Fluttershy, but paused when he saw her. Her cheeks were still tinted a soft pink, and she was smiling ecstatically as she watched the show. Grinning widely himself, he opened his mouth to talk, when suddenly the noise of the world disappeared.

Dusk frowned, still watching Fluttershy’s mouth move, but no noise came out of it. He raised his free hand to try and get her attention when a shock coursed through him, and he jolted in his seat, both hands gripping the armrests tightly. Blinking rapidly, he tried to sit up after the pain left him, and he saw Fluttershy turn to him, a worried frown on her face. He saw her mouth moving again, but he still couldn’t hear anything.

Dusk’s first thought was to try and get the group to move back to one of the wooden, constructed areas. As he tried to get out of his seat, however, an all-too-familiar blackness consumed him. Creeping in from the edges of his vision, everything began to fade into darkness.

* * *

Meanwhile

Running and swearing constantly through the unfamiliar halls of the arena, Applejack was out of breath, lost, and completely unsure of which way to turn next. For the third time since she'd decided to rejoin the others, she found herself in another damned cafeteria. She made an exasperated noise before voicing her frustration. “Not even Big Mac eats enough to need three damn dining halls!”

With nopony around and the signs all gibberish talking about ‘mezzanine’ this, and ‘upper gallery’ that, Applejack was getting frantic and starting to open doors at random, looking for something, anything familiar. Rushing back out into the staircase, Applejack tried to whistle to calm herself down. The soft and pillowy clouds underfoot didn't help any to soothe her discomfort after leaving the garden at Blitz's house. “Maybe… maybe I try one last floor, then give up and head back to Blitz's. At least he has a nice wooden deck and the garden… plus I won't look like a lost foal looking for her ma.”

Throwing open what she swore to herself was the last damned door she would check, the laughter of a familiar, if breathless, voice caught Applejack’s ears and soothed her nerves. Not twenty feet away, Surprise stood with a full wing of her fellow Wonderbolts, all lost in breathless chatter. Stepping over the threshold of the doorway, Applejack steeled herself against the embarrassment of asking Pinkie’s cousin for directions and called out.

“Surprise! If you got a second I could use a lil’ help. I'm trying to find-”

As the crowd of Wonderbolts turned to look in her direction, the whole world started falling around Applejack. Heading up.

* * *

Meanwhile

Dash stood at attention on the edge of her cloud, barely managing to balance her weight with widespread wings so she could watch as the Wonderbolts cleared the air. Far, far below, she heard the silvery call of Fleetfoot's every whistled order, especially those warning Dash it was almost her turn to start. One by one, the Wonderbolts settled into place, taking up their perches around the top of the arena again. Dash felt almost giddy at the chance to start. Then from somewhere far away, a new whistle, this one clearly from a bronze whistle, split the air in the traditional cry for help.

An SOS.

Straining her eyes and crouching low on her cloud, Dash’s eyes hunted among the crowd, frantically searching for the source, but a second whistle, another silver whistle like Fleetfoot’s, joined the cry on the far side of the area.

Before Dash could locate where the danger was, a full wing of brass whistles joined the chorus of the one bronze, and below her, the Wonderbolts turned to action, diving from their perch in uniform wings. En masse, the two hundred soldiers took control in organized flight. While Dash’s heart raced, they plunged through the open floor of the arena, coordinating without need for signals or whistles. Before Dash knew where or what had happened, it was over. The panicked signals ended as the Wonderbolts returned much slower, many teams working together to bear a load.

As ponies calmed and the crowd cheered the rapid response to whatever had happened, Dash heard Fleetfoot’s whistle cry again. The order to start the Solo Flight Display. One step forward launched Dash off her cloud, her wings folded in close to build up a little speed.

Unable to shake the familiar sound of all of those alarm whistles from her head, Dash focused on the Wonderbolts still flying back to their seats as she descended. The Superspeed Strut took a lot of momentum, so she had the time to look arou-

Below her, Dash recognized the rainbow hues of Blitz's hair long before she was able to make out the two stallions that were helping him back to the clouds. His wings were spread wide, yet they hung limp. He was making no effort to assist them in the climb back up.

Dash hardly noticed her heart beginning to race. She turned her keenly focused vision to scan over the next pair following behind, where she identified what could only be Rarity's vivid purple locks.

Next came four Wonderbolts carrying an improvised sling made out of their tool belts, where Applejack, face pale and still clearly panicked, clung onto Surprise for dear life.

Behind them came Pinkie, held in the arms of two furiously blushing mares with the party pony’s trademark pink lipstick all over their cheeks.

She hurriedly tried to pick out the rest of her friends, but she couldn’t find them.

There was no Fluttershy.

No Scootaloo.

No Dusk.

Without even thinking, Dash abandoned her routine, turning to dive through the open arena floor.

* * *

Dark Abyss

Dusk found himself floating in a darkness thicker than Nightmare Moon's dream domain. He tried to look around, but his body was paralyzed in place, held by some unseen and unfelt force. He tried sparking his horn, to bring some light into this endless void, but his magic felt deadened, gone.

As he tried to subdue the panic that he felt gnawing at his heart, two vivid flames of green fire manifested before him. Below them a shapeless mouth opened, and searing flame burned away at Dusk's will, stifling his attempt to feel at his magic. This void wasn’t cold like Nightmare Moon’s dream world had been, and those burning embers of green lava left Dusk’s body wracked with pain.

From an oddly detached point of view in his dull mind, a few things started to feel familiar to him. This was like... like the time Nightmare Moon had killed him. The thing’s mouth closed, a black tongue licking at its undefined lips. And then the nothingness before him laughed, a cold, heartless mirth that only hinted at the creature’s sadistic delight.

Dusk's heart froze as the thing’s lips parted again, but this time no pain came. It spoke. "She made me a snack and left it unguarded? I'm delighted! I’ll have to thank you for the meal, Celestia. I've slept far too long, robbed of my true glory, little pony. And what a feast you are...”

Frozen in the soul crushing weight of those flaming green eyes, Dusk could only watch as the unformed monster leapt for him. Flames of green flickering from its black muzzle as it ripped open his chest, gorging on his magic. Vision fading into the darkness, Dusk found the spells he'd once had such a firm grasp on slipping out of control one by one. Struggling with everything he had left, Dusk fumbled to maintain one last bit of magic, not for himself, but his herd. For his friends. Everything hurt, and the thing on his chest would not stop. Slipping in the darkness, Dusk felt the last spell escape his fingers...

* * *

Vision coming to him blearily, the intense sensation of pain and falling that had consumed Dusk a moment ago jerked to a stop as Fluttershy’s frantic voice called for his attention. "Dusk! You gotta wake up! Dusk!!! The spell’s fading, Dusk! We can't hold you much longer!"

Suspended over the world by four hands desperately trying to pull him back onto a cloud that refused to hold him anymore, Fluttershy and Scootaloo strained against his weight. Dimly, Dusk realized his face was soaked with tears, just like Fluttershy’s cheeks.

Somewhere far away, he thought he could just make out Pinkie and Rarity’s voices in frantic conversation. Meanwhile, the continued cry of a silver whistle proclaiming an SOS signal echoed in his ears. The faint flash of familiar blue and yellow uniforms rushing past his position in the thin cloud wall, out into the open sky below, made a part of his brain nearly cry with relief. But he had no strength, no control. Something he couldn't remember, couldn’t even conceive of, had taken everything he had. Dull to the world, he simply stared dead-eyed at Fluttershy’s sobbing face.

It took everything Dusk had to focus, to find words that slipped away every time he tried to voice them. “Scoot… whistle?”

The filly gasped, releasing his hands with one of hers, and searched her pockets, growing more frantic with every passing second that she found nothing.

Distantly, looking through the thin cloud barrier around them, Dusk could make out the Wonderbolts passing them again, heading up, carrying loads.

But Dusk, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo were inside the clouds, hidden from the open sky. Would anypony think to look for them here in the thin wall of white?

Straightening up victoriously, Scootaloo pulled her hand out of her pants pocket, and proudly produced a small brass whistle. But as she shifted her feet, her right foot shot right through the thin cloud, only just stopping as it sunk past the knee. Panicked, Scootaloo cried out something Dusk couldn't understand, and she stumbled again, struggling to get her balance back even as she began to sink further into the cloud.

Desperately, Fluttershy let go of Dusk with one hand, and grabbed Scootaloo’s flailing arm, pulling the young pegasus in close.

Fighting back against the obvious panic in her eyes, Fluttershy turned to look back at Dusk, struggling to pull both Scootaloo back on top of the cloud, while supporting his limp body. Sobbing again, she tried asking him one more time. “Dusk! What do we do!?”

With the last of his ebbing strength, Dusk made himself speak, stuttering under the strain of effort. “C-call... Da-Dash!”

And then Fluttershy’s grip failed, and Dusk was falling again, his vision blurring back into nothing.

* * *

Dash heard the shouts of confusion and concern as she passed the approaching Wonderbolts. She didn't care. When ponies on the stands fell silent as she passed them, it didn't matter. But when a new whistle- a filly’s whistle of brass - started to cry out from somewhere below, her heart jumped, skipping a beat.

Shooting out through the open hole where the floor of the arena had been, Dash left her wings folded, eyes rapidly refocusing as she strained to look through the thin clouds beneath the stands.

For a brief moment the clouds cleared and she could see them. Scootaloo and Fluttershy were stranded on a thin cloud together. Yet they were pointing down, and screaming. Turning towards the open sky between the arena and the ground, Dash’s eyes searched everywhere for any sign of Dusk.

Far below, dropping like a rock thrown off the side of a cliff, Dash saw a distant black dot that could only be Dusk falling into the open sky far below. Twisting around to reorient herself, Dash bent into the growing wind generated by her rapid descent, her mother's goggles strapped tight to her face and blocking out the worst of the biting gale.

Despite how much Dash tried to streamline her body, she fell too slow. Far below, she could still make out Dusk’s limp form, and while she was already moving faster than him, there was simply no way she would ever catch up. As the wind blew back her loose hair, desperation sunk in. Unfolding her wings, Dash bent them to task, demanding they increase the speed of her descent. Muscles straining, she forced them to strike against the thick wall of wind that made every flap at this speed so bone-achingly difficult.

And then, like the first few seconds of her fight with Fleetfoot, the world slowed down before Dash’s eyes. She could see when she would catch up with him. When she’d be able to grab his ankle. When she’d finally slow enough to start trying to pull out of the suicidal dive she was now locked in. She mentally screamed at every muscle in her wings, her back, demanding that they beat faster, harder, more.

And it still wouldn’t be enough. She’d catch him, but only a hundred feet off the ground. If she tried to pull up at that point, she’d be going so fast, she’d snap her wings, or break her spine. Nothing could save him now.

Then a voice came to her. It was speaking so softly that Dash almost thought she had imagined it at first. ”You’re faster than this. You can close the gap before it’s too late. You’ve done it before.”

Feeling like a foal, Dash cried out back at… at what? The whisper in her mind? Her own self doubt? Something… else? Something more? “I can’t do it! I’ll break my wings if I go any faster, and even then I’ll never have the time to pull out of this dive… I- I- I failed.”

The voice laughed, silken in Dash’s mind. It sounded so familiar, but she knew she’d never heard it in her life. It sounded like Mrs. Cake. Like Princess Celestia. Like… like Firefly. Like every motherly figure she’d ever known. ”You can save him. You did it once before. Just like when you flew for Fluttershy… Do the impossible, Dash. Be the wind.”

Dash knew what the voice wanted. A Sonic Rainboom. Dash’s mind blanched at the insanity. How many times as a teen had the teachers demanded she do it again? How many times had Gilda bullied her, berated her, bugged her day and night to pull it off? How often had she failed, had she crashed, had she blown out a wing or pulled a muscle because somepony wanted to see that her Rainboom was real, and not just some legend, some lie she’d made up? Some story she invented to be popular or famous?

Dash couldn't help herself. The voice was gone, and yet she had to look back, to peer up over her shoulder, to hunt, if only for a split second for the source of the voice. But nopony was there. Nopony was nearby at all. For a split second, she focused back up, up and up into the distant stadium that lay so far above and behind them. And her heart froze. Princess Celestia's eyes met Dash’s in that brief moment... and her gaze was full of fear.

And then there was no more time. Body straining, muscles crying out, Dash turned back to Dusk. She leaned into the wind, whipped her wings furiously, and flung herself bodily into the wind, one last time. “For… For Dusk… I’ll do it for Dusk.”

For a second and for an eternity, the world froze, and everything was still before Dash. Oddly, she found her mind returning to the second before she reacted to Fleetfoot's lunge at the start of their fight. Distantly, Dash felt the world cracking around her, like she was at the heart of some impossible thunderstorm, but it was located entirely inside her chest. Like viewing the world through stained glass, everything around her was beginning to blur in a myriad of impossible colours.

Yet as Dash’s wings began to beat the next flap, she felt it. The explosion of speed, the burst of impossible energy. The riptide as the air itself split open before her and a cacophonous gale of noise tore the world asunder, roaring in her wake.

Dusk was closer in that one beat, and Dash’s fingers strained out before her, achingly close, yet immeasurably far away. A new thought burst in her mind. “I don’t even remember how I landed last time… how in the fuck am I going to do this while carrying somepony!?”

The next beat of her wings brought Dash even with Dusk, allowing her to wrap him up into her arms. With the next flap, she managed to level out. Turning her attention ahead, she looked for a wide open clearing to land. Maybe a river, some water to absorb the impact and not kill the both of them.

All she could see was an ocean of trees. Trees everywhere - except for a lone barn, filled to the brim with hay. Gritting her teeth, Dash’s next flap set her course straight for the barn. She tried her best to slow her flight, but the sheer pressure of the world around her forced her forward continually...

She barely remembered the next flap, her vision full of hay and pain.

* * *

2:30pm, Dusk's Library, Ponyville

Bronze Feather tapped the edge of her quill against her lips, scowling at the page in front of her. “Just how in the Light does Dusk keep from throwing everypony out of town and building a wall? Days like today... nopony needs days like this.”

It had all started when the Cakes’ new oven arrived on the train this morning. Derpy had been extra careful. She'd arranged with the labor board for all the extra muscle she needed. She'd even hired two other pegasi to help watch from overhead. Except…

Beginning to write again, Bronze spoke her thoughts aloud as her quill ran across the page. “Unfortunately, the Cakes had not measured their doorway to make sure the new oven would fit. Thus her eight helpers were left sitting around with a ten foot oven while Derpy and the Cakes removed a wall from Sugarcube Corner. Unfortunately, next door was the entrance to another of Ponyville's more popular restaurants, Roseluck’s Flower Shop. Soon, with the Cakes closed, and Roseluck’s blocked, a crowd gathered. Some to watch, others to jeer.”

Sitting back a little in her chair and contemplating the day, she drained the last of her glass of water. Bronze gave a sigh. Idly she brushed ash from her hair, muttering to herself. “And if I ever find out just what pony thought it was a good idea to start a fire and sell honey glazed hotcakes, I’ll hang that pony by their toes.”

Suddenly, the whole library rocked as if hit by a catastrophic storm. Rushing to the window, Bronze watched in wonder as a rainbow-colored shockwave passed overhead, crashing through the town and knocking some ponies off their feet. Laughing, Bronze couldn’t help but smirk as she abandoned her paperwork, heading outside to make sure nobody had been hurt. “At least Rainbow Dash is having some fun… So this is what life is like as Ponyville’s Vicarius... Dusk, I hope you never take another holiday.”

* * *

9pm, Cloudsdale Military Hospital

Luna sat on the edge of Dusk’s bed, a wet cloth in one hand while a unicorn nurse helped by holding him rolled over onto his side, exposing his back for the princess. The stallion lay motionless, with no sign of life at all save for his slow and shallow breathing. With care, Luna brushed the cold wet cloth across his shoulders, amazed at the massive red welts that had formed across his shoulders.

Luna softly sighed, brushing her free hand through his hair and dropped the wet cloth back to the bowl. Shaking her head, she reached over and patted the nurse’s hand, speaking gently. “Thank you for your assistance, dear, but you might as well take off. We’ve tended to his wounds. All he needs now is rest, and I can watch over him.” Waiting in silence while the young mare left the room, Luna turned to look at her older sister, her voice low and careful. “Sister? I’ve found the leak.”

Turning in her seat, Celestia gently placed the tabloid magazine that she had been reading in her lap and looked over at the bed. Luna drew her hand up, idly running it over Dusk’s back, shaping a rune in silver-blue magic. For a moment, nothing happened, then a rapid series of complex, arcane emblems rippled forth from Dusk’s body, ever-shifting, with wild flares of magic burning off from the outer edges. With both hands, she rolled Dusk over onto his chest, and framed the ever-shifting emblem with both hands, pouring magic into it. She rapidly drew yet more runes on Dusk’s flesh, pausing occasionally as she watched the symbols spread in the air over his body, their glowing light illuminating the air with ever more arcane sigils. Watching her sister weave spells together in the moment, Celestia let out a low sigh. “You even cast magic like him… Well? What happened? What broke the shield?”

Shaking her head dismissively, Luna sealed the magic she had used to make the spell over Dusk visible. “Starswirl taught us both magic, and… well, I suppose you know why his style feels more familiar to me.” Studying the extensive magic runes that filled the air over Dusk’s hospital bed, she was forced to shift the symbols, angle them, reorganize and look at them from different positions.

After a few minutes, she at last fully understood the massive spell as a whole, and knew what had happened. “And no, sister. It’s nothing like that, this isn’t some new break in the spell. It's like you had suspected before. He's leaking magic - maybe it turned on him in an attempt to finish breaking the seal. The feedback must have caused him to blackout. Dusk's magic is so strong that it’s been breaking the seal you placed on him, without him even directing it. Dear Starswirl, you two really did a fantastic job of crafting this trap for my darkness... but this was never really meant to be cast by one pony's magic alone, was it?”

Celestia turned away, her breath catching suddenly. She walked to the window, opening it to look upon the night, focusing on the point where her distant sun had set nearly an hour ago. When she finally spoke, it was quiet with a somber tone. "We crafted it to limit Nightmare Moon, until we could figure out some way of saving you, dear sister... It was never really meant to shield a pony for so long. Anything else I add to it at this point may just make it worse - his magic may consider a new influx of my own as an attack. I could break the seal just by checking it. Can you reinforce it? Seal off the leak? His magic shouldn’t recognize yours… it may yet be safe."

Leaning down, Luna realized Dusk was mumbling. After listening to his words for a moment, Luna shook her head remorsefully. “Even in his sleep, he finds no respite from the pain... it seems the feedback hurts him still. I will try, dear sister. But this spell has no counter, no way of removing or ending its effect... it makes me nervous. Still, if we do nothing, his pain will only return, and grow worse. Yet... I think I can repair this rupture. May Dusk someday forgive us for what we do. It is necessary, however. If his magic does this without his conscious control… I will need Starswirl’s notes, sister.”

Shutting the window and closing the blinds to shield the room once more, Celestia turned, giving her sister a solemn nod. “They are in the vault in Canterlot. Will you need long to study? How can we protect him from another episode like this while he continues to leak magic like an open wound?”

Luna looked up, suddenly worried, her calm disposition breaking as she collapsed the spell that sustained the arcane runes in the air over Dusk’s bed. ”It’s complex magic. I knew how Starswirl thought well, but I do not know how long it might take to properly alter the spell. We- we can only try our best to keep Dusk away from trouble. To keep him from attacking himself until I’m ready. I-I’ll put a seal on this leak. Maybe it will hold until we’re ready… Maybe.”

Celestia gave a sigh, and walked back to her chair. Needing to keep herself busy, Celestia picked up the tabloid again, smiling as she trailed her fingers across the cover.

Dusk’s sudden inhalation of breath was followed by a soft sigh, his voice calming the princesses’ nerves as he finally spoke, however weak it was. “Is it night already? Pri- Princess Luna? But I was-” Dusk broke off, coughing several times before continuing. “Was just watching the Wonderbolts’ performance…”

Flipping her magazine closed, Celestia held it up so that Dusk could see the cover. On it was an artist's image of a lone unicorn fighting a cartoonishly large hydra. Celestia curled her lips into a grin, her voice a playful coo, as she hid her worry from her student. “Only watching? My dear Dusk, between stories of you single handedly slaying hydras and defeating griffons, I assumed you had grown bored of merely watching and tried to participate. I've always encouraged your ambition, but being the first Unicorn Wonderbolt, well… the Cloudsdale Elders are already whining enough as it is because I let Luna enter a bat pony after the deadline had already passed."

Dusk laughed softly, before flinching from the lingering pain. Suddenly gasping in panic, his eyes shot open in fear. In a rush he struggled to sit upright, but quickly stiffened and fell back onto the bed. Luna frowned and grasped his hand, squeezing it tightly as she leaned over him, brushing her fingers through his hair. “Slowly. Slowly. You've had a very long day.”

Still wincing a little as he accepted Luna’s support, his eyes were still wide with alarm. In a hurried, pained voice, he managed, “Rarity? Applejack? The girls? Where are they, I have to-” Dusk tried sitting up again, but Luna pressed one hand gently onto his shoulder, keeping him in place with no effort.

Tossing the tabloid into the pile of magazines on the bedside table, Celestia reached out from her chair and squeezed Dusk's free hand, her voice softer now. “Dusk, they’re safe, I promise. The Wonderbolts caught all of them. Applejack was near Airpony First Class Surprise, Pinkie Pie’s cousin, when your spell failed. She raised the alarm that something was wrong, and there were ponies falling through the clouds. The rest of them were saved by an assortment of the rest of the Wonderbolts. Blitz tried to carry both Rarity and Pinkie by himself, but overstrained his wings.”

Celestia sighed, shaking her head. Luna took the opportunity to pick up her sister’s story, her voice soothing to Dusk’s worn body. “It seems the Elements cause trouble no matter who they are represented by. Thankfully, Blitz was otherwise unhurt. You, however… they couldn’t find you. Rainbow Dash noticed that you’d already fallen through the arena. That mare did the impossible to save you, Dusk Shine. She performed the Sonic Rainboom. You should see that she is appropriately awarded.“ Luna smiled at Dusk, teasing and serious all at once.

Dusk looked shocked, and it took him a moment to find his voice. “So much happened… I don’t remember any of it. One moment I was watching the show, and the next… I’m here.”

Celestia looked her student over with a critical eye, a slightly reproving tone entering her voice. “You need to slow down, my most faithful student. Cadance will get mad at me if you keep trying to kill yourself. Well... madder, I suppose. Your spell was ingenious, however. I’m surprised you put together a cloud walking spell, but why did you design one that needed to be maintained? Honestly, I was more surprised you didn’t know one already - I suppose it was a failing of mine that they weren’t included in your studies. Regardless, I cast a cloud walking spell for the other Elements. It will last a week, though I’m sure you will all be leaving as soon as you’re fit to walk.” Celestia shook her head, before continuing. “We have at least three cloud walking spells on record in the Canterlot archives if you want to try one of them out later. They all don't need to be sustained constantly, just cast once every few days.”

Nodding slowly, trying to take in everything she was saying, Dusk finally reopened his eyes, thinly smiling at the golden goddess. “Thank you, Princess, I will check them out at some point in the near future. And I will try to slow down, I promise. I already swore off hydra hunting. At this point, I’m only afraid of what Barb will do to me after the last few days…” Voice trailing off, Dusk closed his eyes and raised a hand to massage them, before continuing in a softer tone. “Still, I could almost swear I remember some faint impression of… two green flames, and that… that place. So similar to Nightmare Moon’s void. But why would I remember that place?”

Celestia’s eyes fluttered, first wide open, then closed. She stiffened in her chair, and took a deep, careful breath out of her nose. The goddess’s voice was sharp, a startling contrast to her previously teasing and gentle authority from before. “Green flames?” There was a moment as her words lingered in the air, then her eyes reopened, and they bore down on Dusk with an intensity that made him want to disappear into the bed. “Dusk, nevermind your nightmares. We taught you in a lesson about alchemy concerning burning copper or boron, it made the fire turn green, correct?”

Slack-jawed, Dusk couldn't help but stare at Celestia, struggling to remember the experiment she spoke of, desperate to avoid her disappointment in the face of her suddenly angry tone. “I- I'm sorry, princess. I just- I don't even remember that lesson. I'm so sorry. I'll try to remember.”

Celestia paused, and looked up at the wall over Dusk’s head, struggling to calm herself. After a few moments, she reached out and cupped Dusk’s cheeks, before leaning down to press her forehead against his. Her voice was once more gentle, though this time there was a sad note to it. “Dusk, none of this is your fault. I’m sorry if I made it seem like it was. You've had a taxing week. Nopony can blame you for your magic getting a little out of control.”

Standing up slowly, Celestia cleared her throat and glanced at Luna. “I’m afraid that I can’t stay, Dusk. Even with the sun set, I have matters to attend to.”

Dusk watched as Celestia strode out, her right hand balled into a fist so tightly that the veins in her arm bulged out. Turning his head slightly, Dusk’s eyes met Princess Luna’s. Her striking cyan-blue eyes almost felt like they were absorbing him as she gazed into his soul. Trying to free himself from her captivating gaze, Dusk’s voice was a shallow whisper. “I failed he-”

Placing two fingers on his lips, Luna hushed him, shaking her head dismissively. “You’re too hard on yourself, Dusk Shine. You’re only a pony…”

"But I can't be 'only a pony'!” Dusk interjected; against his better judgement, perhaps, but he felt that it had to be said. He tried to pull himself up once more, but Princess Luna restrained him easily, gently pressing down on his shoulder. Feeling like he had to continue, Dusk spoke again. “Princess Celestia gave me all this responsibility, I can't let her down! She was the one who gave me almost everything I have! My friends, Barb… none of it would be possible without her! If I-” Dusk began coughing again, and Princess Luna watched him, her thoughts a mystery behind those cyan pools.

Dusk couldn’t take the powerful mare’s gaze for long. Slowly, he turned his head away from her, to gaze at the far wall. Instead of saying anything, the princess continued to stroke her fingers through his hair, dragging her thumb across his brow as he gazed at the wall. It was a struggle to remain silent. More words sat on his tongue, danced on his lips. He wanted to express how important it was that Princess Celestia never regret taking him on as a student, but his body felt so weak.

The lunar goddess sighed, her voice distant, almost distracted. “You’re just like him, you know. Starswirl took failure harder than anypony I’ve ever known, Dusk Shine.”

Dusk froze, confused. Slowly he turned his head back to meet the pale moon goddess’ eyes. “Starswirl… failed? At what? And when he failed? What did he do after that?”

Luna turned to look out at her rising moon, and laughed softly, shaking her head and sighing wistfully. “For all his power, he was still a unicorn, Dusk. Not an alicorn. And even my sister and I fail from time to time. Nopony is perfect. But Starswirl… When he failed, he redoubled his every effort. He became obsessive. Day and night he’d work on a solution, going without sleep for weeks if that was what it took. Sometimes he wouldn’t even see me, or our foal, until he had fixed his mistake.”

Dusk remembered many late nights, and just as many early mornings, that involved Barb hitting him with a broom. Smirking softly, Dusk lifted his hand without Luna’s support and cupped her hand on his cheek, squeezing as best he could with shaking fingers. “I guess… I’m… just lucky I had Barb. She wouldn’t let - wait, your and Starswirl’s foal?!” Dusk’s eyes had widened when he realized what the pale goddess had said, and his jaw worked to produce more words, but nothing came out.

Putting a finger to his lips, Luna giggled with amusement for a moment before she hushed him again, her voice a whisper that carried a hypnotic lullaby. “Sleep, Dusk. Your keen mind needs it. I will tell you of Starswirl - and our foal - another day.”

* * *

Midnight, Canterlot Military Hospital

Dash awoke with a start, her body covered in cold sweat. Her aching limbs screamed as she rushed to sit up, panting for breath, the image of the oncoming red barn as vivid to her now as it had been then. Warm hands gripped her shoulders, attempting to force her to lay back down, while a soothing voice called her name. Eyes unable to focus, Dash looked in the direction of the voice, her dry tongue and aching throat fighting back against her as she fought for words. “I- did… is- Dusk! Did- how is-”

A glass of water pressed to her lips prevented her from finishing her sentence, but the cool liquid felt heavenly to her raw throat. Swallowing as much as they would give her, Dash started blinking, and shadows began to come into focus as she made her eyes refocus. A unicorn was holding her shoulders, rubbing them. And a pegasus with drooping wings folded to his back had been the one who spoke and gave her the water. He then took the unicorn’s place, resting hands on her arms as he started talking again. “He woke up before you did, Dash. When we found you two, you’d curled yourself around him to take the worst of the landing. It’s just lucky that barn was so full of loose straw.”

Recognizing Rainbow Blitz by his voice, her eyes still refused to properly focus. Dash reached for his arms with aching hands, and squeezed down as hard as she could. “I need to see him. I- I need to know he’s really okay. Dad- I need to tell him something… something important.”

Shaking his head, Blitz forcefully yet gently pushed her back down to the hospital bed. He easily pulled her hands away, and folded them over her chest. “No Dash. You don’t. He’ll be okay, and you need your rest worse than he does, if Princess Celestia’s account of his condition is true. Now lay down, because we need to talk while you’re still awake.”

Feeling as feeble as a foal, Dash stubbornly struggled to resist her sire’s demand, yet her hardest efforts were worthless against his powerful grip. She lay back and gave up, looking away as she thought about what he said. Distantly, Dash heard the sound of one of the breathing machines that helped dying ponies breathe, and memories of her mother and her room came rushing back all at once. Without even the strength to cry, Dash forced herself to gaze into her father's eyes as he started to speak, finally able to control her focus again.

“Dash, you did an incredible, impossible thing today. Where the Wonderbolts overlooked three missing ponies, you blew past them all, and found them. You even mastered the Sonic Rainboom before a crowd so large that nopony will ever doubt you again. Dash, I’m so proud of you today… and I know what I say next will make you hate me.”

Watching as tears began to roll down his cheeks, the rush of her traumatic memories of hospitals, and the possibility that Dusk was really dead, all killed her will to fight against him. The unicorn had left the room, and only now did she realize it. They were alone, and she was watching her father cry for the second time in her life. “Dad… I- I could never hate you.”

The stallion’s lips curled up as he laughed softly, and leaned down to hug her tightly for just a moment, breathing out an exhausted sigh. “Maybe… maybe not. But Dash… Things have been moved up. The last few members of my portion of the battalion arrived early. Favourable winds, can you believe it? I… I want to stay here Dash. Stay by your bedside and then follow you back to Ponyville. I want to make sure you and Dusk are safe and happy.... And that’s why I have to go. Tonight. Spitfire and Fleetfoot grew up in a world with relative peace with the griffons. They’ll need help dealing with aggressive griffons. So to keep you safe, I have to leave.”

Now Dash understood why Blitz looked so torn. He had left her mother in a hospital room like this once, and by the time he returned, she was hardly there anymore. The distant, incessant sound of the breathing machine in a nearby room sounded louder than before. Dash could almost swear some prankster had moved it closer while she wasn’t looking.

Lifting a shaky hand, Dash stroked a tear off Blitz’s cheek, her voice soft but tender. “Dad… I want you to come visit Ponyville too. But- Well, Fleetfoot and Spitfire and so many other ponies are already in the Griffon Empire. Dusk’s parents are there. I- I can wait for you to visit Ponyville when things are better. Just- Just promise me you’ll bring Surprise, and Twilight Velvet and Night Light and- and well everypony you can home safe, okay? Don’t worry about me. I’ll be out of this bed tomorrow, no matter what the doctors say. So go… go make ponies safe. It’s what Wonderbolts do. Sacrifice for the greater good, right?”

For a long time, Blitz held Dash’s hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of it. The movement was so comforting, Dash felt she might fall asleep again… except then she heard the continued soft breath of the machine as it sucked in air, and pushed it into some unseen pony’s lungs. At times, Dash found it so loud, she wondered if they had hooked her into one while she blinked. Was she sleeping between blinks? It felt as if so much time was passing.

Then, one time when she blinked, Blitz was gone. He had left her with only the faint memory of a soft kiss that lingered after he vanished. Dash’s body jerked as she started, shocked to see him gone. Her eyes flew across the room, looking for him, panicked at first. She’d never gotten to tell him she loved him before he left. Eyes finally misting up, Dash closed her eyes and let the tears fall silently for a time.

Eventually, Dash opened her eyes, promising to herself that she’d write to him every week. No matter how busy things got. Filled with determination, she looked around the room once more. With no lights on, and the drapes half closed, Dash could only stare at the faint hints of moonlight and wonder at the time. Just how long had he stayed? How long had she slept?… Distantly, that Tartarus-damned machine hissed as it drew in more air, followed by the groaning huff as it exhaled.

Dash saw the room again. Immaculately clean and white. The mare under the sheets was so thin and pale, she was more like a corpse than the powerful flyer that had taught her how to soar over the clouds. Dash blinked back tears, and the mare was gone. Replaced by a broken stallion with blue hair, and violet eyes. He kept begging for her to come back, to not leave them.

Inhale. Exhale.

Dash was on her feet, and halfway to the door before her knees gave out and she crashed to the floor. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Not with that interminable noise. Not with the memories it brought back.

She had to crawl the last five feet to the door. And her arms shook as she forced her body back to her feet. She needed to get out. She needed quiet. She needed to find him.

Breathing faster and unable to slow down as her heart beat like a drum in her chest, Dash demanded her feet take her weight again, an act made bearable only by leaning heavily against the wall. The hallways were dimly lit, and looking in both directions, Dash couldn’t tell in from out, only that in one direction she heard a nurse talking. Turning in the other direction, Dash gripped the handrail on the wall with both hands, and dragged her shoulder against the smooth surface, sometimes stopping to rest her face against the cool comfort when it felt like her lungs were going to explode.

The corner came next. Somewhere behind her, Dash could still hear the nurse talking, and the sound of wheels rubbing against the floor. Dash turned at the first corner she found, as it was easier than trying to walk the eight foot gap across the hall without a hand hold or a wall to lean against. Besides, it put a wall between her and the approaching nurse.

And left her face to face with Applejack.

Wide awake despite the late hour, Applejack sat in a chair positioned outside the door to a room that looked just like Dash’s. Dash couldn’t help but wonder, just how far had she come? Twenty feet? Thirty? Before she could even catch her breath or turn back, Applejack glanced up and scrambled to her feet, rushing to Dash’s side, and pulled the smaller mare into a tight hug. Nuzzling against Dash’s hair, Applejack kept her voice quiet, whispering in her ear. “Oh- no no no, Dash! You shouldn’t be up! You ought to go back to bed and lay down! The nurses, they were really serious. If they saw you try something crazy like this, they'd drag you back to bed!”

Holding her ground, Dash groaned a little as the powerful mare squeezed her close. Forcing her muscles to listen to her, Dash reached around Applejack’s waist and weakly hugged her back. “No. Not until I see Dusk.”

Applejack whistled softly, shaking her head in disbelief. “You stop acting all tough and talk to me straight, Dash. Why in tarnation do you gotta see Dusk? By the Light, mare, you can barely stand up!”

Hanging her head against Applejack’s shoulder, Dash drew a careful breath, voice catching in her throat twice as she struggled to make herself speak. “Because... because every time I close my eyes, I see my dam lying broken in a hospital bed, a machine forcing air into her lungs. Because I’m terrified that the same thing happened to him, that I did that to him, and that’s why nopony wants me to see him. Because until I know he's okay, with my own eyes, I can't relax.”

Shaking her head and supporting Dash with an arm around her hips, Applejack reached out with a free hand, and carefully opened the door to Dusk’s room, offering Dash a glimpse inside.

Somepony had opened one of the blinds, and in the glow of gentle moonlight, Dusk slept peacefully. No machines. No noise. There were only a few small bruises on his face and bare chest. A powerful feeling of relief rushed through her weary body, and Dash felt instantly better. Pushing into the gap between the door and the wall before Applejack could stop her, Dash wiggled free from Applejack’s grip and into the room. She staggered her way across the floor to Dusk’s bedside.

Ignoring Applejack’s attempts to quietly order her to stop, Dash stood by his bed for a moment, watching Dusk breathe quietly. After a few moments, she pulled his bedsheet down and crawled onto the bed. She burrowed in against his side, pulling up the blanket before wrapping her arms around his bare chest, using his shoulder as a pillow. The comforting sound of his heartbeat reassured her that he was fine, and she closed her eyes, finally able to relax.

By the time Applejack reached Dash’s side, her friend was snoring softly into Dusk’s ear. Shaking her head but smiling, Applejack made sure the blanket covered the two sleeping ponies. Pausing to watch them for a moment, she couldn't help but chuckle. “Rarity would melt if she saw this!”

Shaking her head, Applejack backed out of the room, walking as quietly as she could and closing the door gently.

* * *

Back in the hallway, the door was cool against Applejack’s back as she tried to calm her racing heart. ”The nurses are going to bloody skin me if they find out I let Dash in… by the Light, I'm as much of a sappy fool as Rarity.”

She took a moment to move her chair back to where she had found it before turning down the hallway. A few minutes’ walk brought her back to a busier part of the hospital, until she found the room where she had left the others.

Seeing the door open quietly, letting light from the hallway into the dimly lit room, Rarity sat swiftly to attention, a cup of tea cradled in her hands. Her face twisted from an expression of momentary concern before recognizing Applejack and relaxing into a soft smile. Patting the empty chair at her side, she called out in a low whisper. “I didn't expect you to come back until morning. Is something the matter, hun?”

Shaking her head softly, she walked carefully past the twin couches where the others lay curled up. Pinkie was sprawled upside down on one couch, her feet going over the back of it while her back was on the floor. Applejack had no idea how that was comfortable, but Pinkie had immediately passed out when she got there. Scootaloo’s head lay in Fluttershy’s lap, the filly sleeping only fitfully. Applejack smiled at seeing that she had calmed down enough to pass out at some point. ”Poor thing. Kept saying it was her fault that Dusk fell, no matter how much we told her that was foalish. Nothin she coulda done.”

Sighing and slipping into the chair beside Rarity, Applejack squeezed her lover's hand gently, keeping her voice soft to avoid waking the others. “No, everypony's okay, Rarity. Dash… Dash is even up and walking already. I'm going to be in so much trouble with the nurses, Rares.... I let Dash climb into Dusk’s bed and cur-”

Using both hands to fiercely grasp one of Applejack’s larger and stronger hands, Rarity let out a loud, excited gasp. Her starry eyes were wide open as she leaned in close, her ecstatic voice nearing a foalish squeal of joy. It grew louder as she got more and more caught up in her fantasies, threatening to wake the sleeping ponies in the room. “Did they kiss? Are they talking? Oh~ I knew they'd finally admit-”

Clamping her free hand over Rarity’s mouth to silence her, Applejack sighed and shook her head slightly. ”They’re just sleeping, Rares. Dash probably shouldn't have even gotten up, but she was Tartarus-bent on making sure Dusk was fine. The moment she caught sight of Dusk she curled up into the bed with him and passed out like a light.”

The noise that Rarity made as she cried out in delight under Applejack’s hand would have embarrassed the farmpony for the rest of her life, but it wasn’t too surprising coming from the fashionista. Finally slipping free of Applejack’s hand, Rarity put a hand to her brow, swooning back against Applejack’s body. “Oh, it's just so romantic! She's saved him twice like that! Once from Nightmare Moon, now from falling off Cloudsdale! It's like they were destined to be together.”

As Rarity curled up into Applejack’s side and burbled romantic nothings to herself, Applejack sighed, leaning over to kiss the top of her lover’s head. “I just hope she admits her feelings before she chokes him from embarrassment.”

* * *

Midnight, Canterlot Castle

Celestia waited just long enough for the guards to close the grand doors to her antechamber, but only barely. Racing across the room, she pushed open the hidden doorway that led to her vault. Reaching out with her magic, the flame from one of the many candles was pulled off its wick, and cupped in her palm. Guiding Luna into the grand staircase, Celestia rolled the tiny orb of fire between her fingers, nurturing the flame, letting it feed off of her anger as it grew and expanded over her hands. Soon a roaring ball of fire two feet wide danced over the goddess’ fingertips, her voice seething with rage. “He did it, Luna. Right under my nose! He attacked Dusk Shine without any concern for repercussions! As if I were no danger to him! The Wolf will burn! The whole frozen north will burn! I will melt his abandoned kingdom until there is nothing but ash that blows in from the north!”

Trailing after Celestia, Luna closed the hidden door behind them. She walked in Celestia’s wake with her hands calmly folded over her stomach, ignoring the intense wall of heat that the sun goddess gave off as she vented her fury. For all the rage and noise the elder sister made, the younger was like a placid pond, still and calm. As they descended the stairway to the hidden vault deep inside the heart of the mountain, Luna shook her head, her breath misting in the air, her tone icy. “No sister, you won't. If you did, we would only be in the same situation in another thousand years. Waiting for the Wolf to make himself vulnerable again. And the Crystal Empire would still be lost for another thousand years. We owe them every possible chance at freedom that we can invent. We tried and failed to eliminate the Wolf, and he is beyond our power to fully destroy now.”

Twisting around in mid-step and tossing the ball of fire from one hand to the other, Celestia drew a breath, while the stones under her feet began to hiss and warp from the unrelenting heat. “If Dusk dies, the Wolf will burn, Luna! He tried to take the life of my student! My student!”

Sighing disdainfully, Luna raised one hand to point at her sister’s feet, where some of the steps of the stone stairways were beginning to blend into one smooth depression around Celestia’s feet. “Sister. You need to calm down! You are only a danger to our ponies like this!”

Curling her lip up in a sneer Celestia shook her head and crushed the ball of fire in her hands, snuffing it from existence. “Calm down? Calm down!? I can not just calm down Luna! He attacked Dusk. He might as well be my own foal! Besides, you most of all should be angry! After all, Dusk is-"

Luna cut her sister off, one hand cutting sharply through the space between them, a softly glinting light following her hand. "I know very well about Dusk, Celestia! More than you could ever understand. Now, let us go. We have more important matters to attend to." Storming down the stairs ahead of Celestia, Luna’s body language was stiff, the air in front of the alicorn’s mouth notably visible as she huffed out a short breath.

Celestia followed behind Luna, anger still seething just below the surface. Luna was right - she needed to calm down. It would do her no good to melt the stairway down to the vault, and if she was near one of her ponies in a mood like this, she would likely injure them with just her presence.

Opening the door to the vault for her sister, Celestia only belatedly noticed a faint trail following the lunar goddess. There was ice forming around her feet, in a defined trail wherever she had walked. It had even, impossibly, survived the heat of Celestia’s own anger.

Shaking her head, Celestia let her thoughts wander as she walked into the vault. “I suppose we both need to be more subdued…”

* * *

April 12th, 4am? Cloudsdale Hospital

Waking slowly, Dusk murmured at the comfortable warmth that clung to his body. The unexpected presence confused Dusk’s weary brain, yet he found it soothing. It was as if he were being held securely in place, anchored to a safe point in reality. Still feeling weary, but as though some heavy weight had been taken off his chest, Dusk rolled over carefully, his eyes only opening as he nuzzled his cheek against... “-Dash?!”

Shocked by her presence in his bed and under the blanket with him, Dusk needed a moment to think, his heart racing while the lithe mare sleepily nuzzled his neck in return, her voice a playful whisper. “Mmm… quiet down… it's way too early to get up.”

Staring down at the top of Dash’s half-shaved head, Dusk felt a sudden pang of joy, offset by a feeling of guilt. Remembering what the princesses had said about Dash rescuing him, flashes of falling hit him, and two bottomless, burning pools of green fire… groaning in pain, Dusk’s body went rigid, his hands clawing at anything he could grab to anchor himself. In desperation, Dusk looked to his magic.

The flames of his mana had burned low again, which explained why Dusk was sore all over. Another jolt of pain coursed through him, and instinctively his consciousness embraced what little magic there was. Immediately, the heat of his essence drove back the pain, shielding him from… from the-

Opening his eyes, Dash’s face filled his view, a worried look hiding in her eyes. She had both hands cupping his cheeks, and her voice was frantic as she sat straddling his hips. “Dusk? What is it? Are you hurt? Do you need the nurse?!”

Staring up into the fierce determination that tried to mask the fear in Dash's eyes, the last faint vestiges of those memories - whatever they were - faded away, along with the pain. Able to breathe evenly again, Dusk slipped a hand into Dash’s rainbow-colored locks, on the side where she hadn’t shaved them close. “I… think I’m fine. It… I don't remember. It… it felt like something was draining me from the inside. But it's gone now. Dash- did I wake yo-”

The kiss was unexpected, but more than welcome. Dash pinned him against the bed, hands on his shoulders, and lips pressed against his hard enough he was sure he’d bruise. It took only a second for Dusk to press up against her in the kiss, arms slipping around her sides. He revelled in the feel of her pressing against him, her muscled legs trapping his in place. Dusk let a soft groan slip as she rolled her body against his, presumably enjoying the reactions she was earning from him - both physically and verbally.

After a few moments she pulled back, and Dusk noticed the tears in her eyes. Eyes that even now hardened into an almost-angry look that he was all-too familiar with. He was even more familiar with the punch she delivered to his shoulder. “You big idiot! I don't understand magic and all that stuff! All I know is you woke up and then started acting like you were having a damn seizure! If you're going to get hurt, keep it simple like bruises or strains, I can deal with that shit!”

Rubbing at the spot she'd punched, Dusk laughed warmly despite the pain. “Well, you can always give me another kiss. That made me feel better once already.”

Her cheeks darkening at his words, Dash started to turn away before something made her pause. Grinning so coyly she almost looked like she were smirking, Dash leaned down, grinding her groin against his growing hardness as her lips caressed his ear. “This is only because you're in the hospital. Don't expect this kind of treatment at home, bookworm.”

His hands squeezed her hips as much as his weakened body would allow, before dragging his fingertips up along her spine to where wing met shoulder as they kissed. Dusk heard Dash make an approving noise, the mare eagerly pressing more of her body against his. When she finally let him up for air, Dusk was blushing as hard as she had been. “Sorry Dash. But… thank you. You saved my life yesterday, and I wanted to say that befo-”

Dusk was interrupted as the athletic pegasus pulled him into another aggressive kiss. Her tongue teased against his lips, and when he parted them to give her access, she groaned approvingly even as her hand slipped in between them, moving down. When she let go of his lips, she rested her head on his chest, right over his heart. Breathing heavily, Dash’s hand cupped him where he was aroused, through the pants the hospital had given him. She smirked when he hissed in a breath, his hands beginning to massage her hips.

She deliberately changed the subject, her hand distractingly teasing and tugging at him. “Dusk… you know how you guys bought me tickets for the Wonderbolts show on Wednesday in Canterlot?”

Mind struggling to return to her birthday, trying to ignore the fact that her hand was demanding his attention, Dusk nodded. He let out a soft breath, hips jerking once on their own accord. Looking for a way - any way - to distract himself, he softly brushed his fingers against the buzzed side of her hair. He tried to keep his voice low and even as he spoke. “Of course I do, Dash. Shining Armor even cleaned my old place up at Starswirl University. Do you want the key? I had planned to give it to you before you went. It’s back at the library.”

Dash’s hand stopped teasing at him between them, and Dusk had just let out a relaxing breath as her hand slipped into his pants. Body jerking in surprise, Dusk was unprepared as she grasped him directly, her hand warm and soft against his erection. She chuckled and pressed her lips against his neck, biting him softly as she began masturbating him. After a moment, she muttered something indistinguishable into his neck. Confused, and extremely distracted, Dusk tried to clear his throat before he spoke, proud that his voice didn’t crack due to her intimate attention. “What was that?”

When Dash finally looked up at him, Dusk decided that the fact that her face was only now turning an adorable cherry colour spoke volumes about Dash’s attitude regarding intimacy. Cheeks burning, Dash managed to scowl at him despite refusing to meet his gaze. Dusk also couldn’t help but notice that she hadn’t stopped the motion of her hand at all, and he tried to stifle another groan as she repeated herself. “I said, do you want to be my guest? You didn't really get to enjoy the show yesterday.”

Dusk leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the sensitive spot he knew she had just past her ear. When she shivered and tilted her head away from him, Dusk laughed softly before replying. “Dash, I'd love to go with you. It would be an honor.”

Dash’s eyes lit up at his reply, and she darted forward, kissing him again. Her hand became more aggressive, now squeezing occasionally where she was getting him off. When she pulled away from the kiss, she tugged at his lower lip with her teeth, playfully nibbling on it before letting her tongue drift over it. Looking eager, she began kissing her way to his neck, whispering, "I'm just asking you to see the show with me, egghead. I'm not saying I'll join your herd or anything.”

Feeling his climax slowly building, Dusk caught Dash’s slowly swishing tail, teasingly tugging at it. He smirked as he felt her body jolt in surprise, and he could feel the muscles of her well-trained legs flex against his as her spine arched slightly. She made an approving coo that tickled his neck as she blew along it. Finding his voice, he spoke softly. “Oh, really? Well… that’s a shame. I know Applejack and Rarity will both be heartbroken.”

Giving a tiny groan and a happy little sigh as he began coiling her tail around his fingers, Dash pressed her body against him, delighting in the muscles that both her and Applejack had helped to develop on his body. Her hand began moving faster, the need in her own mind to see what other lustful noises she could elicit from Dusk growing stronger. She loved feeling his different muscles tighten and relax all over as she played with his dick. She spoke, her voice sounding even more eager than it had a moment ago. "I said I’m not asking into your herd… But," Dash broke off to kiss him again. "Maybe, if you were to ask me," she assaulted his lips again, "Really," and again, for a longer time, "Really," and again, moaning softly against his mouth as she delighted in the way his hips began jerking up against her hand, "nicely, then I might just say yes." She kissed him one last time, tongue slipping into his mouth.

Somepony rapidly knocking on the door made them both freeze, eyes going wide as they were reminded that the world consisted of more than just the two of them. Before either could react, though, the handle turned and the door swung open.

In a moment of shock and relief, Dusk realized that it was Pinkie, walking backwards. She was inexplicably dressed in a white nurse’s uniform, short skirt just this side of decent, with pink pinstripes and a tiny hat that somehow balanced on her wild hair. Coughing into her hand, still refusing to look at them, Pinkie suppressed a giggle. “So, um… You two have less than five minutes to clean up and get dressed. Rarity and Applejack have run out of ways to keep Scootaloo occupied and are grabbing your breakfasts and bringing them here. And I really don't think Nurse Redheart would like it if you two were in the middle of a sexing when Scootaloo comes to apologize to Dusk. But… if you need me to buy you a few more minutes, I miiiiiiight be able to do that… If I get to watch next time!”

Author's Note

This was it. This was the other major story arc I've always wanted to cover. It's why I started writing this story. Well, it's one of like ... 15 years why I started the story, but this plotline was one that I simply had to see done. God I hope you guys like it, because I've spent two years and 3 months getting this far.

Chapter 15: Sonic Rainboom - Part 5

Tuesday, April 12th. 5:00am, Dusk’s room, Wonderbolts Military Hospital

Dusk shifted his position on the bed to make more space for the tray of pancakes Applejack had brought to his room. Eyeing a conspicuously placed, suspiciously polished apple and a folded up newspaper set to one side of the plate, Dusk vigorously rubbed his hands together. “Well thank you Applejack! I can't wait to-”

A gentle slap to his hand halted both his attempt to pick up the utensils on the plate, and the thanks he had been giving to the mare who brought it. Dusk realized Applejack had an aggressively stubborn look in her eye, even as she tutted mercilessly. “Tsk tsk! None of that, bucko! You're hurt so you rest. Fluttershy volunteered to help you with breakfast, so you'll sit back and let her!”

He laid back and smiled, raising his hands in mock surrender. At his side, Rainbow Dash appeared to already be deeply enjoying the attention she was getting from Rarity. The petite mare was meticulously cutting up pancakes, before dipping each piece into syrup and feeding them to the athlete. Watching as Fluttershy approached, Dusk couldn't help but notice the little shadow that tried to hide behind the folds of her yellow dress. As Fluttershy sat down next to Dusk and gave him a smile, Scootaloo found herself caught out in the open for a moment.

Dusk was shocked to see her puffy cheeks and red eyes. Worriedly, he reached out and caught the filly’s hand before she could slip away. “Scootaloo? You okay? What’s wrong?”

Only half-heartedly trying to free her hand from Dusk’s light grip, the rapid flurry of emotions that sprang to and died on Scootaloo’s face were heartbreaking for Dusk to watch. Squeezing her eyes closed, she turned her face towards her feet; her voice was hot, and Dusk could tell she was nearly ready to cry.

“Dusk, it's my fault! I made you fall! And even then you had to tell me to get out my whistle!” Scootaloo sniffled loudly before trying to continue. “A-a re-real pegasus would have signaled for help even if they'd been hurt! It took somepony reminding me I had a whistle before I could do anything useful!”

A real pegasus. The words had caught in the filly’s throat, but she’d forced them out. Finally managing to pull her hand out of Dusk’s, Scootaloo sunk back behind the protective screen of Fluttershy’s dress.

Dusk was silent for a moment, frozen in shock. “Scootaloo, you know that’s-” Dash interrupted Dusk by placing her hand on his. Falling silent, Dusk leaned back to give Dash a clearer view of Fluttershy and the still-sniffling filly.

“Hey, Scoot? I know you’re smarter than that. I can think of only one or two other fillies your age that would have even thought to try and hold Dusk up. You did what you could, and that’s all we’d ever expect from you. You even managed to stay on the clouds by yourself long enough to call for help.” Dash gave an amused chuckle before continuing. “You’d never even walked on clouds before this weekend, right? I’d say you did better than anyone could have asked.”

Half-turning in her chair to wrap an arm around Scootaloo, Fluttershy pulled the filly in close, nodding. “That’s right! Besides, if it’s your fault, then I have to take some of the blame since I’m such a weak flyer. Why, if you were a few years older, I bet we probably could have carried him to safety.”

Still sniffling a little against Fluttershy’s shoulder, Scootaloo took a moment to finally look up at Fluttershy, before turning to Dash, before looking down at her feet as she answered. “I- suppose so. But anypony would have tried to help Dusk…”

Dash rolled her eyes and chuckled again, before sitting back to let Rarity continue to feed her. Glancing at Scootaloo, she said, “You did your best, kid. You should be proud of how you acted. And no more of that ‘a real pegasus’ nonsense either. Or I’ll swat your bottom before Redheart gets a chance.”

The remainder of breakfast was quieter. Applejack eventually drew Scootaloo from her hiding place beside Fluttershy and convinced the filly to eat some apple slices. As Dusk finished his meal, his eyes returned to the paper at Fluttershy’s side. The Cloudsdale Times was a title Dusk knew well enough from copies they'd used in school back at Canterlot, and he could remember his mother always seemed to have a copy - like many other Equestrian papers - in her office. Reaching out for the paper now that he was done eating, Dusk carefully watched Applejack, waiting to see her reaction as he grabbed the paper, but was relieved when she didn't respond.

Removing the string and unfolding the paper, Dusk was surprised to see a second paper had been folded up inside. The Wonderbolts Gazette was unfamiliar, and had none of the colorful and eye-catching accents he had always seen in other papers. In fact, the only comparison Dusk could make was to the weekly announcements Starswirl University printed. And the headline was bad enough to make Dusk blanch. “Unnamed Unicorn Magistrate rescued at last moment by Contestant #15, Rainbow Dash, during the Y.F.C.”

While the story left Dusk unnamed and didn't mention Ponyville, despite detailing Dash’s life, Dusk felt compelled to read on. Every article was short, light on dramatics, and somehow related to the Wonderbolts, the Royal Guard, or some aspect of Cloudsdale politics. The whole second and third pages were filled with details of Fleetfoot’s deployment to reinforce Spitfire in the Griffon Empire, including half a page about Rainbow Blitz’s return from retirement and his military career, and a third of a page about the current situation regarding the griffons’ emperor. The lack of any measure of editorializing or opinion finally fixed the paper's existence in Dusk's mind: a collection of military or government authorized facts, it presented exactly enough details for the family of a pony in either organization. Yet the dry nature, and focus on only authorized facts left Dusk hungry for more.

Shaking his head a little, Dusk folded up both papers and set them aside. Shifting to sit up, Dusk turned to Rarity, who had apparently finished feeding Dash and was now attempting to brush Pinkie’s wild hair at the foot of the bed. “Have the doctors given us any time frame for when we can leave, Rarity? I would rather sit in bed at home if it's really so necessary.”

The small mare stiffened up halfway through brushing a thick handful of Pinkie’s hair. The moment her brush stopped, the hair slowly began to uncoil while slipping free of her hand, rapidly returning to its naturally bouncy state. “I- well, Dusk… Princess Celestia and the doctors spent hours working on you. I just- I don't think you should push yourself.”

Sitting up with care, Dusk slowly began to smile for Rarity, tapping a finger to his lips gently. “I understand your concerns, Rarity. After talking with both Celestia and Luna last night, I realized the times I feel best, most relaxed, happiest, is at my library in Ponyville, spending time with you mares.”

Even as they talked, the sound of an ongoing argument in the hallway grew more noticeable. While Rarity looked distracted and thoughtful, the disagreement halted outside the door, and a distinctly familiar voice drowned out the rest. “And I said he’s my bloody magistrate, and the letter came from the Princess to my bloody airship. So I’ll deliver it to him personally, or you can explain to the Princess why you wouldn’t let me deliver his damn letter!”

Passing off the last third of the apple she and Scootaloo had been sharing, Applejack rose, glancing at Rarity for a brief moment until the other mare gave her a nod and then walked over to the door. Swinging it open revealed an unknown doctor and a red-faced Cherry Berry who held a scroll that had been sealed by Celestia’s crest in fine golden wax.

Offering a tip of her hat to the doctor and Cherry Berry, Applejack whistled softly to stop their fight before interjecting. “Morning there doc, Captain Cherry. Dusk was just asking about when he could go home. Feeling a lil’ awkward about being up here in the clouds after what happened yesterday and all. Whaddya say?”

Stiffening up at the interruption, the doctor turned to look into the room, standing straight and adjusting his glasses as he looked to Dusk. The moment he saw Rainbow Dash lounging in the bed at Dusk’s side, however, his composure broke, and with a shaking finger, he pointed at her. “Young mare! You're a patient here! Did your doctor give you permission to leave your room!? This is simply unacceptable behavior. Get out of the magistrate’s bed and return to your room at once!”

Disdainfully rolling her eyes, Dash possessively clutched Dusk’s arm before giving the doctor a dirty look. “I’m not going anywhere, doc! If Dusk wasn't here I'd have ducked out a window and flown back to Ponyville by now. At least there I know the nurses would let me sneak out and give Dusk a sponge bath!”

Puffing angrily, the stallion threw his hands up in the air and turned back to Applejack. “I will get the magistrate’s doctor, and if she isn't back in her room, the hospital administrator will deal with her!”

Watching only for a moment as the doctor stormed off, Cherry Berry stepped into the open doorway and offered Applejack the scroll. Her eyes danced with laughter as she whistled and gave Applejack’s arm a playful punch. “I spent damn near twenty minutes being stalked by that nosy nuisance. This was sitting in the cabin on my boat when I got home from my pal’s pub. It's her majesty's seal, so I figured I'd bring it right over.”

Hesitation drifted in the captain's eyes as she turned to look at Dusk and Dash in the bed, as if considering commenting on the situation. At last she smirked, her voice soft. “If you want t’go home sooner than the docs want, I can just barge my way into the basement dock. Otherwise? I'll go do some maintenance at Blitz's cloud.”

Accepting Celestia’s note from Applejack, Dusk carefully broke the seal from the paper without ripping the wax, his fingers tenderly stroking his mentor’s sigil as he smiled over at the airship pilot. “Truth be told, I'd rather leave right now, but-” Dusk hesitated a moment as Rarity made a decidedly ungraceful noise, before continuing. “It would be more appropriate, not to mention polite, to get the doctor’s word first. Feel free to do your maintenance, and thanks for putting up with this delay, Cherry.”

Offering only a mild smirk, the airship captain gave a two-fingered salute to Dusk. “Not a problem at all, Magistrate. Gives me a last chance to say goodbye to my friends and maybe scam another keg of ale from their storeroom. One way or another, I'll be waiting at the boat.”

Unrolling the letter as she left, Dusk was surprised to see how short the note inside really turned out to be.

“My dearest Dusk Shine,

I want to apologize for storming out on you last night. Rainbow Blitz mentioned your interest in the Rainbow Factory this morning, so I have sent word to grant you access to ‘The Engine’. I think you will find it fascinating.

Recover swiftly, my number one student.

Celestia.”

Smiling softly as he rolled the letter back up, Dusk was puzzled over just what Princess Celestia could possibly be talking about. ‘The Rainbow Factory has an engine? But I’ve never heard or read of it before… how interesting.’

Entertaining thoughts of some towering machine that filled whole stories of the massive building, Dusk hardly noticed when a unicorn mare stepped into the open doorway, her dower voice openly disappointed. “And I see you still can’t stop causing ponies headaches regardless of Cadance’s best efforts, Dusk Shine.”

“Miss Clemency? Whitetail Clemency?!” Shocked beyond words to see Cadance’s first mentor in Cloudsdale, Dusk could only stare as she stepped inside. Her white doctor's coat was loose over her shoulders and mostly hid the plain beige business suit she wore underneath.

The former Canterlot University Medical teacher's signature glossy white tail hair was visible as she walked into the room and sat on Dusk's side of the bed. Two fingers went straight to his throat to check his pulse even as she scowled at him, then turned to Fluttershy. “It's just like Velvet’s colts to run about causing trouble, you know. Shining Armor once took poor innocent Cadance to a concert the night before one of her exams. I was aghast when she fell asleep during her test the next day! And Dusk was never any better!”

Laughing gently to himself, Dusk shook his head, earning a swat on the shoulder from the old mare. Holding still again he grinned at her before finally speaking up. “It's good to see you too, Auntie Whitetail.”

Turning to look at him, Whitetail scowled. “I'm Cadance’s aunt, not yours, munchkin!” Looking over at the confused Dash and Rarity she smiled for once, showing just a little bit of her teeth. “My dear Cadance said that he was only made Ponyville's magistrate so he'd stop causing so many problems at the University. Apparently it freed up an hour out of Celestia's daily schedule!"

Blushing furiously now, but still glad to see the old mare, Dusk sat up a little and caught both of her hands in his before pulling her into a hug. “And I love you too, Auntie Whitetail.” Realizing all of his friends were staring at them, Dusk cleared his throat gently. “I suppose I should introduce you to one another and explain. You see, Whitetail Clemency was Princess Cadence’s tutor as a filly, and she-”

Rolling her eyes and fighting her way out of his hug, Whitetail pushed Dusk to lay back down. Huffing out exaggeratingly, the mare forcefully offered Dash a handshake. “He takes too long and gushes about irrelevant details forever. I'm the administrator of this hospital, and he's a brat I had to occasionally watch until Princess Celestia could make better arrangements. I was already old enough from having to raise poor Cadance, and then I had this childish colt foisted off on me. It was bad enough dealing with one of Velvet’s foals, especially given Shining Armor’s terrible influence on dear Cadance!”

Befuddled, Dash shook the mare's hand, looking around for some kind of stability. “I- umm… I'm Rainbow Dash. Good to-”

Railroading over Dash, the mare shook her head and lightly tutted. “You don't need to introduce yourself, dear. You’re Blitz's daughter, and in all the papers today after that stunt you pulled off yesterday. You're also the Element of Loyalty. More importantly, however, you’re a patient who’s out of her bed without her doctor’s permission.”

Stammering even as her back straightened with pride, Dash shook her head. “I- How did you know that!?”

However, it was Rarity who replied. She had returned to attempting to brush Pinkie's hair, and she smiled quietly as she spoke. “Dash, darling, she's playing with you, with all of us. Anypony that Princess Celestia would rely on for Princess Cadance’s safety and education must be very trustworthy. She administrates the largest military hospital in Equestria, and she's probably a magistrate as well. It's no wonder she knows about the Elements.”

Smirking openly now, the old mare curled back her top lip, revealing her upper row of teeth, laughing momentarily with glee before pointing a finger at Rarity. “Exactly so. And that makes you Rarity. Dusk’s sudden socialization came as a shock to me. Even when dear Cadance told me about it, I wasn't so sure if she was just making up tales.”

Simpering back despite herself, Rarity offered the old mare a hand. “Enchanté, really. But you're really here for Dusk's well-being, and not to flatter and mystify us, correct?”

Casually batting aside Rarity's offered hand, the old mare returned to her neutral, serious face. “Oh, I'm done with assessing his health, if you must know. He is in the best shape of his life, so whatever put him here has passed. Bed rest and relaxation for the next few days. But his magic? The fool colt will probably be stronger than me before he gets onboard a ship to fly home, no matter how weak he feels.”

The sigh of Applejack’s relief was nearly drowned out by Pinkie’s cry of delight as she hopped up and gave Rarity’s cheek a kiss. Realizing that Applejack was still uncomfortable, Dusk felt guilty at the idea of delaying their return home. Looking fleetingly down at the letter from Celestia, Dusk gave a little nod at Whitetail. “That’s a relief to hear, and I'm really grateful, Auntie. Do you know if there's a nice park anywhere nearby? Princess Celestia arranged things so that I could visit the Rainbow Factory, but I really wouldn’t want to drag everypony that far for a bor-”

Suddenly full of her usual energy, Scootaloo bounded around Fluttershy to rush to Dusk's bedside, her earlier shyness and sour mood having disappeared. “Dusk! Can't I come? The Rainbow Factory doesn't usually do tours or nothing, according to what Rainbow Blitz told me yesterday. I just gotta see it!”

Internally wincing as he saw the newborn joy and energy that glowed in Scootaloo’s expression, Dusk turned to look at Whitetail, while watching Applejack over her shoulder. “I'm… sure we can work something out Scootaloo. I just don't-”

Walking over and resting a hand on Scootaloo’s shoulder, Applejack gave Dusk a soft smile. “Don't worry about it, sugarcube. It'd be nice t’have a story or two about Cloudsdale to tell when we get home that ain't about you falling or Dash showing off.” She paused, rubbing her chin before snickering a little at Dash’s shocked look of indignation, and winking at her. “Not that talking about Dash ever gets old or boring.”

Delighted, Scootaloo turned to hug Applejack tightly, crying out with delight. “Oh! Thank you Applejack! I promise, you'll love the Rainbow Factory, really!”

* * *

7:40am, The Rainbow Factory

The whispers of the Rainbow Factory had gradually grown in volume to Dusk as their guides led his group across a maze of small bridges that weaved a path just for them. Oddly, their guides were both swaddled in heavy robes, and they wore half-masks to hide most of their faces. Dash had assured them that guides always wore that attire, but she admitted to not knowing the reason - and the guides had largely been silent on the tour so far, even when directly questioned by Pinkie Pie about their robes.

Instead of trying to figure out why they were dressed so mysteriously, Dusk had chosen to instead focus on the factory and the pegasi who worked it. Twice already Dusk had stopped and thanked a team of pegasi and griffons that were hard at work securing a bridge for their passage. Now as two workers unlocked a pair of doors and gestured for them to enter, that sweet song began to resonate with Dusk's heartbeat. Swirling and joyful, it spoke to him in a tongue he couldn't understand, with enthusiasm unmatched by anypony, save maybe Pinkie and Scootaloo, who were both as wide-eyed and giddy as any pair of fillies could be.

The song continued to soar, and while Dusk had begun to feel the first hints of exhaustion return, he found comfort in Rainbow Dash’s insistence at holding his arm. He leaned in closer so he could whisper in her ear. “Dash? Can you hear the song now? It's gotten so much louder.”

Face screwing up in concentration, Dash stopped to look around, still gripping Dusk’s arm tightly. Tilting her head from one side to the other, she strained to hear the song that came so easily to Dusk’s ears. After a few moments, however, Dash kicked the ground halfheartedly and gave a sigh. “I- well I mean, pegasi hearing is famously good, and we get trained to hear even better if we show some talent beyond the average… but Dusk… I can hear machines in the distance, and… it's not really a song, but there’s a distant, faint thrumming noise. Like a- like the sound of something vibrating. Does… does that help any?”

Sighing softly, Dusk shook his head, trying to hear past the soaring song to make out anything she’d described. But that only made the song more insistent, more demanding of his attention. Almost like it wanted to be heard. “I- sorry, Dash. I guess the factory is trying to get my attention specifically. Maybe-”

Far ahead of the pair, Pinkie called back at them, hands cupped around her mouth. “Dusk!? You okay? Dashie?! Does Dusk need a rest?”

Realizing how far they'd fallen behind, Dash squeezed Dusk's hand and started down the hallway while calling back to their waiting friends. “Sorry, we'll catch up! Dusk was just asking me questions about the factory!”

Pushing himself to catch up with the others, Dusk soon found himself breathless, and couldn’t stop himself from leaning on Dash even more, grateful for her support. Dash, for her part, simply smiled back at him.

They walked through corridors with countless numbers of blue-silver glowing runes that had been carved into every square inch of the wall. These led to gigantic rooms, sometimes two or three stories tall, where titanic iron machines hummed a different resonant tone to complement the song in Dusk's mind. The few workers they saw were quiet, dressed in uniforms that seemed based off the Wonderbolts design but with different weather patterns to signify where they worked.

In one chamber, Dusk was floored to see a grand machine that poured out rainbow colours almost like water, flooding a pool. Here the pegasi were hardest at work, draining the pool into jars. He could see nearly endless rows of glass bottles, going back into a warehouse beyond the room. Each jar was sealed with dense rubber corks and heavy metal clamps. Every pony in the crew wore thick rubber gloves and heavy aprons, working carefully to avoid spilling the liquid rainbows.

Yet despite their hard work, most of the pool was still lost into the clouds below. There they formed into a rainbow that Dusk could make out flowing to the edge of the horizon.

But as fascinating as their work with the rainbow liquids was, it was the song that kept urging Dusk onwards. He paused again as it rose another octave. Now needing to actively focus to hear the others talk over the song, Dusk touched Rarity’s elbow with his fingers to get her attention. “Rarity? Girls? Can't any of you hear the song now? It's simply drowning out everything else; it's grown so loud to me.”

As a group, the others stopped, each wearing a different kind of concerned look as they turned about and looked around. Applejack cupped a hand around her ear while frowning gently. Pinkie was on her toes, looking around rapidly, a small frown on her face. Fluttershy looked around for a few moments before simply shaking her head.

At last Rarity walked back to Dusk’s side, slipping her small hand into his. “Dusk, are you sure you haven’t been pushing yourself too hard? Maybe you should sit down for a while and catch your breath?”

Confused now, Dusk desperately searched one face after another, hunting for a sign, any sign in their faces they heard a hint of what he did. Before he could say anything, however, one of their heavily-robed guides finally spoke up. “Perhaps your lady is right, Magistrate. There is a private chamber up ahead where you can take a break while the others go on with their tour.”

Resignedly letting out a sigh, Dusk looked back to Dash, her face flashing from worry to sudden determination as he looked into her eyes. Stiffening up, she drew his arm around her shoulders before turning back to the others. “I can't hear it, but I’ll stay with Dusk. Maybe if we can find some peace and quiet I'll be able to hear his song. Besides, I've been here before. Scootaloo will definitely love this place. I'll make sure Dusk’s okay.”

Oddly, their two guides looked at one another for a few long moments, exchanging a glance, though they both remained silent. Eventually, the guide who had yet to speak moved to Dusk’s side. The - relatively - talkative one clapped her hands gently. “Yes, you are right, Miss Dash. That's a good idea. Let the magistrate rest a while. Come, the next chamber isn't far.”

They followed their guides on into the next series of hallways. Apparently thrilled by everything, Scootaloo squeezed Fluttershy’s hand and marveled as she exclaimed about every new thing they saw.

Stepping through an open door leading out of the hallway, the group continued following one of their guides. But as Dusk and Dash approached, their other guide closed the door before them. The unspeaking mare resting a finger to her lips, requesting their silence as she guided them down another hallway. As they walked, Dusk’s suspicions began to grow, and he watched their guide closely as she led them to the end of the long hallway.

Opening another set of doors, their guide revealed a massive staircase. Dusk stood at the top of the grand stairway, trepidation tickling at the back of his neck. The stairway ran so far down that the dim glow of the runes along the walls did not illuminate the whole path, which seemed to lead down into the heart of the building.

Their guide surprised them by not leading the way down, but instead opening a side door that revealed a simple guard post with a plush bench. Finally speaking, her soft voice bothered Dusk, nagging at his memory. “If you would but rest here a moment Magistrate, Princess Celestia gave us little time to prepare for your visit, and I must retrieve a key for the room she spoke of to you. I will be but five or ten minutes, and you truly do look in need of a rest. I promise we are already most of the way there.”

Nodding slowly, Dusk murmured a soft thanks to the guide and walked over to the couch, taking a seat and leaning back against the cushioned bench. Trying to relax, Dusk let out a sigh, and smiled up at Dash, who was pacing around the small room. “Come on, Dash. Take a seat. You've been up as long as I have this morning. We might as well relax for a moment, right?”

Dash looked hesitatingly over her shoulder, biting down on her lower lip for a moment. Hands nervously fidgeting, she turned back to Dusk and in a rush, crossed the room to his side, leaning against him. Breathing out a heavy sigh, she took a hold of his right hand with both of hers, pulling it possessively into her lap and staring at her knees. “I- sorry about this, Dusk. It's just- I just realized it. Until today I've known where my sire was every day of my life until now. I could go see him whenever I wanted to… even when we weren't talking for years, I- I could have if I wanted to.”

Dusk leaned heavily against her. His steady, low breathing against her cheek was reassuring, and he nuzzled the top of her head affectionately. Blushing furiously, she continued to stare at their hands and her knees, and carried on as best she could. “It's just... weird. How do you and Shining deal with it? With your mom and dad off in the Griffon Empire for so long? You don’t even really know if they’re safe.”

Falling silent, she waited for Dusk’s reply. Eventually, she realized that Dusk’s breathing had gotten quieter. Giving him a gentle nudge in the ribs with her elbow, Dash scowled, and turned to glare at him. “Dusk, I'm serious! Don't play games with me you eggh-”

Just as Dash shifted to glare at him, Dusk’s head fell forward, eyes closed. To her shock, the stallion drew in a steady breath that swelled his chest, and let it out in a snore, directly in her face.

The damn eggheaded stallion had fallen asleep.

Flustered, frazzled, and more than a little frustrated with him, Dash groaned heavily and gave Dusk a shove that made him fall over onto the plush cushion opposite of her. Covering her face with both hands, Dash hung her head, growling under her breath and muttering to herself. “Bloody stallions! You trust them for just five minutes and they turn you into a blathering foal.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Dash turned up her nose and glared at the ceiling, letting out an exasperated sigh. After a few moments, she turned to watch the sleeping stallion, glaring at him instead.

When their cloaked guide eventually reappeared a few minutes later, she choked back a muffled giggle of laughter, covering her mouth with a hand just as Dash turned her sustained scowl from Dusk’s sleeping body to the guide mare. In the loudest whisper she could manage, she said, “Please, try to keep it down. Dusk is trying to rest. Eggheaded fool needs it.”

If the cloaked mare hadn't sighed so wistfully, Dash might have wondered if she had been too gruff. Instead, she was left staring as the guide crossed to Dusk's side, offering a smile from the depths of her hood. For a moment, she reached out towards his sleeping form, her absent-minded voice hardly above a whisper. “For one who has so many burdens resting on his shoulders, he still looks just like a colt when he sleeps, does he not? So honest and innocent.”

Confused by the mysterious mare’s tone and odd familiarity she showed towards Dusk, Dash could only shake her head a little. “I’ve- well I guess I never thought of Dusk as a foal. He's always been a stallion, trying too hard and getting himself hurt all the time.” The mare’s seeming-familiarity with Dusk still nagged at her, and she pressed on gently. “Did... you know him as a colt?”

Suddenly pulling up short, her hand inches from Dusk’s sleeping brow, the guide seemed to catch herself. Drawing back rapidly from Dusk’s side, she crossed her cloaked arms over her chest before turning to face Dash. “Know him? Not half as well as I should. I met his parents when he was just a few hours old, but things were quite hectic back then…” As her voice drifted off, the guide’s lips curled into a wolfish grin. “Just as busy as now, I suppose, but we were focused on very different issues in those days. Regardless, you should wake him. We only have little over an hour to explore the Engine that Princess Celestia wanted Dusk to see before the tour your friends are on ends.”

Feeling like she had missed something, Dash tried to replay their conversation in her head, struggling to think of what it could be. Frowning to herself, she reached over to give Dusk’s shoulder a shake, gruffly speaking. “Dusk, you sleepy jerk, wake up! The guide’s back!”

Snorting out of sleep and trying to sit up and shake his head to brush away his exhaustion, Dusk blearily stared at Dash for a moment, blushing momentarily. “Dash? I… Oh my. I’m sorry. Guess I passed out while we were talking. You said… um… something about your father?”

Standing up and stretching her back, wings and arms all at once, she flexed before straightening up. Dash took a grip of Dusk’s hand in both of hers, swiftly pulling him to his feet. “Well, you can wake up while we walk. You can’t just get out of your daily exercise just because you fell off Cloudsdale!”

Frowning lightly at Dash, Dusk tried again to shake the cobwebs of sleep from his mind, and followed behind her and their guide. The robed mare led them down the long staircase into halls devoid of torches, lit only by the ever-present glowing runes along the wall. Thankfully, they provided light enough to see. Suddenly, the song exploded into its full glory once more, soaring in ecstasy that Dusk could feel in his bones.

Rounding a corner, they came upon a towering door of raw iron, which seemed so out-of-place from what they’d seen of the Rainbow Factory. Age worn, the dull metal was coated in rust damage that was set in so deeply that Dusk could only wonder at its age. Powerful magic hummed in the air and through his horn now, almost as loudly as the factory’s singing, which even now vibrated his every joint. Their guide paused before this last gate, throwing back her heavy robe’s hood, revealing a familiar face. Stunned, Dusk couldn't help but cry out. “Winter Harvest?! But- what?! Why all the secrecy?”

Grinning back at him, the mare tapped a finger against the side of her nose while winking knowingly. “The truth? The whole truth? That's all classified, young magistrate. But one little truth I can share is rather simple. I've worked in the factory for nearly as long as I can remember, and I know her inside and out.” Turning to look at Dash, the mare drew a steel key from inside her robe. The complicated keyhead had many faces and was nearly six inches long. “Rainbow Dash, before we go any further inside, I need you to swear to silence. What you’re about to see isn't something the general public knows about. It has to do with how the Rainbow Factory was built. And the sad, unfortunate truth is that a lot of ponies probably wouldn't understand the significance of this chamber.”

The open eagerness in Dash's eyes was clear as day, and she slowly nodded. Jumping in the moment that Winter Harvest finished speaking, Dash put her free hand on her heart. “By the Sun and Moon Goddesses, I promise that I'll share nothing of what you show us without your permission.”

Squeezing Dash’s hand gently in encouragement, Dusk gave Winter a nod. “If you want my word, I will give it too. In both goddesses names.”

That appeared to be enough for Winter, and she turned away from them, sliding the shiny steel key into the dull iron door. There was a moment of silence, then a single powerful click echoed through the empty hallway. The silence that followed was full of tension, and Dusk could feel Dash grip her free hand to his elbow, while stepping forward just a half-step, leaning towards the door.

Gears hidden inside the thick door began to groan, and soon they were grinding against one another. With painful slowness, the whole door began to roll into the frame until half of it had disappeared. Drawing the key out of the lock, Winter returned it to the folds of her cloak before gesturing for them to follow into the dim room beyond.

Like the hallways they had just left, Dusk felt the magic of the dim runes that covered every inch of the wall from floor to ceiling. This room was a massive circular chamber, easily several stories tall. Every bare inch of space was engraved, most drawn so closely together that Dusk struggled to try to identify where one emblem started and where the next dozen ended.

But it was the presence in the middle of the chamber that truly stole all of Dusk’s attention. At first, the floating orb looked like a simple ball of metal. It was silver, with engraved runes that twisted, shifted, and reshaped even as he watched. But as he looked closer, Dusk was shocked to see the metal’s hue shift in color. Now, hues of brown and green replaced the silver, yet the red runes remained ever shifting and blending together. In astonishment, Dusk stepped closer, his voice hardly above a whisper. “Is it… is it liquid metal? But how do the runes form? And it's moving- it's floating! Is this the Engine? Dear Celestia, who made this impossible mechanism? How did they make it?”

Stepping up beside Dusk, Winter crossed her arms over her chest, head dipping low so the long locks of her hair fell over her face. “This was made long, long ago... Before the births of Princess Celestia and Luna. Perhaps even before the birth of Starswirl the Bearded. A pegasus with a near preternatural talent regarding metalcraft and artifice teamed up with a unicorn that was fascinated by weather magic. Together, they formed a concept: the idea of a living battery that would power the regular production of stable weather. Of course, such an idea had existed for ages among the pegasi tribe, as keeping the weather regular took up most of their lives. Back then, fewer than one in ten pegasi managed to do anything other than work from sunrise to sunset.”

“After a decade of work together, years spent with nothing but hate and scorn from their mutual tribes, their first prototype was completed. When they turned it on, for nearly nine hours, the pegasi of Pegasopolis watched in awe as the engine floated over the city, producing any weather a pegasus willed from it, in a volume that would have exhausted forty of their numbers for days. But as fantastic and as powerful as the prototype was, after that short time of use, a crack formed in the surface and shattered the orb to pieces. Encouraged by their short-lived success, they returned to their research. Over the next fourteen years, they crafted nine more prototypes. While each lasted longer than the previous incarnation, all still ended with disaster. Eventually, their money ran dry, and the Elder pegasi grew resentful, believing that they had wasted resources for so long on a doomed project.

“Eventually, no more prototypes came from them for a full six years. During this time, they occasionally took side projects on to feed themselves. And then, at a well-worn sixty-three, the unicorn died. Her tribe refused to let the pegasus engineer return her to her clan. They refused to even acknowledge the existence of a unicorn from their tribe that spent so much time with one of the ‘lesser races’. Regardless, the pegasus worked on, by herself, for years to come. Then one day, just as the dawn sun rose, so too did ‘The Engine’, floating into the sky over Pegasopolis.

“After such a long time, most had long forgotten the past displays of the previous models. Those who did assumed this would be yet another disaster and ignored it. For a full day it hung in the sky, mostly unregarded. But when the second day came to a close, those few who remembered the pegasus engineer went to her home, looking for an explanation. They found only her body, slumped over the old grave she had dug for her partner. At first, the Elders planned to have the Engine pushed away from Pegasopolis, assuming that disaster would soon follow. But by the time they arrived, the younger generation had discovered how to work the engine.

“In a moment of foalish play, just one single inexperienced mare had managed to form a rain front so large, she had been forced to gather her friends to help her push it out over the neighbouring Earth Pony's kingdom. But before the Elders could punish her, representatives of the earth kingdom came with offerings of food. They were beyond grateful for the rain, as it had broken a drought that had been crippling their harvest for two years.”

Dusk shook his head, noting that the song had gone silent while Winter spoke. Now the song began to whisper to him, an inquisitive tone to its music. Dusk shook his head gently before speaking softly. “She finished it with her last breath. What a shame that such bright minds were shunned by their peers.”

Winter finally lifted her head, hands squeezing her elbows as she gazed back and forth between Dusk and the Engine. When at last she continued, her voice was a whisper. “The mare didn't die from age. Or illness. She had slit her wrists and fed ‘The Engine’ her lifeblood. A few who knew her spoke of eerily haunting songs they heard from the Engine whenever they visited it… and her daughter swore she heard it call her name. It wasn't until much later, when Starswirl was allowed to study it, that we finally knew the truth. Until then, we had only theories, guesses… but Starswirl proved she had given her soul to ‘The Engine’. She made it self aware. That is why it has never overloaded, burnt out or ever been replicated. Because to do so would cost another pony their life. Their soul.”

If the Engine understood their conversation, it didn’t show it, merely continuing to hum gently, the colours on its surface shifting to a mixed combination of silver and bronze. But the red runes remained, their omnipresent glow remaining regardless of how often they reshaped themselves. The Engine’s hum had changed to a soft, laughter-like trill that was oddly soothing to Dusk’s worn body and weary mind. Like a long lost friend, its presence filled his mind with what almost felt like soft, friendly conversation.

Dash stepped forward, hesitantly running her fingers through the air around the engine. For a moment, tiny vapors formed around her fingertips and she drew back, turning away from the engine to look at Winter. “But if any pony could use its power directly, why the Rainbow Factory? Why Weather School at all!? I could probably manage Canterlot and Ponyville's weather all by myself with this much power to create weather.”

Winter gave a sigh, and for a moment, Dusk saw years in the lines around her eyes that made her seem ancient beyond her time. Straightening up, the mare gave Dash a fond smile, even as she shook her head. “It's not so simple, though I suppose you might be able to do as you say. The old pegasi tribe were overjoyed with their newfound power over weather. Now, only a tenth of their population needed to work the weather to provide what everyone needed. Golden, sunny days with light rain were provided at the cost of simple tributes of food from the earth ponies and the nomadic zebra, while the Crystal Empire and the unicorns provided a mixture of raw goods, fine ore, and magical assistance with whatever the pegasi needed.

“However, the magical power provided to the pegasi soon attracted something almost entirely foreign to them. Danger. While before the Engine was built, they could simply flee to their clouds, the new increasing hordes of monsters that began to search for their treasured artifact required a totally alien reaction from the tribe. No longer could they flee the approach of a dragon, or the threat of a rampaging hydra. The Engine is heavy, slow and hard to move. Worst, it is dangerous to touch if in active use. So their leaders humbled themselves, and asked the Crystal Empire how to best protect their engine, since the Empire's Crystal Heart had attracted the same attention from monsters that hungered after magic and relics of power.

“The designs the Empire offered were astonishingly different from any structure the pegasi tribe had ever built before. Soon the pegasi began to create a fortress built into the clouds. Unlike their tiny homes and scattered trading posts, it offered a slow, but mobile base to protect their treasured relic. It took years, but soon the fortress was built, with the factory inside. It was the first truly long term structure of Pegasopolis.

“But its presence wasn't enough to deter all threats to the Engine. Again, the pegasi were forced to turn to their neighbours for assistance. This time, it was the earth tribe that offered them a solution. The concept of an army, and the techniques to forge weapons were taught for a reduction of their annual tribute for good weather. That was where the pegasi military tradition began, as nearly a third of their population turned to the art of war, taught by the earth ponies, to protect their newfound fortress.

“And as their military grew, they found the need for solid leadership and rule. They could no longer survive on the laissez-faire approach to life they were so used to. They expanded their fortress, built their first ever government, made up of half of their respected elders, and half of their growing military leadership. It would take nearly a hundred years before the weather teams were able to demand a presence in the newfound government body.”

Amazed, Dusk gazed into the ever moving sphere, but Winter’s sudden exclamation of annoyance came as a surprise. “Oh bother. Can’t a mare get a few hours of peace and quiet?!” Pausing, the mare looked off into the distance, as if listening to something unseen. Making an exasperated noise, the mare took Dash’s hand. “Can you two wait here a while? An issue has come up that I must deal with. I will return... momentarily.”

Without offering them a chance to answer, the mare took off, walking out through the open door in a hurried rush. Left alone together, Dusk momentarily turned to stare at Dash, shaking his head softly. “Did you hear whatever it was that has her so bothered, Dash?”

Grunting a little, Dash gave a mild kick of her foot against the rune coated floor. “No idea, Dusk. She must be as crazy as you are, hearing things. Only thing I’ve noticed is how much my wings are itching because of all this weather magic here. It’s more intense than anything I’ve felt at Ponyville, that’s for sure.” Stretching again, she noticed Dusk trying to hide a yawn behind a hand.

Smirking slyly at Dusk, Dash turned away from the Engine, crossing the room to a bench built into the circular room’s wall. Taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other, Dash gave a light pat of the cushion at her side. “Hey, Dusk. Come on, admit it. It’s not just this song or whatever that has you distracted. You’re exhausted, right?”

Turning away from the sphere momentarily, Dusk shook his head softly, but remained silent. After a moment, he turned to where Dash sat, staring at him questioningly. Dusk gave a weary sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly as he crossed the room. He lowered himself to sit on the bench next to her. Sitting there, he couldn’t help but drink in the view of the swirling, controlled chaos of the Engine. Slipping a hand into Dash’s, Dusk gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “You- you’re right Dash. I think I’d be better off looking at this from a different perspective. It’s frightening that a pony fed their soul to power the Rainbow Factory. What else in the world could somepony have built without the engineer's good intent, I wonder? I-”

A yawn interrupted Dusk, his jaw opening wide enough that it cracked audibly, and Dash scowled at him. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders, gently pulling him down, guiding his head onto her lap. After he’d awkwardly settled himself on the bench, Dash brushed her fingers softly through his hair. “Oh shut up you egghead, and get some sleep. You need it, or you’ll walk off Cloudsdale again. You can worry about your nerdy egghead stuff after you’ve got your dumb egghead on straight.”

From his lowered vantage point, Dusk blushed nervously, but leaned into her fingers’ affectionate strokes while he let his eyes drift slowly closed. ”The song… So it’s been talking to me this whole time. Did Celestia kn-” Dusk’s mind slowed as he felt the weight of sleep calling for him. Even as he began drifting away into the abyss, the Engine’s song flooded his mind, drowning out his inner voice, forcing him to struggle to finish his thought. ”No… She knew. Meaning she wanted me to see this, to hear the song in person.”

Playfully knuckling Dusk’s temple, Dash’s tone was admonishing. “Dusk, I can practically hear you thinking, you make so much noise! I said, SLEEP.” Wrapping her wings over him like a blanket, Dash drew Dusk closer, bending over nearly double as she nuzzled his jaw with hers for a moment. She squeezed her arms around his upper body, breathing in his scent and enjoying the closeness of the moment. A small world of just the two of them, protected by her wings.

Smiling and enjoying the odd way a pegasus could hug with more than just their hands, Dusk breathed out a gentle sigh. He kissed her cheek as she pressed against him, before she pulled her head back. Her hands moved up to his jaw, stroking soothingly. Unable to pass up the opportunity to see her blush again, he couldn't help but softly grab her hand Dusk brushed each of her knuckles with tender kisses, still bruised from her fight with Fleetfoot. He chuckled at how Dash squirmed, cheeks flushing a gentle red as she watched him. But he kept silent, his eyes sliding closed, too tired to think of anything else but Dash’s reassuring presence, her downy-soft wings covering him like a warm blanket on him.

As Dusk drifted off, Dash felt his grip on her hand relax, and she smiled at him. She still regretted the others interrupting them just a few hours earlier. Oh well, I will just have to make it up to him later.

With her hand finally free again, she returned to soothingly stroking her fingers through his long, wild hair. As time passed, Dash heard his breathing even out, into a restful, deep sleep.

Flexing her wings where they were over him, trying to remove the last of the kinks from yesterday, she let them fall back down on him. Dash sighed happily to herself, brushing her wings gently over his upper body.

Then a nagging thought began to creep back into her mind. She'd been trying to ignore the thought and everything that came with it ever since she'd seen Dusk falling through the open sky. She'd seen what it had done to her father after her mother’s death… felt its cut as her dam lay dying on a hospital room forever… and now here she was, in love with Dusk Shine, a bookworm who could hardly jog two miles without getting winded when they first met. At the very least, she'd taken care of that at least… even if Applejack had helped... a little!

She watched him closely as he slept in her lap. Dash tightened her wings over him for a moment, pulling him closer while her hands cupped his head. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his forehead near his horn. Shaking slightly, she worked up the courage for the next thing she wanted to do.

Barely able to whisper the words, afraid that even speaking them out loud would somehow break this magical, peaceful moment, Dash whispered gently into his ear. “I love you, Dusk, you adorable dork.” She tightened her wings against him, and pressed her lips against his temple gentle. After a too-short moment, she relaxed her wings, heart hammering in her chest. She waited, knowing, just knowing that something was going to ruin this moment.

Time passed. Nothing happened, save the slow, steady rise and fall of Dusk’s chest as he slept. Maybe for today, they were lucky. Maybe just this once, things could just stay quiet...

The soft echoing sound of approaching footsteps made Dash straighten up in a rush, almost knocking Dusk’s head from her lap. Rushing to seem relaxed and settle Dusk back in place, Dash leaned back against the wall of the room, forcing herself to calm the racing of her heart.

As the steady sound of the echoing footsteps reached the doorway, Dash could hear them pause just out of sight and give an exhausted sigh. Stepping into the room, Winter looked briefly confused when she faced an empty chamber.

Raising a hand to wave at the mare, Dash quietly called to her. “Over here, Winter. Dusk passed-” Cut off by her own traitorous yawn, Dash covered her mouth and winced a little. “- He, uh. He passed out again a while ago.”

The soft laughter in Winter’s eyes told Dash she saw right through the thin lie, but was kind enough to refrain from making any comments. She walked carefully to the bench on Dash’s free side, sitting down quietly and flashing Dash a grin. “Then we should let him sleep, there’s no reason to wake the poor dear up just yet.”

Without warning, Dusk’s voice rose from his peacefully reclined position, making Dash jump slightly. “You know ladies, I was already awake, but your concern is rather touching.”

Giving a low grunt, Dash rolled her eyes while covering his mouth with both of her hands. She turned to look at Winter. “Just ignore the dork, he doesn't know when it's good for him to just shut up and pretend to be asleep.”

In a single fluid movement, Dusk twisted out from under Dash’s hands, and sprang to his feet, stretching first one arm and then the other over his head, while groaning happily. “That reminds me, Winter. I was thinking about what you were saying about the different parts of the prehistoric culture and the growth of the pegasi tribe as they transitioned into a fully fledged kingdom.”

Swiftly turning back to Dash, he squeezed both of her hands and smiled while looking deeply into her eyes. His tail idly swished behind his back, giving a hint at his excitement, before he returned to his question to Winter. “You were talking all about the other five tribes earlier… but you never mentioned the bat ponies. Did you ever learn much about their history in your studies, Winter?”

Dusk's sudden burst of energy and question seemed to confuse the mare, and she looked him over carefully, lingering in silence for a long moment before curling her lip into a small smile. “A good catch, magistrate, as most modern ponies forget the bats’ population used to be much more numerous. The bats were both like and unlike the nomadic zebras. While the zebra stayed in small family clans, living together and traveling through the other tribes’ lands living as traders, the bats chose to incorporate themselves into the society of the other tribes. Staying together as clans in specific areas and jobs, they worked as night guards for the earth ponies, as laborers for the unicorns, as traders for the Crystal Empire, and as any job required of them by the pegasi tribe.”

Unable to continue watching Dusk act like a fool while he was still recovering, Dash pulled her hands out of Dusk’s grip, and surged to her feet, thrusting a finger in his face. “What in Tartarus are you doing, Dusk? You're in no damn shape to be acting like a colt! Rarity and Applejack will have my wings if you hurt yourself again!”

Dusk felt better than he had in over a year, far better than he’d felt physically and magically since the rediscovery of the Elements of Harmony. It was like his whole body had been energized by something, and even his normal aches and pains were merely dull echoes of their normal complaints. Giving Winter a gentle nod, Dusk swooped Dash into his arms, his hands slipping around her until they met at the small of her back. He pulled her in close against his body, tail swishing back and forth more energetically now. Feeling absolutely giddy, Dusk tried to imagine the picture she painted regarding how the old kingdoms worked. As he did so, he began walking through the steps of a simple waltz, much like the one Rarity had taught him for Fancy Pants’ wedding. “I'm fine, Dash, really! I haven't felt this good in… well, ever!”

Trapped by both Dusk’s arms and enthusiasm, Dash’s cheeks turned dark red. She was overwhelmed by his sudden exuberance, and struggled to do more than keep up with Dusk’s flowing dance. Feeling entirely awkward dancing in front of Winter Harvest, she looked over her shoulder crying out for help. “Winter? What’s going on!? He was exhausted, I swear!”

The amused expression on Winter’s face did nothing to help explain Dusk’s sudden burst of energy. Dusk was still dragging Dash along in the dance, and laughed loudly, grinning widely like a fool. “Oh, come now Dash, I feel absolutely great! That nap truly did wonders for me.”

Dusk twirled Dash around and swiftly stepped in so he held her taut, athletic body against his own. An open palm rested on the shirt covering her toned abs while her tail twitched where it was trapped against his thighs, and her wings confusedly tried to expand back against Dusk’s chest before Dash halted them. Dusk tried to advance the dance into a tango, ignoring the fact Rarity had simply abandoned trying to teach him the steps at all, and he began making them up as he continued. Gazing past the side of Dash’s shaved head to look at Winter, Dusk saw she was still sitting and watching them, laughter dancing in her eyes. Grinning back, Dusk asked, “So where did the factory come from then, Winter?”

Reclining back on the bench, she crossed one leg over the other, idly rocking her foot. Winter offered the dancing pair a soft laugh. “Back to the Rainbow Factory? Of course, Magistrate. The rest of that story is rather simple. In time, the growing government and military needed more space than their fortress could provide. So both groups slowly spread out from the fortress outwards into the growing capital city of Pegasopolis. The weather teams were allowed to reclaim the building and reformed it into a workshop for their craft, but were never given a significant amount of money or time to do their work. They slowly reshaped the existing structure to fit what they needed it to do. That’s why there are so many long and winding hallways, and more than a few enormous chambers.”

Grinning again, Dusk drank in the information as quickly as Winter offered it, grinding his hips softly against Dash as he tried to recall the rest of the steps Rarity had showed him. The compelling need to ask her for more information made his lips move even as she wrapped her story up. “Yes? Amazing! And what of the runes?”

Barely containing her laughter at how he was acting, the mare shook her head. “Some claim they were a project undertaken by Starswirl and his students. Others claim the Engine itself carves them into the building over time. Regardless of what the truth might be, they are engraved into the stone and thrum with raw magic.”

Standing at last and crossing her hands behind her back, Winter grinned like a wolf, her soothing voice curling with a hint of jest. “Well Magistrate, it seems the time you had to rest has done you well. You really do look so much better. Shall we carry on and rejoin the rest of your group?”

Something in the twinkle of Winter's eyes made Dusk finally stop teasing Rainbow Dash and really take inventory of himself. First rolling his shoulders, then flexing his arms and hands, he stretched his neck, spine, legs and tail. Dusk was astonished to find that his body had loosened up as they talked. He really did feel better, and not just because he was learning some interesting history!

Flexing his body, Dusk found that everything simply felt amazing. Better than… easily better than he had felt since before the return of Nightmare Moon. He felt as excited and as full of energy as the first time he’d had a private lesson with Princess Celestia! At last, almost afraid to cover the last bullet point of his personal checklist, Dusk reached inside, to where the fires of his magic usually resided. What he found left him floored.

Where he had been carefully maintaining the low, barely-burning coals of his magic for weeks, he now found the reservoirs of his magic so full that they seemed to be overflowing. His magic burned as brightly as he had ever seen it; certainly hotter and more eagerly than he’d felt it in a long time. At least since he had tested his brother’s shield spell. That last thought made him pause, and he suddenly felt a surge of foalish glee at the thought of testing his brother again. Maybe this time, if Dusk tweaked his attack spell a certain way, he could finally pierce Shining’s nigh-impenetrable shield.

Another thought occurred to him, and in a rare moment of vanity, Dusk reached up. His hand hesitated in fear for a moment, scared at what he mind find, what it might mean, before stroking his fingers over his horn. His stomach fell as he discovered the scar remained… yet there was also an odd sense of weight removed from his shoulders when he found that his horn had not fully healed. Still, it was a hard blow to take, however good he felt. Breathing a hard sigh and trying to shake off the feeling of disappointment, Dusk turned to look curiously at Winter. An idea had been forming in his head, even as the Engine’s song began up once more. “Did the Princess know? That the Engine would help me? I mean, that’s what did it, right? I can’t believe that just a nap helped me feel this absolutely amazing, Winter.”

Shrugging and looking at Dusk with a confused expression, Winter looked as at a loss as he felt. She shook her head before replying. “I-I have no idea, Dusk Shine! This, this is something that I have not seen… the Engine… the Engine has never overtly helped a single pony like this. If it truly can do something like this, then rest assured that I will tell the Princess.”

Turning back to look at Dash, still in his arms, Dusk drew a slow and very deep breath, then cupped her by the hips and tossed her over his shoulder while she cried out in surprise. Turning back around again even as Dash kicked her legs and - gently - beat her fists against his back, acting furious despite the giggling laughter he could hear coming from her, Dusk gave Winter a nod. “I think you are right that we should get back to the others, Winter, unless Princess Celestia had more for you to show us?”

Shaking her head bemusedly at the two grown children in front of her, Winter put her mask back on, covering most of her face again while still showing her smile. “No, I had nothing else to show you, Dusk. But perhaps, Magistrate, it would be wise to put the poor mare down. I hear yesterday she beat the head of the Wonderbolts’ homeguard in a one-on-one fight. Any mare who can do that is a mare I would be careful about upsetting.”

Snickering under his breath, Dusk stopped by the open door of the Engine’s vault, lowering the furiously blushing Dash from his shoulder. As soon as he caught sight of her pouting scowl, the flicker of a promise nearly forgotten, and already delayed too long made Dusk smile even wider. Feeling particularly playful, Dusk moved his hands to lightly hold Dash’s, looking down at her. “Rainbow Dash?”

Grunting a little, Dash let Dusk grip her hands, staring up into his eyes. She noticed the playful look in his eyes, and her tail began to nervously fidget, as if it had picked up on something she'd missed. “What now, Dusk?”

Grinning so broadly that his teeth began to show, Dusk stepped a little closer to Dash, eliminating the already short distance between them. His voice was soft as he spoke, barely above a whisper. “Bronze asked me to give you something. Do you mind if I do it now?”

A shock going up her spine at the mention of the squire, Dash felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Nerves overtook her, but she managed to slowly nod. She tried to calm the sudden butterflies in her stomach, only just remembering that she’d kissed Bronze before running to Cloudsdale. Oh Light, she must think I’m so stupid, I can’t believe I did that… Taking a deep breath, she looked into Dusk’s eyes, trying not to blink as she gazed back, voice cracking as she finally spoke. “B-Bronze? What… what is it that she wanted?”

Laughing gently, Dusk stepped in closer again, pressing Dash against the wall behind her, trapping her in place. She made a soft, startled noise as he pinned her, but didn’t protest. He released her hands, sliding his own onto her hips. “This.”

Dusk moved quickly, sealing his lips against Dash’s. She made another surprised noise, her own hands grasping at his forearms. The kiss started soft, gentle, Dusk trying to probe for her reaction. When Dash moaned back against him, her hands sliding to his back to pull him more firmly against her, Dusk grew more aggressive. He took another half-step forward, crushing her against his front, earning himself another approving noise. His lips parted slightly, allowing his tongue to tease against her lips. One of his hands slipped from her hip, sliding up along her body until he reached her cheek, cupping it and pressing her into the kiss. Dusk pressed his tongue across her lips, drifting over them, requesting entrance.

Eagerly responding, Dash opened her mouth slightly, her own tongue slipping out to greet Dusk’s. She gripped the back of his shirt, one leg sliding up along his. She felt her wings try to unfurl, but she was pinned too tightly against the wall for them to move freely.

After far too short a time, Dusk pulled back from the kiss. Dash tried to follow after him, but when he pressed a finger to her lips, she opened her eyes, confused and filled with lust. Finally pulling her wits about her, Dash spoke. “Wh-...” She cleared her throat, trying again. “Why’d you stop?”

Dusk smiled, thumb tracing her jawline. “I was just passing a message along, Dash. I mean… I may have added a bit onto it, but that was about the gist of it.” As if suddenly remembering that they weren’t alone, Dusk jolted, and looked over to see Winter watching them, mask hiding her upper face, but there was an amused grin wide on her exposed lips. Smiling sheepishly, Dusk blushed and stepped away from Dash. “Er… sorry.”

Chuckling, Winter replied. “Oh, don’t mind me. But do remember that this is her,” Winter pointed at the Engine, “home.”

Dusk’s eyes widened, and he turned to look at the Engine. The floating sphere was a bright pink, and her song sounded mischievously innocent. Dusk’s blush brightened, and he tried to stammer out a response. “O-oh, right. I’m sorry. It’s just… I apologize. I didn’t mean to intrude. Thank you again, for all of your help.”

As Dusk turned to leave, he saw Dash was blushing as brightly as his cheeks felt hot. He took her hand lightly and turned to follow Winter Harvest out of the room. As he left, the song’s tone took on a teasingly naughty tone, and his blush redoubled.

* * *

Gently picking up the tiny glass jar off the display counter, Scootaloo turned back to Rarity, holding up the jar so the hovering adult could better see the rolling miniature cloud inside. Excitedly, Scootaloo explained what she’d picked out. "See? It's just like a small stormcloud! It rains and the water is captured and feeds back into the cloud! And when you shake it, lightning hits the sides!"

Watching as Scootaloo energetically demonstrated what would happen with an enthusiastic shake, Rarity watched in slight awe as the trapped thundercloud flared up. The dark clouds seem to boil, and tiny bolts of lightning burst out, randomly striking the sides of the jar, followed immediately by soft claps of thunder.

Watching them from the other side of the display, Fluttershy lifted a second cloud in a jar, a soft-looking raincloud. This one looked more elaborate than the one Scootaloo had lifted, as it seemed to have a small ecosystem built into it, with a carpet of grass lining the base of the jar. She walked over to Scootaloo’s side before crouching down, presenting the small bottle to the filly. “But wouldn't you rather give her a nice one like this, Scootaloo? It's a nice little sunny field, grass and everything. And it rains gently once every two or three days to keep the grass alive. So much nicer than a storm cloud, right?”

Shaking her head in vehement disagreement, Scootaloo held up the thunderstorm for Fluttershy to examine. “But this one is a better fit for M- Miss Redheart’s favorite weather. She loves it when there’s a thunderstorm during the day. She talked to me about it when we were stuck at home one weekend. She said it puts the whole world into slow motion, and gives her the time to just relax and watch the rain. ‘Cause when it's raining, ponies stay home and don't cause nearly so much trouble’.”

More than a little stunned, Fluttershy looked at Rarity, but the fashionista had begun to grin in amusement. “I think she's right, Fluttershy. I've known Redheart since- well forever, really. Besides, it's rather fitting in another way. You know how Dusk sort of… ‘shakes up life?’”

Waiting for Fluttershy’s response, Rarity offered a raised eyebrow as Fluttershy looked back down at the jarred storm before nodding. “Well, I suppose he does, yes. So?”

Laughing almost giddily to herself behind a protective hand, Rarity offered a gesture to the jar. “Well? It fits, doesn't it? Dusk shakes the world, and Redheart’s always just a few steps behind, spitting lightning and roaring thunder at him! With all the shouting she does, I'm surprised she hasn't coughed up a lung.”

The very stallion she was talking about sauntered into the room at that moment, an arm around Dash’s hips. He had a wide, happy smile on his face, and a hungry, playful look in his eyes. When Dusk fixed that predatory gaze on Rarity, she felt her cheeks warm in excited response. She fixed him with a questioning look, but he just smiled wider, tightening his arm around Dash before playfully hip-checking the athletic mare. When she rolled her eyes and bumped his hips with her own before stepping away to look at some of the displays in the souvenir shop, Rarity shook her head, still smiling. Putting a hand on Scootaloo’s back, Rarity gave the filly a gentle push of encouragement towards Dusk. “Well if you're sure Scootaloo, ask Dusk. I'm sure he will approve.”

Seemingly over her earlier reluctance about confronting Dusk, Scootaloo thankfully needed no further encouragement. The filly rushed to Dusk's side, offering the jar up for him to inspect with a grin. “You said we could get something for Nurse Redheart and I really think she'd like this. She loves daytime storms!”

Laughing gently and accepting the jar from her, Dusk crouched down to Scootaloo’s level and inspected the jar closely. “A storm in a jar? Is it practical? My mother keeps a rain cloud in a jar, similar to this, in her rooms at the castle, ostensibly for white noise to help her sleep... I have to admit that I don't know much about them, though. Do they last long?”

To everypony’s surprise, Fluttershy took a few steps forward and ran a finger along the side of the corked jar. “My dad and my brother used to spend a few days every summer out cloud hunting. Dad… he and my brother never really got along before his accident. So he tried to get closer to Zephyr by building a collection of weather clouds at the farm. Dad's still got most of the collection, but Zephyr…” The pink-haired mare frowned, before shaking herself and continuing. “Well, if you're very careful about the seal, they can last for decades.”

Now even more sure of her gift, Scootaloo gave Dusk several excited nods. “See?! Redheart’s always super careful too! So it'll last her forever! So this is perfect, right, Dusk?”

Shaking the jar gently to watch as the thunderstorm flared up, Dusk grinned a little to himself as he stood up. “Sure, Scootaloo. I think this'll be a fine gift for Redheart.”

But as Dusk walked to the counter, the bottled storm proved to be as volatile as Redheart herself, a tiny bolt of lightning impacting the side of the jar where his fingers gripped the glass. Fingers half-numb, Dusk placed the jar down, flexing his hand as he thought to himself. “Redheart can never know it zapped me once already. She'd make me hold it whenever I got her angry.”

Watching the quiet mare behind the counter protectively wrap the jar in shredded old newspapers, Dusk doled out the three heavy platinum bits while mentally calculating his budget, adding in a bonus for Cherry Berry. After how long they had delayed her return to Ponyville, she had earned it. Picking up the paper bag by the straps, Dusk presented it to Scootaloo, speaking softly. “But you'd better be careful too, Scootaloo. We won't be coming back here anytime soon.”

Accepting the bag, Scootaloo held it carefully at chest level with both hands, her face suddenly very serious. As Dusk turned to follow the mares out the door, he slipped a hand around Rarity’s back. Pulling her close, he gave her cute rump a soft pinch, earning a startled jump from the tiny mare. Rarity fixed him with a mock serious frown, tail gently swatting his hand, but Dusk could see the playful promises in her eyes, and the slight tilt to her lips as she pressed herself in closer against him before turning to leave.

* * *

11 a.m., On board Cherry Berry’s airship, Rainbow Blitz’s Balcony

Dusk didn't notice when Dash took Cherry aside for a short, private conversation. What he did notice, however, was the airship captain invite Scootaloo down into the hold with her. Almost as soon as the two had disappeared downstairs, his friends had surrounded him, leaving him gazing into a sea of worried faces.

Fluttershy took a gentle grip on his right arm, and Rarity his left, while Dusk was still trying to figure out what was going on. Laying her cheek on his shoulder, Rarity’s voice was tender as she spoke first. “Dusk, Rainbow Dash said you've been pushing yourself too much ever since you got some rest during your tour of the factory. I know magic gets you excited, but you can't possibly think a brief nap helped you that much, darling.”

Turning his head to look at the top of Rarity’s mane, Dusk felt ashamed that he was going to have to withhold information from his beloved mare regarding the Engine. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head before replying. “It's not like that, Rarity. Winter took us to a... special room in the factory, where… where raw mana flows through a vent and let us rest. I feel better now than I have in months now. Like a newborn colt, filled to the brim with ideas and energy.”

Powerfully squeezing his hand in both of hers, Fluttershy’s timid voice didn't match her worried, and almost painful, grip on his hand. “But Dusk… I know of only one herb that can heal a pony so quickly, and Black Lotus is illegal for a reason.”

Carefully pulling his arm out of Rarity’s grip, Dusk turned to wrap his now free arm around Fluttershy, pulling her close, and softly kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be honest, Fluttershy. I don't think I have the willpower ever use Black Lotus again. It… it took everything I had to withstand the insanity it brought on… the sheer lure of power it promised. Pinkie was there, she helped me through the night. I still owe her for that.”

Nervously rubbing her right arm and dragging nails over her elbow, the aforementioned party pony looked up from where she had been staring at the boat’s deck. She looked into Dusk's eyes, oddly serious as she searched them for… what? Dusk didn’t know. When she finally spoke, her voice was as oddly hesitant as her demeanor. "It's just-- we're just... we're all just worried, Dusk. I mean, you seem fine and everything, but Auntie Whitetail said you need rest, and after such a weird day... are you suuuuuure you're better?"

Dusk pulled free from holding Fluttershy and stepped over to Pinkie’s side, cupping her cheeks with his hands. Leaning in close, he softly kissed the tip of her nose before resting his forehead against her, her hair tickling his horn. Memories of the night he’d spent with her came back unbidden, and he couldn’t help but smile at the normally exuberant mare. “Pinkie, I promise I feel better. Like I've been in bed for two weeks with a long lost tome nopony has seen in a hundred years.”

Still studying his eyes, but smiling as he spoke, Pinkie still hesitated for a moment, lost in thought. Then she seemed to come to a snap decision, and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him close while she tittered with giggles of laughter, nuzzling her chin into his chest. “If you promise that you really feel better, then I’m just glad that you're feeling so great.”

Interrupting the sweet moment, Applejack put a hand on Dusk’s shoulder, her face looking torn between wanting to smile and frown. Her voice sounded wary, but it was steady as she added her cards to the conversation. “Look Dusk, I love you, and I get you want to believe the best of everypony, but Winter’s lied to you before. She claims she works for Princess Celestia now, but we got no real proof she’s telling the truth. Who knows, maybe she's simply part of some other scam? Maybe some plot by them Canterlot elite that you talk about.”

Releasing Pinkie’s cheeks, Dusk found himself unable to pull out of her aggressive hug, so he was forced to instead turn in her grip so he could face the towering farm mare, reaching around Pinkie so he could rest his hands on Applejack’s powerful hips. “I-I understand, Applejack. I'm still getting used to all of the political angles this new title brings. But I think we can trust Winter, she- she’s just so familiar. Besides, her lies before were likely her cover, or because the Princess told her to do so. I don’t know why either would feel the need for such duplicity, however, as Princess Celestia has never lied to me.”

Chewing on her lower lip, Applejack stared down at him, breathing deeply in a careful, slow and controlled rhythm, while in deep thought. After a few long moments, she scowled at him. “I guess I can't argue that, but that doesn't mean I like it. Dash? You're the last one left. You got something more to say?”

Leaning against the railing, Dash had crossed her arms across her chest as she watched the others each take a turn addressing their concerns about Dusk’s health. Jumping a little as Applejack called for her attention, the mare nervously rubbed at the back of her neck. “Umm… yeah, well I never heard the… the song you kept talking about, Dusk. And- well I mean, I'm glad you're feeling better, but after yesterday, I mean...it's just, well… You can't make us think you feel better just by jumping around and being more… forward!” Blushing beet red, Dash turned her back to him, wings held close to her back while her tail whipped across her thighs in rapid, nervous twitches.

Smiling at the embarrassed Dash’s back, Dusk gave Applejack a hug around Pinkie, squishing the still-giggling mare in between them. He then carefully used his magic to gently peel out of Pinkie Pie’s aggressive hug, kissing her cheek before turning back to Rarity. “Alright, how about I do what I can to prove my health to you, Rarity?”

Straightening up as she watched Dusk return to her side, Rarity reached out and took hold of his hands, pulling them up to her cheek so she could nuzzle against them. “How, Dusk? I'm no medic. And don’t think we’re going to let you do something crazy again!” She turned a soft glare up at him, and Dusk saw both a challenge and worry in her eyes.

Shaking his head slightly, still feeling better than ever, his mind formulated a plan. He gazed into Rarity’s deep, passionate eyes, while he beamed with delight. “I'm sure you know the spell to measure a pony's magic, right? You probably used it to make sure Sweetie Belle was careful not to strain her magic as a filly, I assume?”

For just a brief moment, Rarity’s eyes widened as he mentioned Sweetie Belle, but as she watched him, the sincerity she found there soothed her worries, and she was able to slowly nod. “I- Of course I learned it, Dusk. Any good big sister would. But that's not much of a test to see if you're better or not.”

Nodding a little as she spoke, Dusk drew her hands back, placing them gently on each side of his neck before breathing deeply, relaxing with a steady sigh. “I know, but it's a good place to start. You see, Princess Cadance showed me as a foal the version that doctors are taught. It's a lot more powerful, and a lot more… personal, but that should prove how much better I am, right?”

Intrigued now, Rarity twisted to look back at the others, biting her lower lip while scanning the other mares’ faces, ending at last with Applejack. Each of them wore a worried frown, except for Pinkie Pie, who was nodding and smiling encouragingly. “ I- I will try, Dusk. But if the others don't want to take my word on a spell I've never used before-”

Applejack stepped to Rarity’s side, bringing a hand down to her lover’s hip. Squeezing it softly, she spoke out confidently. “Now hush, Rarity. If Dusk thinks this’ll reassure us, then I think you should give it a try. Better that than us debating back and forth over Dusk's health like he’s a foal."

Glad for Applejack’s support, but amused by their protective stance, Dusk gave a soft chuckle as he spoke up again, rolling his eyes. "Girls, you all act like I’m liable to break at any moment, but I appreciate the concern. I’ll be careful, I promise.” When he looked at the mares around him again, they had all fixed him with a skeptical, disbelieving look.

Sighing, Rarity spoke, voice holding some of her worry. “I’ll try it Dusk, but if I don’t think you’re better…”

Dusk interrupted her, smiling down at her. “I’ll go with whatever decision you girls all decide, Rarity.”

Rarity gave a final nod to Applejack, and the farm pony stepped back, giving the two some room. Dusk lowered his head so the tip of his horn rested against Rarity’s, and spoke softly. “So just like the magic testing spell, thread your mana, and reach into my magic. Then, once you've made the connection, add this twist… and reinforce the spell here, and there…” Projecting with his magic the changes that Rarity needed to make, Dusk waited, reaching out to feel as her spells began to form.

Following his directions as she started to cast the spell, Rarity adjusted her hands to better rest against the pressure points on his neck and jaw. As she opened herself up to Dusk, those very sensitive points softly thrummed in rhythm with her magic. But as her magic began to lock into place, her mind was flooded in a rush of both mana and images she could only half-understand. Releasing both his neck and her spell, she stared up into Dusk's eyes considering what she’d seen, some of which made her blush.

Gently squeezing Rarity's shoulders, Dusk cleared his throat, speaking worriedly. “Rarity? Are you alright? Tell me if this is too much to manage all at once.”

Forcing away the jumbled mess of half-formed memories that had assailed her mind upon making contact with Dusk’s, Rarity offered him a gentle smile and shook her head. “I-- no, I'm okay, Dusk. I guess I didn't realize how much more this version of the spell would reveal. Let’s... let's try again, I'll just go a little slower.”

But as the assorted jumble of confusing memories faded, Rarity found one she couldn't so easily dismiss. That of her own cheek as somepony leaned in to kiss it. Shocked by the realization, Rarity considered the memory more carefully, recognizing the way her hair was combed, an earing she wore and the pillow under her head. ”By the Light. I haven't done my hair that way since… my first date with Dusk! This is his memory from when we first made love. Oh~ to think he keeps such memories so close to his heart!”

Reaching her hands out again, Rarity searched for those sensitive points where the magic flowed the best before she started to form the spell again. This time, with her touch already properly centered as the magic began to form, she got more of a sense of his physical well being. However, as the spell powered up, she found herself blocked from going any further by the image of a doorway, closed shut. Somehow she could feel how it acted as a barrier to the faint flow of at least some of the information the spell offered to her. She could feel Dusk’s vitality around her, and she was already getting a sense of how his body felt, but if there was more behind this barrier…

Reaching out, she hesitantly touched the door’s handle, and for a moment it seemed like it would resist her, yet as soon as she brushed it with her magic, the door fell open. Memories began to flow into her, albeit slower this time, giving Rarity a chance to prepare as they started to flood in.

A day at school as a young colt, escorted by an older filly.

Rarity couldn’t help but gasp softly to herself, realizing that she saw what had to be a teenaged Princess Cadance guiding Dusk around a school by hand.

The memory continued on, and another mare, a unicorn filly, with flaming red and yellow hair the color of fire and the sun, stepped in beside Princess Cadance, giving only the smallest of bows while crossing her arms behind her back. Together the trio walked into a grand hall, where Princess Celestia waited on a dais with several other older unicorns. Dusk’s emotions were a frantic blend of panic and delight, worry and excitement.

Finally understanding, Rarity gave a giddy sigh. “Of course. His first day at Starswirl University! He was adorable as a colt!” The slow, steady and serene beat of Dusk’s calm heart remained level. It was a rhythmic pattern that never shifted in uniformity as the pulsing beat grew clearer and stronger in her mind.

The speech the Sun Princess gave was long and detailed. It passed by in a blur to Rarity, but she knew that Dusk had watched in rapture, memorizing every single word Princess Celestia said. As the other students filed out, however, Princess Cadance put a hand on Dusk’s shoulder. Sitting together with the redhead, they waited until the room emptied, with even the teachers leaving. Only then did Cadence stand up, offering Dusk her hand. She guided the two foals to the dais… where the Goddess was waiting. Standing in a beam of golden sunlight from the skylight high overhead, the Goddess folded her hands over her stomach, watching their approach. With serenity, the Goddess lifted a hand, gesturing for them to come closer.

There was an echo of stiffness in Dusk’s shoulders, which pulsed in time with another in his spine that was distracting, but reminded Rarity of how stiff she felt after a particularly intense session of yoga. ”But~ Cadance and Redheart both talk so much about how his back pain is getting worse. They act like it’s nearly crippling, which is why he takes all of that tea and pain medications... Maybe-- is he really doing so much better?"

”Cadance, Sunset Shimmer, young Dusk Shine. I will need to change when we meet for our private lessons. Cadance, with your new schooling starting, perhaps you can come to my private chambers in your free time? Sunset, Dusk will be joining us for your classes on Mondays for now. Don’t worry, he is a bright little colt. I’m sure he will catch up before you know it.”

Leaning into Dusk’s chest, Rarity rubbed her cheek against his collarbone, while the steady rhythm of his heartbeat drummed on in the back of her mind. She could feel how his horn ached. She knew from the spell, somehow, that he didn’t like to think about it. Hated to even acknowledge it. But she could feel how much it bothered him. It was a steady mild and unnerving ache that lingered deep in the keratin. She already knew from past conversations with him that he’d feel lost without his magic, so she could understand his worry about the injury.

Dusk slipped behind Cadance as the other filly’s shouting tirade began. He tried hiding in the folds of the young alicorn’s dress, worriedly watching the exasperated filly. When he dared to meet her eyes, Sunset thrust a finger in his direction. “He’s practically a newborn colt, and I’m supposed to just abandon my studies to coddle him until he catches up! By the Light, please, my goddess! I could do so much more if you just let me study freely!”

The memories started to fade out as Rarity drifted into a mist that seemed to thicken the whole world, and filled almost all of Dusk’s mind. The memories… Sunset Shimmer! Dusk had mentioned her as the mare that had used him. She needed to know more. She had to! She dove into the mists, slipping ever deeper as it thickened, and drowned out the sound of Dusk’s heartbeat.

Dusk followed Celestia and the still-fuming Sunset Shimmer down one of the hallways of Canterlot Castle. He felt lost, and missed his foal-sitter already. Yet he did his best to stay brave and follow the mares ahead of him through the sprawling hallways. As they turned a corner after a staircase, Dusk halted, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of a silver-framed portrait as Celestia and Sunset continued on. Unknowingly left alone at the top of the staircase, Dusk could only look upon the portrait at an unfamiliar face.

“Princess Luna… the lost goddess.” Dusk jumped, surprised by Sunset Shimmer’s presence at his side. Like him, she stared at the life-sized image of the pale night goddess. “Princess Celestia told me all about their childhood, and Nightmare Moon’s attack. They say she was unrivaled in magic, and surpassed Starswirl the Bearded’s talent.”

When the fiery-haired filly turned to look at Dusk, he felt overwhelmed by a flare of panic, all but ready to bolt from the frightening teenager. Instead, Sunset Shimmer smiled at him, grabbed his hand, and spoke more gently than before. “Come on. If you ask, maybe Princess Celestia will tell us more about her!”

Snapping back into the foggy realm of Dusk’s mind, Rarity felt the fleeing memory moving still deeper into the fog. Rushing to follow it through the ever-thickening darkness, she fell further and further behind the retreating memory.

The unexpected arrival of a solid, invisible barrier stopped Rarity dead. The shock from the impact left her confused and disoriented. Hesitatingly she turned about and searched for some sign, some hint of where she was, and how to return to the surface, where she had started.

But the mists were thick, and somehow, they resonated with her breath even as they closed in around her. Reaching inside for her magic, Rarity finally realized what had happened. She floated now, inside the depths of Dusk’s magic, his mana-filled flames of power so deep, so massive, they were unrecognizable at first. There were reservoirs of magic here so vast that she felt almost agoraphobic. Now she truly knew everything she needed to about his health.

Her goal finally remembered and accomplished, Rarity tried to find her way out of the blanketing fog. Turning back and forth, again she ran into that invisible wall of his. She ran her hands along it, and it seemed to hold mana behind it as well. By the Light… Just how strong is Dusk? And what is this? Running her fingers along the invisible wall, she could almost swear she felt tiny cracks along it.

She walked along the wall for a few paces, finding no break or turn in it. Turning back to where she assumed she came from, she began to undo the spell. As the spell faded, she felt the invisible wall once again slam into her, only this time it had been the one to collide into her, leaving her disoriented.

When the haze from breaking the unfamiliar spell cleared, Rarity found herself being helped off the deck of the ship by a very worried Applejack and Pinkie while Dusk hovered behind them, deep lines of concern clear as day in his wide eyes. "Rarity! Oh thank the Light! Are you alright? I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ever had you try to cast such an intense spell without proper preparation."

"Dusk," Rarity spoke, awe and fear clearly in her voice. She stopped his rambling by pulling out of Applejack’s and Pinkie’s hands and moved to hug him. "J-Ju-Just how powerful are you?!” Attempting to pull him closer, she only ended up pressing her body into his chest. Breathless, she closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat, trying to reorient herself now that she was out of the spell. She had a hard time believing doctors used such an incredible spell on patients - especially if it let them see into intense memories. “Your magic, it-it’s like a depthless and endless maze of fog. I couldn’t even see the flames or embers, let alone get a hold of just how much raw mana you have!” Shaking her head against his chest, she let out a huff before continuing. “But I could feel it. Light, it was overwhelming.”

Applejack put her hands on Rarity’s shoulders, kneading them softly as she voiced her evident concerns. “So Rares? Is he okay? Are you okay? Ya’ll look really shaken up. And what does that mean? What's so weird about his magic?”

Pulling herself away from Dusk, Rarity took a breath and tried to make herself calm down. She took her arms from around Dusk and moved a hand up to squeeze Applejack’s hand on her shoulder. “It was... disorienting, and confusing at times, but I’m okay. And- well, magic in unicorns is kind of like a well, or maybe even a bonfire. Metaphors kind of fail because it's complicated and hard to express to someone that can’t feel it. When Sweetie Belle was a newborn filly, her magic was just a tiny pool, hardly enough to fill a cup of water. My magic- it's- well it's just like a village well, deep and plentiful with enough for dozens of people to use. I can keep up several spells at once and even Shining Armor’s shield spell that Dusk showed me isn't too taxing, though I certainly can’t use it to the extent either of them can…”

When Rarity hesitated to continue, Applejack squeezed the smaller mare’s shoulders gently. “And?”

“But Dusk's... well, his magic is like- like a great ocean… maybe even several oceans. I couldn't even see the sides, let alone the bottom.” Something bit at the back of her mind, something that she’d seen in his magic, something that she’d ran into… But she couldn’t remember what.

Applejack’s blank stare told Rarity that the mare didn't understand. Trying again, she pointed at Dusk. “If magic were muscles, comparing me to him, or any unicorn I know, is like trying to compare Sweetie Belle to Big Mac.”

Realization sunk in and Applejack leaned over Rarity, reaching out to pinch Dusk’s right bicep between her thumb and forefinger. “Oh, that strong, by the Light? Well, I suppose that makes a lil’ sense; he did go toe to toe with Nightmare Moon, and she turned out to be a daggone goddess!”

Yelping at the playful, but painful pinch, Dusk rubbed his arm and wryly smiled at the pair. “It's not that big a difference, really. I spent years training day and night. In time, Rarity, you could easily learn to handle far more mana than you do now.”

Even as Rarity looked at Dusk incredulously, wondering how he didn’t realize just how much mana he truly had, Pinkie had been deep in thought. Snapping her fingers, she excitedly let out a happy squeal. “Ohhh! So Dusk is as strong as Big Mac? Neat! Quick Dusk, lift me over your head!”

Jumping up and rushing across the deck of the ship even as she spoke her excited request, Dusk hardly had time to react before Pinkie energetically lept at him. Dusk still managed to catch her, though Pinkie seemed intent on climbing above him, using her hands on his shoulders to pull herself up higher. Teetering back unsteadily under Pinkie’s squirming weight, Dusk did his best to keep upright while she cried out with glee. “Weeee!!!!”

Tripping as he took a step backwards, his foot caught on the edge of one of the chairs, and Dusk fell back. He landed flat on his ass while Pinkie, lost in her own gleeful world of raucous laughter, tumbled down into his lap, tightly hugging him around the ribs. While Dusk reached back to rub his sore rear, Pinkie cried out in delight. “Ohhhfff! Again, Dusk! Let’s do that again!”

Shaking his head, Dusk put a restraining hand on Pinkie’s back to buy himself at least a little time to catch his breath. “Ow. Ummm... Pinkie. I’m stronger thanks to Applejack’s and Dash’s help, but I don't think I’d ever dare compare myself to somepony like Big Mac.”

Watching the whole time as Dusk and Pinkie carried on, Dash wound up bent over from laughter while Fluttershy covered her eyes as Dusk fell backwards, peeking between her fingers when they started to talk. Shying back, she couldn’t help but whisper softly. “Oh~ Oh my. Dusk, Pinkie, maybe you two should calm down before-”

The rush of heavy footsteps stomping up the staircase from the under deck announced Cherry Berry’s and Scootaloo’s arrival. Storming out onto the deck, Cherry’s beet-red face was full of fire. “Just what in all of Celestia’s brilliant blue skies and the seven bloody blue blazes are you all doing to my ship up here?!”

Resting her head against her hand in embarrassment, Rarity gestured to Pinkie where she all but sat upon Dusk’s chest. “That? That’s just a thing we call Pinkie Pie. Really, I would attempt to apologize for her behaviour, but since you’ve met her before, I’m sure you already understand there really isn’t anything I can do to curb her… enthusiasm.”

Moving to sit back on Dusk’s legs, and dragging him to sit up further, Pinkie hugged him to her chest. She looked over at the pilot, grinning openly even as she offered an apology. “Sowwwieeee Cherry Berry. I didn’t mean to hurt your poor ship.”

Almost copying Rarity’s expression of exasperation, Cherry Berry groaned out through the hand that covered her face. “Can- can we just go now? I love Cloudsdale, but I think we’d all be better off getting home.”

Almost as one, Dusk, Applejack and Rarity all cried out their agreement together in one unified voice. Watching them with a raised eyebrow, Dash had finally stopped laughing at Pinkie’s antics, and nodded as well, taking a moment to catch her breath before speaking. “I think that’d be awesome. Besides, knowing our luck and how often things go wrong? We should get home before anything else happens.”

* * *

The Weather Factory, Cloudsdale

As Winter Harvest walked alone through the seemingly-endless and empty hallways, she came to an abrupt halt. An odd lilt to the song of the Engine warned her that she was not alone. Not expecting anyone else to be in this section of the factory, Winter ran down a short list of ponies that even knew about these hallways. When she continued walking again, it was more carefully, and with heavier, deliberate steps, letting the intruder know that she knew she was not alone. As she passed an alcove, a robed figure stepped out from it, wearing the same mask she herself wore. Sighing loudly, Winter didn’t bother to turn or look in her direction, and simply crossed her arms over her chest. Taking a guess, she spoke, her voice calm and level. “You were scheduled to meet with the Princess in Canterlot this afternoon. There was no need for you to come here, agent.”

The mare she spoke to looked like any of the other heavily-robed guides that patrolled the hallways, especially with the half-mask hiding her face, and her wings hidden under the heavy fabric of her robes. When the agent spoke, her voice was even, nearly emotionless as she offered a salute to Winter’s side. “I can report here just as well as Canterlot. Besides, after yesterday, I wanted to see if the stories matched the mare. I owe her dam at least that much.”

Giving a sigh to express her disapproval, and still not looking at the robed pegasus, Winter put one hand on her hip while gesturing with the other. “This isn't like you, agent. You’re never this unprofessional. Family or not, the mare is already being watched, and you don't need to risk your cover like this.”

Returning to a neutral stance, the agent let her arms fall to her sides while answering. “There was no risk. Blitz is gone, and nopony else in town would recognize me anymore.” Pausing to reach into her heavy robes, the pegasus drew a heavy fold of paperwork out, offering it to Winter. “My final report from the zebra tribe. Due to their nomadic nature, this mission took a little longer. However, just as your other sources suggest, they maintain small shrines spread out all over the Savannah. I found evidence on the target, but she left on good terms with her clan. There is no reason to believe she is working for any of our adversaries.”

Accepting the package and hiding it in her own robes, Winter shook her head. “You still should have gone to Princess Celestia directly. But- well, very well. Will you at least check in with him before your next mission?” The agent hesitated, hands balled at her side, and Winter felt the urge to needle the agent further. “After all, since you feel it is so important to check in on family, talking to him is the least you can do.”

Growling under her breath, the agent held out her hand. “Just- give me the next mission, ma'am. If you... insist, I'll visit him, but we both already know it won't be civil.”

Reaching into the side of her robes opposite where she’d placed the paperwork, Winter pulled out a small package and handed it to the agent. Her voice was sad, but terse. “But you'll at least try this time? As you said, you owe it to his wife - or at the very least, their daughter.” Shaking herself, Winter finally looked at the agent. “There are rumors of a young unicorn colt with high magical potential in a small village on the far outer reaches of Equestria. Scout him for Starswirl University. If he qualifies, leave an invite, like the others.”

The agent’s displeasure at Winter’s goading was subtle, but Winter had known her too long to miss it. Saluting crisply, the agent returned to a professional posture. “Of course ma’am. The colt’s name?”

“Sunburst.”

Author's Note

I know, I know, Dusk and Dash date is delayed again. I'm sorry, okay? I got carried away with the Rainbow Factory and filling in plotholes. Hopefully you will forgive me. Don't worry, the next part to come in a Interlude focused on the date, with just a brief opening in Ponyville.

After that Interlude, we have another merged chapter. This time featuring both Dog and Pony Show and Stare Master.

Until then my friends!

Interlude 10 - A Wonderbolt's Show in Canterlot - Part 1

Tuesday, April 12th, Noon, Fluttershy’s Cabin, Ponyville

Buttoning up the last two bright yellow buttons of his brand new baby blue vest, Angel Bunny looked at the mirror two squirrels held propped up for him. He ignored their chittering commentary as he smoothed down the ruffles that had formed in the vest. Looking over where Harry the Bear delicately stirred a vegetable broth with a spoon many sizes too small for his giant hand, Angel exasperatedly questioned, “Well? Are you coming or not? Bronze said Fluttershy is finally coming home and you haven't even changed!”

Sniffing several times deeply at a spoonful of the strewing soup, Harry gave a light and guttural grunt, reaching behind his back where the tiny baby alligator Gummy clung to Harry’s stubby tail by the strength of his toothless jaws. Plucking the young gator free with a sharp - but gentle - yank, Harry put the spoon to Gummy’s muzzle, rumbling softly.

When Gummy only stared passively at the rich broth, Harry shook his head slowly. When Harry looked over at Angel, and the rabbit sighed, hanging his head. “He still won't eat? Fluttershy’s not going to like that. I had a little luck with honey last night, did you try-”

Harry rolled back his lip, eyes narrowing at Angel while grumbling again. He lumbered over to place the unmoving baby gator on the kitchen table before pointing one claw at Angel and letting out an unhappy growl. Wincing at Harry’s blunt phrasing, Angel straightened up and grinned. “No, of course not. Maybe Fluttershy will invite Pinkie Pie over. If she can't cheer him up, nopony can.”

As Harry vocalized his approval, Angel adjusted his vest one last time and turned away, heading for the door. A sudden and aggressive snap stopped Angel in his tracks as what felt like a set of jaws slam shut just behind his back, setting off a twinge of instinctive panic, shooting up his spine and making the hair on his back stand on end. Turning around slowly to look behind his back, Angel found himself staring eye to eye into the wide, unblinking, and passive purple eyes of Gummy, who was latched onto Angel's immaculately fluffed tail.

Frozen stiff in panic, Angel’s eyes shot to look at Harry. “Ummm, Harry? A little help?!”

Looking over from his simmering broth, Harry stared for a moment at Gummy, then turned to ponder at the empty spot on the counter where he had placed the baby gator, scratching at his head with one heavy claw. Dismissively grunting, he shrugged, waving a paw boredly at Angel. Shivering in fear, Angel stomped a foot, struggling to keep his cool. “I know he's been clinging to you all day, but he's nearly my size! Besides, its my tail! I spent four hours grooming it this morning! Lady Argyle says it's the best in Equestria. And. He's. Chewing. It!”

Letting out a low rumble that could be mistaken for a laugh, Harry waved a paw at him before returning to stirring the thick broth. Blushing furiously, Angel switched tactics and began pleading for the giant’s help. “I know he doesn't have teeth! That doesn't make it any better!”

When it was clear that Harry the Bear had no plans to intervene, Angel grew desperate and turned to the little gator, attempting to convince him to let go with logic. “Look, I'm not as big as Harry, I can't carry you like he does! And it's a long walk to town! You'll have way more fun here. I'm sure you can convince Harry to share his honey with you if you just ask for some!”

The little gator simply stood there, staring impassively back into Angel’s eyes. His tail gave a single, uninspired wag. Angel could feel the drool from the alligator’s mouth seeping into his tail fur. When Gummy made no move or noise after five seconds, Angel surrendered to his fate. Taking a firm hold of the baby gator’s hand, his voice was strict as he began heading to town. “Fine, fine. But don't you dare tug on my tail! And stop salivating so much! It's just creepy!”

* * *

12:10pm, Cherry Berry’s blimp, en route to Ponyville

Sitting beside Applejack, as Rarity dozed on his shoulder, Dusk enjoyed the calm flight as the airship drifted sedately through the clear skies. But it was impossible for Dusk to miss the nervous way Applejack sat in her chair, strapped down with every belt the seats had, including the ones normally reserved for heavy turbulence. Dusk looked up to the bow of the ship to see Scootaloo and Cheery Berry, deep in conversation, before looking back to Applejack. The way she gripped onto the the wooden frame of her seat made it seem like it was her only chance at survival. Her discomfort was so intense that she was accidentally warping the armrest due to her strong grip.

Hoping to distract his nervous lover, Dusk reached over, extending his long fingers to the thick muscle of her bare left upper thigh, tickling across the tense skin. Her reaction made Dusk glad that she normally wore shorts. With a shocked start, Applejack jerked in her seat, pressing her back straight against the chair frame. Her startled voice was full of surprise as she stared at him, her blush deep red against her freckled cheeks while her eyes shot open wide. “Du-Dusk! Stop that!”

Cracking a smile at the tremor of a giggle and grin that Applejack offered him, Dusk took a risk, sliding his fingers slowly down her leg, dancing across the powerful muscles until he found the sweet spot, in the joint behind her kneecap. The moment his fingers found that soft spot, Applejack uttered a girlish giggle, catching even Dusk’s adventurous side off guard.

Taking a moment to check to make sure that Pinkie and Fluttershy hadn't noticed the noise Applejack made, Dusk moved his fingers along the sensitive joint, tickling with only the lightest dance of his fingertips, being careful to avoid shifting himself too much and waking Rarity. “Oh? So I finally found a way to calm you down, love? Well, maybe I should continue until you calm down enough to undo one buckle...” Playfully cocking his eyebrow, Dusk added in a little more pressure, caressing at the soft spot. “For me?”

Writhing in her seat, Applejack pressed her knees together, trapping Dusk’s hand between them. She squirmed around against the extra-tight safety belts she had fastened, despite Cherry Berry’s reassurances that they were not needed. Starting to tear up and cry from the struggle of not laughing out loud, Applejack managed to wheeze out a cry of surrender. “Ok, ok! Fine, you win Dusk! I'll remove one belt. One. But then, we should- should talk about something, alright?”

Relenting his assault on the soft spot on Applejack’s powerful leg, Dusk sat back, giving her taut thigh a gentle squeeze before resting one hand on her arm. Applejack took a minute to catch her breath, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. Dusk smiled at her, before saying, “Of course, Applejack. What's bothering you?”

Unclipping one of the shoulder straps that lay across her chest, Applejack breathed levely to calm herself down before squeezing Dusk's hand. “So uh-- Dusk, I got a cousin called Braeburn who lives way down south in Appleloosa. And his farm is having one heck of a bad year, got half his orchard flattened by rampaging buffalo. He asked if me an' Mac could help... but I was wonderin’ if you'd like ta come along for a... ummm... bit of private time together?"

Interlocking his fingers with hers, Dusk reached back into his memory to recall the most recent map of the south that he had catalogued. “Appleloosa? That's quite a ways south. I believe that would take even one of the new express trains nearly twenty hours, if I recall correctly. And a stampede took out their orchard? Even with their long summers, do you think they'll be able to get the harvest up and running properly, even with your help? It's a very dry region, Applejack. I doubt somewhere so remote has its own magistrate. Should I start the paperwork to order them emergency support? Some food shipments to smooth over the summer until their harvest rolls in?”

Cocking her head as she looked at Dusk, Applejack’s surprise at how far ahead he was already thinking lasted only a fleeting moment before she threw her head back in laughter. “Dusk, there ain't no need for that. Me and Big Mac are prepping some right drought resistant apple seeds for their orchard, and I'm going along to personally deliver him my pride and joy, Bloomberg. Between me and Braeburn, we’ll get his dang farm up and running properly again.” Applejack’s grin lingered, and she adjusted her grip on Dusk’s hand. “But it’d be nice to get some time alone, together.” The hope in her voice was impossible for Dusk to miss, and he smiled at her reassuringly.

Shifting his weight a little while taking care not to wake Rarity, Dusk leaned over to gently kiss Applejack’s cheek, his warm voice a soft whisper down her neck when he spoke. “If we can arrange it all to line up around Pinkie’s birthday and the Grand Galloping Gala, I'd love to go visit your family with you, Applejack. Seeing such a distinct small town at the far edge of Equestria would make for a fantastic comparison study with places like Ponyville and Canterlot.”

Rolling her eyes at Dusk’s obsession over a new silly project, Applejack kissed his forehead in return, chuckling. “Well, I suppose if the only way to get you to come is by having you do some silly study as well, Dusk, then that's a price I'd be willing ta pay.”

* * *

1pm, Rarity’s Boutique, Ponyville

Pacing back and forth across Rarity’s lawn, Redheart again turned to scan the clear sky overhead, cursing under her breath. After a few moments, she turned to glare at Bronze, who sat on the steps of the boutique, working on some paperwork on the portable desk in her lap. The guardspony had shown up to her door this morning with a letter, saying that there’d been an accident in Cloudsdale regarding Dusk. She’d been sparse with the details, irritatingly so, but Redheart had been relieved to hear that nopony had been hurt, and that Dusk was fine as well.

However, Redheart also knew, again from the letter, that Dusk’s spell had failed. And she was going to skin him alive.

Exasperated with the calm way that Bronze just kept writing, Redheart threw up her arms in frustration. “You can't be serious, Bronze. You're not just going to keep calmly doing paperwork with everything that's happened! Not when you can't even tell me who gave you the damned letter!”

Looking down at her paperwork, Bronze rolled her eyes, knowing the tempestuous nurse couldn’t see her do it. She remained silent for a moment, and continued to write with her small portable inkwell, adjusting the desk to balance on one knee while she stretched out her other leg. Finishing a line on a report, she finally looked up at Redheart, and spoke. “I'm not calm, Redheart. I am absolutely livid with our dear, idiotic, foalish magistrate. But after serving under Shining Armor, having notes with the Royal Spy’s sigil show up unannounced right before your eyes has become a frustratingly regular event. So I'm finishing my paperwork, because it distracts me from just waiting for him to get back. And when he’s back, if he hasn't broken anything important, I'll snap his bloody neck.”

Grinning again as she realized that Bronze was upset with Dusk as well, Redheart rubbed her hands together eagerly. Cracking her knuckles, she turned back to face the sky, now grinning widely. “That's more like it, Bronze. I swear I'll give you a turn… but only after I finish with him.”

Nodding sharply at Redheart, Bronze returned to her paperwork. She was glad that the nurse was too distracted by her anger at Dusk to really question her cover story. “I’m just glad that she didn’t ask what one of the Royal Spies was doing passing through Ponyville… But it is handy having one of them stationed here. And thank you for the letter, Lyra. Celestia knows Silk wouldn’t tell me anything unless her life depended on it.”

Growling to herself again, Redheart returned to pacing the lawn, huffing in frustration. “Will they ever show up? Maybe Dusk realized how much trouble he’s in. If he’s smart, he’ll stay away until I die of old age!”

Realizing she would never complete the rest of her paperwork as long as Redheart continued ranting, Bronze signed her current letter off in a sweeping signature, blotted the paper and slipped it inside the desk. Sighing, she turned to gaze up into the sky, focusing against the sun's glare. Once she shaded her eyes, it was easy to make out the black shadow of an approaching airship. “They’re already nearly here Redheart, so stop being so impatient. Given their speed, they can't be more than two kilometers out at best.”

Turning to look where Bronze had, Redheart stared directly into the sun for as long as she could manage before, with a curse, she turned away and rubbed the tears of strain from her cheeks. “Yeah yeah, pegasus eyes, I get it. Stop showing off. If you can see them, I'll take your word on it. All I can see are damned black spots!”

With precise pressure on the edge of the inkpot, Bronze drained what remained of the ink in her quill. She used a small and well-stained cloth to dry the tip of the quill before putting them both aside so she could recap her inkpot. Securing them all inside the portable desk, Bronze found the hidden locks with the tips of her fingers, sliding them in place with a reassuringly solid click that always made her feel better. Standing up and slinging the packaged table across her shoulders by the carrying straps, Bronze turned to look back to the sky, then around town, grinning slightly as a familiar group and their guardian approached from the school. “I know you're upset at him, Nurse Redheart, but here comes Big Mac and Scootaloo’s friends. At least try not to swear too much in front of Sweetie Belle, okay? I'm sure Apple Bloom's heard worse around the farm from Applejack, but Rarity will have your tail if Sweetie picks up bad habits from you."

Ready to reply with a smart remark in return, Redheart looked in the same direction as Bronze, and chose instead to simply let it go. Taking a deep breath, she did her best to calm down and shake the nervousness out of her tense arms as four fillies approached at a run, full of laughter and giggles. “Are you sure they should be here, Bronze? If Dusk got hurt too badly, it might not do them any good seeing it.”

Shaking her head, Bronze offered Redheart only a shrug. “They’re all alright. The worst the note mentioned was that Dash’s hands were badly torn up during a duel in the competition.”

Speeding ahead at a full sprint, Apple Bloom easily beat the other fillies to the yard. The little farmpony was breathless, but excited. The youngest member of the Apple clan grabbed Bronze’s hand, tugging at her enthusiastically. “Featherweight told us he could see Cherry Berry’s ship! Is it nearly here? Can you see mah big sister yet?!”

Trying her best to keep her irritability at Dusk out of her voice, Bronze straightened up and pulled her hand out of the excited filly’s grip. She laughed nervously before pointing towards the sun. “Nearly, Apple Bloom. See it now? They're getting low enough you can make the ship out just below the sun.”

Walking with a calm purpose, Big Mac arrived well behind the fillies, a simple bag slung over one shoulder. Offering only a mellow smile, the towering stallion settled in near Redheart and Bronze, resting his back against the frame of Rarity’s door. He nodded at the two mares before quietly saying, “Afternoon.”

But where Apple Bloom had been energetic, Dinky, Twist and Sweetie Belle were much better behaved. Stopping a few feet away, Dinky lingered back, but Sweetie Belle and Twist stepped right up to Redheart, with Sweetie holding the edges of her dress and curtsying low as they both cried out at the same time. “Miss Redheart!” “Good morning!”

Doing her best to offer the young fillies a smile, Redheart gave her a much more subdued bow in response. “Good afternoon, Twist, Sweetie. Did you enjoyed staying with Apple Bloom on the farm, Sweetie Belle? I hope you didn’t give Big Mac and Granny Smith too much trouble.”

Laughing with delight, Sweetie Belle covered her mouth with both hands to mute an ungraceful snort. “I never climbed so many trees before! Apple Bloom needed a lot of help to catch up on her classwork, though, so I didn't get very far ahead in mine.”

Placing her hands on her hips and turning to stick her tongue out at Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom didn’t even try to hide her open disappointment. “I told ya we could have gone and jumped in the hay loft last night, Sweetie! That report isn’t even due until Friday anyways!”

Distracted, Twist walked a few steps aside while Sweetie and Apple Bloom talked, but sprung to stand up at her full height, tail wagging excitedly as she greeted the next set of arrivals. “Mithter Cake! Miththith Cake! Oh Celethtia! Did you pick a name for your foal yet?”

With one arm around his wife’s hips, Carrot Cake beamed with the pride of a soon-to-be father. While the visibly pregnant Cup Cake had always been pleasantly plump from a lifetime of trying her own sweets, the easily visible increase had only added to the grinning mare's cheerfully glowing and giddily motherly nature as she gently stroked Twist’s hair. “Oh no, not yet, Twist. But we just came from seeing Doctor Horse, and have the best news! Do you want to guess, girls?”

The restless fillies quickly got caught up in the excitement of the couple, abandoning their previous conversations to cluster together before the couple, all shouting eager suggestions.

“You're having a colt?!”

“No, it'th gotta be a filly!”

“Three fillies!”

“Two fillies and a cake?!”

Befuddled, Sweetie Belle turned to Apple Bloom, placing her hands on her hips. “Wait... ponies don't give birth to cakes!”

“They can so! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are proof of that!”

“Now now, young fillies! Let the expecting mother answer before you keep guessing! I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you all if you give her a chance!” Approaching from the town hall, Mayor Mare was accompanied by a clerk carrying a heavy bundle of scrolls awkwardly balanced in both arms and clumsily fumbling with the bulky mess.

Turning as one, the four fillies respectfully curtsied for the mayor, with Apple Bloom fidgeting with her right foot in the grass while Dinky answered first. “You're right Mrs. Mayor. Sorry Mrs. Cake, what's the good news?”

The blushing and slightly befuddled mare looked over the fillies for a moment to make sure they were all done and listening before finally releasing her breath as a sigh and trying to keep calm. “You're kinda right girls. It's not just a colt or a filly. We're gonna have one of each!”

Behind the fillies, in an open patch of grass, a familiar glow of raspberry magic swelled up and caught Bronze’s eye. But before she could even make the connection already forming in the back of her mind, the laughing cry from a mare above their gathering pulled her attention to the sky above. “Hey you all, lookout below! Dropping some dead weight!”

Holding Dusk with both hands as she glided a dozen feet overhead, Rainbow Dash threw her head back with laughter. She let go of Dusk, releasing him directly over the pink mass he had prepared. While the airship slowly passed above them, Dusk impacted with the pillow of mana, a slow puff of wind mixed with magic spreading out around him. Straightening up easily out of his landing, Dusk rushed swiftly forward, snagging Mr. Cake’s hand and shaking it enthusiastically. “I just heard the great news! Congratulations! It's simply fantastic luck to have not one foal, but one of each!”

Flummoxed by Dusk’s rapid arrival and cheerful mood, the gangly baker could only shake Dusk's hand in return while nodding dully, eventually managing to mutter a gentle response. “I- er. Well thank you, Magistrate. It’s- err… good to see you too, Magistrate, and, uh thanks?”

Redheart and Bronze were much faster to react than the distracted stallion. Closing in on Dusk as a pair, Redheart started first, jamming a finger into his chest. "Celestia give me the strength not to boil you alive, stallion! Where in Tartarus is Scootaloo? And what were you thinking?!” Raking a hand through her hair in frustration, she hissed, seething anger boiling up as she continued. “How'd you manage to drop the spell?”

Rushing to land nearby, Dash swiftly tried to come to Dusk's defense, still a little breathless and giddy. “Red, calm down! Scootaloo’s fine, really! She was super brave and tried helping Fluttershy save Dusk like a real hero.”

Bronze, from her side of Dusk, ignored Dash’s defense and took a fierce grip on his bicep with one hand, looking like she was ready to start dragging him away. "You're a mad fool of a stallion! I'm going to lock you up in the library and you're not leaving my damn sight for a week! I don't care what else happens, you are getting some rest. You and your brother push yourselves too hard! Dear Celestia, he actually kept going one time, three days with no sleep, until Cadance pinned him in his room with her magic."

More than a little shocked and overwhelmed by the surprise attack, Dusk attempted to defend himself. “Redheart, Bronze Feath-”

But already in a fury, Bronze clearly wasn’t in a listening mood for his excuses. "No, you just shut up! I'm not going to let you even try to weasel out of this! I can't use magic, but I sure as Tartarus can pin you down physically, tie you up, and barricade the doors and windows if you make me!”

As much as Redheart wanted to help Bronze drag Dusk off to make sure he actually got some rest, Redheart needed answers, and pushed past Dash, grabbing Dusk’s other bicep. “The point is she was never supposed to be in danger or have to be ‘brave’, Dash. So until I see my Scootaloo and get a full, acceptable answer from Dusk, he isn't going anywhere!”

Calling out from above in a winded and desperate tone, Fluttershy’s soft-spoken but endlessly hopeful voice interrupted the others from above. “Wait, Redheart, just~ just wait a second, please!?”

Looking up to where Fluttershy glided down towards them, the heavy load she had strapped to her chest was instantly identifiable by vivid dark pink hair. Grinning with glee, Scootaloo fought against the belt Fluttershy had restrained her with, leaning forward to wave ecstatically at her friends while crying out as loudly as she could. “Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle, look! Dinky, Twist, Redheart! Fluttershy is helping me fly!”

Thrown off balance, Redheart broke off as she felt relief flood into her at the sight of Scootaloo, who did her best to beat her wings to assist with Fluttershy in the awkward, unbalanced flight. Whatever had been bothering Scootaloo before was now gone, and she gushed with delight, continuing to call to her friends the whole way down.

Off balance from watching Scootaloo’s first ‘flight’, Redheart simply watched slack-jawed and dumbfounded for a minute as the filly and Fluttershy made it the rest of the way to the ground. As soon as she landed, the pair were instantly swarmed by Scootaloo’s excited and noisy friends, full of questions, while Fluttershy was left struggling to remove the makeshift harness. The first to reach Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle leaped eagerly into her friend’s arms, her voice standing out above the others. “Scootaloo! Welcome back! Was Cloudsdale as exciting as everyone says? Did you get to meet a Wonderbolt? Or watch Rainbow Dash fly with them?”

Laughing as she hugged Sweetie Belle back, Scootaloo did nothing to make Fluttershy’s life any easier, giggling back with the other fillies and nodding. “I got to see everything! Dash won a fight against Fleetfoot herself! And she got to show off a Sonic Rainboom for Princess Celestia and all the judges! Plus she came in first while Princess Luna was cheering so loud you could hear her screaming over the crowd! It was so awesome!”

Again the fillies flew into a flurry of noise, each crying out at Scootaloo, throwing back questions and stampeding over one another, turning the conversation into a jumbled mess.

“She won a fight with a Wonderbolt!? No way!?”

“But my momma said the Sonic Rainboom was just a legend.”

“Why would thomepony want to fight Rainbow Dathh?”

“Shows what she knows!”

“Well Applejack and Dash fight all the time!”

“And mah sister wins most of their fights, too!”

“That's only because she’s a cheat. She's taller than Dash and that’s an unfair advantage!”

“Is not! Dash has wings! She's the cheater!”

“Are so!”

“Isn't!”

Fluttershy finally managed to free them both from the strap, and Scootaloo leaped free of the harness, diving straight into a friendly brawl with Apple Bloom.

Laughing even as he was forced to break up Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s small tussle, Dusk found himself and Bronze holding the shockingly powerful farm filly back, while Redheart easily wrangled up Scootaloo. Anger returning to her voice, Redheart turned to glare over at him. “Dusk! You and Rainbow Dash had better not have been encouraging this kind of behavior from her in Cloudsdale!”

Crossing the short-trimmed lawn with her dress held suspended off the ground with one hand, Rarity’s soothing voice carried a gentle grace. “I can assure you, Redheart, that the only bad behaviour Dusk or Rainbow Dash got Scootaloo into was assisting me in breaking my diet. Otherwise, the young filly behaved better than anypony could have ever asked of her. She even attempted to assist Fluttershy in saving Dusk when the spell broke and he fell from the stadium. If it hadn’t been for her whistle, Dash might have never had the time to save my beloved stallion.”

Bronze frowned, just barely biting back a curse as she let go of Applebloom and placed a hand on Dusk’s shoulder, her eyes flashing angrily. “I knew it! I should have known you’d do something crazy and insane the moment you told me about that half-cocked spell, Dusk! Well, that’s it! Let’s ge-”

With a gentle touch that hinted at her powerful grip, Applejack placed her open palm on Bronze’s shoulder. Offering Bronze as casual a smile as she could, Applejack tried to act as a peacekeeper for the guard. “You don’t gotta go too hard on Dusk, Bronze. He already spent half a day with everypony from me and Rarity, both Princesses and too many doctors to count at the ‘Bolts’ military hospital dragging him over the coals. Rarity checked him out with a spell of Princess Cadance’s and despite all the weird stuff that’s happened, Bronze, we've just decided- well it’s a long story. I can talk about it later, but trust us, Dusk’s okay.”

A torrent of emotions clouded Bronze’s expression as she listened to Applejack talk, worry begrudgingly relenting its hold as she slowly relaxed. Still visibly tense, Bronze gave a grunt before grumbling softly. “We can talk more tomorrow then. I still think he should get some rest if he can’t even hold onto a spell. He should have a nice, easy night at the library for once.”

Looking somewhat sheepish, Dash rubbed the back of her neck with a hand, her gaze lingering on Dusk for a moment before her expression solidified, and she stepped closer, gesturing nervously with her hands as she talked. “Actually, Bronze… I sort of- well, see before you came to town, Dusk and Rarity gave me tickets to the Wonderbolts show in Canterlot tonight for my birthday, and I- well I kinda asked Dusk to come along… but only cuz he didn't get to watch the show in Cloudsdale yesterday.”

With her cheeks instantly re-flushing a burning red, Bronze gave Dash an odd look, an unsure frown still on her face. Letting out a defeated sigh after a moment, she felt like she had to make one last attempt at taking care of her magistrate - no matter how much she wanted to throttle his neck and kiss him. Looking over towards the nurse, she called out, “Redheart! Are you okay with this? Not five minutes ago you were talking about tar and feathers!”

But it was Rarity who had caught the nurse's attention first, walking to the nurse and offering up a decorative bag stuffed full of colorful scrap paper. Despite how sure Scootaloo had seemed about the gift in the shop, she now stood fidgeting nervously on her tiptoes while Redheart slowly unwrapped the highly polished glassware. The nurse’s jaw hung open in a moment of uncharacteristic awe as she slowly rotated the jar, so distracted by the tiny storm that she had she missed Bronze’s question entirely.

Realizing she was losing her ally, Bronze rubbed her temples gently, her chest deflating as she finally gave up. Turning to look at Dusk, she gave him a fond grin, before rolling her eyes as she said, “Well, I’m outnumbered here, so I guess I don’t have any choice now.”

Finally realizing she’d missed something, Redheart wrapped one arm around Scootaloo’s shoulders before looking over to where Dusk’s herd and other friends had gathered protectively around him. Redheart gave an exhausted sigh and finally relaxed a little, squeezing Scootaloo’s shoulder gently as one thumb ran along the glass containing the bottled storm. “I suppose if they’re all going to defend him, and they really let him leave Cloudsdale's military hospital… I have to accept their word on it. If somewhere as respected as Cloudsdale like that let you go, Dusk, you must really be recovering. You're still a Light-blinded, silken-tongued, poison-oak-eating, blathering idiot, but I suppose that's besides the point…this time.”

Giving a soft but delighted cry of laughter, the Mayor clapped her hands together eagerly where she had been waiting silently. “Well then, since all of that is finally settled, Bronze, I was going to drop this one letter off for you originally, but since Magistrate Shine is going to be busy in Canterlot, I’d better deliver the rest of these to you as well, dear Vicarius.”

The mayor's assistant swiftly sorted nearly a full third of the pile out of the ugly mass of scrolls, passing them en masse to Bronze before trying to resettle it all. When she looked like she wasn’t about ready to drop it all, she found one last scroll and placed it neatly on top of the stack she’d given Bronze while offering her a self-satisfied smile and a little happy nod. “The letter’s from somepony called Brown Bread. A friend? It’s always nice to hear from penpals!”

Watching the way the fillies had gotten bored and gathered around Redheart to watch the bottled storm, Pinkie, with a tender kiss to Dusk’s cheek, turned away from the rest of the group, wandering over to join the young fillies while crouching down to join them in watching the rolling storm. Bronze, adjusting her new stack of paperwork, seemed distracted, shaking her head a little at the mayor’s assistant’s commentary. “He’s not a pen pal, he’s my sire. He’s not a big writer, though.” Briefly smiling before shaking her head, Bronze gave the mayor a half-hearted smile. “Thanks Mrs. Mayor. I’d better go start dealing with this new paperwork.”

Realizing that Bronze intended to take off with the paperwork, Dusk squeezed Rarity’s hand, and brushed a touch across Fluttershy’s hip as he made his way through the mares that surrounded him, until he caught up to the guardspony’s side. Resting his hand on her shoulder, Dusk kept his voice gentle, and the smile he gave her lit up his eyes. “Bronze, I really want to thank you for all of your help, and your concern. I promise that after tonight's trip to Canterlot and back, I will take as much time off as I can. And… we really should talk.”

Separating the top scroll from the rest of the pile with her wing, Bronze turned around to playfully bop him square on the nose with it. She then shook her head. “By Celestia’s Light, Dusk! Don't be a foal and make a promise you know you'll never be able to keep! Now hurry up. The sooner you finish your side trip, the sooner I can give you back all of this bloody paperwork.” Playfully flicking her tail in his face, the guardspony left, suddenly in a good mood, and humming contentedly.

Announcing his approach by grumbling loudly, Angel Bunny stormed around the side of a house, while using one hand to pick and tease a little at his wet and droopy tail, attempting to convince it to poof up, but clearly failing. As soon as he caught sight of Fluttershy, the hare jumped in place, before quickening his pace to bolt to her side. “Oh thank the Light! You're finally back, Fluttershy! You'll never believe what I've had to put up with the last few days! First Mr. Badger had a fight with Mr. Mongoose, and then Lady Argyle accepted my invitation for a dinner, but that baby gator you brought back has been gumming on my tail the whole way to town and there's simply no way she'll have me if I can't even keep my tail properly fluffed and puffed! And Harry was no help at all! He even got grumbly at me when I suggested bribing the drooling menace with honey. Just ‘cause he thinks all the honey in the cabin is his doesn't mean he can't share some in the name of my poor tail!”

Squatting down and pulling the little bunny into a hug, Fluttershy softly cooed, running her fingers through his tail’s short, deflated, dripping tail hair and shaking her head. “Oh, there there, poor Angel. Don't worry, I'll be able to save your tail in time for your date, no problem. But where is our newfound friend? Did you leave him at home with Harry?”

For just a moment, Angel buried his head into her hair, chittering with relief even while his tail bobbed against her soothing hand. Then the question she asked made him freeze up, and turn with a dreaded slowness to look back over his shoulder where the baby gator should have been. His voice hollow, the bunny began to sweat. “I brought him with… me… I even had him by the hand, just- just so he wouldn't go back to sucking my tail…”

The whisper-quiet clink of jaws snapping shut was too soft for anypony to hear, but Pinkie felt a sudden pressure tugging on her tail and lept several feet into the air with a startled cry. “Ahhhhiieeee!!! Something’s got me, and it's gonna drag me away! Somepony, help!”

Like the fillies she had surrounded herself with, Pinkie too was very easily caught up with ideas. Rather than looking back at what had gripped her tail, she instead bolted out of the circle of fillies that gathered around Redheart, running at Dusk and jumping into his arms. Staggering to keep his balance under her sudden weight as she climbed into his arms, the stallion couldn't see around her and called out in a gasp, “Applejack? Dash? A little- a little help?!”

Covering her mouth to try to hold back from giggling, Dash gestured for Applejack to go support Dusk while she moved to up behind Pinkie, struggling to talk casually the whole time. “Not a problem, Pinkie Pie, after all, saving a friend from a horrible monster like this is exactly- exactly why I-” A giggle snuck past her hand, and she barely suppressed a snort. “Why I get out of bed in the morning. So- so just- just hold still, alright?”

Having seen what had given Dash a case of the giggles, Applejack also struggled to resist a guffaw at the whole situation, stepping in behind Dusk and bracing his shoulders, shifting so that his head rested against her chest. “I don't know, Rainbow Dash, this seems like a situation you're going to have to call in a real expert to deal with. Rarity? Fluttershy? Can you two come help consult? This is a rather delicate situation. I'd reckon.”

Throwing her head back with laughter, Dash gripped something behind Pinkie’s back where Dusk couldn't see. “Nah, no reason to trouble Fluttershy. This'll only take half a second, Pinkie, and then you'll feel like a real foal.” Bracing herself and tugging slowly, Dash backed a step further away, and finally Dusk saw what the others already had. He found himself unable to help but smirk as the tiny green gator’s body stretched out while Dash tugged at his tail and hips. Practically elastic, the little gator boy clung to Pinkie’s tail by his maw, refusing to let go.

Taking a second step back, Dash’s right foot slipped, and arms flailing, she spilled over backwards onto her her ass. As a group, the young fillies burst out laughing, Sweetie Belle leaning on Scootaloo’s shoulder for support, while Apple Bloom snorted into her shirtsleeve before crying out loud. “And she’s the one who beat Applejack in a fight?!”

Moving over to try her own hand at the problem, Fluttershy covered her mouth to mute a titter of laughter, walking past the fillies so she could crouch down where the baby gator hung, still clinging to Pinkie’s tail. Feeling the need to instruct, the gentle mare softly stroked a finger across Gummy’s spine while pointing out little details as she talked. “Now girls, baby gators like Gummy here can have very soft scales that are a little stretchy, so it can be very hard to get a firm grip on them. Instead, if you have to grab a scared baby gator, you’re better off talking softly and rubbing the underside of their jaw, like this.” Demonstrating by rubbing the tip of her finger across the underside of Gummy’s jaw, Fluttershy’s tone grew only more sugar-sweet. “Hey there Gummy guy! You're safe now. I promise if you let go of Pinkie’s poor tail, I'll keep you safe!”

For all of her efforts, the unblinking baby gator never once altered his firm jaw’s grip on Pinkie’s tail. Surprised at how stubborn he was being, Fluttershy gave Pinkie a nudge on her hip. “Here now, Pinkie, I’m sure I can talk the poor lil’ guy into letting go, but only if you calm down and get out of Dusk’s arms and back on your own two feet.”

Finally gathering enough courage to turn her head and look down her own back, Pinkie’s eyes went wide and her cheeks turned a brilliant red. She tentatively extended her legs back down to the ground, climbing down out of Dusk’s arms as she crouched down and pulled her tail over her leg until little Gummy lay in her lap. “Oh, Gummy! I'm so sorry! I shoulda figured it was just somebody cute like you, not some big scary monster eating my tail. Now I look like the biggest foal ever. Will you forgive me?”

In silence, the small alligator boy simply hung there, his deep purple eyes watchful as Pinkie rubbed his short muzzle. As stubbornly as he had refused to let go before, he now let her tail slide out of his mouth, and he pressed against her gentle caresses against his scales. Pinkie giggled, and scooped him up in both hands, kissing the top of his scaled head. “There we go! I knew we would understand each other! Now you should really go home with Fluttershy, she's the bestest at taking care of young animals without a home.”

Offering the baby gator out to Fluttershy, everypony was shocked to see him slump back like a lead weight, falling out of Pinkie's outstretched hands down to the grass. Then in a shocking blur of motion, he rushed on two legs to scramble back into her shadow, clinging to her right leg with both hands. Securely in place, the little gator buried his head against Pinkie’s calf, refusing to move, and earned another doting round of ‘Dwaas’ from the watching foals.

Recovering from her giggling fit, Dinky spoke up, cupping her hands together against her cheek. “He thinks you’re his mama, Pinkie!”

With a good-natured look of befuddlement, Pinkie looked from the little gator to Fluttershy and back again, scratching her head with a hand. “Nah, it can't be that. I don't even look anything like a momma gator! I don't even have that many scales! Plus, I'm not nearly green enough!”

Shaking her head and bending further down to get closer to the little gator that hid his face behind Pinkie’s knee, Fluttershy wagged two fingers before his face and softly cooed again. “You really don't wanna go with me, Gummy? I promise I'm a great friend if you just want to talk.”

His only response was to scurry further behind Pinkie’s leg, clinging tighter to her calf. Sighing gently, Fluttershy sat up while shaking her head and dusted off her hands. “I just don't get it. I've never had such trouble with a baby creature. Anthro or feral, this little guy is one of a kind… Just like you, Pinkie.”

Crouching down again and rubbing her nails over Gummy’s ribs, Pinkie awkwardly tried to comfort the baby gator. He remained defensively squatting against her calf, refusing to blink or move as he looked up at her with wide eyes. “Gummy, I wouldn't make a very good momma. I eat nothing but sweets, and don't know the first thing about gators. Are you sure you wouldn't rather go with Fluttershy?”

Again the gator’s mute response was to stare unblinking back into her eyes, before finally flicking his forked tongue out, playfully licking her cheek. Snickering with glee, Pinkie snatched him up and spun around, giving him a kiss on the snout in return. “Well, when you put your answer that eloquently, I'd have to be heartless to say no!” Turning to her employers and housemates, she cradled Gummy against her expansive chest. “Mr. Cake? Mrs. Cake? Can I bring him home? I promise I'll clean up after him!~~”

Groaning into his hand, Mr. Cake’s muttered reply was easy to miss. “A baby gator? Pinkie, you hardly even manage to pick up after yourself.”

But with the authority of a matriarch who ruled her home and kitchen with a kind but firm hand, Mrs. Cake sweetly swept in and drowned her husband out. “Why of course, Pinkie dear! This little guy will give all three of us practice while we wait for my foals to arrive. This will be perfect!”

Grinning from ear to ear, Pinkie hugged Gummy close, scratching him behind the head. “You hear that, Gummy? You'll fit right in! We’ll have you eating cupcakes and baking cookies in no time!” For a moment, Pinkie frowned and she looked befuddled at the gator, finally wiggling her nose and leaning well off to the side to not-so-inconspicuously whisper at Fluttershy. “Err- What do baby gators eat, anyways?”

Giggling, Fluttershy clapped her hands together eagerly, nodding dutifully at the Cakes as she answered Pinkie. “Oh, don't worry at all! Baby gators eat bugs and insects of all kinds. But it’s also best to give him the occasional small fish to keep his strength up. You'll have the cleanest stockroom ever if you let him act as your pest control!”

Cheering gleefully, Pinkie tossed Gummy into the air and caught him in a new hug, giggling. “See, Gummy! You're perfect!" Looking around conspiratorially, Pinkie grinned before loudly whispering to the gator. "But if you're good, I'll teach you how to eat donuts. They're just like beetles, except they move even slower and sometimes contain jam if you're lucky!”

* * *

2:30 pm, the Canterlot Express, en route to Canterlot

There was something soothing to the soft and steady, rocking rhythm of the train. As it swayed gently from side to side despite rushing down the track, Dusk found himself relaxing. It was so calming and conducive to his peace of mind. Looking up from the heavy tome he had picked out for the short trip, Dusk looked over Rainbow Dash’s trimmed head, out the window to distant mountains and the golden city of Canterlot.

Resting her cheek on his shoulder, Dash had drifted off while watching the passing scenery, the mint-scented liniment on her freshly unwrapped hands giving a refreshing scent to the sterile cabin. As she murmured in her sleep, Dusk turned a little and gently kissed the top of her head. “Just rest, Dash. We're still a little more than an hour out.”

In response to his kiss, Dash’s wing wrapped around his shoulders behind his back as she murmured quietly, tugging herself closer so she could nuzzle in against his neck. Afterwards, she grew still again, breathing a gentle sigh that tickled his throat.

Sliding a bookmark into the tome before closing it, Dusk smiled gently at Dash before drawing a stack of parchment and a quill from his portable desk. Like the other profiles he had written to Princess Celestia and Luna, Dusk had started with only a name. But after the last few days, he felt confident in finishing a few of the papers he had started ages ago. Flattening the top page, Dusk double checked the paper he had written for Cherry Berry, nodding quietly before moving to the next page. His deft hand dipped the tip of his quill in the ink and began adding details to the new page. “Rainbow Blitz recently re-joined the Wonderbolts, to act as an advisor to Spitfire and Fleetfoot during their peacekeeping actions in Griffonstone.”

The steady rocking motion that shifted the train from left to right as it rolled down the track kept Dusk’s quill hand attentive, hovering over the inkwell, only daring to move the quill over the page only after the train rocked again, rebounding off the tilt to one side. Only then, when it was safe, did Dusk dart the sharp tip of his quill over the page, writing rapidly, before bringing it back to hover again over the inkwell, dipping it in only when absolutely no amount of ink remained.

Working with care, Dusk added a final note to the page, feelings of guilt rising even as he wrote. “Regardless of my own personal bias on this letter, I begin to ache for the chance to step up in some way. The politics of two nations may be beyond my study, but surely, my beloved princess, there must be some way I can help with the situation in Griffonstone. It has already claimed years of my mother's life, must it also take Dash’s sire away?”

Working carefully, Dusk blotted the ink on the page dry, taking a minute to rock the page from side to side before at last putting it away. With a content sigh, Dusk reached for the next page. The name already written at the top made him pause as he internally debated over having ever written this paper up in the first place. Finally sighing, Dusk drew his quill, writing swiftly. “Winter Harvest continues to present a frustrating presence. After a false introduction and then our recent reintroduction at the Rainbow Factory, I find it hard to give her any extra trust. Is my paranoia at the greed of the Canterlot Elite getting the better of me?”

As the train began the final approach to Canterlot, Dusk could feel the way it lost speed. At first there was the natural fall off as the stokers slowed the feed of coal, then as they drew closer, the brakes were applied. Dusk's eyes however, lingered on the newest report, the one he had just started mere minutes ago. It had seemed obvious, since Winter reported to Celestia, why not write about Moonlight Dreamer, her counterpart for Princess Luna? Yet the more he had worked, the less he could say about the mare. Finally, a single answer presented itself, and Dusk couldn't help but smile as he wrote. ”Like the moon by daylight, Moonlight is an enigma that only makes me ask more questions. There are no records of her birth, education, or past, which implies she might be an agent, the top tier of Princess Celestia’s spy organization. But then why introduce herself to me? My back injuries are a medical mystery all of their own, and not something a spy would be brought in for.”

Slowly stirring awake, Dash groaned and stretched, before tugging Dusk over sideways so hard he nearly spilled his inkwell. Only a tuft of magic at the last second managed to save it from ruining his work. Murmuring sleepily, Dash glared out of the corner of her eye. “Are we finally here?”

Fighting to sit back upright despite Dash’s powerful protests, Dusk laughed softly and stroked her jaw when he had a free hand. “We are. Did you sleep well? We can stop by my observatory and change before going for a walk around campus or the church, if you want.”

Something wicked flashed in Dash's eyes and her hands slipped around Dusk's lap, right hand rubbing suggestively over his groin. “Does your observatory have a shower?”

* * *

Dusk couldn't miss the way that his hand shook as he pressed the familiar key into the lock on the observatory’s front door. “The last time I opened this door for a mare, it was the final time I saw Sunset Shimmer.”

Even as he thought it, he knew it for a lie, as he had brought Rarity here months ago during Fancy Pant’s wedding to Fleur-de-Lis, but for some reason the invading memory of that night was demanding his attention. Frowning to himself, he shoved that memory aside and turned the lock. For a moment, the fluid way the lock turned reminded Dusk about Shining’s story of discovering Trixie hiding in his abandoned rooms, and for a second, just a second, he felt hope. The door swung open, he stepped into the stoop, and-

The observatory was empty. Standing still and silent, Dusk was surprised to find it was not as cold as he had expected. The grand stone fireplace held only embers, but their banked ruby glow was enough to tell him that someone had been here recently, had remembered that Dash was coming today. The soft highlight it gave the room made it feel more intimate than he remembered his observatory being. A small basket of freshly baked muffins had been left on the small dining table, the very one that Barb and Princess Cadance had fawned over as the ‘perfect’ centerpiece to the room. Placing his portable desk on the bench beside the door, Dusk turned back to Dash and waved her in. “It looks like Cadance remembered you were scheduled to visit, even if Shining Armor’s too busy. She loves leaving muffin baskets, Celestia bless her.”

Stepping through the open door, Dash tossed her duffle bag onto the floor beside the portable desk before pushing the door closed with her heel. Looking around the hollow building, Dash admired the high ceiling, and how open the whole area was. She grinned, stretching out her wings before stepping closer to Dusk from behind. She wrapped her arms around his hips as she pulled him against her body, biting the side of his neck gently before licking the same spot. “Such a high, domed ceiling, are you sure this place was made for a unicorn? That big… what do you call it, telescope? Thing? If this was my place, it’d go in a second. Blocks a perfect roof entrance that I could use like twenty times a day. Otherwise I love this open space design.”

Dusk couldn't help but groan as Dash’s aggressive biting made his knees weak. Reaching back with his right hand, Dusk attempted to repeat a trick that had been so helpful the last few days, taking hold of Dash’s rapidly whipping tail, tugging it sharply.

Dash’s reaction to Dusk's tug wasn't like Pinkie Pie’s, however. Instead of going weak in the knees, or making a cute little squeak, she growled in the depths of her throat, growing more aggressive. She raked her hand across his chest, before cupping his groin, squeezing his balls through his pants, even as her other hand slid up into his shirt, dragging her nails across his bare skin.

Rocking his groin against Dash's explorative grip, Dusk gave her tail a second tug, firmer this time, while his free hand joined hers over his loins, unbuckling his belt and letting his pants sag open. Dash hissed in an excited breath, and her hand rushed to explore further, sliding inside his pants, under his silk boxers, until she got a firm grip around the semi erect shaft of his cock, right near the base. Releasing his throat, she nipped the tip of his ear before purring aggressively. “You're a hungry boy, aren't you, Dusk? Think you're ready for a meal?”

Dusk couldn't help himself; there was something so different in Dash’s flirting, with the way she teased him, gripping the base of his cock a little too firmly, stroking in a painfully slow beat that made him ache for her to pick up the pace. And she was stronger than him, just like Applejack, so he couldn't shift the tables back on her, to turn the game in his favor without using his magic. Panting for breath, Dusk nodded, voice cracking as he revealed his need. “Dash, you know I want you, you've known that since Celestia made us do that silly interview.”

Dash couldn't help but remember that day, the interview nearly a year past, and she couldn't help but frown at how they'd been interrupted by Barb’s arrival. An evil idea occurred to her at that moment, and a predatory grin slid onto her face as she brought her lips to Dusk's ear. She sucked on his earlobe before whispering, "Oh, poor Dusk... it'd just be so cruel if we were interrupted the same way we were that afternoon… sort of like yesterday in the hospital, huh?"

Dusk let out a long haggard breath as something changed in Dash's tone, but he smiled as he settled confidently back against her body. Tugging playfully on her tail again, he laughed softly as he replied, "Yes, but I know you won't let anything interrupt us again. After everything else we've been through? You want this as much as I do." Her grip suddenly shifted, and his hips jerked in a primal response. He felt the shiver go along her body as his cock hardened against her grip.

Biting his neck again, Dash was rougher this time, no longer afraid to leave marks behind. At this point, she wanted him to bear her affectionate nips, like tiny little declarations that he was her stallion. Dash let her grin turn into a full blown smirk before backing off and flapping her wings once, to put some distance between herself and Dusk, whipping her tail out of his gentle grip.

Dusk nearly stumbled backwards without her support, and turned to look at her. She could see the shock, confusion, and hungry disappointment clear in his expressive eyes. She almost wanted to laugh at him, or give him some relief - but she already had a better plan in mind. "Oh, you know so much, huh, egghead? Well I think I still need to take that shower... I'll be back in a few minutes."

She watched Dusk for a few moments, still smirking even as different emotions flew across his face. Lust and hunger, she recognized, and wet her lips at seeing. Disappointment, as well - but when Dusk took a step towards her, Dash felt her heartbeat pick up in pace, and an urgent, almost painful throb between her legs. “C’mon. Do it, Dusk... tell me you're going to have me right now. Oh Light, do it.” Dash licked her lips as Dusk put his hands on her hips. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on his forearms, tilting her head back slightly in preparation. Her wings lifted off her back slightly even as her thighs began rubbing together in anticipation.

"Very well, Dash." The softly whispered words shocked her almost as much as the chaste kiss he placed to her forehead. "I already made the mistake of almost forcing one mare when she wasn't ready. I'd never want to rush a mare or pressure her to do something uncomfortable like that again."

As Dusk turned from her and rebuckled his pants, Dash watched him move over to his desk, where there was a newspaper sitting folded on top. Tail lashing violently, almost angrily behind her, Dash let out a small huff of disappointment - What mare? Who? Dusk would never do something like that... even if I did just want him to take me. - and cleared her throat before turning towards the bathroom. "Lemme know if there's anything good in that paper when I get back, Dusk."

Reluctant to leave him, yet feeling almost like she had to after Dusk’s refusal, Dash tried to act casual, to keep calm, and rushed into the waiting bathroom. With the door closed, and some privacy, Dash went straight to the sink, turning on the cold water and rinsing her burning hot face. Finding some kind of sanity with the shock of the cold water, Dash looked up, and stared into the mirror, trying to clear her thoughts. “Dusk… Dusk must have meant Bronze, or one of the other girls… Pinkie? No, had to be Bronze... He isn’t like Gilda. That kind of selfish greed just isn’t in his nature.”

With her nerves settled, Dash turned the shower on, before quickly stripping down. Rushing under the shower the moment the water was hot, Dash could feel the way her feathers plastered together as they absorbed the near-scalding water. Unfolding her wings, she tried to spread them out in the small shower, but ended up having to expand them along the walls, her primaries overlapping one another in front of her. Dash reveled in the heat for a few moments before lowering a hand down between her legs. Biting her lip, she began stroking slowly over the lips of her sex, spreading her folds, and already feeling her knees go weak as she teased her aching sex.

Allowing the flowing riptide of pleasure to overtake her for a moment, Dash slipped a finger inside her sex. She braced one open hand on the wall of the shower to support her weight while her knees trembled from the bolts of pleasure that shot throughout her body at the single probing digit.

She was struck with sudden inspiration to get her point across to Dusk in a way so obvious that even he wouldn’t be, couldn’t be such a blind egghead to misunderstand her this time. Growing more aggressive, Dash began applying more pressure, to torment her wet lips, until she began mewling like an eager filly experiencing her first heat, aching sex throbbing with need, and dribbling its own moisture.

Only when Dash was sure she couldn’t take any more, when she felt her climax nearing, when she could barely restrain the greedy need for release that screamed in every fiber of her body, did she stop. With nothing but thoughts of Dusk above her, pounding himself into her, Dash shut off the shower, resisting the overwhelming urge to play with her erect nipples and the silver piercings to stoke the fire within even more.

Still naked, dripping mixed liquids between her thighs and not bothering with a towel, Dash strutted out of the bathroom confidently. Dusk still sat at his silly desk, back to her, with that damned newspaper in his hands.

She had far more interesting plans for him.

Making her way across the room, she kept silent, the only noise that might give her away was the dripping of water as she walked on her tiptoes, using the fact that Dusk seemed absorbed in his reading to give her an opening. Resting one hand on top of the desk, Dash braced herself on her open palm and used it as a pivot point to hop on top of the table, landing bare assed before Dusk. Just as abruptly, as soon as she was settled into place, she reached forward and grabbed the paper out of his hands before tossing it to the side. She placed her feet on his knees, her legs spread wide, so that her aching, leaking slit was exposed, demanding his attention. Cocking an eyebrow high, Dash fixed her stallion with her lustiest gaze. “Well, Dusk? Did you find anything interesting in the paper?”

As obtuse as Dusk was when it came to understanding what she wanted him to do, the blatant nature of Dash’s invitation struck him squarely in the libido. Further bolstered by the hints of her musk that hadn't been totally washed away by the hot shower, the primal side of Dusk's mind knew exactly what she wanted him to do. Sliding forward, Dash’s legs were spread even wider, and Dusk slid his arms under her knees and around her hips. Locking his hands onto Dash’s taut ass, Dusk tugged her forward and began kissing his way from her knee down along her inner thigh. When he took longer than a full second to reach where she wanted him, she gently grabbed his horn and directed his face squarely between her legs. She could only hope that her excited cry as his lips met her nethers was the final hint about what she wanted.

Knocked off balance by Dusk’s rapid tug on her hips, and with wet wings too awkward to maintain her balance, Dash wound up flat on her back. She squeezed Dusk's head with her taut legs while she buried her hands in his hair aggressively, scratching and tugging as she tried to drive Dusk’s probing tongue deeper into her aching loins. She found herself already nearing a climax, given her previous ministrations in the shower. “Dear Celestia, fuck yes, Dusk! Just-just like that!”

Dash’s cries of pleasure were fast, powerful moans mixed with shocked yelps and broken up by gasps or soft whines while she continued to encouragingly rake the tips of her nails through his hair, over his shoulders and across his back. “Oh! Fuck, Dusk! More! I want you. Please? Oh Light please! Come on, I'm really ready for you now!”

Withdrawing only after a final kiss to Dash’s clit, and smirking at how she’d jerked at the attention, Dusk rose up, squeezing her ass again as he dragged Dash to the edge of the desk. With his erection tenting the tight fabric of his pants, Dusk wasted no further time trying to be sweet with Dash. He unbuckled his belt and let his pants pool around his ankles, already aligning his needy shaft with her wet, eager sex. Using the low height of the desk to help his thrust, he drove forward, lifting her hips off the desk as he hilted deep inside her warm depths.

With her stallion finally - finally - inside her, Dash let out a deep moan, biting his neck again. She wiggled her hips eagerly, feeling him throb inside her. “Oh Light, no wonder AJ was telling me I needed to get with Dusk. This is just…” She let out another ecstatic groan when she felt Dusk shift himself, planting his feet more firmly.

Finally able to do more than claw at Dusk’s back and neck, Rainbow Dash wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled her bare chest up against his, pressing her erect nipples and the silver piercings against his chest through the fabric of his now-wet silk shirt. Lifting her legs so she could pin her ankles across his ass, Dash moaned into his ear, voice purring with delight. “Duuuuuuuskk… more. Faster. You can go faster, right?”

The sly wink and playful nip on his earlobe both oozed with her needy lust, and the way she ground her naked flesh to his chest made Dusk burn with need. Peeling away from her for just long enough to rake his fingers down the buttoned front of his shirt, he popped open the buttons with a deft twist of his magic. With his bare chest now exposed, Dusk slipped his arms around Dash’s back, up under her wings to prop her up off the table, and finally began to rock his hips. He started slowly, trying to build up to a faster speed as he launched back and forward against her tight walls. With each thrust, Dash tightened her ankles harder over his back, locking him in place for a moment. Dash fought to keep him from pulling out of her, delaying those dreadful moments where he left her feeling empty until he managed to overpower her powerful leg muscles, and at last was able to pull back before filling her again, where she needed him.

Every time Dusk pressed into her again, making her feel complete, Dash was more and more reluctant to let him go, but she made sure to pull him back in tighter, harder, with each thrust. Now that she had access to Dusk's bare chest, Dash’s aggressive hands roamed beneath his shirt, eventually driving deep under the cloth to rake her nails down his spine until she found his tail. Still gasping and moaning loudly as he drove in and out of her, she grasped his tail firmly, giving it a teasing tug, sending an electric bolt up his spine and making his knees go weak. Whispering into his ear, Dash’s voice was full lust, her eager moans spurring him on. “Mhhhhphhhh. That's so good. You got the spot, Dusk. Oh Celestia, more!”

Struggling as Dash toyed with his tail, and slowly losing strength from constantly fighting back against Rainbow Dash’s powerful legs, Dusk moved his hands to focus on her tense wing bases. His thumbs pushed in on the sensitive spot from below, while the rest of his fingers massaged the taut muscle. Gleeful squeals and loud cries of pleasure escaped from Dash’s open mouth as her legs finally relaxed their bone-crushing pressure on his hips, giving him a modicum of freedom to move once more. With his experiment on just how sensitive pegasi were on that muscle now successfully field-tested, Dusk resumed a fast pace, continuing his aggressive assault on her back muscles even as he felt the growing pressure that warned of his upcoming climax. Bending lower over her, Dusk cupped the back of her head by her short-cropped hair, leaning into her as he struggled to speak. “D-Dash?” Huffing for breath, Dusk kissed her neck before struggling to continue. “Light, I-I’m so close, I can’t-”

Still panting for breath herself, Dash released his tail, slipping her hand down in between them to playfully roll his balls in her fingertips, groaning at the feeling of his hands on her flight muscles . “I-I'm nearly there too, Dusk. But you aren't going to give up on me after just one round, right?”

Feeling his climax hit even as she spoke, the tide of pleasure slammed into him as he released his seed in a hot torrent inside her walls. Feeling her sex reactively clenching down on his pumping shaft, Dusk did his best to keep bucking, flexing and thrusting deep inside her as he lost the strength to speak in the face of the all-consuming pleasure.

Dusk’s effort was rewarded when he heard Dash’s needy cry of pleasure, her body jerking and spasming against his. She slid both her hands slid smoothly up body to his head, her fingers gripping his hair, nails digging into his skull. As she mashed her lips against his he felt her body continue to quake against his own, with Dash’s loud moans muffled against Dusk’s mouth. For a moment, in the bliss of exhaustion and climax, Dusk felt his tail find Dash’s and wrapped around it, and he squeezed her tightly with his arms, feeling her cold nipple piercings against his chest.

Dash eventually released his head and lowered hers to his neck, her breathing quick and aching. As they both took their time regaining their breath, she tenderly nibbled at his earlobe, a wide, goofy smile on her face. She brushed her fingers through his hair, teasing at it as she laughed softly, flexing her legs around him once more. Her fingers moved down to brush over his chest, before she leaned back and played with her own nipples, eagerly arching her body so he could get a better view of her. “So… just how long does a unicorn need before round two?”

* * *

Wednesday, April 13th, 3am? Dusk’s Observatory, Canterlot

The glow of faint moonlight through the open grand glass dome on the roof of the observatory was an unfamiliar feeling after so long in Ponyville, and Dusk couldn't help but wake as its soft aura crossed his face. With an arm resting comfortably over Dash’s hip and his open hand resting on her flat stomach, Dusk tried to ignore the glow as he closed his eyes and curled back into the sleeping mare, softly kissing the back of her neck.

Laying in the bed, the soft exhales of Dash’s breath were the only sounds he heard at first. But as the minutes dragged on, the distant sounds of a big city at night started to slip in through the open dome. Familiar with the noises of the university grounds at night, Dusk’s ears automatically picked out the usual conversation of half-drunken undergrads sneaking in after the gates had been closed and locked, with the arrival of the morning cooking staff, or… was it the departure of the overnight cleaning staff? His memory wasn't clear in the afterglow of Dash’s aggressively exhaustive demands for a ‘round two,’ which had swiftly been followed by a third. Dusk was glad that at least for that last session that he had convinced Dash to use the bed, unsure of whether he would have been able to half-carry Dash for that final round.

He drifted towards sleep again, with Dash’s wings faintly shifting so the soft feathers tickled at his bare chest. Grinning to himself, Dusk kissed her under the earlobe and tried to let his mind shut off as he felt his breathing mellow out.

The joyful cry of foals shot through Dusk’s lazy mind like a jolt of magic to his heart. Moving carefully, to avoid waking Dash, Dusk quickly tried to slide out of bed. Once on his feet, he rapidly found the balcony door, throwing it open and rushing out to the railing. Naked and still damp from the energetic activities of a few hours earlier, Dusk gripped the golden railing and leaned forward, straining his bleary eyes to try and find the source of the distant noise.

Far across the campus, the old brick student's residence loomed as a silent, towering shadow that had been under refurbishment when he had left for Ponyville last summer. Now a new facade of carved red bricks had replaced the weather-worn old bricks that had faded with age. Hooded lamps of wrought iron lined the ground-level walkways around the refurbished building, while the windows of many of the rooms had been converted into balconies without railings.

For only a moment, Dusk began to wonder who would do something so dangerous, and then even as he considered it, a black shadow landed on the edge of one balcony, running inside. Followed rapidly by two more shadows, Dusk’s jaw dropped as his half-sleeping mind finally caught on. “They’re bat foals! Bat foals living in the old university grounds! Dear Celestia!”

He watched as another door opened and two more bat foals ran out over the open ledge before taking flight. Their cheerful cries were soft, yet Dusk could tell how it aided their flight. The young foals twisted and soared, nowhere near as fast as the pegasi youths he had seen in Ponyville or Cloudsdale, yet they flew between trees and across the walls of building effortlessly in the dim moonlight. A soft breeze ran across Dusk’s back, and reluctantly, he stepped back into the observatory’s bedroom.

Wasting no time in snatching up the fine black silken robe Rarity had put into his luggage, Dusk rushed to tie a quick knot. With some basic defense for his decency and protection from further breezes, Dusk returned to the balcony, excited now. “There were never bat ponies in Canterlot, before! And if there were, they were usually a mercenary band staying on the outskirts, or doing bodyguard work for the nobles! Who…”

Before Dusk could turn his gaze to the looming monolith of the Castle, he knew the answer. It could only be Luna’s presence, the return of the Lunar Goddess that had brought the nomadic and reclusive bats together to settle in a single location.

At the furthest edge of his vision, in the towering spire of Celestia's grand overlook, Dusk could make out faint outlines under the silver glow of the full moon. Those same young bats that had flown around the rising spire had found perches around the flat rise where Celestia traditionally stood as she raised the sun each morning.

Pouring raw magic into his eyes, just as he had with his ears all those weeks ago, Dusk marveled as the scene upon the far spire came slowly into focus. Luna stood in the middle of the flat lookout, with the bat mare Silken Flight at her side. At her feet sat a dozen bat foals, gathering close with eyes that were bright in wonder. Occasionally a foal would raise their hand, and Luna would point to them. Then, always smiling, her mouth moved in what Dusk assumed was a reply. The distance was too far for Dusk to dare bother attempting to eavesdrop on their class, but the soft way that Luna’s shoulders shook and her face lit up with laughter made Dusk’s heart soar, as if a hidden weight had fallen off his shoulders.

Lost in the distant show, Dusk never noticed the activities below his balcony until the sound of gruff voices rose high enough to catch his attention. The familiar but foreign accent sent a nervous shiver through his body and made his horn itch.

“Redfeather you lazy mollen! You'll get your ass out of bed and join us in the kitchen or you'll move the Tartarus out of my damn apartment! I promised the princess you'd set a good example, and I won't let you make a liar out of me!”

Trying not to stare as he rubbed the scar on his horn, Dusk turned his gaze back to the old student building, where an older mullen with graying hair and feathers stood in the open doorway, berating a younger griffon girl who looked to be in her mid-twenties. The daughter scowled at her mother before raising her own voice in response. “Mother! I'm not some young chug! We've only been here two weeks, but I know the rules! Besides, I'm ready, so let's get going if you're in such a rush!”

Watching as the two mollen headed towards the university library together, still playfully bickering as only family could, Dusk began to relax again. Lowering his hand from his horn as the itch faded away, Dusk gave a gentle sigh before finally speaking out loud. “Griffons too… I hope Princess Celestia knows what she is doing. The nobles are not going to take them living in the upper city well.”

Dusk nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt arms wrap around his waist. Dash had snuck up behind him, surprising him with an aggressively sleepy hug. He heard a soft yawn, and then felt the mare nip at his neck before speaking. “Here you are. Thought you could sneak out on me? Not going to happen, Dusk. You’re stuck with me now.”

He laughed gently as the faintly shivering, naked mare pressed herself fully against his body. Turning in her grip, he opened the robe and forcefully wrapped Dash into it with him. Kissing the top of her head, he murmured, “I wasn't trying to escape. Just got distracted by the moonlight and the new ponies living in the old student residence. Just… what's a chug? Is it a griffon word for foal?”

Nuzzling Dusk’s chest inside his robe, Dash wrapped her arms around his waist, enjoying the feel of his flesh on hers. Her still-damp wings pressed back against the robe for a moment, before she pulled them in tightly against her back. Giving a comfortable sigh as they shared body heat, Dash turned to look down where he had been watching, trying to blink the sleep away. “What? Oh! Huh, I didn't know griffons lived in Canterlot. Anyways, chug is their word for a filly, chuck is for colt. That was probably a mother or former clan nursemaid if the Alpha was a female. The Alpha’s aren't very possessive about children unless they excel at a young age, so I can see a nurse adopting the chug she raised.”

Shaking his head a little, Dusk rubbed his hands over her back to help warm the goosebumps that riddled Dash’s flesh as she spoke. Once she felt warmer, Dusk lifted her chin up with one hand and kissed the soft spot on the underside of her throat, grinning lightly at the soft groan she let out. His voice was warm and teasing against her throat, and his other arm squeezed her against him as he felt her shiver when he spoke. “Interesting. It's so different from most ponies… except breeding sires, I suppose. They don't often get that close to their foals…” Dusk let out a long breath through his nose, before meeting Dash’s eyes. “Hey, Dash… what do you think about me acting as a stud for Amethyst?”

Struck by the suddenly intense expression on Dusk’s face as he looked at her, Dash pressed closer, shaking her head. “I understand why you’d do it, but given my own foalhood, I’m kind of leery about wanting foals.”

Confused, Dusk’s eyebrows raised as he watched Dash, rubbing at her lower back with a hand all the while. “Wait, just what do you mean, Dash? Your father gave up everything for you.”

Shaking her head, Dash nuzzled his neck, warm breath caressing his throat. “Yeah, and that’s why it makes me nervous. My folks were basically heroes before Mom died, but... They were never around, always working. I had more foal-sitters than I could name. Then suddenly, Dad was there at home. Every day, every night. It was almost worse than being alone. At least I knew they were happy when they were on missions. Suddenly Dad wanted in on everything I did, and wanted to know where I was, with who, what I was doing... And things just got worse after I started seriously dating Gilda, and we started to fight all the time.”

Breathing out a sigh as he finally came to understand, Dusk held the mare closer for a second, comparing her words with his own memories of childhood. There had been bad times, like with any family, but his father had snuck him into the forbidden book section in the Canterlot Library at eight, and he had learned so much… And his mother was the smartest mare he knew besides the Princess. Twilight Velvet never ceased to surprise him with her seemingly endless knowledge and compassion. Being Celestia’s diplomat was the perfect calling for her.

But Dusk had to admit that every family was different. He needed time to think, and brushed his lips against Dash’s ear before whispering to her. “Come on, let’s go back inside, I've seen enough of this for tonight.”

Grinning with delight, Dash pressed in closer, pushing her hands around his back to squeeze his ass. “Mmmm… how about a round four? By the time we leave, all I want you to remember about that desk is you fucking me on it.” The mare turned her face to look up at him, lust and eagerness clear in her eyes. She wet her lips in anticipation.

Laughing gently, Dusk shook his head, one hand slipping up to tease at her nipple piercing, tugging lightly and earning an excited hiss from the mare in his robe. “Sure, anything for my brave rescuer. And then we take tomorrow to relax.”

* * *

Author's Note

So, you guessed it: Another Chapter got away from me! So expect Part 2 sometime soon. On the plus side? Some sex, and a lot of fun stuff.

And a visit to Griffonstone if you're all good :raritywink:

Interlude 10 - A Wonderbolt's Show in Canterlot - Part 2 [DashxDusk - Anal]

Wednesday, April 13th, Dawn, Celestia’s Spire, Canterlot

Extending her hands high over her head, Celestia ended the symbolic ritual to return the golden sun to its place in the sky. As the roaring fire from its affection filled her half-dozing bones, she wished it a good day. Breathing a sigh and letting her hands drop to her side for a moment, her world was silent and peaceful...

“Why does Dusk Shine believe in some foal’s story about the Engine having healing powers? If you were going to tell him anything, it should have been about the syphons. He would have figured out their links to ley lines himself and used it as a tactical advantage if something were to go catastrophically wrong. Instead, he now believes he needs to make a sojourn to Cloudsdale to plead for help from the Engine! Let that poor mare rest, sister, she's been dead long enough!”

As weary as dealing with Luna’s rages made her, Celestia was jealous of her passion. Celestia’s sun burned hot, and after so many years of solo rule, emotional outbursts were a draining effort only worthwhile in the most necessary of situations. Shaking her head slowly, Celestia finally spoke up, her voice already tinged with the weariness the upcoming fight would bring on. “Luna-”

But even as the words formed on Celestia’s lips, Silken Flight interrupted, the Spymistress’ voice dry and serious. “My Princess, he is already a terror on my agents. Think of the damage he could do if he knew he had no need to ever sleep again, and could rejuvenate his magic simply by finding some spring ten miles to the east… or that oddly large tree fifteen miles to the north-east. Your sister is right, my goddess, it is better he not know.”

Glad that for all the times that Cadance or Luna chose to question her, Silken Flight always seemed to have faith in her choices. Celestia let out a careful sigh before nodding slowly at the scarred mercenary in gratitude. “Beyond that, Dusk has already proven he has a poor understanding of his health, and I value him taking care of himself much more than any breakthroughs in new magic his research might achieve. I am forever awed by the magic he uses with ease despite his young age, but to lose him to an accident caused by overconfidence or ignorance on his part would be absolutely unacceptable! Besides, surely Cadance told you about what happened to Golden Panacea, the last syphon I found.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Luna shook her head dismissively. “He was a rare healer, but had a medical condition of some kind. She says he saved a filly who ended up being one of your most promising students, before Dusk, right?”

Patiently letting out a long breath, Celestia turned to the grand staircase that led into the castle proper while waving for the other mares to follow her. “Sunset Shimmer wasn't just a student. She was a prodigy. She had such promise… Until the day I found her in the depths of the vault, attempting to toy with relics even I do not dare touch lightly.”

With Luna and the spymistress trailing behind her as she strode into the depths of her castle, Celestia remained resolute in her decisions. As they arrived at the gates of the vault, Celestia brushed her fingers over the gate before finally halting, turning her back to the hidden doorway even as it began to slowly grind open. “The point is, syphons are dangerous, Luna, even more so than a rogue changeling, or undocumented black lotus smugglers. Of the seven simulacrum you and Starswirl forged, two were shattered by a syphon known as Resolute Impact.”

For a moment Luna paused, gazing past Celestia’s shoulder into the depths of the darkness that lay behind her sister. She could just barely make out something moving slowly in the dark shadows, something that was drawing nearer to them. “The- they were shattered? Not merely disabled? But they are made to self repair, to regenerate from the ambient mana of their posting. How-”

From the shadows the groan of metal rubbing on metal signaled the arrival of a towering golem made from the depths of the vault. Its body was built of excessively decorated, glowing blue metal that burned with the flickering fire of eternal mana. The living statuette paused, lowering its spear as it recognized the sisters and reverted down to a passive stance.

Shaking her head slowly, Luna walked around her sister, and stroked the giant artificial mare's cheek. “This one was left to guard the Tree! Sister, are you sure-”

Celestia shook her head as Luna looked into the stone face that was so nearly a mirror of the Night Princess’, but was devoid of her empathy. “It's necessary. In well over a thousand years, we have never had anything threaten the Tree. And we have never had a more dangerous place needing protection than the vault. Four of the sisters still guard Tirek’s oubliette. The one at the Mirror Pool was destroyed by Resolute Impact. The same as with this one's twin, who patrolled our old castle. I had to pull this one here. I dare never to risk moving the four from their hidden posts around Tirek. Only they might be able to delay him long enough for us to devise a plan, should he ever break free.”

Shoulders slumping, Luna shook her head slowly. “But just because one syphon shattered two of my guardian simulacrums, it doesn't stop the good they can do. Starswirl was a syphon. Even before he mastered magic, it let him join the Elder Unicorns in moving the sun and moon. Empress Pure Radiance of the Crystal Empire was a syphon. If she hadn't been, who knows if they could ever have forged the Crystal Heart. They can still do good.”

Celestia placed a heavy hand on her sister's shoulder, shaking her head. “I never doubted their capacity for good. You name two. I can name forty. But let's start simple. Golden Panacea. A soon-to-be father. A healer of rare talent, probably comparable to dear Cadance herself… but he saw an injured filly, burned and crushed by the accident that followed the discovery of her special talent. Short of Mother herself interfering, I believed the filly to be a lost cause. But he didn't simply stabilize her. He didn't order her brought to one of the three ley lines in Canterlot, where he might have saved her safely. Instead, he immediately began pouring his healing magic into her until he started feeding her his own life force.”

Celestia turned from Luna, as well as the stone-faced mare made of rock and mana, and walked across the room to gaze out the window at her morning sun, speaking to the window. “Self control, sister. Most syphons don't live long enough to learn it. You named two. Two pillars of self control beyond any comparison. But Dusk is no such thing. He stays up studying until his eyes go cross and Barb drags him to bed. He obsesses on projects until those closest to him worry for him and force him to move on. It's been happening for years, and despite all I've done to teach him control, nothing has changed. Would you really trust a stallion who dragged his own broken body through the Everfree to try and stop Nightmare Moon just because he has the power of a syphon?”

Luna lowered her head but still gazed at her sister through her long bangs. “He did it to save me… yes, I would.”

* * *

Noon, Dusk’s Observatory

Somewhere, some tiny part of Dusk knew he should have questioned Dash’s suggestion that they go for a casual walk. But after watching the bats and griffons from the balcony last night, the idea of mingling casually with two groups he had never had a real chance to get to know on neutral or friendly grounds was enticing. Of course, after walking around the more public parts of the campus, Dusk caught a whiff of the kitchen staff serving breakfast to the late-rising students, and the offer of a ‘homemade’ breakfast he didn't have to cook made it easy for Dusk to divert Dash into the cafeteria.

Dusk’s earlier concern regarding Dash’s “innocent” suggestion they go on a walk was confirmed when she said that he’d want to eat a light breakfast. After eating an apple and banana, and regretfully eyeing the cafeteria’s infamous hash browns, Dash began pestering him to lead them to the track he’d mentioned before. After a short walk, the pair found the track ring, and began stretching their legs as a class milled around the nearby field. They were tossing around the balls used for the magic ball game that Dusk had played so often before moving to Ponyville. But for all the practice they were getting with the large and magically sticky yellow one point ball, or the smaller magically neutral green three point ball, the magically repellent purple eight point ball lay forgotten to the side.

Halfway through their third lap of the field, Dash’s nudge to his ribs caught his attention while she gestured her thumb towards the students who had grown only louder as they ran laps. “So what's up with them? And why such different balls?”

Looking to where Dash was pointing, Dusk laughed gently, moving to match her pace while he nudged her in return. “Oh come on, Dash. We talked about them before, remember? That's the balls for the unicorn version of rugby.” But even as Dusk spoke, he reached out with his magic, forming a thin cushion beneath the anti-magic ball as they neared the students. In one swift motion, Dusk lifted the magic ball off the grass, tossing the purple sphere into the air.

Leaping off the track and out into the grass, Dusk caught the ball in one hand, before directing it behind his back to Dash while waving with his free hand at the shocked and agog students, as he skirted back onto the field, picking up his pace to catch up with the mare. “The rules are rather straightforward. The larger, yellow ball is worth a single point and sticks to magic, making it easy for even younger players to carry the ball to a point. The smaller green one is three points, but magically neutral. Easier for the other team to steal, but more rewarding if you can cross the field to score a point. And-” Dusk paused, throwing an aura of power under Dash’s hands while she tossed the ball from hand to hand, knocking it free from her far side so he could snatch the ball out of the air. Spinning it on the top of a finger using his magic to form a shield over his hand to make the magic repellent ball float, Dusk needed to constantly adjust which direction the magic touched the ball from as he casually grinned at Dash. “And of course, while physical contact is allowed, you can't touch the ball with your hands, making it a tricky game, as the eight point ball tries to move away from any magic.”

Dusk created a second copy of the magic shield on his other hand, surrounding it in magic, allowing him to carefully juggle the magically adverse ball from one hand to the other. Winking playfully at Dash as they jogged on, Dusk repeated the process, extending similar raspberry glowing shield spells over Dash’s hands as well before bouncing the ball off his hand and over to her. “Just remember! You can't catch it, it'll just bounce away. You gotta balance it off the magic. Juggle it if you can.”

Caught off guard as the ball the size of her hand was tossed casually to her, Dash instinctively tried to snatch the ball out of the air with her hand. Half-wrapping her hand around the ball, Dash had to stop jogging so she could turn off the track and chase after the ball. “Right! This! This, Dusk! Is bullshit!” Bouncing the ball several more times off her hand as she chased after the ball, she barely kept it aloft, fumbling the ball time and time again.

Far across the field, the watching students had turned from shock and confusion at Dusk’s intrusion, to laughter at Dash’s struggle. Scowling at them, Dash quickened her pace, diving straight under the awkwardly tumbling ball, throwing her wing out under it just before the ball hit the grass…

And this time it was Dusk and the students’ turn to gasp in shock. While Dash had dove through the grass to catch the ball with her wing, the two never made contact. Instead, the ball had repelled from her extended limb just like it did from any other source of magic. And with such a wide buffer line, her wing beneath it, the ball now simply hovered in place, much to Dusk's delight. “By the Light, Dash! Don't tell me you did that on purpose!”

Slowly rising up off the grass while staring at the ball as it hovered over her wing, Dash adjusted her wing carefully from side to side to alter the ball's position. As she stood slowly, nervously rubbing the back of her head and adjusting her weight to sit back on her heels, Dash grinned at Dusk. The false bravado in her tone was clear as day to him, but the students who rushed over the field to get a closer look didn't appear to pick up on it. “What? Of course I knew! After all, pegasi naturally use magic while we fly, so why wouldn't my wings work with your stupid magic-hating ball?”

While Dash remained calm and smug, Dusk reached a hand down to grasp hers, helping her to stand while shaking his head. Already trying to push the ball around by flexing and folding her wings, Dash rolled the ball back across her shoulders, and onto her other wing, scoffing casually when the students started to gather and question her. “See, we're just naturally more athletic than you unicorns, Dusk. No wonder you guys don't let any of us play in your league.”

Laughing along with Dash’s joke as she continued to show off for the impromptu crowd, Dusk shook his head while grinning at the students. “That’s exactly why we don't let pegasi play, Dash. If you got going quick enough to take flight, there's no way we could keep up once you got a good two or three hundred feet up.”

Pressing into Dusk’s arms and playfully flicking her tail at the students, Dash rolled the ball down her wing, playfully kissing Dusk’s cheek before flicking her feather tips, tossing the ball through the air in a lazy arc to the stunned onlookers. “I suppose we could find some kind of comfortable middle ground to make things fair. Maybe no flying higher than a hundred feet over the field?”

Dusk put an arm around Dash’s shoulder and turned with her away from the students, who had scrambled to catch the ball after Dash tossed it at them. Together they shared a private laugh, moving to get off the field, only to walk squarely into Silken Flight and a trio of bat foals.

Shadowed by two fillies and a colt, each of whom openly wore wooden swords belted around their waists with full sheaths, Silk had an odd little harassed look to her disposition. Meeting Dusk’s eyes with an almost-surprised look, Silk then looked at Dash, before the weathered mercenary gave them both a slow nod, before gesturing to the foals in her wake. “Wind, Skies, Grove? Meet Dusk Shine and Rainbow Dash. Say hello. Properly.”

If Dusk had any questions about what Silken Flight was doing with the young foals, her stern tone and the rapid reactions it brought out made it clear to him that she wasn’t playing some game with them. Lining up shoulder to shoulder before her, the foals all drew their wooden blades and touched the tip to their foreheads, before turning the blades down to hover just over the ground at their feet. “In the name of the Night Mother, we salute you.”

Something in the militaristic way the young foals saluted him made Dusk feel uncomfortable. Yet as he watched them, all wearing eager smiles, doing their best to keep their sword arms pointed to the ground and blades hovering, Dusk couldn’t help but enjoy the delight in their eyes. Without a sword on his side to copy their salute, Dusk instead snapped to attention, and offered the foals the sharp salute just as Shining Armor had taught him. “A pleasure to meet you all. Are you all training under Silken Flight? Or are you serving as her personal escort?”

The older of the fillies pushed past the other two while sheathing her sword. She giggled a little as she gave a small bow to Dusk, her wingtips lowering respectfully. When she spoke, it was in an excited torrent of words. “We’re training as body guards! Elders Fading Skies and Starry Night both agreed that we were doing well enough in fencing lessons to deserve a chance to show Silken Flight just how good we are! Are- Are you the real Dusk Shine? The unicorn that Princess Luna said found her in the realm of dreams and finally brought her home to us?!”

Switching rapidly from a somewhat-subdued expression of pride to one of outright shock, Silken Flight rushed to silence the filly with a hand. “Fall Grove! Magistrate Dusk Shine doesn’t need to know about your classes with Princess Luna!”

But the foal, grumbling with impertinence and pulling Silken Flight’s hand away from her mouth, protested her frustration. “But Silk! If he really is the unicorn she told us about, then he’s a hero, right?!”

Putting on a more serious face to try and stay on Silk’s good side, Dusk crouched down to the foal’s eye level. Giving the spymistress a nod, he reached out and gently took hold of the foal’s hands. “It’s kind of you to think so, Fall Grove, but I’m just glad I was in a place to help Princess Luna. Meeting her was a real honor. Personally, I’m jealous. You are the one who gets to take classes with her, I’d give a lot for a chance like that!”

Staring at him with wide, starry eyes, Grove remained silent for a moment before nodding sharply, a happy grin on her face. “Thank you, magistrate!” She stepped back and quickly became lost in a gaggle of conversation with her two partners. The foals kept watching him even as Silk stepped forward.

The always-serious mare looked calmer now, and almost grateful as she watched them move out of his way. Shoulders flexing, she sighed with relief, and turned her head up to gaze at him. Her voice was bored, even dismissive. “Magistrate, you’re here for the Wonderbolts show tonight, correct?”

Watchful of whatever it was that the mare was fishing for, Dusk gave her a slow nod. “I- Well, yes we are. Dash got tickets for tonight's show from a birthday ages ago. Why?”

Shaking her head, Silk placed a hand on the shoulders of one of the foals while turning to walk away from him, her voice still very casual as she let her tail flick lazily behind her back. “Oh, no real reason. But the magistrates often have a few smaller box seats reserved for those that feel like showing up at most public events. I’m sure, for an event like this, you could easily get a box for yourself and Rainbow Dash. After all, it would make for such a nice gesture since you're trying to impress her into joining your herd, right?”

Shocked into missing a step and stumbling over himself, he shook a fist at the spymistress as she walked away. “Silken Flight, you’re as bad at meddling as Cadance!”

Throwing her wing possessively across Dusk’s back and over his shoulder, Dash yelled after Silk’s retreating back as well, but she was laughing the whole time while he was red in the face. “Yeah! Besides, he doesn't need to impress me to join his herd. I’m the star of his herd!”

When the bat mare was finally, hopefully out of range, Dusk shook his head before looking at Dash, unable to keep from grinning a little as he spoke. “So… does this mean we go shower first before looking into these seat upgrades?”

Laughing softly, Dash flapped her wings so that she could wrap her arms around his neck from behind. She pressed in close and drank in his scent as she kissed and licked at the sweat on his throat. “Mmmmphh… I guess, if you have to. I think you smell great as is. Otherwise you’ll complain about something silly like needing to look professional, or having to do your job right, or boring stuff like that.”

* * *

1pm, Dusk’s Observatory

Despite Dash’s reservations about Dusk’s need for a shower, she had been all too eager to help. Continually pressing herself up against him in the shower, she spent a few minutes just running her hands over and massaging his arms, shoulders and back muscles before shifting to wash herself and play with his tail hair.

When Dusk offered Dash a bottle of shampoo, the mare brushed a hand through her rainbow hair before finally releasing her grip on his tail. “Nah. I'd better get out, Dusk. Feathers and wings are great for showing off how to fly, but they're a real pain to dry. Just don't keep me waiting too long.”

Left alone in the shower, Dusk didn't waste much time, rinsing the shampoo from his hair and straightening his tail out as quickly as he could with his fingers before finally stepping back out of the shower. With a towel loosely tied around his hips, Dusk walked out into the bedroom, but had to catch his jaw from hitting the floor as Dash gestured for him to look towards the bed. There, laying across the edge of the wooden bedframe, were the fine black silk magistrate’s robes that Rarity had made for him. Complete with the golden trim and sash, Dusk could feel Rarity’s presence as his fingers brushed over the collar, and discovered the fabric felt freshly pressed. “Dash? Why?”

Grinning, the naked mare leaned against his side while resting her weight on his shoulder, fingers massaging his bare abs lazily. “Rarity said if I didn't make sure you were dressed properly for public appearances, she’d confiscate my flight suit ‘until further notice.’ Besides, I want my chance to show off a cute magistrate on my arm. It might even be fun.”

Chuckling softly, Dusk shook his head. “And I suppose my comfort and privacy had better take a second to making sure your flight suit is safe and Rarity’s fine work gets properly shown off, right?”

Kissing his cheek and wrapping her arms around him, she enveloped him in her wings as well. Grinning, she said, “Rarity said you'd understand. Now get dressed, I want to see who's performing tonight!”

* * *

1pm, Canterlot University Athletics Field

Despite being early to the show at the grandstands of Canterlot University, Dusk couldn't help but enjoy the palpable excitement of the ponies already waiting for the gates to open. Banners of vivid blue and yellow-gold hung from every free surface in the university grounds in celebration of the show. Ribbons, balloons, and posters galore named every one of the sixteen Wonderbolts that were scheduled to perform.

But there was one banner that announced who would lead the performance, and it dominated the wall of grandstands and proudly proclaimed the name now on everypony’s lips. The banner was dominated by the profile of Lieutenant Colonel High Winds, drawn in the colors of her personal sigil, the soft stormcloud blue-gray of her wings, with the unique vibrant yellow uniform of the high visibility of her flight suit. That one of the leaders of one of the Wonderbolt divisions was performing in a public show, specifically the head of the weather teams, made Dusk wonder just what she had planned considering her talent with storms.

Dash’s grip on Dusk’s elbow broke him out of his engrossing deliberations, snapping him back to reality. “Hey, Dusk… do you know anypony here?”

Finally turning to look at the ponies that milled around the campus, he saw rambling groups that gathered around booths and bought souvenirs, clothing and junk food while waiting for the stands to open. But nowhere did Dusk see any pony he recognized. Shaking his head slowly, he offered Dash a shrug. “Not that I could say. Why, Dash?”

Giving him a half-hearted shove, Dash stepped closer, leaning against him while lowering her voice. “Because everypony keeps looking at you and moving out of your way, you egghead. I've never seen a crowd so cowed by a black robe. In Cloudsdale, ponies rush to say hi to magistrates, to ask them about the next new project, or what's happening with the weather, or when the next social is scheduled. Hell, sometimes just to find out what they thought of last night's Wonderbolt race. Don't Canterlot’s magistrates mingle with normal ponies?!”

As Dash explained what he’d clearly missed, Dusk shook his head a little in dismay as he began looking, really looking over the watching ponies. Here and there he saw students that must have been part of a class he took once, but they had simply been background noise in his busy life, never registering as anything else. Even his memory failed him as he looked at faintly familiar faces and searched for names. Perhaps they were only herd sisters of a pony from his classes, or the brother of a classmate? Dismissing the annoyance at not being able to remember, Dusk leaned back against Dash’s weight and squeezed her hand. “Everypony I know loves Grandiose Guffaw, but he was always the most social of the magistrates I've ever met. The rest of the magistrates would come to banquets, or balls at Starswirl University, or the palace and scowl at everypony else while drinking deeply and talking in small groups in the corner of the room. I suppose a few of the younger magistrates often mingled with the older students and younger teachers, dancing, flirting, that kind of stuff…”

Snorting with disdainful amusement, Dash nudged Dusk’s ribs even as she wrapped a wing over his shoulders. “So in short, all the younger males think they’re studs, and the old stallions are all self-serving dicks. Gotcha.”

Laughing at Dash’s simplification, Dusk shook his head. “I didn't say they were only stallions, Dash. The mares are just as selfish and paranoid as the stallions… perhaps more?”

Smirking in response to his jibe, Dash swatted his tail with hers as they approached the gate where mares were taking tickets and letting ponies into the stands. “Well, if I had something worth being paranoid and protective of, I’m sure I would be too. It’s a good thing you and Applejack know your place, egghead.”

Winking at him, Dash stepped out of his arms and folded her wings against her back properly as she pulled out her tickets and spoke quickly with the ticket mare. Before he knew what was happening, another mare appeared by his side with a platter of sandwiches and a glass of wine, shoving it under his nose while flicking her tail playfully. Attempting to be polite, he declined the offer before turning to look back at Dash, her confident voice carrying over the crowd. “No, thank you. We’d rather just have a private space if you have one. The magistrate is a private pony, really.”

Whatever they had been talking about, the ticket mare appeared to understand, accepting Dash’s tickets and having a hurried conversation with a mare in a fine black suit. When they finished, the new mare gave a half-bow to Dusk before gesturing for them to follow her into a private door that led high up into the grandstands. When Dusk finally got close enough to Dash to try talking to her privately, their guide was already opening a door with a key, forcing him to put off questioning her.

As Dusk entered the small box seat, the guide mare bowed again, her voice deep and confident. “The ice box is fully stocked with a comfortable selection of cheeses, salads, finger sandwiches, and wines, Magistrate. However, if you should find anything lacking, just pull the gold velvet rope and one of the attendants will rush to find whatever it is you might need.”

As though the answer to his question had just been waiting to present itself, Dusk finally understood what it was Dash had been talking about with the ticket mare. Shaking with suppressed laughter, he gave the mare a nod, offering her a gold ten-bit piece. “Thank you, ma’am. But we don't want to be a bother. It's already too nice of you to accommodate us at such last minute notice. We won't bother you any further, really.”

Though the mare gave Dusk a subtle look of doubt, she accepted his bits and bowed out of their presence in silence, leaving him alone with Dash in the roomy box seating. Four oversized and thickly-cushioned chairs with plush purple velvet blankets draped over them formed a loose semi-circle across the face of the private space, while thick carpet covered the floor. A dozen small candles infused with lavender incense burned in elaborately carved nocks built into the walls provided ample light, while sky blue drapes of sheer silk allowed them to watch the open field while preventing the sun's glare from entering their space. And in one corner of the box, a small ice box, three feet wide and five feet tall, sat behind a marble counter with a set of onyx-handled carving knives and one of those fascinating independently powered hot plates.

Bothered by the excessive amount of unaccounted and unexplained ambient magic in the air, Dusk’s horn flared as he reached out with his magic and found that somepony had reinforced the box against strong winds, most weather, and even listening magic, much to his own momentary shame. As he let go of his magic, he noticed that Dash was hard at work, moving three of the chairs against one wall before removing the plush cushions that made the armrests nearly a foot thick each. Satisfied with her work, the mare grinned over her shoulder at him, and gestured with a thumb. “Check the ice box, maybe there are some fresh carrots or baby tomatoes. That and a bottle of wine should help kill some time until the Wonderbolts start. I got this chair good and ready, so now we can sit together instead of having twenty pounds of frilly cushions in the way.”

Grinning again, Dusk opened the icebox and fished out a bowl of mixed fruit and veggies as well as a promising-looking bottle of Almaden Mountain White Zinfandel before joining Dash at the single central chair. Giving her a wink, Dusk slipped the wine into the ice bucket stand that Dash had prepared, and sat down when she gestured for him to go first. Surprised at how plush the cushions still were after Dash’s dismantling, Dusk settled in and looked up at Dash.

If Dash had been carrying a sign, she still couldn't have been any less subtle. Hands stretching over her head, she twitched her hips to the beat of some personal rhythm, her taut ass and shapely hips presenting a delightful view, occasionally blocked by her tail’s teasing shift and sway over her ass. With her wings lifting and spreading wide open, she backed slowly towards him, her feathers standing on end. She brushed them lightly across his chest, shoulders, arms, and face, her primaries just a tickling promise. Bringing her wings back up and to the sides, Dash slowly lowered her weight onto his lap, grinding her pert rump against his groin. She let out a low, eager groan at the pressure of his clothed crotch rubbing up in between her ass cheeks. As she gyrated her hips slowly, she pulled his arms around her hips, squeezing his hands gently until he took the hint and began massaging her sides. She leaned her upper body back down against Dusk, her wings still spread wide so she could get in as close to him as possible. She let out a happy sigh against his neck before nipping his jaw, smirking when she heard his breath catch for a moment. “Hello there, Magistrate. Nice to meet you again after-” She paused, grinding her ass harder against his erect shaft. “Oh!~ Too long.”

Shifting against the naughty mare, Dusk kissed the side of her head as he ground his groin against Dash’s eager ass, letting out a slow breath as he snuck his fingers up into her shirt to trail his nails against her stomach. “Again? Really? After all of last night? You'll wear me out at this rate, Dash. I'm only mortal.”

As the distant sound of the first drops of rain began, Dash merely laughed before grinding her hips back against Dusk’s trapped flesh again, enjoying the friction of their clothing rubbing achingly, slowly against her sensitive parts. “If not now, when? Nopony can see us, and the crowd’s already way too loud. Besides, Applejack and Rarity have had you to themselves for months. I gotta catch up somehow. I think it's only fair I get to be a little greedy.”

The first crack of the storm hit, and Dusk moved his head down to capture Dash’s lips in a long, intimate kiss, even as she continued to writhe against him. Pulling out of the kiss regretfully, Dusk sat up in the chair and bounced Dash in his lap, earning a laugh from her. When she stood up, Dusk took his hands from her hips and turned to pour two glasses of the chilled wine. Outside, the downpour of the storm picked up, and began muting all outside sounds and smells, giving the pair the illusion of being alone at the show. But as Dusk turned back to Dash, he was hit by the familiar scent of her wet musk as he watched her slip her tight pants down. Mouth agape, he could only stare as she let them drop around her ankles, taking time to flash her ass off at him in the most provocative angles she could, highlighting her already-drenched cunny and massive cutie marks. The evocative sight of those rainbow bolts of lightning over her bare hips were enthralling in the light of the scented candles. Despite how much of them he’d seen the night before, Dusk found that he still couldn't look away from them, even for a moment.

The faint magic that had originally bothered Dusk didn't earn any of his attention now, but the spectators in the stands below were grateful as a shield of magic designed to guard against bad weather bloomed into life. While the field inside the arena continued to get soaked, those watching now had a reassuring glow to help them see as, in pairs, the starting Wonderbolts made their first pass overhead. In the darkness of the thunderstorm, their vivid blue and yellow uniforms barely managed to stand out, but their weather magic and their increasing speed left the iconic glow of the truly elite flyers, streaking trails of glowing blue in their wake.

Smirking at the awestruck look on her lover’s face, Dash snatched one of the glasses from him. Dash drained the wine swiftly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand while undoing his belt with her free hand. “Did you know I never tried wine until Rarity gave me a glass? Before that, it was always good old Apple family cider. A way better choice to drink with somepony rowdy like AJ.”

Finally jolting out of his stupor, Dusk sat back as Dash fiddled one-handedly at his belt. He sipped at the wine and let it linger on his pallette, breathing out a gentle sigh even as a nearly neon yellow streak passed by their curtained window, so brilliantly that Dusk couldn’t help but notice as the head of the Wonderbolts Weather Corps made her showy arrival. Even indirectly being reminded of his last experience with cider brought back the foul taste of raw meat and the way his horn had been scarred, however. Needing to actively distract himself from those bad memories, Dusk reached out to cup Dash’s bare flank, fingers stroking over the lightning bolts on her taut thighs before moving to pull her into his lap. ”This is more my speed. A sweet, but subtle and soothing drink. Good for a calm night before a soothing fire with a good book.”

As he sat his drink down to focus on trying to draw her back onto his aching loins, Dusk was thwarted by Dash’s mischievous nature. Just as she was about to slip him inside of her, Dash shifted her hips back and landed with her rear just above his cock, squeezing her thighs against his shaft. She’d trapped his cock against the surface of her sex, wet lips rubbing over his throbbing flesh as her thighs pressed in on him from the sides. Letting out a halting moan, Dash said, “Y-you and Rarity and your reading during stormy weather. Mmmmph… Why not appreciate a real work of art? Re-real effort goes into making a good storm!”

Thwarted by Dash’s love to tease him, Dusk slipped his hands under her shirt and dragged her back as he shifted to sit deeper against the chair. He placed his lips against her neck and gently bit her, groaning as she ground her drenched sex and thighs against his needy shaft. Panting for breath after a few more moments, Dusk struggled to keep calm while she pressed back against his straining body. “Dash? I'm sure you've got a good point about storms, but- this is just unfair.”

Smirking at the want in Dusk's voice, Dash relaxed her legs, rising half up and off his throbbing cock. Hovering over him, Dash soothingly stroked Dusk’s stiff shaft with one hand, licking her lips as she felt the juices that ran off her cunny on his member. “Begging already Dusk? Pinkie was way more patient with her strapon Jill than this…”

Unable to help but laugh at Dash’s comparison, Dusk relaxed under her slow but steady stroking hand, working her natural lube into his aching shaft and stoking the need she had brought to life. “Well Dash, Pinkie’s toys are probably made of plastic or latex. I'm going to guess they're probably comparable in texture, but her toys are still not quite as tender as my flesh.” Teasing her just a little, Dusk pouted dramatically, but struggled to make it believable as he internalized a soft moan of pleasure as she beat him off.

If Dusk had convinced Dash of anything, she didn’t show it, instead focusing on using her hand to line up his hard cock with her slit. Enjoying the feel of him against her sex, she hesitated, rubbing the head of his shaft slowly into her lower lips. “Don't complain too much, Dusk, or I won’t protect you from Redheart or Bronze next time!”

Done with her idle threat, Dash lowered herself swiftly onto Dusk's shaft. Letting out a loud moan, she squeezed her legs together and wiggled her ass against Dusk eagerly, her tail twitching rapidly against his chest. She reached out to the sides, gripping the arms of the chair tight as she spread her wings and arced her back against Dusk. She let out another eager moan when she felt his hands on her, one sliding up into her shirt to find that she’d forgone a bra. Dusk let out a groan of his own as he pinched her nipple, rolling the pierced flesh between his fingers gently even as his free hand moved down to stroke one of her cutie marks. Enjoying the attention, Dash began rolling her hips in an attempt to find space for every bit of his shaft she could take, groaning even louder as her wings flapped erratically at her sides.

Somewhere out in the rainstorm that engulfed the field, a single bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, shooting down into the field. It tracked straight for Lieutenant Colonel High Winds, where she stood alone in her high visibility suit. With her stormcloud blue-gray wings spread wide open, she held a metal rod overhead, firmly gripped in a hand. When the bolt made impact, a resistant glow bloomed to life as the blinding bolt was refocused by the weather mare, channeling through the rod in her hand into the ground at her feet. Steam, at first pouring from her extended arm, soon swiftly began to engulf the air all around the elite weathermaker, as the channeled nature boiled the rain around her, vaporizing the very cloud that poured on her head.

Dusk saw none of this. His vision was blocked by Dash’s writhing body as she continued riding his erect shaft, the mare crouching down with her feet on either side of his hips. Her arms were extended behind her, on the back of the chair for balance as she cried out in pleasure with each thrust, her back arching further and further the more worked up Dusk got her. Seeing such an easy opening for revenge after her teasingly slow start, Dusk stretched his hands out to grip both of her shoulders. He extended his thumbs down to press into her wing muscles with the tips of his nails, scratching at the very outer edge of her too-sensitive flight muscles. The scream of pleasure she gave out prompted Dusk to lean forward in his seat and plant his lips firmly at the center of her flight muscles, kissing and nipping them softly.

When Dash cried out again, and bottomed herself out on his shaft, Dusk nearly came. There was a sudden, intense and pleasurable shift of pressure as Dash’s vaginal walls tightened reflexively with her unexpected climax. She slowed down, riding him by slowly rolling her hips in a steady rocking and grinding rhythm that, despite the tightness of her climax, only further teased Dusk’s needy rod. When her climax had worn off, Dash all but fell back against him, panting breathily against his neck. She kissed the side of his neck, making a trail up to his ear, where she gently bit his earlobe and moaned into his ear. When Dusk thrust his hips up against her, Dash’s surprised intake of breath just prompted the stallion to further torment her. He trailed his hands down her body and up into her shirt, gently pinching both of her pierced nipples. Enjoying the attention he was giving her, she licked his cheek in yet another painfully slow moment of torment. When Dusk’s hands returned to her cutie marks, Dash groaned softly and rolled her hips, earning another soft moan from Dusk. She grinned and sat up taller, turning to cup his chin with one hand. “Dusk? I want to try something… different… new? Will you let me try, please?”

For just a moment, something in Dash’s eyes opened up, and in them, Dusk saw a fragile mare, full of hope. Stroking his thumbs across her marked hips, Dusk leaned forward to give her a soft kiss on the lips before nodding. “Of course, Dash. If it's important for you, I'll try whatever you want at least once.”

Grinning wickedly, Dash rose, giving a muted groan as she pulled off his erect member. She turned around so she could wrap her arms around his neck, while her wings spread out forward to lock behind his back. She leaned forward, pressing her erect pierced nipples into his chest as she ground her dripping sex against his shaft. Pressing her lips roughly against his, Dash wiped up some of her honey that had gathered on her thighs when she came, thoroughly rubbing the natural lube onto his cock with careful, attentive strokes. “I… I really like anal sex, Dusk. And after Pinkie introduced me to her toy Jill… it only got even better! So I figured, if it's that good with a toy, it's gotta be even better with a stallion!”

Groaning happily as Dash masturbated him, making sure he was properly lubed up, Dusk was unable to help but laugh a little at her excitement for anal sex. It was a type of sex that had never really occurred to him, but he was willing to give it a try for Dash. Thinking about it, however, made him suspicious about how many times they had bumped into such awkward situations. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Dash’s motives had never been quite so innocent, but that only made him more eager to try this out.

All thoughts outside of what Dash was going to do next ended as she placed her legs on either side of his knees again, her bare ass hovering over his drenched member, with her tail held to one side. She directed him to hold her hips. “We’re going to start out slow, okay Dusk? Just support my weight and hold my tail, I'll do the rest.”

Moving his grip over the pert, tight, small ass, Dusk did as she asked, squeezing and spreading her cheeks wide open while keeping her tail suspended up and off to the side, out of the way. Watching as Dash lowered herself onto his cock head, watching as his tip slipped inside her, inch by carefully controlled inch, Dusk worried she was going too quickly when he saw her bite her lower lip. Groaning out against her tightly shut lips, Dash paused, breathing in rapid gasps. Before finally speaking. “Ohhh by the Light! Pinkie was so right about stallions. This is so good! Dusk? Is it good, tell me you like it too!”

The pressure around his shaft was shocking to Dusk. The additional pressure of her tight tail hole around his throbbing shaft was unlike anything else he had ever experienced with the other mares. Bordering on uncomfortable, if not painfully tight, the way Dash took command and paced them out only added to the thrill of trying out something so new. Moving slowly to avoid breaking Dash’s balance, Dusk formed a thin cylinder of solid magic between her thighs, rubbing it slowly back and forth across her sloppy wet lips where its faintly vibrating tip could stimulate her sensitive clitoris before finally answering her. “I think you found a real winner, Dash. How's my experiment going?”

Outside, the crowd had rushed to their feet as one pony, roaring in joy. The weather mare summoned forth bolts of lightning from the sky, while high above, her second in command performed daring stunts of dexterity and weather sense, by dodging between the bolts even as they burst free from the clouds to impact on lightning rods she had planted in the short chopped grass of the arena. But Dash and Dusk never noticed any of that, as in one slow but steady plunge, Dash hilted on Dusk’s member, while screaming in pleasure directly into his ear.

“Dusk, you dirty cheating asshole! Keep that up, and I'll never let you out of the bedroom!” She panted heavily, rubbing her small breasts against his face. “Don’t you dare stop!”

Rolling her hips to take his shaft in steady, regular thrusts, she drew up only an inch or two at first before dropping back down on his throbbing cock. As her confidence grew, they both grew more relaxed. Dash began taking additional inches, and added extra speed. Soon Dusk found her rhythm and matched it before drawing her weight onto his shoulders, pounding deep into her ass while the magical rod slipped its inch-long vibrating length into her sex, to tease her further. With their increasing pace, Dusk couldn't help but enjoy the rising pressure as his climax built, the aching need for release quickly mounting, pressing against his self control. “Dash… I'm… gonna cum.”

Dash grabbed Dusk's jaw with both of her hands. She turned his head so she could make their mouths meet and gave him a deep, aggressive and passionate kiss. Breaking free and gasping for breath, she leaned down to bite his neck roughly, sucking on the skin for a moment before speaking. “Then come on already! I've- I got my turn, you've probably earned yours by now!”

With that permission, Dusk increased their pace, shifting his weight further down in the chair as he put her whole body into his arms. Months of work on the Apple farm made supporting Dash’s weight easier, and rapidly bucking under her, for one incredible moment, Dusk finally found relief: flooding her tight ass with his rich seed, making it all the tighter. For a moment time froze, and he hung there, suspended in bliss.

Then time returned, and like a glass thrown into the air, Dusk came crashing back down. As the last of his pleasurable climatic thrusts drove his seed into Dash’s hugging walls, something inside his back shattered in a burst of pain that rivaled his still-unraveling climax. Barely able to breathe, it took all of Dusk’s suddenly feeble strength to lower his body back into the chair, and gently place Dash’s weight back onto her own legs. Even then, the sudden loss of strength and flare of pain left him gasping for breath, his vision blurred and blocked by black spots. His delighted groan of pleasure warping into gasps as he struggled to think of anything else but the pain.

Somewhere in the blinding flood of agony, Dusk felt a hand gripping his, and a voice whispering in his ear. Unable to make the words out, Dusk squeezed the slender but powerful mare's hand in return, though it took everything he had to answer. “My- back…”

Lost in a new flare of the pain, Dusk couldn't make out much of anything else for a while, floating in a blinding white void that exceeded his ability to suppress or ignore.

Then came a soothing bliss that dulled the pain, and slowly began to overwhelm the ache in his still spasming back muscles. The nullifying feeling of something very wet and cold spreading over his back was followed by pressure to his lips, and Dusk realized he had been rolled onto his chest at some point. A part of his brain realized that it was a straw that rested against his lips. Sealing his lips over the straw and drinking deeply, Dusk was shocked when he tasted not water, but the same wine they had been drinking before.

With the dulling alcohol and cold water soothing the throbbing pain in his back, Dusk felt his senses slowly returning. Hands had begun to rub into the sore muscles of his back, driving off the insistent needles in his back and soothing the spasming muscle... as well as a voice, muttering to herself in frustration. “If you're going to pull a muscle every time we fuck like this, Dusk, there's no way Nurse Redheart will ever let me near you again!”

Feeling more and more fragments of his mind return as Dash’s massage suppressed the worst of the flaring pain, Dusk tried to turn to face her as best as he could without moving too much. Breathing in and out with care, Dusk finally answered her. “If you don't tell Redheart anything, neither will I, Dash. You’re doing wonders already.”

Grumbling as she worked her hands into his aching back muscles, Dash flushed slightly. Settling herself more comfortably on Dusk’s ass, she leaned into the pressure she was putting on his back. “You’re lucky you’re worth all the trouble, Dusk.” Her tail twitched behind her, laying on top of his. Frowning slightly, Dash noted that the spot that seemed to give Dusk the most relief was right between his shoulders on his spine, almost where her own flight muscles were on her back. Sighing, she thought to herself, “Maybe I should take the spa twins up on those massage lessons. Would be a good excuse to get him naked again…” Dash flushed again, before grinning widely.

Dusk shifted to place one of his hands on her still-naked thigh behind him, and he stroked the taut muscles he found there tenderly. Taking another large gulp of the wine, he cleared his throat before speaking. “I know, Dash. I’m beyond lucky to have found you girls, much less that you’d all put up with me. I love you, Rainbow Dash.” He wasn’t sure if it was the wine already getting to his head or not, but he felt that it was important that she knew that.

Freezing in place when she heard those words, Dash went silent. She stared down at him for a long moment, biting her lip. Then, slowly, as if she was afraid he was going to get up and run if she acted too fast, she leaned down to lay on his back, her wings lifting up and laying across their upper bodies.

Dusk once again found himself in Dash’s little world, just the two of them surrounded by her feathers. He felt the slight chill of her piercings pressing against his back, and the mare herself trembling slightly. “Dash? Are you ok? I didn’t mean to ru-”

Dash leaned forward to press her lips against Dusk’s, silencing him. She rubbed her hands against his shoulders, pressing in tightly against his prone body. Breaking the kiss off, Dash nuzzled her head in against his back. Whispering softly, she said, “I love you too, Dusk...”

* * *

9pm, Starswirl University Grounds, Canterlot

Not minding having to miss the concert that followed the Wonderbolts show, Dusk finally stood steady again as Dash helped him down the long staircase out of the private boxes. Dash was grateful for how long the concert after the Wonderbolts show was scheduled to go on for, because after five hours, the audience was so into the show it was going to be easy for her to sneak her drunk magistrate out, black robes of office or not.

Thanks to Dash’s wonderful massaging and a lot more wine than he was used to, the throbbing ache in Dusk’s back was numbed again. Now he only struggled with walking sideways due to his indulgence in said expensive drink.

Walking close together, with one of Dash’s arms wrapped around his hips to help steady him, they had been making great progress, until the sudden cry of an all-too familiar voice made Dusk freeze in dread.

“Dusk Shine! By Princess Celestia’s Eternal Sun! What in Tartarus are you doing here?! And why are you drunk?! I was sure that Redheart or one of the others would have had the sense to keep you caged up after you got attacked by a hydra!”

Flanked by Princess Cadance and a bat pony… Dusk’s intoxicated brain stumbled for a moment to identify the tiny mare’s unfamiliar face, finally offering up the name of Gentle Br- before reluctantly surrendering to confusion. But it was little Barb who he settled on, trying his best to focus on her so he didn't have to look at the disapproving glare that Princess Cadance had leveled on his soul.

Holding up one finger in an effort to accentuate his point as he spoke, Dusk tried his best to mangle together an acceptable excuse for Barb. “It'sh not like that, Barb, real’y. Dash and I’re on-a date. It's even our-our first real d-d-date. And- well, you see, Dash’s never had uh date with a stallion before, right, so I figured a little wine would make the night go betterer for us. Except, well, Dash don't really like wine as much as I do, and I didn't want some expensive wine to go t’waiste,” he reasoned with a goofy grin, hoping his excuse sounded as good as it did in his head. “Plus the concert was quite nice, so we stayed and I dealt with the rest of the bottle.”

Barb’s expression didn't change, but the way Princess Cadance suddenly beamed with pride, rushing past the young guard mare to Dash’s side, took everyone by surprise. She snatched up Dash’s hands and squeezed them with an impressive strength that left a hint of visible shock in Dash’s expression. “Is it true, Rainbow Dash? After Rarity and Applejack, I was already so proud of my reclusive Dusk Shine finally coming out of his shell! If you're serious, why, Dusk has a real herd forming!”

Suddenly confronted by an authority figure from Dusk’s past, even one relatively close to their age, was clearly overwhelming Dash. Her face rapidly flushed into dark shades of red, even as Dash stammered to respond. “Oh! It's, um… it's not something that major, really, Princess Cadance. Me and Applejack have been close rivals since I got the job running weather for Ponyville, and Rarity’s a close friend. It's not like anypony in our group of friends wants to have a foal or anything.”

Drunk as he was, Dusk’s gaze turned to Dash, a hand half lifting in response before being lowered as he thought better of saying anything.

Following in Cadance’s shadow, Gentle Breeze moved in near silence to stand adjacent to Dash while also positioning herself beside a sales stand so she could watch Barb without leaving her back exposed. Somewhere in his drunken mind, Dusk registered the uncomfortable way she carried her short spear, along with an odd bulkiness under her black uniform cape.

Stretching to reach up to Dusk's shoulders as Cadance gushed over Dash, Barb gripped his black magistrate’s robe and dragged him down to her eye level, her keen sense of smell bothering her for some reason. “You never drink, Dusk, at least nowhere near this much.” Pausing a moment, Barb's tone grew deeply accusatory. “This is really unusual for you. And why do you smell like both of the Princesses’ magic?”

Meanwhile, if Dash had thought her attempt to dismiss Princess Cadance’s excitement was well thought out, the alicorn’s excitement proved that thought very wrong. “Oh! I can't wait to see what Dusk's little foals would look like! They'd just be so cute! I mean, Dusk was just the most adorable foal! And if you look at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, you can just picture what Applejack or Rarity’s foals might look like if you're not convinced! Besides! You three don't need to have foals right now. The most common problem most herds run into is the mares fighting with each other because they didn't know one another well enough before joining a herd. Enjoy the knowledge you're friends with your herd mates, Rainbow Dash! It makes everything so much easier the better you know one another!”

Cadance was beyond excited by the news that Dash had inadvertently shared; she was nearly as bubbly and energetic as Pinkie. As overwhelmed and flustered as Dash felt by Cadance’s attention, she was suddenly desperate for anything to escape. She found that in the way Barb was looking at Dusk. “Barb, it's really nothing like that, really. I think he's earned a few drinks after the last few days. After the whole hydra thing, he came to Cloudsdale to cheer me on and something went wrong with his spell. He accidently- well, he fell off Cloudsdale.”

Barb’s jaw fell slack, and at first she could only stare for a moment at Rainbow Dash, and then her gaze slowly turned to Dusk. After a long moment, she released Dusk and straightened up to smooth out the fine white dress she wore, before curtsying low to Princess Cadance. “I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel on your and Shining Armor’s plan for dinner tomorrow. As it turns out, I'm needed in Ponyville far worse than we could ever have guessed. Because apparently Dusk doesn't have the brains to keep himself from falling off clouds, and here somepony is talking about him fathering a herd full of foals!”

Still in her own little dream world, Cadance scoffed at Barb's reaction and softly scooped up the irate baby dragon, cuddling her close and kissing her cheek. “Barb, you'd make a wonderful aunt for Dusk’s foals! Strict, but unafraid of spoiling them rotten! Besides! Most stallions are more sexually active long before they reach Dusk’s age, often having had a foal or two already. It just goes to show how comparably responsible he's been relative to his peers. That, or his fertility condition is worse than Nurse Redheart reported.”

Shaking her head and palming her cheek hard, Dash gave a heavy sigh. “He’s just trying to help Derpy and Amethyst have a second foal. Applejack and Rarity haven't said anything about having foals to me!”

Crossing her arms over her thin chest, Barb stuck out her jaw. “Well Applejack and Rarity never said anything about that to me. They never even said you were joining their herd! I am going back to Ponyville with you and Dusk. And nopony will be talking about having foals as long as Dusk still needs a foalsitter.”

Laughing softly, Cadance set the still-grumbling dragoness down and moved to Dusk's free side, scooping up Dusk’s right side and smiling down at Dash. “Let's get this stallion to bed. Then I'll take Barb to pack, while you go get tickets. A few hours will sober him up enough for the train ride, I'm sure.”

Giving the towering young goddess a grateful nod, Dash breathed a breath of relief. “That sounds like a good idea to me, Princess. As much fun as our little vacation to Cloudsdale was, it’ll be nice being home again.”

Having been largely ignored, the guard Gentle Breeze followed along in silence. The young bat mare took advantage of the chance to study Rainbow Dash, fascinated by the relaxed, carefree attitude of the winner of the Young Flyers Competition.

* * *

9:20pm, Rarity’s Boutique, Ponyville

Watching Sweetie Belle write a short story for school as they sat together at the kitchen table, Rarity turned away from her cup of cocoa at the sound of somepony knocking for a second time at the distant door of her boutique. “How simply bothersome. I am sure I hung up the sign after dinner! What could be so important?”

Shaking her paper free of wrinkles, the young mother smiled fondly over at her foal, speaking softly. “Sweetie, dear. It's late enough. Finish your cocoa and head to bed. We can work on your story tomorrow night if you want. Just remember to put your cup in the sink and wash up. I'll be up to say goodnight after I see whatever it is that has somepony knocking down the shop door so late at night.”

Giggling at her mother, Sweetie exposed the brown stain on her teeth from the cocoa before answering. “Okay, momma. I'll give Opal a kiss goodnight while I wait!”

Watching as her foal reached for the last of her slightly tepid drink and drained the rest in one long series of gulps, Rarity couldn't help but speak up. “If you must, but remember to brush your teeth and wash your face first. You know how picky she is about keeping her fur clean. We don't need to experiment with finding you another new hairstyle tonight!”

Pausing on her way to the sink, a deeply thoughtful expression crossed Sweetie Belle’s face and she stood taller while innocently declaring aloud. “Oh! Now I get why she insists on using a straw when she drinks cocoa!”

Shaking her head at the childishness of her foal, Rarity walked into the boutique and used her magic to light up a few candles about the room. As she did, the knocking stopped, but the winged figure shadowed by the setting sun loomed outside the glass, standing taller when she saw the lights flare up. Raising her voice as she approached the door, Rarity tried to call out as diplomatically as she could. “I'm quite sorry, friend, but I was just putting my little sister to bed. Do forgive me, what has brought you by so late? We closed an hour or two ago-”

Opening the shop door, Rarity was shocked to discover that Bronze was waiting outside the door, two heavy rolls of fabric tucked under an arm, her eyes as beet red as her cheeks. All things considered, it was rather surprising that the guard hadn't come around to the back door. “Oh, my! Bronze?! What's the matter? Why are you so red-faced? And why didn't you come to my door? You're always welcome to visit, that's why I gave you a key.”

If it were possible, Bronze’s face turned only more red from embarrassment as she attempted to apologize and explain herself all in one rushed and frustrated mouthful. “Oh! I'm sorry Rarity, if I'd known you were busy with Sweetie, I- Well, I can come back another day. It's just- you see, I was trying to make these gloves, and I bought the material, and the pattern, and everything else, but I just can't make anything work! I can't make the lines overlap properly, and then the stitches were too loose, and the soft inner layer of silk wouldn't line up. Oh Rarity, it's- I'm just totally hopeless with this stitching stuff!”

The forlorn look in Bronze’s eyes was more than Rarity could stand. Reaching out with a spell and taking the two rolls of fabric from Bronze so she could keep her hands free, Rarity stood up on her toes, reaching up to cup the tall guard’s cheek so she could kiss her softly. “Gloves? I can help you with that, sweetheart. It's no problem, really. When do you need them by?”

Momentarily flush with relief, Bronze gave a sigh as Rarity stroked her cheek. “I need to finish them by the magistrate’s meet. My… my dam and sire are coming for a visit, and she has bad hands, so I thought I could make her gloves. Will you- will you teach me?”

As Bronze spoke, Rarity couldn't help but find herself thinking back, and realized there were so very few times she had ever seen Bronze without her gloves on. Only when she did paperwork, cooked... or those very few rare, but pleasurably quiet, private moments they had spent together... Otherwise the mare never went without them. And finally, Rarity understood. If Bronze’s dam had ruined her hands, it was no wonder she was so insistent on giving Dash a pair before the Wonderbolts show. “Help you make them? I- Well I mean, we've got a few weeks, Bronze. But are you sure? Doing a two-layered pair of gloves properly can be quite frustrating and picky. But, if we've got a few weeks, I'm sure we can walk through it before they arrive…”

Squeezing Rarity's hands in hers, Bronze nodded sharply. “I really do want to learn how to do this myself, Rarity. If you can spare the time, I'd be grateful.”

Smiling softly up at the young guard, Rarity squeezed Bronze’s hand in return. “First let me go tuck in Sweetie. Then I'll take you to my creativity room. We can at least get started with cutting out the pattern and work on your stitching. I'll even make a second pair so you can follow along step by step, alright?”

Finally fully relaxing, Bronze gave the fashionista a powerful hug. “Thank you so much, Rarity. I'll make this up to you someday, I promise.”

Shaking her head and smiling at Bronze’s over-gratitude, Rarity mentally prepared for a few more hours. How bad could a simple sewing class go?

* * *

Thursday, April 14th, 12:30am, The Imperial Throne, Griffonstone

“I am never riding in one of those cargo shuttles again, Spitfire. I'd rather walk on my own two feet than let somepony strap me in to be bound in a sledge like a newborn foal like that. The turbulence alone made it feel like it was shaking my brain out of my ears! Never mind the endless rattling of all that spare armor and whatever other supplies they had stored all around me.”

Still flexing his right shoulder to help pull at the stiff muscle of his back and wings, Rainbow Blitz knew his commentary might be overheard by any servant or spy nearby. Roughly a dozen clan Alphas were no longer even attempting to be subtle in their near-open revolt against the clans that still at least faked some sense of public obedience to the current emperor. Despite their unsubtle rivalry for control of the capital, however, they were far from the most dangerous due to the constant plotting of the other clans often thwarting them.

But after having spent so long tied up by a medic and served nothing but the rotten herbal brew they had all sworn was best for his stiff wings, he was simply glad to be back on his own two feet. Besides, Spitfire’s soft laughter told him the area was at least reasonably secured. It had taken a few years, but his once-student had grown into a powerful mare to be remembered. The obvious presence of a few extra scars added years to the filly he had helped train once years ago, with the worst being just a few inches away from her left eye, but the commanding poise she carried herself with was as sure a sign as any other that she'd only gotten tougher with years of experience and leadership.

“It's just a pleasure to see you in a proper uniform again, Blitz. Most of the Wonderbolts under my command haven't seen any real battle with griffons in their lifetime beyond basic training. And the griffons here still speak of you like you’re some walking legend. Of course, they treat old Captain Crimson Ripbeak about the same, and they still insist on calling her ‘The Hellcat’ when they’re not calling her a traitor. But if you really want to see them get worked up, go on tour with the guards around any of the bars at night. Then all they ever talk about is ‘The Night of the Red Moon’. Your presence will be good for morale, sir.” Pausing as she started to guide him towards the towering gray stone castle, the Wonderbolt lieutenant colonel stopped, looking thoughtful. “Oh, and the Ambassador said she wanted to greet you as soon as you arrived. Something about how she was glad to get a chance to see you again.”

Despite his best efforts, Blitz knew Spitfire saw him wince at the mention of the ambassador, but he took the next step, rather than force her to say anymore. “Then I suppose I should go see her first, shouldn't I? It’s only right to respect the chain of command, and she speaks as Celestia’s voice in this city. Tell me, I hear that the griffons used to call her ‘Celestia’s Pretty Bookmare’. Is any of that still true? I remember Velvet never was one for tolerating nicknames.”

Doing her best to hide the grin that tried to spread over her lips, Spitfire shook her head, clearly struggling to hold back a laugh as they passed a guard post manned by two Wonderbolts and three griffons in uniforms that were all mismatched. When they were given entrance to the inner halls of the castle, Blitz couldn’t miss the the fact that the halls were stripped and damaged, with all the normal decorations missing. As the door closed behind them, Spitfire finally answered. “Not anymore. Not a week back, the Alpha - the previous Alpha of clan Bloodsteak - pillaged an orphanage that Velvet paid to have built with her own money. She caught him on top of the omega mollen she’d hired to raise the children. Afterwards they gave her a new nickname, and she hasn’t commented to anypony about this one, since they don’t use it around her. ‘Celestia’s Emasculator’. Since then, the clans, even the openly rebellious ones, are behaving very carefully when she’s around. Most of them are even finally respecting her ‘property’ and ponies they see as being ‘owned’, in griffon terms, by Ambassador Velvet.”

Considering her story, Blitz stroked his jaw with one hand. He had already read the reports about many of the problems still plaguing the empire's capital. Thinking about the situation as they arrived at a second checkpoint, Blitz couldn’t help but notice that this time, it was crewed by three members of Celestia’s Royal Guard and two Wonderbolts. With no griffons in sight as they crossed the last few halls, Blitz added that as an extra detail to his growing mental checklist. When they passed into the next point through a heavy chamber door, Blitz was shocked at how much the condition of the hall remarkably improved.

The scorch marks and broken masonry disappeared, replaced with occasional tapestries and very rare artwork. But it was as they began to pass by occupied chambers that Blitz finally saw why. Most of the rooms had been recently converted to house the Royal Guard or Wonderbolts as a makeshift barracks. In every room they passed, there were bunk beds lining the walls, with footlockers and at least one table just large enough for two to write reports. Already, Blitz saw two lower officers hard at work, writing at either end of a table with quills in hand.

As they neared the end of the hall, two rooms located right before the next checkpoint, located across from one another, had their double doors wide open. To the right stood a kitchen that was currently under the command of a scowling mare in what Blitz estimated was her forties with a metal spoon shoved under her arm. In front of her, there were three younger royal cadets that looked like they had just been harangued by the mare and her bent metal spoon. But on the left, what had been a moderate-sized meeting hall of some kind with a massive fireplace, now appeared to have been converted to serve as both an armory and forge on top of its original purpose. In it stood a towering earth mare, and Blitz felt a weary gaze that lingered on him for a brief moment. After a cursory study of him, her bandaged tail flicked irritably behind her back, before she returned to her work on a caved-in piece of Royal Guard plate mail. Seeing where his gaze lay, Spitfire spoke up. “She’ll be grateful when she sees what you put up with on the ride here. We desperately needed those two new portable forges and all that good Trottingham steel.”

Nodding gently as they continued on towards the checkpoint, Blitz decided to get his first uncensored report of this new duty. “So just how willing are the griffons to take on the guards openly? The kind of damage done to that platemail armor implies a very violent confrontation.”

Looking over her shoulder at the smith’s doorway, Spitfire gave a gentle sigh, shaking her head while an expression of exhaustion spread over her face. “That’s our best smith, Black Coal. And while she isn't going to act very happy with what you brought, she’ll be grateful, so don’t take it personally. I've never met a pickier smith. Until the fire we reported a few weeks ago, she used to insist on going to the market to pick out every ingot of steel personally.” Reaching out to squeeze his arm and urge him forward, Spitfire kept him walking at a casual pace before answering under her breath, so that just Blitz would hear her. “You asked: Do they attack the guard? She had three of the Royal Guard with her, but the Alpha of the Whale Eaters liked her tail. Thought it would make a nice belt, and wanted it as a symbol of his strength. We lost two of the stallions that were with her before the market riot started. Five more of the guard died fighting the fire that destroyed the market and ended the riot. All because some- some selfish childish bully with no morals decided he wanted a mare’s tail for his belt.”

Following Spitfire's lead, Blitz remembered the red bandages that had been tied around the towering mare's tail, and dropped his next question, moving on to a more relevant one. “Has he been dealt with yet? I’ve seen some of my greener officers, and I know of at least few who could use a real wakeup call on dealing with griffons…”

Spitfire led them up to the massive iron door that waited ahead, where three earth pony guards wearing full armor waited watching them closely through an open grate, their weapons already drawn. Still speaking softly, the young commanding officer’s voice was distant. “Right now, we can't get revenge for every slight they make, Blitz. I know we normally have to take revenge as often as possible to keep the griffons respectful, but they're currently killing one another faster than we can clear up old debts. Besides, his Beta delivered the slob’s severed head to Black Coal last friday. And he did it personally. Then he proposed marriage to her. When she turned him down, he took the rest of his clan and, as a whole, the Whale Eaters abandoned Griffonstone, declaring it a lost cause. Sadly, they had several rivals, and none of them have budged an inch from the Emperor's throne room. This means that now, instead of twenty-three relatively loyal clans fighting each other and the rebels constantly, we now have only twenty-two clans that continue to do so while faking some measure of loyalty, fighting the sixteen rebels. And of those twenty-two, we suspect between three to five of the ‘loyalists’ have started to take no part in the constant conflict at all… something the council believes suggests that they are merely waiting. That they want to see if one side can manage to outnumber the other before they rejoin the fighting under some new alliance.”

This time when the guards took their papers, they gave them a far longer, more careful inspection than any had before. The way they were folding the seals, and inspecting for hints of alteration or forgery gave Blitz cause to worry, and wonder what lay beyond this door. Worse, what had made them this careful about a fellow countrypony?

When he was finally allowed into the next chamber, Blitz saw why. Upon the dragonbone throne, sitting high over the heads of a council of eight ponies and griffons, sat the young griffon emperor, who looked like any other seventeen-year-old griffon teen with parents that had doted on him too much, and overfed him for years. “Then again, he slew his sire and grandsire in their sleep to take that throne, so perhaps the family was never the problem…”

Watching the way the boy played with the griffon's sceptre of leadership like a toy made Blitz's skin prickle. He remembered a meeting with the old emperor, the one who ruled when Blitz had been just a young Wonderbolt, acting as part of Celestia's honor guard. As vile of a raider that the old emperor had been, he had openly bragged how his grandfather had slain the dragon and carved the emblem of rulership from the dragon's calcified heart, but voiced his disappointment his grandfather had not managed to do so to a more exciting foe, like an alicorn. That meeting had ended... poorly, to say the least, and led up to the Night of the Red Sun. Still, though, forefront in Blitz’s memory was how the old emperor had refused to touch that rod with his bare hands, “lest the vengeful dragon’s fire burn him”. Now this child played with it like a toy baton, casually tossing it around, and occasionally smashing the orb over the head of a weary old gray-feathered griffon in white robes whenever the old man tried to speak.

While Blitz recognized only three others in the chamber, and old habits cut in. First he briefly dipped his head respectfully to the old griffon, ignoring how poorly the emperor treated the man. A nagging half memory told him he should remember the griffon’s name, but in the haze of years, the name was lost. Then he refocused and rapidly memorized the stranger's features before lingering a moment on the two other familiar figures at either end of the table. Regal and masked, Twilight Velvet nearly glowed in the impossibly expensive robes of office that attempted to mimic Celestia’s morning sun. Across from her was General of the Royal Guard, born as Fierce Ridge, but known now as Bobby ‘Engagement’ Lee, a war hero around Blitz's own age, with a record longer than any other member in recent history.

Rising from her seat at the meeting table as Blitz and Spitfire entered, Velvet’s rainbow-coloured robe looked like something from one of the oldest and most obscure temples the richest and old-fashioned families in Canterlot helped fund. The vivid colours even reflected hints of the torch light as she looked to the child emperor, her voice barely hinting at her weariness. “My dear emperor, if I might introduce you to the beloved ‘Spear of Celestia’, Major Rainbow Blitz, a hero of the Night of The Red Sun.”

The use of old titles, old nicknames, and an old war might not have meant much to many back in Equestria, but the Royal Army General sitting at the table with the other advisors rose, and saluted with a fist over his heart. Thinking that they had first met long ago when both were hardly old enough to fit their uniforms made Blitz grin a little, but the main focus of his attention was on the child emperor. As one, the other council members rose, even the griffons who stared at Blitz with hate in their eyes… save for the old griffon who was always standing, his feet shackled together, and the child who rolled his lazy bulk over, his red eyes staring into Blitz's own.

Slowly, the young monarch rose, using the invaluable sceptre as a walking stick to support his awkward teenage weight. He crossed the distance around the table to stand before Blitz, the boy rocking on his heels as he stared over into Blitz's eyes. Finally an evil grin flickered across his face and he clapped his hands together. “Oh, this is rich! You promise your goddess is watching me, and if I let you keep your silly peace, I'll finally get to see a warrior like the kind my grandfather spoke of. So I let you keep your peace. And here he is! A real warrior, at last!”

Giggling from the back of his throat, a thick glob of spittle escaped the boy’s mouth and dribbled down his chin, but those red eyes were unblinking. In one fluid motion that looked almost unnatural for his bulk, the boy pulled out a rust-stained and pitted dagger from his belt, before offering it out to Blitz. “I've kept this as a trophy of my first two kills, Spear of Celestia. Do you keep anything to remind you of yours?”

It shocked and appalled Blitz that this simpleton had managed to kill both his sire and grandsire in a single night. Even Gilda had never been this bad… Carefully accepting the offered dagger, Blitz made a show of admiring it as if it were anything other than a steak knife that had been put to bloody use, going so far as to give it two experimental swipes through the air before reverently handing it back. “A marvelous choice, dear emperor. But in my day, we took no trophies. Our battles were too frequent, and our foes too many to linger over such petty indulgences.” Blitz wondered if this boy was really worth all the trouble Celestia had put into saving him. But if the peace of the nation was at risk...

With a smile that made Blitz’s blood run cold, the boy again offered Blitz the dagger, his voice almost deranged as his bloodshot eyes grew ever wider. “But those days are over now. Today, you can become the Dagger of Ashen Thunderhead, the Emperor. You need only kill ten… maybe twenty clans’ Alphas at most, and all of this will end. Your silly peace-keeping forces can go home. I'll even give you any reward you might want. Mares? Mullen? We even have a sapphire mine. I could armor you in the blood red gems if it will earn your loyalty.”

Like a rock, Blitz's heart fell at the open display of vile cunning, crude deception, heartless cruelty, and total insanity by the griffon teen. Blitz had no doubt that if he were to accept the offer, the teen emperor would denounce Blitz’s acts as that of a madpony, bent only on destabilizing the already-tenuous relationship Griffonstone had with Equestria. Pasting on a sad but remorseful expression, Blitz held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, his voice heavy with feigned remorse. “Would that I could, dear emperor, but my Goddess Celestia would book such an act as a betrayal to her will. She has commanded me to advise Lt. Colonel Spitfire during this campaign, and I would not defy my goddess’ will.”

The young emperor looked crestfallen, and re-sheathed his dagger while hanging his head. Leaning heavily on his scepter again, the young man dismissively waved at Blitz while he turned away. “Yes, yes of course! I understand. After all, what is an emperor compared to a goddess who has lived for over a thousand years? Forgive my youthful impulses.”

Turning to storm away, the emperor growled at the old gray-feathered griffon, grabbing by the beard and dragging him along by one hand. “Come along, Old Flightless Fool, my ‘Ambassador’! Come, take me to my harem. I bore of these pointless politics, my mullens must surely miss my company!”

Just like that, the boy was gone, escorted out of the back door by the same, broken yet oddly familiar old griffon he had been abusing with blows from the sceptre the moment Blitz walked in. Finally free to breathe, Blitz was shocked when several of the griffon advisors around the table also let out heavy breaths. Turning to the still-standing people gathered around, Blitz saluted the Royal Army general. “Forgive me, General Lee. I wouldn't have made you wait so long, but I get the eerie feeling that the new emperor would have taken my attention shifting from him for even a moment as a personal insult.”

With a casual wave, the general dismissed Blitz’s concerns while gesturing to the table and lifting a glass of water from the table. “I'd offer you a proper drink, ‘Spear’, but I was banned from such drinks a few years ago ‘for my health’. So water will have to do.”

Accepting a glass from an attendant dressed in the robes marked with the sigil of Twilight Velvet’s house, Blitz watched as the rest of the table sat down, save for Velvet and Spitfire, who spoke up first. “You’re not the only one who gets that feeling, Blitz. Yesterday, he offered two of my most promising lieutenants three rubies the size of my thumb to have a knife fight over the gems. And while I'm sure both mares would have the self-control to refuse such an offer, they are on patrol on opposite sides of the city, just to be sure.”

The hawk-eyed general looked just as weary as Spitfire had as she talked of the market riot, and Blitz could feel that mood was shared by most throughout the room. After a few moments of silence, Velvet spoke, breaking the dreary atmosphere. “Stallions, mares, I have known our goddess for longer than most in this room. Today has been long enough. We all know what we must do in dear Celestia’s name. Griffons, our dear hosts, thank you for always assisting our efforts to maintain order. Let us break now, and perhaps with a good meal, a night's rest, and our fresh reinforcements, tomorrow will look a little brighter.”

There was little joy in the muttered conversation as the room emptied, and eventually Blitz found himself alone with the ambassador, as even Spitfire had left him to his fate. In silence he stood, slowly drinking his cup of water, watching as she calmly bid the last of the council goodbye, shaking the general's hand and sealing the door personally.

As soon as the door was locked, something changed in Twilight Velvet’s stature. The moment they were alone, her presence suddenly shrank. No longer the avatar of Celestia's will, Blitz found she now suddenly stooped as if under a great weight, her head tilted forward a little, almost drooping. In one long breath, she let out a long, weary sigh that dragged on while her fingers worked at a fold of fabric in the hood of her impossibly luminescent robes. With a happy chuckle of joy, she withdrew a hidden pin that prevented her from removing the hood, and at last, let the flashy fabric fall down her back while brushing at her meticulously pinned-up hair. For the first time a genuine smile spread across the lips underneath the goddess’ mask that hid most her face. “Blitz! You don't know how good it is to see you here! I haven't seen you since- since the... Oh... dear. I'm- I'm sorry, Blitz."

The growing embarrassment in the mare’s eyes replaced the previous excitement she had clearly felt, and her hands began to fidget awkwardly. Blitz remembered the last time they had met outside of social events. He could recall the accident in every detail, but he certainly didn’t blame her for what had happened. Stepping closer, he put a hand on the mare's, squeezing gently. “We were there with you for a reason, Velvet. You didn't set those traps, and you tried to care for the cadet, but you were never a healer. I never blamed you. Ruins like that are booby-trapped. It's a risk we Wonderbolts are trained to take."

Burying her face in her hands, Velvet pulled away from Blitz and groaned out in frustration, a perfect contradiction to the perfectly calm and completely controlled ambassador that was on display when the room was previously filled by the advisory council. Returning to pulling pins free so she could finish shaking loose her violet hair, the gray and white streak reminded Blitz of Dusk’s similar pink and blue. "I'm so sorry, Blitz. I haven't seen you for even two seconds, and already I have firmly put my foot in my mouth. Some ambassador I am. Now tell me something about home. How is little Rainbow Dash? I haven't seen her since she was… five? Six? She ought to be what? Seventeen now, right?"

Surprised by Velvet’s intention to simply talk so casually about Dash caught Blitz off-balance, and he struggled not to laugh outright in response. Straining to keep from laughing out loud, he covered his mouth with a hand while he shuddered and shook with barely-suppressed mirth, grateful the ambassador was distracted with her hair.

When he finally got his self control back, Blitz shook his head, as he struggled to explain. “Dash? She's fine, Velvet, she even won the Young Flyers’ Competition. But- well, haven't you been getting Dusk's letters? I know he’s nowhere near as shy about writing as my Dash, surely he told you about their herd?”

Unlike Blitz, Velvet instantly burst into open laughter, dropping the handful of pins in her hand over the table at random while she bent over sideways, grasping her ribs with both hands as she struggled to subdue the overwhelming humor at Blitz’s response. “Oh, dear Celestia! Is she still really going absolutely all out on this ‘Dusk’s in a herd’ joke!? Come on, Blitz, she's been playing jokes like this on me for nearly forty years. First she started by replacing his last letter with some crazy tale about the Elements of Harmony. But other than the return of blessed Princess Luna, I’ve found no proof of that impossible story. Then, ‘Dusk’ stopped writing me at all, and now Celestia has spent most of a year spinning yarns nearly as impossible to believe as the ones she told me as a foal! I mean, how am I supposed to believe he somehow became magistrate of Ponyville, a little farm town of all places! I mean, it was a good joke, since it’d be a great place to get a new magistrate’s feet wet, but please, this is Dusk we’re talking about. He hardly leaves his books long enough to attend her classes, much less start any sort of herd. Celestia’s not going to win this one, so just forget whatever Celestia paid you to play along! I didn't believe her about that nonsense about a dragon either, so don’t even try this new joke about forming a herd!”

Staring at the mare as her laughter slowly died down and she started to wipe tears from her cheeks, Blitz couldn't help but wonder just how many stories were behind Velvet and Celestia’s strange relationship… or just how much Dusk had changed since she’d left to be the ambassador to the griffons. Calmly crossing his arms over his chest, Blitz waited, watching her with a level gaze. Finally, when she had finished laughing, he spoke up, smiling amusedly. “Velvet, look at me. I'm not part of whatever joke Princess Celestia is trying to pull on you. I just came straight from Cloudsdale, where I met Dusk for the third time. He's a very tall stallion, almost a giant for a unicorn, with hair like yours, but with pink and purple stripes. Dusk showed up unannounced with all his friends, having invented a cloudwalking spell so they could cheer Dash on during the Young Flyers’ Competition. I swear to you, Velvet, he really is in a relationship with Rainbow Dash, and at least two other mares… even if Dash is too shy to admit any of that to my face.”

Shaking her head slowly, Twilight Velvet gathered up the loose fabric of her dress robe, trying to rationalize what Blitz said. “I-I… I need to reread what Dusk wrote. Dear Celestia, Blitz! He’s never left Canterlot before, and… h-he can't really be one of the Elements!? I remember Celestia’s stories about them, but they were just that, stories.” Velvet began shaking her head, looking down at the table, and Blitz could tell that she’d momentarily forgotten he was in the room. “If he’s strong enough to use them, like in the stories… He was barely born when Celestia, when she sea-”

Biting her lower lip and cutting off something that left the elderly ambassador red-faced with worry, Velvet looked off somewhere far away. Several times she attempted to say something, yet each time she drifted off and returned to her distant, frightened expression.

Suddenly, she was in her ambassadorial mode again, back straight, shoulders squared, her expression as unreadable as Celestia’s when she wanted to keep something to herself. “Blitz? Do you swear to all of this? Is it all true? The duty of a magistrate? A herd of his own? Has he really come out of his shell? Is he really one of the Elements of Harmony?”

A second ago, Blitz had been tempted to offer the ambassador aid, but now he waved off such an attempt in the face of Twilight’s serious expression. Nodding, Blitz replied, “Until I saw them together for the second time at Dash’s eighteenth birthday, I would have thought the exact same thing. He's a big unicorn, but he's still tiny compared to Shining Armor. It's been so reassuring to see her find a healthy relationship after everything that happened between her and Gilda. I hadn't thought about the other things you bring up. But yes, Velvet, they are both Elements. Rainbow Dash is the element of Loyalty. I can tell you about their friends if you want. They’re all good mares.”

Stoic, the ambassador stood as still as a statue, hands at her side while she turned her head up towards the ceiling for a minute with her eyes closed. Only her slow and steady deep breathing suggested to Blitz that she was deep in thought, or possibly meditating. As the situation in the room grew uncomfortable, Blitz emptied his glass of water, and then cleared his throat to excuse himself from her presence. "Ambassador, if you-"

Without opening her eyes, Twilight Velvet shot up one hand, pointing one finger at him. She was quiet for a moment longer before finally releasing her breath in a tranquil sigh of exaltation. "No, but thank you for asking, Blitz. Will you escort me to my room?"

Whatever had happened to Velvet, she was calm again, smiling behind her mask and watching him. Calm. Blitz let out a small breath through his nose, thinking, ”Perhaps that's just how she deals with stress. Trying to negotiate peace between thirty or more clans of griffons out for blood alone is a monumental task… knowing her youngest foal is now a magistrate, and one of the Elements of Harmony can only make it worse.”

Reaching out, Blitz accepted the weight of Velvet’s hand where she rested it on his elbow, and moved towards the door she selected, speaking formally now. “Of course, Ambassador. If you are Celestia’s Voice, then I will again be her Spear.”

Opening the heavy portal out of the chamber, Blitz was impressed by the attentive way security was already awaiting them. Four towering earth mares in full plate mail waited inside the security checkpoint that protected the meeting room in this hallway. The three previous guards that manned the post had moved to wait in the ‘T’ junction of the hallway beyond. On each of their escort’s breastplates, Twilight Velvet’s sigil had been added, a white dove over crossed scrolls, representing treaties.

The first guard clamped a hand to her heart and bowed before speaking. “Ambassador. Your handmaids have already been escorted to their rooms. Do you wish to retire to your rooms? Or would you prefer if we stopped by the kitchens first? You were in there for quite a while.”

Smiling at the tall guard, Velvet’s voice was full of soft laughter. “Thank you Rose Garden, but I will decline. Right now, I need to see if my stallion has finally lost himself in a stack of books higher than his head or not, and then I need some sleep. But in the storeroom by my chambers, there are a few pots of cinnamon honey on the shelf behind the fresh bran. Take one of them for the maids and another for your guards, with my thanks for your tireless service.”

The giant nodded, lowering her salute and grinning wildly at the tiny unicorn. “Thank you, ambassador, I know something so sweet will be welcomed by everypony. Sleep well my dear friend, I'm sure you'll find Night Light somewhere under one tome or another.””

As two of the earth mares went off down the hall, the other two fell in behind Blitz and Velvet, and the guard ponies were finally allowed to return to their secure checkpoint. Walking close together with Velvet, Blitz kept his voice quiet, leaning in to keep private. “Do you often lose track of Night Light? I hear Dusk is just as bad at getting lost in a book.”

“Dusk takes after Night Light, but where Dusk gets into a book, his sire loves to find places where different revisions of a book vary. It's sometimes simply tragic to see the two of them lose an entire room when they get lost talking about obscure things like that.”

The next two hallways were sparse, with regular patrols of guards from all the clans, and even a few griffons, but as they took a long and winding climb to reach the third floor, a massive barricade, stretching from floor to roof had been built into the structure of the grand staircase, shaped like an inverted wedge, with an iron gate at the highest point. The effect forced anyone who wanted entrance to the third floor to stand in the gateway in the middle of the staircase, exposed to whatever weaponry the guards above held. Arrow slots lined the towering barricade's second story, while even as they approached, Blitz could count seven heavily armored soldiers wielding spears watching their approach.

Releasing Blitz's arm, Velvet stepped out before her escort and sang out softly. “I bring Rainbow Blitz with me, the Spear of Celestia. On my word, he is of no danger to the free mollen of this realm. May we enter?”

Pressing past others to reach the gate, a powerful mollen stepped into view, speaking out once she caught sight of Velvet with her own eyes. “If you give your word he is safe with the sisterhood, we welcome him, ambassador. But we warn you, ‘Spear of Celestia’, we won our independence from the last emperor, and we will die to keep our freedom.”

With the gate opened, Velvet gave him a nod and headed inside, so Blitz moved to follow after her quickly, realizing that the guards were heading in after her without a moment's pause. While those behind the gate varied in age, Blitz recognized one fact over all others: except for a very small number of exceptions, all were female, or under the age of twenty. Of the very few males, most were children, the few adults were dressed like guards and looked wary. They watched Blitz like he carried a bare blade in a threatening manner.

It was Velvet who explained to him what had happened as they followed the taller mollen the rest of the way up to the third floor, a place packed with more griffons than any other part of the castle. “When the last emperor was slaughtered by his grandson, I was visiting his harem, with a few healers I had hired from around town. When word of his death came, the mollens and mares were shaking with fear. In the past, some emperors have slaughtered the last emperor's harem. Sometimes even their families, to end the bloodline of a hated rival.”

Waving a hand back at the barricade, Velvet’s voice was full of wonder. “A long time ago, an emperor had the harem built into a private fortress to protect their purity for himself and any of those that earned access from him. It was the idea of Eagle Mother to declare the harem an independent clan. And for days she managed the gate alone, allowing only me and my guard access. With only one gate, and all of the windows barred to prevent escape, she turned a prison into a safe haven, where a mollen or slave mare could find peace from the endless rape and abuse of greedy alphas. Soon though, small families started to show up, begging for shelter. At first Eagle Mother refused all males entrance. But after days without sleep, she broke and took my advice. Now tocks with families are allowed in, and chucks with mothers inside may come in too. But both are given a single chance, and any offence is banishment for life. So far, the other clan Alphas are too busy to try to besiege us… and Eagle Mother has won several fights against those few Alphas that have tried to demand service, but she is one mollen. We need a better solution, but no answer is coming quickly.”

Glaring back over her shoulder at Velvet and Blitz, the Alpha mollen Eagle Mother scowled with anger. “You talk as if we have no plan! Once we have enough mollen who can fight, we leave! Rip down a wall and fly away. My clan came from the high mountains to the far north. The winters are cold, but there is plenty of game to hunt, and land for a new city! And far enough away that the other clans will not follow us!”

With a sigh, Velvet hung her head, visibly heartbroken by Eagle Mother’s simplistic point of view. But suddenly defiant, the unicorn straightened up almost right away and shot back angrily, “Who would farm? You can't! You would be dealing with challenges from the other Alphas nearly every day! No one clan has nearly half as many mollen as you! And at least half your mollen are mothers fat with chucks or chugs. Your population will grow by half as many again within a year, and your healthiest hunters and harvesters will be busy fighting for your independence almost every day!”

Snorting at Velvet’s solid logic, and ignoring the growing crowd that gathered to watch them as they grew louder, Eagle Mother slammed her fist into a wall with a flat slap of bare flesh hitting stone. “But at least we would have our chance at freedom! With so many, tock betas and clanless tocks and chucks would rush to join my clan! It's our best chance for freedom!”

Again, Velvet refused to show any weakness to the raging Alpha mollen. She snapped her tail hard against her robe, and took one aggressive step forward. “And you'll starve to death! You told me yourself, your childhood clan didn't even number a hundred wings all told! But you were subjected to raids by larger clans! Your mollen were kidnapped, your boys killed and your girls stolen! If your tock got a good hunt? You admitted to me the best of the kills were stolen by the raiders!”

As if he had seen this argument played out before, Blitz knew what the Alpha Eagle Mother's response would be even before she spoke up, and mouthed along her answer under his breath. “I will not turn over my clan to your goddess, Twilight Velvet! We are hunters who live on the wind and the power of our wings! Your goddess would take meat from our tables and order us to eat flowers! A flower is not a meal, it only distracts a huntress from hunger until she can find real food!”

“And you need to listen to me, you close-minded old-fashioned madgriffon! Celestia already has taken in your kind! They are treated as equals in Equestria! Just because your mollen told you fanciful tales about ponies when you were a newborn kit doesn't mean her words were the whole truth! You've seen me eat meat! Just because I don't have a taste for it doesn't mean ponies don't understand. Don't move to one of our cities! Celestia is kind! I'm sure we can find somewhere in Equestria where your clan could settle. The only two laws you would have to follow are practically identical to your own rules! No slaves! And no eating sentient species!” Now red in the face from shouting into the towering griffon’s face, Twilight Velvet stood chest to chest with the griffon that could easily break her in a single blow, showing no fear despite the overwhelming outrage between them.

Eagle Mother spat on the floor between them, and turned her back on Velvet, speaking with defiance before walking away heading down a different hall. “We are griffons. We eat what we hunt. We enslave what we need, and we are ruled by no gods but those of the wind. My clan will not kneel to your alicorn as long as blood pumps in my wings.”

Nearly ready to scream with frustration, Velvet turned around to Blitz and threw an arm out in the direction the mollen had left. “And to think, your sister-in-law used to be my definition of hard-headed!”

Behind Velvet’s back, a red-painted oak door opened, and a tired, but chipper old stallion stepped out in the hallway. Wearing a plush dark blue and purple smoking jacket, with a wooden pipe held lazily in one hand, two different, but very similar-looking leather-bound novels floated around his eye level, capturing the majority of his attention. But he called out gently, genuine concern in his voice as he looked away from the books. “Velvet? Dear? Are you alright? I heard shouting, again. You've been gone quite an awful long time. Would you like some rhubarb and strawberry jam sandwiches?

Blitz had never met Velvet’s husband before. Most of his work with her had been just that - work, and she had never brought her husband along for a typical job. He figured she was far too sensible for that. Seeing him for the first time, however, Blitz had expected Dusk and Shining Armor’s sire to be a giant like they were. Instead, the old stallion was a scholarly fellow, a few inches shorter and a few years older than his mate. Smiling softly, with attention only for her, he didn't even notice the other griffons in the crowded hallway at first.

Then a chug of eight or nine years pushed a small fruit basket into his free hand, speaking as boldly as she could. “Grandstallion Night Light? Can we have classes again today? I brought you fruit, like you said a good student does for their teacher.”

Witnessing this, Velvet’s frustrations melted away. Walking over to the young girl's side, she stole an apple from the basket and pushed the rest back to the child before giving the girl a squeeze on the shoulder. “He had better give you a good class, dear girl. Otherwise he hasn't earned such a good student.” Patting the chug’s head, Velvet leaned down to kiss her stallion’s cheek. Her voice playful, she hugged her stallion. “Well, it sounds like you finally found a new hobby besides dissecting identical reprints of books for typesetting errors. Good to know you're earning your keep.”

The natural way the two unicorns fit together in that silent moment was touching, but hard for Blitz to watch. He began to turn away, only to pause, realizing that he didn't even remember if Spitfire had mentioned where his rooms were. As he turned back, Velvet broke from Night Light’s arms and gave a motion to her guards before calling out. “Blitz? The mares will escort you back to your rooms or wherever you want, but don't keep them up all night. They work too hard for me as it is. And heed this warning: any mare or mollen who offers you company is almost guaranteed to have been hired by the emperor or one of his flunkies. Maybe even one of the richer Alphas. Don't trust any of them. At best, they want an excuse to rifle through your private papers. At worst? Too often, mollens are hired for their knives, not their bodies.”

Turning back to the two towering royal guard mares, Blitz thought for only a moment about roaming the castle before a pang from a stiff nerve on his back told him that, for today at least, it would be better to go seek out his own room. Offering the mares only a shrug, he smiled. “If you two don't mind, I had a long flight. If there isn't anywhere important for you to show me, let’s call it a night.”

Looking at one another, the guards gave each other a shrug before one of them gestured with her head. “You're on the second floor back in the main barracks, the hallway near where you entered the council room.”

Offering them no argument, Blitz turned after them and followed, unsurprised when the second guard fell in behind him, acting once more as a personal escort by habit more than anything else. Their walk was quiet, and while none of the griffons followed them, dozens of the mollen or older chugs reached out, touching the hands of both guards as they passed. To Blitz's surprise one or two even touched his hand as he passed. “Just how desperate are these poor women? I'm just a stranger with a name of their enemy. Have things gotten so bad in Griffonstone?”

Their walk was busier than before, but as it was still the middle of the night, most of the hallways they crossed were empty. The few times anyone challenged them in a hallway, the two guards grew instantly defensive, putting their hands on their sheathed weapons and entering a ready stance. Each time, whoever they approached would skirt aside, standing next to the doorway, and remain motionless until Blitz and his guards had passed.

Stopping suddenly before a door much like any other, the more talkative guard passed him a heavy brass key on a red ribbon, her voice soft, but serious. “Ambassador Velvet put you in the middle of the higher ranking royal guards and Wonderbolts. Until now, your room was reserved for her, but she’s been staying with the harem, so it’s gone unused until now.”

Accepting the key, Blitz drew a calming breath, shaking his head. “I suppose if they were fit for the Ambassador herself, I have no right to question anything. Did anypony outside her own staff know this was meant to be her room?”

Growing as rapidly wary as Blitz himself, the more talkative mare suddenly gestured with her head to her partner. She then thrust a hand over his mouth and pressed him against the wall of the hallway while pulling the key from his fingers to pass to the other mare. In a moment of tense silence, the guard used her free hand to draw her sword while standing out of view of the doorway while her partner opened it, drawing her hand from his mouth while whispering in his ear. “Say goodbye to us, Major.”

Understanding the mare’s intentions, Blitz called out in a voice he tried his best to make sound like he was weary, sleep deprived and fighting to hold back a yawn. “Th-thank you for the escort. But I’ll be fine from here. Good day, dear warriors.”

As Blitz spoke, the guard in the doorway stepped into the dark room, and for a moment, the room was silent. Then with a sudden battle-cry, she struck, and a tremendous splintering of wood echoed throughout the room and the hallway beyond. The guard next to Blitz rushed into the chamber, only for more silence to follow. Then a nervous, embarrassed cough and soft conversation came soon after. Realizing they had all overreacted, Blitz stepped into the open door and stared where the two mares stood, both ashamed as they looked at the destroyed closet door, rent asunder by the sword held in the quiet guard’s hand. Shaking his head, but keeping silent, Blitz gestured his understanding to her. “We’re all used to protecting others’ lives in dire situations, it’s my fault you two got so jumpy. Say nothing about this, and we will all do our best to forget it ever happened.”

For a moment, the two guards stood staring at one another, and then at last they offered him a salute, turning away and marching out the door. The talkative one paused in the doorway to smile back at him. “Do sleep well, it’s reassuring to see somepony that makes both the griffons nervous and Ambassador Velvet smile. If you need anything, one of us, or our replacement shift will be waiting here for you, sir. Trust no pony without the ambassador’s sigil.”

Closing and bolting the door as the mares left, Blitz at last breathed out in relief, pressing his head against the barrier and relaxing in the peaceful quiet in his new quarters.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a gruff, but far too familiar voice spoke up by his ear. “So you remain at least as wary as ever, Blitz. That’s good to hear. At least you won’t embarrass poor Rainbow Dash by dying in some idiotic accident.”

Heart suddenly racing, Blitz struggled to act casual and remain calm. Turning slowly around, he met the eyes of a mare he never thought he’d see again. It took all of his willpower to act like he was simply just considering her presence in his room, and tried to explain how the brown-feathered, gray-haired mare standing by the corner of his bed had somehow managed to get inside - much less go unnoticed by the two guards. Finally, he gave a level sigh, shaking his head, hoping he could hide the tempest of emotions he was feeling. “I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see you here, Dee. From everything I’ve heard, no situation ever manages to get so messed up without your help at some point.”

Shifting her weight to one hip, the mare didn’t even bother to laugh mockingly at him, rolling her raspberry eyes before poking him in the chest with one sharp fingernail. “I'm not here to take part in this debacle. Twilight Velvet has gotten herself involved in this far deeper than any plan I would have devised. I was sent here solely to see you. We need to talk, Rainbow Blitz.”

Despite his best efforts, Blitz struggled to keep his temper in the face of the mare from his past. Struggling to keep from growing upset, he balled his hands into fists and put them behind his back. “Oh? And just what in the Light could we possibly need to talk about? Dear Celestia, the last time we saw each other we both ended up too sore to move on our own! Besides, you sure as Tartarus haven't felt the need to keep in touch with me or my daughter for the past fifteen years. Have you even seen your niece since she learned to fly?”

Face growing red, the mare’s wings puffed out behind her back in frustration. Giving him a glare that could cut glass, she snapped at him, tone growing sharp. “I have been watching her every chance I’ve had! And now it looks like you're letting her go to some unicorn like a trophy mare! That family has a history of sticking its collective nose where it doesn't belong, and those parents are the worst of the bunch! Still, her ending up with that stallion is some kind of improvement over what could have happened. I never thought you’d ever recover after letting her get involved with that foolhardy, irresponsible, audacious, near-feral, virtueless mollen spawn of the rancid loins of the old emperor’s lineage!”

Ignoring her nail pressing into his chest, Blitz stepped forward, getting right into the mare’s face, no longer trying to play at calm. This always happened. She always knew just the right buttons to press, just what to say to get him riled up. Grabbing her wrist, he forced her hand aside, his grip holding firm as he glared deep into her eyes. His voice rose, the heat in it apparent, scalding in its accusation. “You don't GET to tell me how you're disappointed in anything I did while raising my daughter! You can't just pretend like you've got that right! Not after so long out of our lives, especially NOT after how you abandoned us when she died!” Blitz’s anger hit a wall, and even as he continued speaking, he felt his voice betray him, felt the old hurts coming back. His next words were nearly whispered. “Not after everything we were. After everything we could have been!”

For a moment they stared into each other’s eyes, Blitz breathlessly panting as they stood in silence, his words heavy in the air. When the mare in front of him remained silent, Blitz’s temper came back, and he practically spat the next words out. “Velvet warned me the griffons would send slave mares to try and seduce me. I never thought you'd be one of them.”

The mare’s eyes went wide, and like a whip, her hand shot out, smacking his cheek with enough force to leave it nearly numb with pain. But in the very next moment, she shoved him backwards, forcing him down to the bed before straddling his hips. Before Blitz could react, she mashed her lips against his in an aggressive kiss, nails already raking up under his shirt. Old emotions came back to the forefront, overtaking his good judgement, and before he could stop himself, he was already reacting to her body. Based on her own forcefulness, he already intimately knew just how much aggression she wanted, just how sensitive she was - like when he gripped the back of her head, crushing her against him. The sound of his shirt tearing only urged him on more, and he roughly pulled on her tail, earning a throaty groan from the mare on top of him.

She looked down at him, red eyes full of need, of anger, of… what might have been. Her voice was thick as she spoke, the words full of emotion. “Celestia damn you, Bee.” Then her lips were on his again, and he was lost in what they had been years ago.

Author's Note

And thus ends Dusk and Dash's date in Canterlot! What comes next? See you all soon in Chapter 16: Staremaster/A Dog and Pony Show

Quick grammar lesson to avoid reader confusion! This is also covered in the updated version of the glossary!

Griffon words for: Boy, Girl, Female adult, and Male adult and their insperation:

Male Child = Colt = Chuck From? Chick and Cub
Female Child = Filly = Chug From? Chick and Cub
Adult Female = Mare = Mollen From? Molly and Hen
Adult Male = Stallion = Tock From? Tom and Cock

Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 1

Thursday, April 14th, 5:30 am, Dusk’s Library, Ponyville

Lost in a comfortable sea of dreams, Dusk found himself being roused by foggy memories that began as a distant, distinct noise, despite sleep’s siren song. There was a voice... no, not one, but two, engaged in distant conversation nagging at his sleeping mind. The first memory that filtered in was garbled, a thick glob of words, sights and sounds all crammed together and jammed up. Faces were impossible to make out, but voices were easier to piece together. There was darling Barb, worry evident in her every word, even if she tried to sound angry. And Cadance, his favorite foalsitter, was talking about, what else: herds and foals, in such loving, gushing detail. Dusk couldn't help but smile to himself as he remembered that. The serenity in her open and honest joy was impossible to ignore.

Then Dash was back, and Dusk realized that he had moved on to a different memory. This one was a little clearer, and hot black tea was being helped down his throat. For some distinct reason, he knew this was the fourth cup, but it wasn’t the pain-relieving brew that Nurse Redheart put him on. Struggling against the distinctly unfamiliar taste, he remembered making a joke, before gesturing towards an unmade bed. There had been hesitation in Dash’s eyes and a momentary giggle before she made him finish the last glass and tossed a clean blanket over his head after he had laid down. In the warmth and darkness, he curled up with the blanket and drifted back to sleep.

How comfortable the idea of returning to sleep felt. In his arms, Dusk felt a warm body shift against him, hands and feathers brushing at his bare flesh. The weight of sleep seemed to push down on him again, trying to drive his nattering mind back into the comfortable darkness once more. That was when the first spike of pain exploded through his spine, the echoes of its painful course leaving Dusk’s mind aflame in the darkness. Thoughts of sleep burned away in the far too-familiar ache.

The distant voices were what returned first this time, after the pain finally made way for anything else. Breathing in ragged gasps, he began to repeat the meditative steps Redheart had drilled him on so many months ago. A slow breath in, and he tried to empty his mind despite the many chaotic thoughts attempting to force their way to the forefront. It worked, a little, but then there was a nagging memory of the train arriving in Ponyville long after dark, and a bitter exchange between Rainbow Dash and Barb that left him wondering what caused the two to start bickering.

Finally, when the pain had subsided to a level he could tolerate, Dusk regretfully opened his eyes to study his surroundings. The soft and inviting curve of Dash's neck was the first thing he saw, her head on his pillow, with hints of her wings and exposed bare back in the dim sunrise that glowed through his blinds. Realizing he would have to regretfully release her if he was to rise, Dusk tried to entertain the thought of returning to sleep, but only succeeded in fooling himself for a few brief moments before reality, and the next painful stab in his aching back, set in.

Making it free from bed and Dash's intoxicating warmth was a long, slow, and ultimately unrewarding process. The room was cool compared to her strong arms, and the tender brushes of her wings had been like having a second silk blanket in the bed that clung to him. Trousers felt like an impossibility in his weary state, so the pants he still wore from the night before would have to do. His housecoat, a bathrobe Rarity had made while prototyping her attempts to create a perfect magistrate’s robe, was at least thick, familiar, fleecy, and easy to pull on despite the way his shoulders cried out in protest at the ongoing torment.

The moment Dusk opened his bedroom door, a distant muffled conversation finally snapped into focus and he could at last make out the words. “... she just carried him upstairs and tucked herself in bed with him! Didn't even help me put away his laundry or go talk with Rarity and Applejack! She's lucky it was so late, or I would have went to get one of them myself!”

Bronze’s voice attempted to be comforting and calming, but Dusk could tell the mare had other things on her mind distracting her from Barb's half-angry ranting. “Now Barb, like you said, it was late when you three got home, and Dash had been partying with Dusk for a while before you met up with them and changed their plans for the night. An unplanned train ride back to Ponyville with a drunken stallion is probably really tiring. I'm sure Dash expected you to go to bed right away too. You'll see, I'm sure after she gets up she’ll be quick to go over to Rarity’s and tell the others all about her and Dusk, and how much she wants to join the herd.”

There was a sigh, and Barb's voice was soft as she spoke over the noise of rattling plates and the rush of water. “I suppose so, Bronze. But… well, Rarity and Applejack were helping me with the house chores for weeks before they ever made any moves on Dusk. And they were always open to me about what they wanted. Dash acts so flirty and carefree most of the time, but when I found her in Canterlot, she was trying to sneak Dusk out in the middle of the concert and he was blind drunk. I like fun as much as any dragon, but that's just not right!”

While dear little Barb started to wash up, Dusk felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't thought of poor Barb's feelings. She had gotten along so well with the other mares, and she always seemed awestruck by Dash's aerial tricks, that he hadn't foreseen this kind of mood overtaking the small dragoness. He closed his bedroom door loudly to announce he was awake, remembering how hard it had been to wake Dash at her place and hoping she would be just as likely to sleep through this as well. Then, yawning and making an act of stretching his arms over his head as he walked downstairs to join Barb and Bronze, Dusk kept up a bleary-eyed act, stumbling into the kitchen before surprising Barb with a hug. “Hey there, my number one assistant. It's good to have you home again. I hope we didn't rush you away too quickly last night.”

As distracted as he was by the pain in his back, Dusk didn’t miss the ruby hue that bloomed in Barb's cheeks, her spine scales standing on end and trembling slightly with her barely suppressed excitement. Hugging him tightly just below the ribs, Barb grinned up at him, her chipper voice gleeful. “Morning, Dusk! Got some hot water boiling for your tea. What do you want for breakfast? I made Bronze tomatoes on toast, but Rarity and Applejack did a great job keeping the icebox stocked, so I can make anything you want!”

Delaying only long enough to look over Barb's head to meet Bronze’s eyes, Dusk was surprised to see the guardsmare eating even so much as toast, remembering all too well her usual morning habit of fresh fruit and a jog. Grinning a little at the smile Bronze gave him, Dusk started to answer Barb, only to correct himself before he set off the protective dragoness. “Well that's good news Barb, because some mornings it was hard getting to the tea pot without your help. I'll be fine this morning, but I haven't really got much of an appetite… well, maybe a single piece of toast and some tomatoes, since you already have them out for our loyal retainer.”

Smirking over her slice of toast, Bronze gave a small half bow of her head from behind her elevated hand, her voice tinged with muffled laughter. “Good morning, magistrate. You know I could have delivered you tea in the morning if it was so hard for you to get up. Maybe I could carry you? Perhaps even pull you around on a chariot?” Taking a large bite from her toast, Bronze chewed thoughtfully before giving a playful shrug, chuckling just a little as she finished her thoughts aloud. “Now from what Barb tells me, you’re rather partial to a flask of wine or two when you’ve got nothing to do, and since your loyal Vicarius has all your paperwork up to date, no reason to wait.”

Rolling her eyes, Barb turned away from them and started heating the bread for Dusk’s breakfast while her tail wrapped around the body of the hot teapot, supporting it and drinking in the heat from the ceramic pot. She poured the hot water into a tall mug and started adding spoonfuls of the tea, and when she spoke, her voice was tinged with mild agitation. “The only reason I'm not saying anything to Rarity is because you and Dash were on a date. But if getting plastered like that is Dash's idea of a date then she's never staying over here again! And neither of you had better have thrown up in there or you'll be doing the laundry for at least a week, Dusk!”

Using a glimmering touch of his magic to take the heavy mug of tea from Barb as soon as he politely could, Dusk gently pulled away from the dragoness and joined Bronze at the kitchen table. Cupping the hot mug in both hands and enjoying in the heat, Dusk took a long deep draft of the herbal tea, glad for the familiar taste of the herbs. He had already resigned himself to the frustrating but soothingly numbing feeling that came when the medicine kicked in. Nearly anything was better than the constant stabbing pain in his back. Feeling like Bronze had ganged up on him a little with Barb, Dusk decided that after breakfast he would have to try his hand at revenge. “You really managed all of my paperwork, Bronze? What about the royal funding for the repairs we needed after the Parasprite outbreak? They've been dragging their heels over paying for the lumber for weeks.”

Sucking crumbs from her thumb, the young pegasus grinned at him, shaking her head. “All dealt with. Turns out that an old buddy of mine from boot is now secretary to one of Princess Cadance’s handmaids. After exchanging a few letters with her, we were able to finally get things started moving. Apparently the old buzzard that was handling your case file had never heard of Ponyville and demanded his assistant find proof of its founding and charter before he would process your claim.”

Intrigued, Dusk took another long draft of the tea, savouring the herbs for a moment on his palette. Even though he didn't care for their taste, the promise of their presence was more than enough to make them a familiar friend. At last, as the first distant feelings of numbing detachment began to form, Dusk gave a mild gesture to the guard. “I suppose it makes some minor amount of sense. If he'd never heard of Ponyville, and then some brand new magistrate suddenly started sending massive bills for repairs and replacement, I too would be very cautious, making sure to confirm that any of this was real before handing out thousands of bits to an obvious scam. Still, we are only two hours from Canterlot by express. Three with the normal service trains. It's disappointing we don't export anything famous enough to make Ponyville stand out on a map.”

Pulling Dusk’s slice of toast off the heat as Dusk and Bronze talked, Barb started to butter the bread lightly before cocking her head to the side so she could stare over at Dusk, speaking up in confusion. “What about Zap Apple Jam?”

Confused by her question, Dusk raised an eyebrow while staring right back at the dragoness. “On a tomato sandwich? That’s an odd and adventurous suggestion. Did Cadance or Princess Celestia teach you new bad habits for breakfast?”

Gawking at Dusk’s strange response, Barb was flabbergasted for a moment before she realized his confusion and shook her head vigorously. “No, I meant, isn't Zap Apple Jam popular enough to make Ponyville famous? It's at all the diners in Canterlot nowadays, and I swear I remember that back when I was a hatchling nopony used to carry it, right?”

His eyes widened as he realized Barb had stumbled right into a solid idea. Dusk drained the rest of his teacup, gulping down thick mouthfuls of the hot brew before gasping for air and fetching a quill and paper from his desk in the neighboring library. Ink pot following slowly behind in the grip of his magic, Dusk returned to his seat while fetching a jar of Zap Apple Jam Applejack had left in the pantry. He muttered under his breath as he examined the label for the rainbow jam. “Filthy has some kind of deal with Granny Smith, so the most important thing is to keep any redesign as close as possible to the existing branding. But space the right side out a little more so I can add details later…” Dusk started by swiftly sketching out a larger version of the label that proudly featured Filthy Rich’s smiling face and usual branding, working with care to adjust it all to the left, while still keeping the important information centered.

Watching as Dusk launched into a project outside his normal paperwork on such a sporadic whim, Bronze gestured at him where Barb would see, giving a questioning shrug while her jaw hung in shock. But Barb simply shook her head, turning away and letting out an overly-loud sigh before speaking softly. “He does that with projects. It's just Dusk’s way.”

No expert at graphics arts, Dusk was forced to slow down as he switched from sketching from the label on the jar to designing his own additional details in what little free space remained. “First add on Granny Smith as a balance to Rich, facing each other on either side of the main label. Then in a slightly smaller box below the branding, put ‘A proud product of Ponyville for’ …” Dusk’s voice trailed off as he tried to recall if Applejack had ever mentioned how old her granddam was, or even just when her family had started making the unique jam. Unable to recall anything valuable, Dusk very lightly wrote in the date of Ponyville's founding instead, though the half-true answer bothered him. “Make sure the typeset is smaller than the Rich family branding so Filthy doesn't complain… and make sure to fix that date before we show it to anypony. What do you think? That'll slowly let ponies know we exist, right?”

Turning the still wet paper to show to Barb and Bronze, Dusk felt confident in a small job done well. Instead both women stared in silence for a while, before Barb finally raised a finger and spoke up first. “Why not Applejack? She's the face of Sweet Apple Acres these days, right?”

A little surprised, Dusk looked down at the page from above, hesitating a moment before answering. “Well, yeah, but Granny Smith is a legend around Ponyville, and this is about promoting the town, not the farm, right?”

Bronze frowned a little as Dusk spoke, her eyes focusing harder on the paper in his hands before she grinned. “Then why don't you put her in her apron? It would help showcase her as the chef behind the jam more clearly, right?”

Delighted by the mare's idea, Dusk gave her a nod, returning to add that extra detail to the drawing. When Barb delivered his toast and tomato, he might not have even noticed if the dragoness hadn't stepped up on an empty chair and stood in his way while settling it down on the table before frowning crossly up at him. “I still don't see why you can't just have both of them there. They're a team, right? Granddam and grandfilly working together to make the farm great. And you'd better eat this and enjoy it before you answer, or I'm gonna bite you, Dusk.”

Well aware of just how much the tiny dragoness’ teeth could hurt, Dusk dried out his quill and capped the inkwell before wiping off his hands and picking up the toast. Barb had thoughtfully added a zip of mayo under the tomatoes as well as healthy hints of salt and pepper as seasoning. It was as he chewed on his third bite of toast when a fresh idea suddenly sprang to mind. Through a mouthful of his half-chewed breakfast, he asked, cautiously. “Why not the whole family? No reason to leave Mac and Apple Bloom out, right?”

Barb was glowering at him as she turned from the sink, but her expression calmed when she saw he was nearly through with his toast. Rubbing her jaw with one soap sud-coated hand, she gave a soft nod. “Seems like a good idea Dusk. Helps express the family unity that the Apples are so big into. Don't include Zecora or yourself though, at least, not until that stuff becomes official. By then, Filthy Rich will be begging for your face on the label. We all saw how badly he wants you to show up for his business opening last year.”

Looking down in an expression of deep concentration, his brow drew low as he focused hard on the page. Dusk bit at his lower lip, eventually nodding his head. “Well, I suppose that could work… but balancing it out is a real challenge. Perhaps if I put Filthy Rich at Granny Smith’s side, with the others behind them? Besides, I doubt Zecora would want in on a picture like this anymore than I would.”

Standing up on her side of the dining table, Bronze gave a moment's pause before loudly coughing into her balled fist to get Dusk’s attention. “You know, Dusk. You might be better off talking to Mr. Rich before devoting so much time into a project like this… he does employ Simply Art & Son to do that kind of work normally, after all. Who knows how well she’ll take you intruding into her years of expertise?”

Freezing in place as Dusk realized she was right, Dusk remained motionless, deep in thought for a moment, again chewing at his lower lip. As he processed her criticism, a low sigh hissed between his lips before he finally answered hesitantly. “I suppose I just spent a lot of time on something that she might have already mocked up before… still, it takes my mind off other things. Maybe if I approach her after Applejack, and pretend to be a befuddled and bored Canterlot noble, it might not come off as insulting… Tell you what, Bronze. Let me redo this with them all in one group, then I'll go wake up Dash. We've delayed your jog long enough, and she would have wanted you to join us for a run anyway.”

Turning on her heels away from the sink, Barb's spines stiffened and her shoulders hunched forward. “You drank so much last night that you couldn't even walk straight on the way home! Not to mention that Dash was saying your back was giving you a lot of problems! And! You just finished drinking a whole mug of Redheart’s tea! You are going to sit down and relax, take a day off, and see how you're doing tomorrow, or I’ll bite your tail off and make Applejack tie you down in bed before getting Fluttershy to babysit you like the foal you are!”

Carrying her plates to the sink, Bronze reached out and squeezed Barb's arm gently around the elbow as she slipped the dirty dishes into the near-boiling water, careful to avoid splashing herself. “You're probably right Barb, but you could have let me break it to him a little easier than that. Besides, I like how he looks with a tail, so I’d prefer if you didn’t bite it off… at least without a good reason.”

Dusk realized that despite Bronze being on his side, she wasn't going to let him get out from under Barb's watchful glare. Abandoning his plans to team up with Dash and tease Bronze mercilessly, Dusk returned to his drawing, speaking out of the side of his mouth. “I guess I get no say in this if I don't want to upset the friendship you two are finally starting to develop. But regardless Bronze, I was going to treat you and Dash to a trip to the spa after we finished with our jog. Maybe you and Dash should still go together; she loves overdoing it on our jogs and will probably need a massage afterwards anyways.”

Huffing, Barb glanced up at Bronze, keeping her arms crossed over her chest, before turning to glare at Dusk. “I get along with Bronze for exactly the same reasons I get along with Applejack and Rarity. They know how to do housework and are always willing to offer a hand. If somepony else learned how to help around the house, she'd be more welcome around here. You're just lucky I love you, or I'd have you tossed out on your butt, mister!!”

Fully aware that if she didn't disentangle herself from Dusk and Barb’s odd game of wills, it would probably drag her in and consume her entire day. Smiling innocently as she moved away from Barb's side, Bronze moved towards the hallway doorway, piping up in a gap in the conversation to excuse herself from the possessive dragoness and her obsessively absent-minded stallion. “Well, thank you again for breakfast, Barb. I’ll go talk to Dash and get my morning jog out of the way. I think you should draw more, Dusk, you really draw faces very realistically.”

If Dusk answered her, it came after Bronze began to climb the staircase to Dusk's room. A flash of memories back to the night Dusk had brought her here brought hesitation to her step, but Bronze found them more comforting this time, and firmed her grip on the banister as she continued up the stairs. Dusk’s door stood closed, but she confidently crossed the short distance and knocked as casually as she could. "Dash? Are you up?"

Muffled curses came from the other side of the doorway, and Bronze grinned a little bit to herself. "As similar as we are, it's funny how much she hates mornings."

Knocking lightly on the door once more, Bronze called again, louder. "I was just about to go for my morning jog, Dash. Dusk thought you might want to come along since Barb has him under house arrest for at least the day. I'd enjoy the company if you'd like to come."

Again a muffled response came from the room, and again it was difficult for Bronze to make out much of anything she said. Sighing gently, she grabbed the door handle and barged into the room uninvited. It was hard to not stare at Dash’s bare ass as she lay naked face down in a makeshift ‘blanket’ of pillows, half-buried under them all to hide from the soft line of sunlight that came through a thin gap in Dusk's curtains. Trying one last time, Bronze asked, "Dash? Dusk promised to pay for a trip to the spa afterwards if we go jogging together. I'll even preen your wings if you co-"

Bronze trailed off as Dash’s tail twitched, utterly distracted when the appendage curled around and framed Dash's perfect ass. She took a moment to admire the fine grooming the pegasus’ rainbow tail had received before she started to shift her admittedly lewd gaze up to Dash’s wings, unable to miss the fact the ace flyer badly needed a preening.

The sudden impact of a feathery pillow caught Bronze square in the face, catching her entirely unaware. In stunned silence, Bronze simply stood there and stared, considering what sort of response would be… appropriate. “In boot, they'd have flipped her mattress over on the floor. But with so many pillows and those wooden bedside tables, I don't know if I could flip it without hurting her...”

After a few more seconds, a decision came to her, and Bronze stormed up to the bed. Using her shock at the blow to the face to help with her impersonation of her old drill sergeant, she bellowed as loudly as she could, using her diaphragm to make her voice louder. “Rainbow Dash! You're getting up and going for a jog with me whether you like it or not!" The sound bouncing off the walls several times before finally fading away. Taking a hold of the sheets under Dash with both hands, she began to drag the lazy mare out from her pillow fort, muttering under her breath. "You're lucky I like staring at your butt so much."

Pausing her loud grumbling, Dash wiggled her flank before finally crawling out from the pile of pillows she had built up to protect her from the sun, stopping Bronze’s efforts to dump her on the floor, at least momentarily. Rubbing her eyes while turning to look blearily up at Bronze, she grinned a little. “You mean that little kiss Dusk delivered really was from you? Sounds like I just got even more popular.”

Putting her balled fists on her hips, Bronze glared back at Dash. Her frustration at how good Dash’s hearing really was only made worse by the lazy mare’s slow process of getting up. “Yeah?! Well maybe it was only ‘cause it was Dusk who delivered it. Now move it! You might have a nice ass now, but that can only hold a mare’s interest for so long. Keep up this lazy pace and I'll go see if Dusk wants to go to the spa, instead. At least I know he likes treating a mare right."

Reaching out to grab her pants and panties from the floor beside the bed, Dash rolled her head to the side and stuck out her tongue at Bronze. "You already said Barb’s got him under house arrest, and I'm up, I'm up!” She rolled onto her back as she started to get dressed, giving Bronze a long look at her pierced nipples. Dash grinned when she saw Bronze looking at them, barely holding back a laugh. “So just give me like... five minutes to put my freaking panties on. Why don't you go stretch and I'll meet you outside... unless you want to help me find a shirt?"

Rolling her eyes, Bronze snatched one of Dusk’s shirts out of the open drawer from his dresser, tossing it underhand squarely into Dash’s face in revenge before heading for the door. "There! You've been shirted. Now I'll be outside for five minutes, but no more. So catch up or eat my dust!"

* * *

8:00 am, a few miles outside of Ponyville

“Wait, what do you mean you haven't even talked to Rarity and Applejack about joining the herd?!”

What had started as a casual jog had turned into a fierce race that only grew harder and faster as Bronze kept matching Dash’s crushing pace with ease. Bronze enjoyed the freedom to race unburdened by her chainmail, trying her hardest to match pace with the agile pegasus.

Now, far from Ponyville and into the foothills of the mountains, Dash cursed under her breath for stopping to step under a convenient waterfall to cool off. Bronze’s questions made things hard. The more Dash said about finally hooking up with Dusk, the more the guard wanted to know about Dash joining the herd. Turning to face Bronze, Dash shook water from her hair. “Well, we talked about it a few months ago when they started setting Pinkie and Fluttershy up for dates with Dusk, but his horn had just been scarred by Gilda, and I didn't want to make a scene; it was my fault she came to Ponyville in the first place. I guess I could go talk to them sometime, but it's not like it's a big deal. They knew me and Dusk were gonna hook up eventually, right?”

Sitting on a rock at the edge of the pool that formed under the waterfall, Bronze shook her head at Dash’s attempt to play it cool and push away any responsibility. “But surely you realize there's a difference between ‘hooking up’ for one fun night and joining Dusk’s herd, right? Like, if Fleetfoot showed up and started ordering your weather team around without talking to you first, you'd be pissed, right?”

Suddenly wishing she hadn't said anything at all, Dash could already see where this conversation was heading. Hanging her head, Dash wandered out of the soothing waterfall and bit the obvious bait. “Well, sure, I mean obviously. But-”

“Then you should understand why Rarity and Applejack are going to be pissed with you if you don't go talk to them soon! Dusk’s their stallion. They've invested months into their relationship with him and making sure their lives work together smoothly. If you just butt in and start occupying Dusk’s time without negotiating some kind of deal, they might refuse you just out of spite!”

The exasperation in Bronze’s voice as she interrupted Dash made the prismatic-haired pegasus pause, before she finally approached the stone Bronze sat on. The guard mare grabbed Dash’s hands when she got close, squeezing them tightly. Worried by the seriousness in Bronze’s attitude, Dash tried to shake it off one last time. “But- well, we're friends. Why would they react like that, just because I'm fucking Dusk sometimes?”

Shaking her head, Bronze squeezed Dash's hands harder, worried by how much trouble Dash might cause by putting off a talk about the dynamics of their growing herd. Trying to keep her answer delicate, but concerned for her friend, Bronze tried again to explain. “Maybe in small towns and Cloudsdale, things are different, but I've seen enough in Canterlot to say this with authority: You've only gotten this far because they're your friends, Dash. Any other mares would have seen you inching in on their stallion weeks ago and put their foot down, harshly. So you need to go talk to them, because it won't just be a roll in the hay once in a while. It'll be dates, and plans, vacations, and foals, and a thousand other things!”

Running her thumbs over the back of Bronze’s gloved hands, Dash couldn't help but blush with shock at the sudden yet familiar change in the guard’s logic. “What is it with you and Princess Cadance!? Nopony is planning on foals yet, Bronze!”

At Dash’s sudden exasperation Bronze relaxed, easing her grip on Dash’s hands and smiled as she shook her head. The guardsmare leaned in closer so she could plant a kiss on Dash’s cheek. “Dash, you're so innocent. Don't you know? Foals aren't always planned! Sometimes they just happen! I know my ma didn't plan on having me when she was still such a young member of the royal guard!”

Shaking her head a little, Dash pressed her forehead against Bronze’s, sighing gently as she brought her arms around Bronze’s waist. Leaning down to nuzzle at Bronze’s throat, Dash gave a half-hearted sigh. “I suppose I should talk to them. Dusk’s a good stallion, and I do like Applejack most of the time. Even if she cheats half the time when we try to see who's better than the other at sports.”

Rolling her eyes at Dash’s playful jest about Applejack’s athletic ability, Bronze trailed her hands down Dash’s body until she managed to sink her hands into the back pockets of Dash's pants and squeeze her ass. “How about we hit the spa together, then go deal with talking with Rarity and AJ? I'm sure together we can get through the conversation, right?”

Grinning as she wiggled her ass against Bronze’s hands, Dash nodded with enthusiasm. “Oh, sure. If we ever finish at the spa, I suppose we could.”

* * *

Noon, On the way to Rarity’s boutique, Ponyville

The cool breeze that blew through Dash’s freshly preened feathers made for a heavenly distraction for the jumble of nerves in her belly during the walk to Rarity’s boutique. Bronze had given her wings such an extensive grooming that she couldn't help but spread them wide in the midday warmth and soak up all the warmth she could. Squeezing Bronze’s hand, Dash offered her a grin. “I have to admit, Bronze, I don't think I've had that good a feather preening since Fluttershy was in heat and Rarity was visiting her parents. Don't tell me you're secretly a pro masseuse too. ‘Cause some days my legs ache so bad, and-”

Rolling her eyes, Bronze squeezed Dash's hand back, shaking her head a little as she snickered softly. “No such luck, Dash. I figured that was why you spent so long talking about back massages with Lotus while I was changing. Don't tell me that I'm so rusty at flirting with mares that you lost interest already.”

Wrapping her freshly-groomed wing around Bronze’s shoulder, Dash leaned in close and kissed the mare’s cheek, smirking with devious glee. “No, not at all. Lotus just does their massage classes. Dusk’s back bugs him, right? So I figured if I can learn how to give massages, I might be able to help him relax and feel at least a little better.”

Nodding along a little as Dash spoke, Bronze stopped in her tracks and slapped a hand to her cheek. “Oh! By the Light, I’m such an idiot! Rainbow Dash, that's brilliant! I should arrange classes with Lotus, too. Giving Dusk massages would be a great way to get over how... uneasy Dusk makes me feel.”

Forced to withdraw from the comfortable way her wing hung around Bronze’s shoulder, Dash let go of Bronze’s hand and began to uproariously laugh at how suddenly timid the suddenly-blushing guardsmare looked. When she could breathe again, Dash asked, “Wait, wait, what? I thought you and Dusk were already a real item. Especially after the little show you two put on for Princess Cadance during Rarity’s fashion display.”

Blushing even harder as Bronze wiggled her index fingers against one another, she focused on her gloved hands to avoid looking Dash in the eye. “It's- well of course I like Dusk! It's just- well, when he looks into my eyes like that… or holds my hands, or gets all romantic and sweet… My knees go weak and my heart gets all fuzzy. It- it… it reminds me of how I felt under the Poison Joke. My emotions flare up, my heart beats a mile a minute and I have flashbacks to all the horrible things I was willing to do to have Dusk to myself. Because I just want him so badly, but I get it now, and I've got it under control. Besides, he's a good stallion. He'd never take a mare who was out of her mind like that. It’s why it’s all so frustrating because it just makes me want him even more.”

Almost giggling in delight, Dash pulled Bronze into a tight hug and kissed her tenderly before leaning in to whisper into her ear. “Did you know that you’re nearly as adorable as Fluttershy when you act like this? But you should join me! Lotus isn't even charging me that much. Twenty-two bits for six classes, and I'd enjoy the company. You could probably even get Dusk to cover it for you under ‘training and skill development’, or some bureaucratic junk like that.”

Hesitating at the idea, Bronze only began to slowly follow Dash towards the door when the weather mare used her wing to urge Bronze on. It wasn't until Dash’s rapid knock on the back door of Rarity’s home that the guard finally caught up and spoke. “Well… I suppose so, Dash.”

Still subtly laughing at her friend, Dash twisted the knob and opened the back door to Rarity’s house before calling out for the fashionista. “Rarity?! You busy with anything? Bronze thinks we should talk about Dusk… i-if you don't mind.”

Before she even heard an answer, the sound of blue jeans and leather chaps rustling against each other set off warning signs in the back of Dash’s mind, sending a shiver of nervous fear down her spine. Then Applejack spoke up, close enough that her mellow tone was clear as day to Dash’s sensitive ears. “Well, well, well. I'm guessing you were right after all, hun. Go on, invite her in. This fitting can wait awhile, but a stallion rustler? That's something that needs addressing right away.”

Dash couldn't help but shiver at the sound of Rarity’s heels clicking against the polished wooden floors, her casual stride echoing through the otherwise calm house. The fashionista stepped into the entryway in a nearly-sheer white silk dress, the taut fabric clinging to her majestic breasts. The backless piece was so low-cut that her tail barely managed to cover the hint of her perfect ass revealed by her dress.

With a nearly wolfish curl of her lips into an aggressively knowing smirk, Rarity practically purred her next words. “Good afternoon, Rainbow Dash. I take it you had a good time in Canterlot, since it took you so long to finally stop by?”

Applejack followed Rarity into the room, placing one hand on the unicorn’s bare shoulder. The pegasus couldn't help but feel momentarily lonely at how good, how close the two mares looked together. Straightening her back to stand as tall as she could, Dash carefully folded her wings neatly against her back and walked into the house completely, leaving the door open for Bronze to follow. “Hi uh- Rarity. Applejack. You see- err- the thing is, I was out jogging with Bronze this morning and she pointed out how I was being rude to you and Applejack for not thanking you for letting me have Dusk to myself for a few days, since you three have already formed a herd together.”

Dash jumped slightly when the door behind her let out a well-oiled click as it shut. A moment later, Bronze’s toned arms slipped around Dash’s hips in a supportive hug, and she nestled her chin on Dash’s shoulder, nuzzling comfortingly against the side of Dash's neck. If she was going to say anything, however, Rarity beat her to the punch. “Well, Bronze. You brought her here, but what do you think? Is she good enough for Dusk? For our stallion?”

Heart in her throat, Dash struggled to swallow as she looked Rarity in the eye, her tail flicking in nervous shock against Bronze’s thighs even as she balled her fists nervously at her sides. “Wait- wow! Why does she have a vote on this? I thought only you two were a part of Dusk’s herd!? She hasn't even slept with him yet!”

Applejack’s hand drifted down from Rarity’s shoulder to trail a finger down along the pale mare’s back, and she offered a broad shrug of her shoulders at Dash’s interruption. “Because she's already talked to us about how she feels about Dusk. Doesn't matter if she's officially part of the herd yet. But don't worry, since you saved Dusk in Cloudsdale, we could probably be convinced to let you in.”

Dash jumped again at the soft, wet pressure of Bronze’s tongue dragging over the nape of her neck. Dash shivered with pleasure, mind turning towards several interesting possibilities this situation almost seemed to promise. Speaking softly beside her ear, Bronze’s voice was low, and her lips tickled the flesh of Dash’s lobe. “I want her in. She's really dedicated to Dusk’s well-being, and I'm sure she'll learn to deal with sharing Dusk’s schedule with us.”

Closing the distance to stand before Dash, Rarity's heels echoed through the room with powerful clicks, while her eyes glittered with mischievous hunger. Leaning forward to stand on her toes, Rarity stroked Dash’s cheek before leaning in close, whispering gently in the same ear Bronze just tickled. “I think you'd fit in quite well, Dash. We just have to settle a few questions of scheduling and … compatibility.”

Finally understanding and joining the other three mares’ train of thought, Dash slipped her hands around Rarity’s bare hips, fingers trailing gently along the mare’s smooth skin. Cupping two handfuls of Rarity’s nearly-exposed ass, she squeezed appreciatively, eagerly. She met the hunger in Rarity’s eyes, excited to see where this was going. “Compatibility? I'm really good at being… compatible.”

As she pressed a kiss down onto Rarity’s soft lips, Rainbow Dash’s tail flicked where it was trapped between her and Bronze. Dash heard the guardsmare let out an eager noise behind her, and as she squeezed Rarity’s small body more firmly against her, Dash Couldn't help but think, “Was this why Bronze was acting so playfully at the spa? Well don't worry, soldier girl, I still have plenty of new tricks to show you, too.”

* * *

Saturday, April 16th, Fluttershy’s Cottage, Ponyville

Scratching gently under Harry's massive jaw, Fluttershy giggled at how the massive bear rumbled with delight at her attention, scooping her up in his arms and squeezing her tightly. Laughing like a filly, Fluttershy pressed her hands into his coarse chest hair, giving herself a little free space while laughing at the cuddly giant. “Enough, enough! I don't need anymore kisses, Harry! Go on your silly trip and have fun! It's not like you'll be gone so long that I forget your face!”

Releasing a slightly cubbish grumbling murmur, Harry nuzzled Fluttershy’s cheek one last time before setting her down at his feet. He then began casting his snout into the air, sniffing aggressively at the wind, hunting for a promising scent. Pausing to gaze over at her one last time, Harry growled a sweet-natured goodbye and padded off towards the Everfree, following the half-remembered scent of the mountain stream he had successfully fished from in the past.

Waving as enthusiastically as she could, Fluttershy fished up her abandoned garden hoe and leaned on it before finally calling out to the bear as he began to disappear into the treeline. “Enjoy your fishing trip, you big galoot! Just try not to hurt anyone you don't have to!”

Returning to work on her summer garden, Fluttershy began to softly whistle along with the birds. Enjoying their song as it filled the air, she carefully adjusted her phrasing just a little bit to remove the lewd meaning of the bird’s song. Besides, she wasn't like her bird friends, she wasn't looking for a mate, she had already fou-

“Fluttershy! Oh Fluttershy, darling!” Rarity’s powerful voice carried clearly through the open clearing around Fluttershy’s cottage, even though she was still some distance away on the pathway to the little bridge over the creek. Peeking up from her hoeing for weeds, Fluttershy wished she had taken Dash up on at least some of the extra training she always offered. In situations like this she'd have loved the extra clarity of vision Dash treated so casually. Turning away from the garden a moment, Fluttershy stood on her tiptoes and spread her wings before waving at Rarity, happy to see her beloved mistress, whatever her reason for visiting may be.

Beyond Rarity’s striking purple hair, Fluttershy was sure the mare was being followed by a small group of ponies, and nervously started to shift her grip on the hoe, her wings folding in against her back. Reminding herself to stay calm, Fluttershy studied the distant ponies, able to make out almost no details of who it was from so far away. As the older mare approached, she wasn't quite alone, little Barb followed close by Rarity’s side, her sweet voice a pleasant surprise. “But Rarity! Are you sure she won't mind?”

Shifting down to scoop up the short-legged dragoness in one arm, Rarity’s voice softened to a more private tone, just loud enough for Fluttershy to hear. “She's her own pony, Barb, but if I sweeten the deal enough for her, I don't see why she'd ever refuse such a good offer…” Shifting her free hand to begin scratching deeply under the curve of Barb’s jaw, Rarity giggled, loudly whispering into the dragon's earfin. “Besides! I convinced you to go gem hunting with me, and as hard a bargain you demanded, she's a real softie in comparison!”

Blushing despite her best efforts, Fluttershy stood up for herself as best she could, pouting only a little bit. “I'm not that much of a pushover, Rarity! But if you need a favor, I'll try to help. Just don't expect me to host a party for all of your friends over there! I've got gardening to do, and Angel Bunny is off on a date with Lady Argyle; the lovely bun buns are getting along so well!”

Something caused Rarity to hesitate, pausing as she looked down into Barb's eyes for a brief moment before she gently smiled again, shaking her head. “Oh, no no, Fluttershy, darling. I promise you don't need to host any parties. You see, the thing is, today is my turn to host the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ weekly sleepover, but just this morning, I have a surprise visit from none other than… Sapphire Shores, the Pony of Pop! She saw the designs I made for Hoity Toity a few months back and literally begged me to make a dress for her new tour! Now I’ve hired Barb to come help me find and dig up sapphires for the design I've got in mind… but I can't just go dragging four innocent little foals all over Equestria hunting for gems just to make my masterpiece!”

Shaking her head along with Rarity, Fluttershy went through a rapid series of emotions, including shock, joy and remorse, as Rarity spun her tale. Pouting a little, she reached out to scratch Barb's spines to soothe her own frayed nerves. “Oh my! That's just so wonderful, Rarity! It's just so lucky you got to meet a pony as private and majestic as Sapphire Shores! So who did you find to foalsit the girls for you?”

The audible sound of Barb's open palm impacting her brow while she softly groaned just loudly enough to make Fluttershy gasp with worry. “Oh dear! Are you alright, Barb, sweetie?”

Struggling not to titter with laughter at the innocence of her pet, Rarity took her hand from Barb's scales and stroked Fluttershy’s cheek with a thumb. “I'm sure she's fine, Fluttershy, really I am. But on the foals, that's where I need your help. You see, my parents are away on a business trip to Trottingham, and Applejack is hosting Rainbow Dash and Bronze’s ‘training session’ in the apple orchard, and we both know that's just not something young foals need to get involved with.”

Nodding along with Rarity’s explanation, Fluttershy started counting off the foals’ families along with her mistress. “Oh dear! And I know that Derpy and Amethyst asked Big Mac to do the mail for them while they're in Canterlot for Ame’s checkup.”

“Exactly, Fluttershy!” Rarity’s obvious relief at how her innocent friend had started to finally pick up on what she was gently leading the mare up to. “Thankfully or not, it turns out that Peppermint Twist’s family went to visit family over in Fillydelphia, so we only have four foals to find a sitter for…”

Pouting heavily now and crossing her brow, Fluttershy didn't even notice as a foal politely took the hoe from her hands, focusing more on Rarity's problem. “Oh dear, oh dear. That really is a shame! Well… what about Dusk? He’s only a little bit absent-minded, I'm sure with Barb's help… oh no, that won't work either! You need Barb for your sapphire hunt! I don't know who to suggest, Rarity! I love Pinkie, but… well, she is Pinkie…”

Unable to help but reflexively reach over to fluff Sweetie Belle’s hair as the foal paused at Fluttershy’s side, she offered Rarity a sad smile. “I'm really sorry, I don't know who else to suggest to foalsit for you, Rarity.”

Placing a supportive arm around Fluttershy’s back under her wings, Dusk flashed a momentary smile at Rarity and Barb before joining their conversation. “Say! Fluttershy, would you be willing to foalsit the girls with me? I'm sure you could keep me focused on them and we could use it as an excuse to spend the day together.”

With a content sigh, Fluttershy gazed up into Dusk’s eyes, letting go of Sweetie Belle’s hair so she could wave at Dinky as the quiet foal ran across the small wooden bridge over the little creek by her house in a foot race with Scootaloo. Considering Dusk’s suggestion, Fluttershy leaned her weight into his side and turned slowly around, discovering that Applebloom was just finishing with the hoeing of her garden with a happy smile. “Apple Bloom? Why- when did you get here?”

Rolling her eyes, the filly gathered the weeds she'd removed from the large carrot and lettuce patch, tossing them into Fluttershy’s compost pile before returning the hoe. “I came with everypony else, but since you were all taking so long and talking, I figured the least I can do is help you with your gardening. So will you host our Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover? Please??!”

Finally realizing she’d been set up the whole time Fluttershy looked over the four fillies as they joined in with Apple Bloom, softly begging while turning on their big eyes and cutest expressions. Laughing softly, Fluttershy walked out of Dusk’s arm and pulled out her hankey, brushing dirt off the earth filly’s cheek. “Oh, of course you can! I'm not some monster, how can I refuse somepony so cute and willing to help me garden?!”

Jumped by all four fillies at once, Fluttershy fell to the ground under their combined weight giggling and struggling against the overexcited fillies. Dusk turned to Rarity, shaking his head. “Just, you two dig carefully, alright? We don't need some hole caving in on your heads.”

Dismissively waving at him, Rarity grinned. “Oh, pshaw! I found a decent-sized collection of sapphires on Applejack’s land years ago, and just never needed them enough to dig so many holes in… dirt until now. Even if I split them fifty-fifty with Barb, there is easily more than enough to make Sapphire Shores’ dress!”

Beaming in Rarity’s arms, Barb nodded enthusiastically. “Besides! We’ll be nice and close to the orchard, so if we do need extra help, Applejack, Bronze, and Rainbow Dash will be just a few minutes’ jog away!”

Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 2

Saturday, April 16th, 9am, Fluttershy’s Cottage, Ponyville

Gently scratching the bottom of Harry’s massive jaw, Fluttershy giggled at how the gigantic bear rumbled with delight at the simple attention. When he scooped her up and squeezed her tightly, she laughed brightly, feeling like a filly in his massive arms. After a few moments of the bear’s soft hug, Fluttershy pressed her hands into his coarse chest hair, pushing against him to give herself a little free space as she giggled at the cuddly giant. “Enough, enough! I don't need any more kisses, Harry! Go on your silly trip and have fun! It's not like you'll be gone so long that I forget your face!”

Releasing a murmuring grumble that made him sound like an oversized cub, Harry nuzzled Fluttershy’s cheek one last time before setting her down at his feet. He then lifted his snout into the air, sniffing aggressively at the wind, hunting for a promising scent. Pausing to gaze over at her one last time, Harry growled a sweet-natured goodbye and padded off towards the Everfree, following a half-remembered scent from a mountain stream he had successfully fished from in the past.

Waving as enthusiastically as she could, Fluttershy picked up her abandoned garden hoe and leaned on it before finally calling out to the bear as he began to disappear into the treeline. “Enjoy your fishing trip, you big galoot! Just try not to hurt anyone you don't have to!”

Returning to work on her summer garden, Fluttershy began to softly whistle along with the birds. Enjoying their song as it filled the air, she carefully adjusted her phrasing just a little bit to remove the lewd meaning of the bird’s song. After all, she wasn't like her bird friends, she wasn't looking for a mate, she had already fou-

“Fluttershy! Oh Fluttershy, darling!” Rarity’s melodic voice carried clearly through the open clearing around Fluttershy’s cottage. Peeking up from her hoeing for weeds, Fluttershy wished she had taken Dash up on at least some of the extra training she always offered. In situations like this she'd have loved the extra clarity of vision Dash treated so casually. Turning away from the garden a moment, Fluttershy stood on her toes and spread her wings before waving at Rarity, happy to see her beloved mistress, whatever her reason for visiting may be.

Rarity’s striking purple hair made her stand out clearly, but Fluttershy was sure the mare was being followed by a small group of other ponies. Nervously shifting her grip on the hoe, her wings folded in against her back. Reminding herself to stay calm, Fluttershy studied the distant ponies, but was unfortunately unable to make out any details from so far away. The one pony - or dragon, as it were - that Fluttershy could see accompanying Rarity was adorable little Barb. The small dragon was asking a question that carried through the clearing easily, and Fluttershy could hear the hesitant tone in her normally sweet voice. “But Rarity! Are you sure she won't mind?”

Shifting down to scoop up the short-legged dragoness in one arm, Rarity’s voice softened to a more private tone, but it was still just loud enough for Fluttershy to hear. “She's her own pony, Barb, but if I sweeten the deal enough for her, I don't see why she'd say no…” Shifting her free hand to begin scratching deeply under the curve of Barb’s jaw, Rarity giggled, loudly whispering into the dragon's earfin. “Besides! I convinced you to go gem hunting with me, despite the bargain you wanted! Fluttershy is a real softie in comparison!”

Blushing, Fluttershy called out to her lover, pouting only a little bit. “I'm not that much of a pushover, Rarity! But if you need a favor, you know I'll try to help. Just don't expect me to host a party for all of your friends behind you! I've got gardening to do, and Angel Bunny is off on a date with Lady Argyle; the lovely bun-buns are getting along so well!”

Something caused Rarity to hesitate, before the fashionista finally crossed over to the garden wall and placed Barb down on it. Smiling, Rarity shook her head before speaking. “Oh, no no, Fluttershy, darling. I promise you don't need to host any parties. You see, the thing is, today is my turn to host the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’ weekly sleepover, but just this morning, I had a surprise visit from none other than…” Rarity’s voice went soft, filled with awe, and Fluttershy could see the stars in the mare’s eyes as she went to continue, “Sapphire Shores, the Pony of Pop! She saw the designs I made for Hoity Toity a few months back and literally begged me to make a dress for her new tour! Now I’ve hired Barb to come help me find and dig up sapphires for the design I've got in mind… but I can't just go dragging four innocent little foals all over Equestria hunting for gems to make my masterpiece!”

Nodding her head along with Rarity, Fluttershy went through a rapid series of emotions, including shock, joy and remorse, as Rarity spun her tale. Frowning, Fluttershy reached out to scratch Barb's spines to soothe her own frayed nerves. “Oh my! That's just so wonderful, Rarity! It's so lucky you got to meet a pony as popular and majestic as Sapphire Shores! So who did you find to foalsit the girls for you?”

The audible sound of Barb's open palm impacting her brow while she softly groaned just loud enough to make Fluttershy gasp with worry. “Oh dear! Are you alright, Barb, sweetie?”

Struggling not to burst into laughter at the innocence of her friend, Rarity took her hand from Barb's scales and stroked Fluttershy’s cheek with a thumb. “I'm sure she's fine, Fluttershy, really. But as for the foals, that's where I need your help. You see, my parents are away on a business trip to Trottingham, and Applejack is hosting Rainbow Dash and Bronze’s ‘training session’ in the apple orchard, and we both know that's just not something young foals need to see or get involved with.”

“Exactly, Fluttershy!” Rarity’s voice sounded relieved. Fluttershy herself was glad that Derpy and Amethyst were going in for a checkup - the thought of little Dinky potentially having a baby sibling was almost too adorable! Rarity continued, seemingly unaware that Fluttershy had withdrawn into her own thoughts for a few seconds. “Thankfully or not, it turns out that Peppermint Twist’s family went to visit relatives over in Fillydelphia, so we only have four foals to find a sitter for…”

Frowning heavily now and her brow lowering, Fluttershy didn't even notice as a small pair of calloused hands politely took the hoe from her hands, so focused was she on Rarity's problem. Sighing, Fluttershy said, “Oh dear, oh dear. That really is a shame! Well… what about Dusk? He’s only a little bit absent-minded, but I'm sure with Barb's help… oh no, that won't work either! You need Barb for your sapphire hunt! I don't know who to suggest, Rarity! I love Pinkie, but… well, she is Pinkie…”

Shaking her head, Fluttershy could only offer Rarity and Barb a sad smile. “I'm really sorry, I don't know who else to suggest to foalsit for you, Rarity.”

Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her skin when an arm wrapped itself around her waist. She had already taken a half-step back before she looked over with wide eyes and saw that Dusk had apparently been one of the ponies following Rarity. Relaxing with a sigh, she stepped towards Dusk, wrapping her own arms around his waist as he squeezed her against him gently. She pressed her face in against his shoulder, glad to see he still seemed to be doing so well after Cloudsdale.

Smiling down at her, Dusk’s voice was playful, and Fluttershy knew from his tone that he’d heard her earlier. “Say! Fluttershy, would you be willing to foalsit the girls with me? I'm sure you could keep me focused on them and we could use it as an excuse to spend the day together.”

Blushing at how he was teasing her now, Fluttershy gazed up into Dusk’s eyes, her wings shuffling on her back in nervous excitement. Considering Dusk’s suggestion, Fluttershy leaned her head against his chest for a moment, eyes closing as she sighed contentedly. Her eyes opened in surprise when she heard the hoe hitting dirt, and turned towards her garden, discovering that Applebloom was weeding her garden with a happy smile. “Apple Bloom? Why- when did you get here?”

Rolling her eyes, the filly gathered the weeds she'd removed from the large carrot and lettuce patch, tossing them into Fluttershy’s compost pile before leaning on the hoe. “I came with everypony else, but since y’all were taking so long talking, I figured the least I could do is help you with your gardening. So will you host our Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover? Please?!”

Finally realizing she’d been set up the whole time, Fluttershy looked over to find the remaining three Crusaders already trying to look as pitiful as they could. Their eyes were all big, and lower lips were pushed out in a cute little pout on each face. Laughing softly, Fluttershy walked out of Dusk’s arm and pulled out her hankey, brushing dirt off Apple Bloom’s cheek. “Oh, of course I will! I'm not some monster, how could I refuse somepony so cute and willing to help me garden?”

Jumped by all four fillies at once, Fluttershy fell to the ground under their combined weight, giggling and struggling against the overexcited fillies. Dusk turned to Rarity, shaking his head. “Just, be careful while you’re out there, alright? We don't need some hole caving in on your heads.”

Dismissively waving his worries away, Rarity grinned. “Oh, pshaw! I found a decent-sized collection of sapphires on Applejack’s land years ago, and just never needed them enough to dig so many holes in… dirt until now. Even if I split them fifty-fifty with Barb, there are easily more than enough to make Sapphire Shores’ dress!”

Beaming from where she sat on the fence, Barb nodded enthusiastically. “Besides! We’ll be nice and close to the orchard, so if we do need extra help, Applejack, Bronze, and Rainbow Dash will be just a few minutes away!”

The fillies that were piled on Fluttershy finished thanking her, and finally let the pink-haired mare stand. As she stood up, she brushed her dress off, trying to get any dirt and dust off the fabric. Watching as the fillies ran off towards her cottage, Fluttershy smiled at their carefree attitudes. Turning back to Rarity, her soft voice lacked any of Rarity’s casual confidence. “Well… I suppose so… just, keep Barb or somepony close by? That way if you get stuck in a hole, she can go find help, okay?”

Helping Barb hop down off the fence, Rarity turned and stroked Fluttershy’s cheek tenderly. Giving the nervous mare a strong hug, Fluttershy was forced to stand up a little taller in the process. Standing on her toes to kiss the mare’s cheek before letting her go, Rarity’s voice was bubbling with joy. “I'll be fine darling, really I will. Now you two keep an eye on the fillies!”

The fashionista turned to Dusk to give him a hug. Standing on her toes once more, she kissed his cheek before whispering into his ear. “You had best be nice to her, Dusk Shine.” Winking at him, she turned away, brushing her tail against his leg before taking Barb’s hand and turning towards the bridge to leave.

Stepping into Dusk's side once again, Fluttershy wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him close. Resting her cheek on his shoulder, Fluttershy asked, “So how was your visit to Canterlot with Dash?”

Smiling as he placed his hands on her upper arms and began to knead softly, Dusk couldn’t help but chuckle softly with amusement. “Exhausting, but in a good way. You know Dash... she doesn’t do anything by half measures. She also, um…” Dusk broke off for a moment, and when Fluttershy looked up at him, he was blushing slightly. “Dash also decided to join the herd with Rarity, Applejack and I.”

Fluttershy smiled at him, and squeezed him again. “Well that’s fantastic, Dusk! I’m glad your trip went so well!” She placed her head on his shoulder again, and shuffled her wings on her back. She’d been meaning to preen them for the past day or so, but something always came up that seemed more pressing. Maybe she could…

Fluttershy felt the hot blush as soon as she thought of it, and tried to hide her face against Dusk, breathing in and getting a strong whiff of Dusk’s familiar scent. Trying to distract herself from even just the thought of asking Dusk to help preen her wings - What would he even say? - Fluttershy decided to change the subject. “So, Dusk, um… how is your back doing? Rarity said that spell of yours made it seem like it was fine. Do you need something extra, or is Redheart’s tea taking care of the pain?”

She felt as much as she heard Dusk’s chuckle. When he replied, he sounded almost sheepish. “Well, my back is doing as well as it has been. It was better after Cloudsdale, but… well, like I said, Dash went all-out. My back flared up in Canterlot, but it’s been manageable.”

Sighing, Fluttershy shook her head where it lay on Dusk’s shoulder. “Oh, Dusk. You have to put your foot down with Dash sometimes, or she’ll just walk all over you. She should know better, too, with your back. Are you sure you’ll be up to watching the fillies with me? I-if you need a rest or something, just tell me, and I’m sure-”

Dusk cut her off by placing a hand on her chin and turning her face to look up at him. Her blush returned full force when she saw his smile, and the caring in his eyes. “Fluttershy, I’ll be fine, don’t worry. We’re just making sure the fillies don’t do anything too crazy. It won’t be all that bad.” Raising an eyebrow, he winked at her, and she broke eye contact when she felt a hot shiver go down her spine and through her wings at his look. “Besides, if they do get out of hand, you have some of Redheart’s tea on hand, right? I’m sure that’d calm them down.”

Looking back up at him sharply, her eyes going wide, Fluttershy’s soft voice was indignant and reproachful. “Dusk Shine! We are not going to drug those poor little fillies simply because they get out of hand, and- oh, Light, you.” She broke herself off when she saw Dusk laughing softly at her, and she pressed her forehead against his clavicle. “You are just awful sometimes… even if it would probably work.” She felt Dusk’s arms tighten around her for a moment, and she let out a happy sigh before she turned to see what the fillies were up to.

Sweetie Belle was sitting on the hem of her dress, trying to help Applebloom out in Fluttershy’s garden, while Scootaloo and Dinky were running laps around the short wire fence that protected the chicken coup.

Suddenly, Henrietta, the bravest of Fluttershy’s chickens, apparently ignoring the noise of the frollicking foals, wandered out of the coop, just far enough down the wooden bridge to begin pecking at a patch of grass that some part of her mind saw as promising and tasty.

Outside the fence, Scootaloo let out a loud whoop and bounded over the short wood and wire wall, crying back at Dinky. “Ohhh! It's a chicken! Bet you I can catch her first!”

Caught up in the moment and laughing excitedly, Dinky vaulted the fence and bolted off running in the opposite direction of Scootaloo, laughing happily. “No way will you catch her first! Have you ever chased a chicken before? They're good dodgers and really quick!”

The hen, quickly encountering not one, but two larger creatures interested in chasing her, threw back her head and let out a terrified cry for help as she began to run wildly around the tiny fenced yard.

With a powerful cry, a towering rooster burst out of the small hen house, his wild, red-tinged eyes snapping rapidly around to find the source of Henrietta’s panic. Leveling a sharp glare on the young fillies, the young, but prideful rooster cried out a challenge before launching into a chase. Nearly three times the size of the hen, his sharp beak shot out in rapid snaps, attempting to snatch either girl's tail. Before they knew it, the fillies were fleeing the rooster, their game of chasing the hen entirely forgotten.

Collapsing flat on her back, Applebloom kicked her feet in the air as she burst out in laughter. Attempting to speak between sobbing gasps, she finally managed to cry out. "So much for being the Cutie Mark Crusaders Chicken Chasers! Now you're gonna get your cutie marks in losing a game of chicken with a chicken!"

Barely able to hold in a laugh at the sight of the two fillies running from the rooster, Fluttershy squeezed Dusk before letting him go and walking towards the chicken pen. “C’mon, Dusk. Charlie is usually such a good-natured rooster, but if he thinks one of the hens is in trouble, he'll peck holes all over those girls.”

* * *

11 a.m., Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

Dash soared high above the clouds where her weather team was hard at work dispersing the darker masses. Something about the way the wind blew through her wings made Dash pull her lance in close to her, enjoying the coolness of the metal shaft while flying high in the air. The thrill in soaring freely in the sky over Ponyville with her mother's weapon made Dash shiver in excitement. As she passed the edge of town and entered the sky above the Apple’s orchard, she could easily spot Applejack and Bronze pushing an awkward wheelbarrow loaded full of purple velvet blankets into a secluded corner of the orchard. As she turned to end the joyfully lazy way she had been flying, turning into a steep dive for the ground near their destination, she could make out Winona talking to Big Mac and Zecora by a corner of the orchard bordering the Everfree Forest.

* * *

Watching her stallion turn an apple bud slowly between his massive fingers, Zecora envied Macintosh’s casual connection to plant life. She knew well enough how to make nearly every plant grow, and what two to combine to cure any kind of fever or flu, but if a plant turned brown and wilted, she was as helpless as any other pony to care for the dying flora.

Turning the tiny bud over with his thumb, Mac gave a slow sigh and shook his head before giving a single, slow wave to Winona. Instantly the dog girl bolted into the trees as if she had been waiting on the edge of her nerves for whatever his message was. Feeling a little left out of their world, Zecora stepped closer to her stallion, hugging his free arm, enjoying the powerful muscles against her flesh. “I heard no decree, why did she flee?”

As stoic as ever, the titanic stallion watched the spot where the pup had been in silence for a moment, before releasing the tree bud and turning to cup her cheek, rubbing her jawline with the rough skin of his thumb. “She likes to be around when Applejack starts training with Dash and Bronze. And there was no message to pass on to Applejack. There is still no change with the fruit growing on the trees for Appleloosa. The trees are growing their roots deep to conserve water in the hot sun of the desert around Appleloosa, but they store too much water deep underground, and their fruit suffer. Finding a balance is difficult. Frustrating.”

Leaning into Mac’s powerful hand, Zecora kissed his knuckle before gazing deep into his eyes. “Despite your talent, you can't force a tree to be a bird. To do otherwise would simply be absurd. Don't be too hard on yourself, find balance in what you need, and ask no more than that of the seed.”

Smiling softly, Mac leaned down, and pressed a kiss to her lips. Zecora smiled and drew her arms around his shoulders, her lips drifting to his ear after the kiss broke off. Her next words were a whisper just for him. “If you're finished with your trees and seeds, there’s something you can do to satisfy my needs. I've fertile land for you to plow, should you have time for me now.” Blushing brightly, Mac accepted Zecora's hand, and found himself being led into the Everfree Forest.

* * *

Watching the way Mac and Zecora looked at each other as they wandered away into the Everfree Forest, Dash decided she knew what they had in mind and left them alone. She adjusted her grip on her lance to use it as a walking stick, pushing between the tightly interwoven branches of the Apples’ trees and doing her best to avoid damaging any of them. The last thing she needed was another of Applejack’s lectures on how important each and every tiny branch in the orchard was to the Apple farm.

Following the winding path further into the orchard, heading straight for the clearing, Dash nearly jumped into the air when Winona popped up from out of nowhere, standing in a bush and grinning like a fool while wagging her tail eagerly. “Caught you, Rainbow Dash! Caught you sneaking in the orchard! Caught caught caught! Betcha AJ will wanna know if you're here to steal cider again, ain't you!”

Groaning at the giddy puppy’s insistence on making noise, Dash sighed. Reaching out to scratch the dog's ears, she chuckled and said, “Okay okay, you caught me, but do you gotta be so loud!? Besides, you know I come here to spar with AJ and Bronze. If I wanted more cider, I'd just buy another keg from Mac!”

Visibly confused by Dash’s answer, Winona pouted a little, tilting her head sideways as if trying to look at Dash from a different angle while backing up a few steps. “I suppose you do come here for wrestling a lot. And you almost always bring that metal stick when you come to wrestle with Applejack these days… well, just promise you won't hurt her, or I'll bite you so hard!”

Winona barely waited for Dash’s nod before grinning to herself and giddily prancing away into the trees, disappearing from sight even as she proudly barked loudly, announcing her presence to the world the whole time. Shaking off the dog’s protective behavior, Dash rolled her eyes and followed the path, glad to see the thicker wall of trees that marked the border of the clearing.

As Dash entered the clearing and moved to strike a casual pose while resting the weight of her lance nonchalantly over her shoulder, she couldn't help but feel her eyes drawn to the massive pile of velvet bags piled between Applejack and Bronze, despite her attempt to appear disinterested in it. She was also shocked to see the impressive heavy platemail armor that the royal guard was wearing, along with the sword clipped to her belt. So far as Dash was aware, Bronze had always only shown an interest in lances and spears.

Shaking herself and doing her best to present an air of disinterest and act far more casual than she felt, Dash gave a clod of loose grass a kick. “So? I'm here, but it'll be awfully awkward for you two to spar with so much stuff to trip over. Is this all just here to make a two-on-one fight even more stacked in my favor?”

To Dash’s disappointment, neither mare took up her boastful challenge. Instead Bronze lifted one of the smaller sacks, tossing it squarely at Dash’s head. “Oh, just shove it, you blowhard! I had this set of armor commissioned for you since you made it clear you were serious about helping me protect Dusk. Rarity did the silk linings and provided Shining Armor’s blacksmith with your measurements for the chainmail, so now you can stop stealing my damn spare shirt of lighter armor.”

Just barely managing to snatch the velvet bag out of the air before taking it full in the face, Dash nearly fell backwards at the surprising weight of the bag. When she’d righted herself, she tried not to look giddy as she pulled the knot free on the drawstring and opened it. “Wait, what? You had Shining Armor’s smiths make me a suit of real armor?! Just tell me it's not that crazy plate stuff you and those other earth ponies that pretend to be pegasi wear, right? ‘Cause that looks way too heavy! There's no way I'd be able to pull off any cool moves in stuff like that!”

Admiring the thin light silk shirt and pants that she tugged free of the sack, Dash didn't even notice Applejack until she got nudged in the hip from the side. “How’s about you try it on first and make jokes after you try taking flight? ‘Cuz she got me a nice and shiny shoulder plate... shield... thing, and I need practice gettin’ used to the heavy scrap of metal; it makes me feel so off balance."

Both mares were surprised when Bronze started laughing so hard she needed to bend over. Bronze was forced to support her weight by resting her hands on her hips, the heavy, layered plates of her armor nearly throwing her totally off balance as she shook her head. “I already told you, Applejack! You were wearing it, but not holding your hammer. It's designed to help you keep balance while swinging your hammer! It works, you'll see, I swear.”

Too excited to be subtle, Dash rushed to change into the light silk shirt and pants, not minding changing in front of her two lovers. When she’d finished, she enjoyed the soft materials’ perfect fit for only a second before she practically skipped over to Bronze’s side. Fishing through the bags at random, she asked, “So… is there some order I need to open these in? Or is it just kinda one package at a time?”

Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Bronze grabbed a larger sack from the side of the pile, giving a slight grunt as she hoisted it at Dash with an under arm toss. The effort Bronze put into her throw and the clanking of metal rubbing on metal warned Dash to take catching this bag a little more seriously. Even then, when she caught it, she was shocked at how heavy the bag felt.

Setting it down and eagerly ripping open the knot and draw string, the enamel-washed chainmail shirt inside was not as simple as the shirt Bronze had let her wear. Instead, it was woven over a thick and rough cotton tunic dyed purple, with Dusk’s sigil emblazoned on the chest. Holding it up, she noticed the tome and scroll emblem Dusk had started using as a magistrate. Ignoring her momentary confusion at the presence of Dusk’s sigil, she began the struggle to pull the heavy cotton lined vest on.

After a few moments, Applejack finally took pity on her blind, flailing efforts, and helped pull the bunched up tunic down over her wings, letting the pegasus fidget until she could get her wings out the back. When Dash was finally able to see Bronze again, she tried striking a pose. “Well? What do you think? Is this the second best suit of armor I'll ever wear before I earn my Wonderbolts outfit?”

Businesslike, Bronze grumbled lightly and walked over until she could grab Dash around the hips, drawing a leather belt up that Dash had totally missed in her excitement. She fastened it down tightly before repeating the process with a leather harness that ran around the base of her wings and across her chest, securing the loose chainmail tunic tightly around the athlete's slender frame. With those straps properly done up, Bronze circled around Dash and gave her another, more detailed inspection, slowly nodding her approval. “It's nowhere near as flashy as a Wonderbolts uniform, but at least if the three of us show up somewhere in our armor, we won't look like three idiots in rusty scrapmail. I doubt the purple and Dusk’s sigil will ever be remembered for any epic military uniform, but at least we'll look like we belong together.”

Waiting for Bronze to finish her inspection before finally breathing out, Dash fished through another of the bags, not bothering to bug the guard mare with anymore questions. Finding heavy plate mail boots that resembled Bronze’s old impact greaves and matching gauntlets. They were all enamelled in a dark purple lacquer that nearly matched the purple dye on the cotton lining for her chainmail shirt, as well as a matching pair of chainmail pants.

Trying to dress as quickly as she could, Dash could only stop and stare when Applejack started strapping on a massive piece of plate mail that covered her left arm and shoulder. Its sheer size reminded Dash of the bigger shields the royal guards had been carrying during the Summer Sun Celebration. With a matching lacquer to the rest of her outfit, and engravings that radiated so much magic that Dash’s wings were tingling, she couldn’t help but wonder how Applejack didn’t find it overwhelming.

Straightening up after tightening the straps on the greaves, Dash flexed and shifted, walking around in a few small circles to try to identify and adjust to the ambient magic in the metal on her feet. Breathing out a slow sigh, she turned, only to meet eyes with Bronze as the guard lowered her steel helm into place. Grinning and fetching up her lance, Dash dropped into the ready stance they had drilled into her at school. “So, do we finally get to fight? Cuz all this feels fantastic, but I just gotta try them out to really be sure.”

* * *

12pm, the road to Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

Rarity was only too delighted to pause and wave to Granny Smith as the old mare sat in a rocking chair on the farmhouse patio. It was an excuse to let the darling old mare admire her fine tan excavation outfit. It came complete with knee-length shorts that clung to her hips and ass tightly, a showpiece aluminum and teak wood pickaxe, and a cargo sack with sorting bags and a very expensive gem appraisal monoscope. Blowing Granny a kiss while adjusting the silk handkerchief that held down and protected her hair, Rarity turned to follow the old mare’s directions, even though she hadn't really needed them. Where else would Applejack and Dash be with Bronze but in the orchard?

Waving a second goodbye, Rarity giggled when Barb adjusted her weight and grip just as Rarity pivoted on one heel, before the dragoness complained lightly. “You could walk a bit more slowly, Rarity. This is exactly why Dusk only carries me if he's in a hurry!”

Dismissively waving away Barb's complaint, Rarity stroked at the dragon's jaw. “Oh, hush! It was hard enough adjusting Sweetie Belle’s Filly Guide outfit to fit you. By the Light, there is no way I'm going to let you get it any dirtier than absolutely necessary! Besides! We're practically wearing matching outfits; it's simply adorable!”

Jerking in surprise, and now really confused, Barb shifted her weight again, gripping the back of the mare’s wrapped hair for balance. Clearing her throat before approaching this with logic that Dusk would have found impeccable, she voiced the question that Rarity’s words had brought up. “Err, Rarity… you made me wear this outfit to go digging for sapphires… but you don't want me getting it dirty?”

There was an audible gasp of woe as Rarity placed a hand over her heart with a genuine sigh of sorrow. “Well, of course! It's her Filly Guide outfit. They have a meeting on Tuesday, and keeping it clean is part of her duties as a Filly Guide.”

Deflating into Rarity’s hair, Barb gave a frustrated groan. “See, this is why I argued so much! I don't want to break Sweetie Belle’s heart! She's just too sweet!”

Pausing to tap at the curl of her lower lip, Rarity continued to absent-mindedly mutter to herself. "...though I suppose she does have those two spare outfits I made her last year when the Filly Guides asked me to try redesigning the Fillies’ uniform..."

Drooping over and hanging her head, Barb accepted her fate. Clearly nothing she said was getting through to Rarity just right now. “Fine, fine! Let's just go get this digging started. I'm getting hungry, and a sapphire or two would really hit the spot right about now.”

Shaking her head and chuckling softly in amusement, Rarity marched on to the apple orchard. “First we check in on the girls. Just because I'm not as interested in fighting as my darling Applejack or Dash, doesn't mean I don't at least want to check up and make sure they haven't gotten carried away and kicked in one another's heads.”

As Rarity and Barb came to the edge of the thick orchard, the sound of muffled crashing from deep inside told them their friends were already deeply involved in their combat expertises.

Suddenly, a powerful bang of metal rang out through the air. Barb tightened up around Rarity’s neck, slinking low and shaking her head. “That really doesn't sound good. Are you sure we should get involved?”

Dismissively waving her hand, Rarity forged on into the trees. “Oh, pish posh! They aren't so crazed with bloodthirst to ever accidently hurt us.”

As the sounds of competitive full contact battle continued, a second resounding bang blew through the woods, followed by a violent shockwave that staggered Rarity. Overhead, Dash had cried out as she was tossed high into the branches of a nearby apple tree. Clearly upset as she cried her frustration, Dash’s voice rang out from the trees above as she struggled to free herself from the branches. “Hey- F-foul! Bronze said no kicking!”

Stepping into the clearing, Rarity and Barb gathered under the tree Dash was in while the pegasus continued to struggle. After a few more moments, she gave a cry of victory before finally bursting free. Unfortunately, a branch caught her wing and she ended up crashing to the ground, landing hard on her ass. She just barely managed to keep hold of her lance despite it getting caught up in the branches on her way down.

Grinning smugly, Applejack rested her hammer on her bare shoulder before turning to look towards Bronze. Swaggering a little as she paced back and forth on the far side of the clearing, Applejack shrugged broadly. “I thought you said knock each other over however you can, Bronze. Right?”

Bronze rolled her eyes before leaning into her shield and slamming into Applejack’s armored arm, the blow knocking the earth pony off balance due to the top-heavy nature of her new armor. Arms flailing as she windmilled them, as she tried to find something to grab to catch her balance, before crying out like a filly as she fell over. “Woooaahhhh!”

Straightening up and bowing to Rarity, Bronze removed her helm with her shieldless arm, bracing the helm against her chest while smiling gently. “My lady. I do apologize, but as you can see, I am currently teaching my students how to not fall on one’s ass. I’m afraid your herd sisters aren't quite used to the weight of their armor yet. If I’d known you were coming, I’d have tried to set up something more impressive to entertain you.”

Crossing the clearing and wetting a silk hanky with her tongue, Rarity gently rubbed dirt from Bronze’s nose and cheek before kissing the guard mare on the cheek. “No no, don’t worry about putting on a show for me. I’m like Fluttershy, I’m really not the kind to be entertained by a bunch of fools running around beating each other over the head. I’m more into something more… intimate. Maybe... nude oil wrestling.” With a wink at Bronze’s blush, Rarity turned towards Applejack and reached out, grabbing her hand, intending on helping pull her to her feet. “Are you okay? We really do need to avoid you scrambling your brains, darling.”

Instead of accepting Rarity’s help standing up, Applejack pulled the dressed-up mare into her lap, powerful arms sliding around the slender mare's hips. “Hello to you too, hun. You'll be glad to know that all my brains are right where they belong for now. You got Fluttershy’s help with the fillies?”

Grinning up at Applejack, Rarity took a moment to untangle the shellshocked Barb from her shoulder, passing her to a rather befuddled-looking Bronze, who struggled to hold the now-wriggly dragoness in her arms. Then she placed both hands on Applejack’s head, pulling her lover down a little while sitting up in Applejack’s lap. She stretched up and kissed the top of Applejack’s head, despite how awkward the position was. “Oh don’t worry so much. Sweetie Belle took her school work and is under orders to go read quietly if Apple Bloom and Scootaloo become too overwhelming for Dusk and Fluttershy, and Dinky is a kind-hearted foal. You've seen how good she is despite her mother’s accident prone nature.”

Releasing Applejack, Rarity made to stand up, but Applejack’s arms suddenly tightened around her waist. The taller mare buried her nose in against Rarity’s neck, breathing in and laughing softly against her neck. “Cute outfit by the way, Rares. What’ll it take to convince you to wear it later on?” Applejack’s hands slid from Rarity’s waist and gripped the smaller mare’s ass.

Giggling, Rarity gently bit Applejack’s neck before brushing her nose against Applejack’s. “Be a good girl, and we’ll see, love.”

Laughing loudly now, Applejack stood with Rarity still in her arms, chuckling again at the surprised noise that Rarity let out. Setting the unicorn down on her feet, Applejack turned and picked up her warhammer before turning back to look at Rarity, whose face was suddenly serious.

Clearing her throat, Rarity said, “Now you understand we're here to dig up sapphires, right? I know I showed you where I want to dig, but you won't lose your cool if I accidentally dig up a couple of carrots or something, I trust?”

Frowning, Applejack cocked her head as she looked at her lover. Finally she gestured past the trees of the orchard, to parts of the distant fields she could only picture in her head. “Now Rarity, if you can't tell a field of four foot corn stalks ain't a good place to dig, I think I'm allowed to get growly at you, hun. But the places you marked out aren't part of any of the fields this year, so we can fill in the holes your lil’ expedition might leave behind.”

Smiling fondly up at Applejack, Rarity gazed across the clearing for a moment, watching Bronze as she helped Dash stand up and start to stiffly walk around to work off the side effects of Applejack’s kick. Rarity leaned up against her lover, speaking softly. “Thanks for letting me have all these sapphires, darling. Now do try to avoid hurting Dash too much. You’ll break your foot before you ever put a dent in her rock head.”

Glancing at Dash over Rarity’s shoulder, Applejack stifled a laugh, but gave a slight nod. “Don't worry, I really didn't mean to hit her that hard. I'll try to keep her intact. I've got a soft spot for her too, ya know.”

Rarity laughed as she relaxed and leaned forward on her toes, reaching up to kiss Applejack one last time. When the taller mare pulled Rarity into a tight hug, she was tempted to just linger in the comfortable spot made just for her in the powerful mare’s arms. Resignedly letting out a sigh, she drew free, whistling to Barb as she strutted her way over to the little wyvern, smiling disarmingly at Bronze and Dash. “Alright girls, thanks for the visit, but unlike you three, Barb and I have work to do. Feel free to come join us whenever you grow bored of jousting with Applejack’s trees.” Winking playfully at them, Rarity snatched up the dragoness before disappearing into the tree line.

* * *

Crouched down and scratching with a foot at fleas in his back fur, the sudden, distracting smell of rare jewels set his nose to wild sniffing. Nothing in the world was like it, and Spot’s keen nose for the shiny gems had earned him a high ranking in the pack despite his small stature. Now he smelled sapphires - just sitting out in the open air! Greed replaced caution, and ignoring Fido and Rover, he crept forward on his belly, keeping flat to the grass to peek over the little curve of the hill. Until today, they'd gone for weeks without discovering a worthwhile vein of shinies, and the thought of a whole pile of them being just out of sight was impossible to ignore.

He peered just an inch over the hill’s crest, sniffing aggressively at the sweet scent of sapphires on the wind. As he inched through the heavy bush, the smell grew so strong, he could hardly hold back the urge to drool. To his delight, the source of the smell turned out to be a simple picnic basket, just… sitting in the grass in the open field. Inching further forward, to the edge of the bush, he searched for who was guarding the shiny stones. To his shock, a pony stood over the basket, the glow of their magic cascading through the air. Then the ground by her feet glowed, and she turned to call at someone else.

Risking inching ever closer, Spot knew he was about to lose the cover of his bush, as the pony was easily less than a hundred feet away. Their sense of smell wasn't that good, right? It came as a total shock to the canine when a purple and green lizard, caked in dirt and mud, excitedly rushed to the pony’s side. When the pony pointed down at the point where its magic was glowing, the dragon dove into the dirt and digging with all four limbs, assisted by its tail throwing aside the dirt. Soon the little lizard had dug so deep, she disappeared from sight for a few moments, before popping back up with… a crystal blue shiny clutched in each hand! And a third gripped in its maw! “That pony owns a digging lizard that's even better than any dog! I've got to tell Fido! He won't ever believe this!”

* * *

3pm, Fluttershy’s Cottage

Setting the cot down, Fluttershy leaned the folding bed up against the couch, before dusting off her hands and straightening her back, bracing her hands on her lower back for support. Following her, Dusk carried a matching cot, eyeing the crowded room for a moment before setting his beside Fluttershy's. Straightening up, he looked at the coffee table in front of the couch. “I suppose if we put that coffee table behind the couch, that would free up a little more space to set up cots for the other two fillies, right?”

“Oh that's a great idea, Dusk!” Bubbling with excitement, Fluttershy rushed over so she could bend down to grab one side of the heavy wood table. She stopped, though, when the raspberry glow of Dusk’s magic enveloped the heavy wooden table and the awkward mess of clutter that covered the surface.

Moving with care and using two hands to help guide the table up over the little lamp beside the couch, Dusk offered her a playful wink. “No reason to risk spilling all this everywhere. Now everything is exactly where you left it, so when we put it back tomorrow, there's no need to go hunting around trying to put things back where they belong.”

The sudden crash of a chair behind them tipping over and impacting the floor of the kitchen made Fluttershy’s heart jump into her throat. Spinning around, she was flooded with relief to see a blushing Scootaloo rubbing the back of her head while getting back on her feet from where she had been leaning heavily in the chair with a sheepish mumble of, “Sorry Fluttershy. I was just showing Sweetie Belle how Dash can lean way further back in her chair than anypony else.”

Sticking her tongue out at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom snickered before commenting under her breath. “Yeah, and you ain't Rainbow Dash. She's got her cutie mark in being cool.”

Realizing she had better get the girls busy doing something soon before they got even more creative in entertaining themselves, Fluttershy turned to Dusk, her voice hesitant. “Have you got this? We still need one more cot and I think I'd better go deal with the girls before it gets out of hand in there.”

Dusk had also been watching the foals, but at Fluttershy’s question he glanced down at the simple folding cots and scratched a few fingers over the stubble on his jaw. “It should be easy enough, Fluttershy. You said the pillows and blankets are just in the shelf above the spare cots, right? I'll finish making these beds up and join you as quickly as I can before the girls get to be too overwhelming. It was a good idea for you to keep these spare cots from the hospital. You must have to host ponies who come from out of town for veterinary surgeries sometimes.”

Blushing nervously, Fluttershy paused on her way to the girls in the kitchen and looked back at him from over her shoulder. “Well, sometimes… but ever since Harry moved into the basement, most ponies feel better staying at Berry Punch’s tavern.” Shaking her head, Fluttershy was quick to rush over to the fillies, her tail gathering up to lay casually over her right hip while she put a hand on Scoot’s back, picking up the seat she’d knocked over and gently pushing her to sit down again while interrupting their conversation. “Alright girls, so what do you want to do today?”

Unsure, Dinky sat slunk forward in her chair, rubbing her chin. “Well… I don't know, Fluttershy. I suppose-”

But Dinky’s slow and thoughtful attempt at conversation dropped off as she was interrupted. Climbing up into the seat that Fluttershy directed her, Scootaloo only briefly looked at the other three foals, then sat as tall as she could when she could see none of them really had an answer, sitting forward so she could confidently declare, “We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

Gasping happily, Apple Bloom jumped up out of her seat to stand at her full height, bracing on the table with both hands, building on Scootaloo’s energy. “And we wanna crusade for our cutie marks!”

With her eyes shooting wide open Sweetie Belle stood up in her chair, leaning on Fluttershy for balance and thrusting a fist into the air as she got lost in the others’ energy. She grinned at Dinky’s shocked expression as she joined the other fillies in declaring their independence. “And we…! Um… uh… yah! What they said!”

Nervously putting her hands on Sweetie Belle’s hips to steady the tiny filly, Fluttershy looked around, eyes wide with panic at how quickly she lost control of the excitable fillies. “Uhhh… what about a nice quiet tea party instead?”

Jumping up onto her chair on Fluttershy’s other side, Scootaloo gazed out the window, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. “Or! We can go adventuring in the Everfree Forest!”

Gasping again at Scootaloo’s inspiring idea, Apple Bloom nodded excitedly and grabbed Dinky’s hands as she leapt onto her chair beside Scootaloo, joining in with Sweetie Belle as she cried out with pure foalish glee, “Yeah!”

Staring up at the other girls, Dinky was slower to catch up with their enthusiasm, but as her eyes grew wide, she started to hop excitedly from foot to foot. “Ohhh! That's a really good idea!”

Desperate to get control of the foals again, Fluttershy threw her wings out wide to separate the fillies from one another, her worried tone growing far more serious. “Oh no! Girls, the Everfree Forest is much too dangerous! It’s filled with far too many strange creatures!”

Closest to Fluttershy and blocked from seeing either of the other girls, Sweetie Belle put a hand to her chin, looking up into Fluttershy’s eyes as she frowned and shook her head. “But you and Dusk could go with us like you guys all do for Princess Celestia sometimes.” Her eyes widened, and a wide smile split her face. “And! And we could catch those creatures! We could be the... Um... The Cutie Mark Creature Catchers!”

Looking at one another on their side of Fluttershy’s wing, Scootaloo whispered quickly to Apple Bloom, then jumped up onto the taller filly’s shoulders, accepting the floor rug as Apple Bloom handed it up to her. Balancing precariously and wearing the hairy rug like a robe, she cried out in her best monstrous voice. “Rawr! I’m a dangerous creature from the Everfree Forest! Rawr!”

Giggling with delight, Sweetie Belle jumped down from her chair, running around Fluttershy, who was shocked at the girls’ boundless energy. Grabbing Dinky’s hand and dragging her to stand with her between Fluttershy and the other girls, Sweetie Belle did her best to thrust out her chest, holding up her hand and Dinky’s to stop the ‘monster’ before crying out as defiantly as she could. “Halt, dangerous creature of the Everfree Forest! I am Sweetie Belle, the creature catcher! And I am here to catch you!”

Giggling, Dinky stood up to her full height, let her horn glow idly with some magic to frame herself and Sweetie’s more assertive stance while gesturing with her chin aggressively. “Yeah! And we're gonna stop you monster, you!”

Rising up as high as she could on top of Apple Bloom’s shoulders, Scootaloo boastfully shot back at her. “You cannot catch me! I’m far too powerful and dangerous!” Then they took off across the kitchen, running around the table.

Stamping a foot, Sweetie Belle cried out, giggling and sharing a nod with Dinky before rushing after the ‘monster’, both fillies crying out defiance. “You cannot run from us!”

Hands on her cheeks as she was overwhelmed by the girls once more, Fluttershy was near tears and hyperventilating with the effort of trying to keep up with their ever-shifting game. “Ummm, maybe that’s not such a… um… how about we do some nice colouring. Ohhh…! Don’t-” Turning from their circles around the table, Apple Bloom ran towards the open door to the living room where Dusk was still setting up the cots. Yet before they could get close to him, Apple Bloom’s foot caught on the little table that held a pot just past the doorway, tipping the foals who crashed to the ground with a predictable bang. Heart in her throat, Fluttershy rushed forward to check on the pile of fillies for injuries while finishing her thought. “-break anything.”

Head hanging, Sweetie Belle rolled over on top of the pile, helping Dinky climb free before accepting Fluttershy’s offered hand while apologizing right away. “Sorry Fluttershy.”

With Sweetie Belle’s weight off her back, Scootaloo crawled off Apple Bloom, on her knees, hanging her head at the sight of the shattered pot. “Yeah. Sorry.”

Rolling over, Apple Bloom dusted off her knees and gave a little sigh, poking the broken side table with her foot, guilt full in her voice. “Guess we aren't creature catchers after all.”

Thoughtfully, Dinky gave a little shrug. “At least, not while we're inside Fluttershy’s house…”

Dropping to her knees and gently drawing all the girls into her arms and wings, Fluttershy gave a happy sigh, unworried by the broken pot or side table. “Oh girls, it’s okay-”

Interrupting Fluttershy as a sudden spark of creativity dawned on her, Apple Bloom grabbed Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo’s wrists and stood up, dragging them both out of Fluttershy’s hug. “Wait! I know, we can be… um... Cutie Mark Crusader, Carpenters!”

* * *

6 p.m., Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

Rarity couldn't help herself but giggle lightheartedly as she watched Barb dive headfirst into digging again, pausing to crouch down beside the basket of sapphires, counting them for a second time. “Poor little Barb, she’s already eaten... nine? Ten gems. I know she doesn't get treats like this that often, but maybe I shouldn't let her take all of hers home with her. She seems bound to gorge herself on the rest before she even has a chance to appreciate their beauty…”

The delighted cry from the little dragoness told Rarity she had found the latest clutch of jewels, and with a fond sigh, she stood, using her magic to pull a spare towel and a water canteen from her fashionable but functional backpack. Holding up one hand, she called out to the mud-coated little dragon. “Stop right there, Barb. You've been working very hard, but enough is enough! You need a wash!”

Striding boldly out of the newly dug hole, Barb dripped dirt and mud the whole way. However, when ordered to stop by Rarity, her once proudly puffed out chest deflated and she drew the handful of small gems close, clutching them tightly while pouting up at the unicorn. “What?! You never said anything about that! If you think I need a bath, just give me the towel and I'll go home and wash, there's no need-”

The splash as Rarity upturned the canteen over Barb's head mid-sentence drowned out the shocked dragoness’ complaints, with the towel telekinetically flying to work the moment the water had made contact. With some serious scrubbing and the additional assistance of a scale brush that Rarity had not-so-innocently kept hidden in her backpack, as well as a transparent oil Rarity knew to be good for the fussy dragoness’ scales, soon the growling, spitting dragon was soothed into a chirping ball. Wrapping her up in a second towel, Rarity offered Barb a modicum of privacy while handing her the modified filly guide uniform again. “There! You look simply regal again, even after all that mud! Now get dressed, you silly goof, and we can go back to town in style, not slinking along shyly all covered in mud.”

Accepting the outfit and muttering a little again, Barb started to dress in the protective shield of the towel. “After all the time we’ve spent playing dress up, and now bombarding me with this bath, we could have had all this done in like… two hours tops if you would have just let me handle it all.”

Giggling softly, Rarity reached out, pulling the towel curtain aside so she could reach out and cup the little dragoness’ cheek, before leaning in, her voice a tender whisper. “Now now, Barb, we got it all done in the end regardless, and we got to spend some quality time together. You had fun, right?”

Grumbling, Barb blushed and covered herself with the outfit in her hands despite having spent the last few hours digging in the nude, besides the layers of protective mud. Churring self-consciously at the strokes from Rarity’s thumb across her muzzle, Barb finally gave her a little nod and a sigh. “Of course I had fun spending time with you, Rarity. You’re fun. You drive me nearly as crazy as Dusk, but you’re still fun.”

Laughing at how Barb was torn between grumbles and noises of enjoyment at her scratches, Rarity leaned in, and rewarded Barb with a soft kiss on her cheek. “Well thank you, Barb. Now, finish dressing. Then we can head back to town and celebrate a job well done.”

* * *

The blow from Rover to Spot’s back drove the smaller dog to shrink away and cower down against the grass as he let the alpha dog pass him. When Spot started to rise to catch up, Fido’s paw pulled back in warning, and scared the bully would also strike him, Spot did exactly what a smart little dog had to do: press his belly to the grass and wait for the two larger dogs to pass him. Once they were past, he scrambled to catch up, panting with the effort to make up ground. With both of the larger dogs taking up all the space inside the lookout bush, Spot crawled on all fours over the crest of the hill, tail wagging enthusiastically as he gazed over to the open field to where the pony stood, the stack of shinies even larger than they had been before. Doing his best to suppress his excitement, Spot called up to the bigger dogs in a hushed whisper. “See!? The pony uses her magic, and her lizard… digger… thingy does the digging! And wherever the pony turns her magic, more shinies show up! Look at how many they found in just a few hours! This pony is the solution to our shiny drought! With her, we wouldn't even need to risk entering pony land!”

Fido’s right foot shot out of the branches of the bush and pressed down on Spot’s shoulder, pressing him harder into the grass while his heavily jowled lip curled up, speaking at a harsh whisper from the corner of his mouth. “Spot too loud! Hush Spot, or Rover send you back to the mine. Or maybe he let me use you like the chew toy you are, runt.”

Whimpering as the mammoth paw of Fido drove his shoulder into the dirt, Spot shut his muzzle and nervously flicked his eyes constantly back and forth from the pony’s light show of magic and the two watchful alphas brooding from deep inside the bush. Already a nervous dog, the way his alphas just stood there motionless and staring as the pony kept doing things drove him mad, and soon his hind quarters were rocking as he strained to keep still despite the sharp pressure of Fido’s claws digging into his shoulder.

As he decided he was doomed to go mad before they’d lift a paw to do anything, Rover let out a low gruff and turned his head. “And you say you couldn’t find any other ponies nearby? I smell pony on these fields. They might not be here now, but they’ve been by recently.”

Delighted to have permission to speak, Spot sat up a little as Fido’s heavy paw left his shoulder. Stretching out and extending his legs to stretch for just a moment, Spot turned to Rover, nodding once. “There are a few more ponies around. About a mile back towards the pony town and the big farm. They’re all in that big bunch of trees with a lot of metal and weapons and noise. But I scouted it out, and even ran the distance twice to see for myself. No way no pony could find our tunnels and catch us before we’ve dug in and backfilled the holes. Silly ponies make so much noise, you’d know they were coming from a mile away before they could even see you, they’re so dumb!”

Now Rover’s eyes turned to scan the fields, and when he spotted the distant trees that Spot was talking about, he gave an incredulous scowl. “No way you run as fast as a pony runs, runt. How’d you know that? You weren’t even at the tunnels when the winged ponies showed up and attacked us for ‘breaking cont-ract’.” Struggling with the complicated pony word, Rover’s eyes narrowed and he sneered down at Spot. “But ponies are stupid. To have a pony collecting so many shinies all by herself... Even if we leave her behind, it worth the risk. Fido?”

The largest of the trio had been listening, his heavy jowls wagging back and forth around his mouth as he scanned the field, head shaking from side to side. At last, when Rover questioned him, the mammoth dog gave a single low woof before speaking. “Even if Spot ran it, we much faster, much bigger. I grab pony. You grab the basket of shinies. Spot can grab digging lizard; it make good digger, or really chewy lunch if no good at digging compared to digger dogs.”

Springing up on his feet, his hindquarters shaking with enthusiasm at the idea of being included in their plans, Spot struggled to keep from yelping with delight. Prancing around the bush, his nose sniffing at the air hunting down even pony scent, doing his best to be as useful as he could be. “Oh yes! Yes, yes! I can help. I can so help. I’ll grab lizard by the throat and drag it back if I gotta! Yep yep!”

* * *

Struggling under the weight of the basket of sapphires, Barb’s cheek still burned from Rarity’s kiss, and inspired her to power on, her tail whipping happily from side-to-side. “No… I feel just fine, Rarity. Why?”

Unable to hide the worry in her tone, Rarity voiced her concerns to the little dragoness. “It's just- well, I've never had to watch a dragon before, Barb, and Dusk has talked before about how he only buys you gem shavings. And now you've eaten at least twelve whole gems. Are you going to get heartburn or something from having such an unusually fancy meal?”

With a mild rumble and an audible burp hidden behind her hand, Barb grinned sheepishly up at Rarity before putting the sapphire that she held on her hand back into the basket. “Well… I suppose you kinda have a point there. I do get the burps from too many sapphires…”

Feeling a little relieved to know that the little drake trusted her enough to admit that she had been gorging, Rarity offered a smile at the burp and gave a playful tisk tisking noise. “Well! Maybe you should let me take your share home with me. That way, I can keep your leftovers safe so you can enjoy them for a few weeks to come. At the rate you're going through them now, you'll be out by Monday!”

Blushing a little and looking down at her feet at Rarity’s suggestion, Barb was torn between her need to keep her horde of treats together and the winning smile on Rarity's face. Digging her toes in the dirt, Barb mumbled, trying to avoid making a decision. “Well… it's not like I don't know how to pace myself, Rar-”

The last thing that Barb saw clearly was a heavy mesh net as it hit Rarity from behind. Before that could even register, something tackled Barb from the opposite direction, and she felt the basket of sapphires yanked out of her grip. Thrown face first into the dirt with something on her back and another creature standing over her, Barb bit down on the first object her mouth could reach, hard. There was a howl of pain that erupted from above her as one of her attackers dropped the heavy basket of sapphires on their own foot. Gripping firmly with her carnivorous jaw muscles and breaking into the fur and flesh beneath, Barb was thrown into the air and out of the arms of the creature that had tackled her.

Shaken and panting for breath through her open mouth, Barb clung on, and the burst of hot, salty blood flooding her mouth came as a shock. Barely able to make out anything as the tail she clung to was constantly shaking around, Barb focused on the shape of Rarity’s prone body being slung across a massive dog's shoulder, wrapped up in the mesh of net, her legs kicking ineffectual blows aimed at the dog’s head.

The sudden violent impact of a tree to her back knocked the wind out of Barb. Despite her best efforts, she found her body refused to respond for a second, only able to stare unblinkingly as three strange dogs lopped away into the trees, the second biggest one still howling in pain as he rushed to catch up with the others. A thick metallic taste of blood lingered on her lips and filled the air.

After an indeterminable amount of time, as the aggressive roar of Winona’s barking filled the air, Barb finally felt her head stop spinning. Staggering to stand up with only the support of the same tree that had dazed her, Barb turned to the noise of crashing bodies rushing in her direction. Thundering out from between two trees, Bronze’s sword cut through the air, the guard's eyes wide with determination. Pointing out in the direction she had seen them flee, Barb, still dazed and voice filled with worry, cried up to the mare. “They-they took Rarity! We gotta get her back!”

There was a moment of pause in Bronze’s eyes, then she scooped up Barb’s body, slinging her over her shoulder. Her questions were quick, and to the point as she turned to follow Barb's direction, while Winona crashed into the path beside her, running on all fours. “Are you okay? Who? Why Rarity?”

Shaking her head, Barb clung on to the guard’s heavy armor with her claws, panic settling in. “Never mind me! They were dogs! Three Diamond Dogs kidnapped Rarity!”

Author's Note

Sorry for taking so long with this part guys. I was very sick for the first three weeks of February and am only now feeling better. Hopefully this is good enough for you all to enjoy, as the action picks up from here. :twilightsmile

Chapter 16: Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 3

6:24pm, Outside Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

Bronze couldn't help but feel a moment of gratitude for Shining Armor’s insistence that she continue to sleep in the barracks after becoming his squire. It had meant years of bad sleep, but also crisis training and emergency drills. Now, even as her heart dropped into her stomach at the news of Rarity's kidnapping, she ran breathless after Winona, doing everything she could to catch up with the dog girl. Yet as worried and panicked as she was, a part of her mind was on autopilot, picking out signs in the trail of blood the raiders had left behind.

As Winona crested a hill, a heavy clod of dirt caught her square in the jaw just as she started to bark in the direction of the kidnappers. Rocks mixed in with the dirt and mud left the canine girl stunned and staggering, but Bronze was ready. Rushing to the dog’s side, she had only a second to survey the sight before her. Two Diamond Dogs stood together by a half dug hole, while a third hunkered in the depression with Rarity’s bound form over his shoulder, broadening the hole with one massive paw while building a pile of loose dirt. The others were swiftly building clods of dirt, and were about to toss another chunk at Winona. Bronze brought her shield to bear in Winona’s defense, completely shielding the small dog as she ignored the warring feelings of anger and desperation at Rarity being kidnapped. The muddy chunk of dirt that splatted against her shield hardly even registered as memorable to Bronze, but before she could start searching for the renegades, the volley of flying dirt and rocks increased, leaving her too preoccupied with making sure Winona was safe to take any other action.

It was Barb who finally broke the onslaught. Shaking with rage and blue around the cheeks, the tiny dragon rushed forward, around Bronze’s shield, belly to the grass before suddenly leaping up with a roar. “Give her back! She's mine!” The little dragon's outcry was followed by a shocking burst of blue flame totally foreign to the green fire that Bronze associated with Barb. That was something Bronze was going to have to ask Dusk about later.

With a break in the shower of earth, Bronze knew she had to do something. “Winona, watch over Barb!” Bronze roared at the dog before rushing past the shaking dragon, sword at the ready. Out of the corner of her eye, Bronze saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash rush in from the other side of the clearing, pinning the Diamond Dogs in an accidental pincer attack.

As they closed in on the dogs, the mutts’ retreat unfolded before Bronze’s eyes. The largest of the dogs leapt into the tunnel, Rarity’s bound body over his shoulder. No longer throwing dirt defensively, the other two dogs followed immediately. As they fell, they tore vicious blows into the walls of their hole, and it was already caving in on their heads as Bronze’s first swing cut the air over the head of the last dog. Dash brought her lance forward to strike, but the ground under her feet collapsed, the hole crumbling closed and leaving the two pegasi sprawled in the dirt.

Barb jumped into the new depression immediately, crawling forward and digging with all four limbs at the collapsed tunnel. The loose soft dirt that had caved in did the little dragoness no favors, pouring back in nearly as quickly as she could dig it out.

Clambering to her feet, Bronze made sure that Dash was fine after the athlete had slammed into the armored pegasus. Bronze cursed Thunderlane for shattering her impact greaves. “With my greaves, I’d only need to make one good landing and the tunnel would be cl-”

Feeling like a fool, Bronze threw her arms around Barb's belly and hefted her out of the shallow hole, spinning around on one foot to face Dash. In a commanding tone, Bronze called out at the other mare. “Dash, clear that tunnel! One hard drop and you'll open it up!”

Only able to stare blankly, Dash threw her arms out wide before gesturing exasperatedly at the tunnel. “What do you mean, Bronze? You’d need something like impact greaves, and there's no way Applejack’s earth pony ones will work for me!”

Bronze heard a soft growling from behind her, and turned to see Barb impatiently stalking around the hole Dash was standing in. Taking a second to reach out and pet her muzzle with one hand, Bronze scowled at Dash before thrusting her chin at her boots. ”So? You've got your own pair, so stop wasting time! The longer you take, the further away they get with Rarity!”

For a moment Dash just stared, flabbergasted at what Bronze meant, before slowly shaking her head. “But I don't have--" then her eyes widened in realization and her voice rose a full pitch higher in excitement. "YOU GOT ME IMPACT BOOTS?! Oh Rarity, here we come!"

In a burst of furious effort, Dash launched away from the ground, wings beating the air so enthusiastically, she spiraled even as she gained elevation. Coming to a halt high up in the air, she drew an enthusiastic breath then cried out. “Here… we… go!~”

Dropping out of the sky feet first, Dash made every extra effort to align her impact with the soft pit of dirt that marked the caved-in tunnel. She beat her wings hard to add the power needed to turn her casual flight into a blow that would spread the impact greaves’ magic through the loosely packed dirt.

When she hit the ground, the collapsed tunnel exploded open, throwing dirt and rocks everywhere. There was a minor vibration even as she disappeared from sight into the darkness of the Diamond Dogs’ cave.

After a moment, Dash’s voice echoed out of the tunnel, sputtering and spitting dirt out of her mouth. “Shit, these are way more powerful than the ones from school.” Despite how Dash panted for breath, Bronze just knew an eager grin was spreading over her lips. “So cool!”

Taking Dash’s excited tone to mean she was fine, Bronze gave Applejack a nod. She moved to kneel while the larger mare helped Winona scramble over the side of the reopened tunnel into the darkness below. As Barb started to clamber over the edge of the hole, the guard put her hands on the dragon’s shoulders and stopped her. When the dragoness turned to look at Bronze, her slitted eyes were determined and angry, and there were flickers of blue flame at the side of her mouth for a moment. Taking a deep breath, Bronze steadied herself before speaking. “Alright Barb, now comes the important part. We need you-”

Stiffening up and squaring her shoulders, Barb’s growl cut Bronze off. “To guide you in the tunnels, right? Don't worry. I know caves are dark and dangerous, but I can follow Rarity’s perfume no problem! And besides, I'm a dragon, I can see way better in the dark than you four. Even Winona’s nose will go practically blind if the cave gets too damp or rank.”

Suddenly confronted by Barb’s determination and logic, Bronze was torn as she gazed into the darkness of the pit. She was already struggling to make out Applejack’s hat as the tall mare descended deeper into the tunnels. “I really shouldn’t take her in, it’s too dangerous, especially since we don’t know how many dogs are in this pack…” Looking back at Barb, Bronze saw that the tiny dragoness was practically hovering on her toes, tail whipping from side-to-side with impatience.

Realizing just what she was considering, Bronze couldn't help but feel guilty as she scooped the little dragoness up into her arms, careful to not pinch her against the heavy armor. “Al- Alright, Barb. But if anything happens down there, get behind Applejack or Rainbow Dash. Dusk’s already going to clip my wings for letting Rarity get kidnapped, and if anything happened to you… he'd never forgive me. And neither would I.”

Floating up over the lip of the hole with a few easy beats of her wings, Bronze heard the way Barb's claws scrambled as she searched for safe places to hold onto the large pieces of her her plate armor. Slowly descending into the hole, it was Barb's soft but glowing breath that helped reveal the tunnels around the hole as she joined Dash and Applejack deep underground. Nearly twenty feet down, the light from the hole above barely made an impact on the darkness, with three tunnels trailing off in radically different directions. A soft yip from the darkness made Bronze leap to the ready, half-drawing her sword before Applejack’s hand came to a rest on her wrist.

Speaking softly, the towering mare's voice was barely a whisper. “That’s Winona. She says she’s got a hold of their trail thanks to Barb making one of them bleed. Want me to lead? Winona and I don't need to talk a lot to understand each other.”

Gently lowering Barb to the floor of the tunnel, Bronze was forced into another decision, glad that this time it was easier to make. “Alright, Applejack, but keep your warhammer ready. Remember what happened to those Wonderbolt Cadets the last time they had a run-in with Diamond Dogs. Their noses are better than their ears, and their ears are way better than ours.”

Grinning confidently, Applejack hefted her warhammer from her hip to rest on her armored shoulder with a clank as metal hit metal. “Don't worry. After working together with Winona for years, there’s nothing we can’t track.”

Allowing Applejack to take the lead into the darkness, Bronze placed a hand on Dash’s arm to make the other mare hold back, moving slowly to keep Applejack at the edge of her sight before whispering carefully to Dash. “Look, Dash… your lance isn't going to be nearly as useful down here. There's too little space for you to pick up speed or take flight. Dodging like you usually do is gonna be a lot harder, too. What I need you to do for now is to stay a good twenty feet behind me and watch our backs. You’ve probably got the best eyes down here besides Barb, so if something sneaks up on us from behind, you'll have the best chance of spotting them. And if we need your lance, you'll have the distance to get up some speed and blitz anyone in our way.”

At first Bronze could see in Dash’s expression how much she disliked being told to slow down, to watch their backs, to let Applejack and Bronze handle things up front. But as Bronze explained, the resentment drained from Dash’s expression, and she finally gave a small nod. Speaking nowhere nearly as softly, Dash adjusted her pace while keeping her lance ready. “Okay, yeah, I get it. Just don't make me wait behind and watch over Barb and Winona when things get crazy, alright?”

Bronze tried not to wince at Dash’s volume, but was glad as her pace slowed and allowed her to drift back to the rear of their group. “Sure, Dash. I promise you'll be a part of whatever happens. Not gonna separate the group, not down here.”

When she was finally alone with Barb, Bronze looked away from the dragoness, unsheathing her long dagger from its sheath at her hip. Flipping the dagger around so she held it by the blade, Bronze thrust the handle at the girl. “Look, Dusk’s gonna kill me for bringing you down here anyways, so take this. I've seen you with a knife in the kitchen, I know you're not gonna cut yourself. Just… look, if a stranger comes at you, grip it with both hands and aim for the chest, alright?”

Taken back by Bronze’s offer, Barb looked hesitantly at the blade, her eyes glowing faintly in the dark. After a moment, however, her eyes narrowed and she nodded firmly. The tiny dragon reached out, taking a grip on the handle and slowly pulled it close. Bronze’s instincts instantly demanded she correct the girl's grip, but the clashing innocence and seriousness in the little dragoness’ eyes as she held the foot and a half long blade reassured Bronze that she'd made the right choice. Visibly swallowing, nervousness apparent in the way her spines quivered, Barb gave her a little nod, struggling to offer a shaky smile. “I- I understand. I won’t let you down, Bronze.”

* * *

8:20pm, Fluttershy’s Cottage, Ponyville

Gently pulling the blanket up to Sweetie Belle’s shoulders, Fluttershy sat down on the edge of the couch beside the filly. She tenderly brushed her free hand through the filly’s hair, grinning a little before she turned to look over at the other the girls as they got comfortable in their cots. “Everypony settled in? Does anyone need a glass of water? You all remember where the bathroom is, right?”

Like a tired chorus, the four fillies offered Fluttershy reassurance with their mixed cries that amounted to: “Of course we do Fluttershy,” or “Sure, I remember.”

As the pegasus nodded at the fillies and stood up, it was Sweetie Belle’s soft-spoken request that stopped Fluttershy from joining Dusk on the porch swing. “Fluttershy? Could you sing us a song? I just can't sleep if I don't get a lullaby from Rarity.”

Smiling at the way the timid little foal half hid under her blanket when the other girls giggled, Fluttershy sat back down and gently stroked Sweetie’s head before clearing her throat. “Well, I suppose that I can try… but I'm nowhere near as good a singer as she is.”

With an enthusiastic nod and even brighter grin, Sweetie Belle tucked her blanket under her chin. Taking that as a sign to start, Fluttershy brushed her hair back over her shoulders and placed a hand on her throat, summoning the courage to perform under the watchful eyes of the four foals.

“Hush now, quiet now.

It's time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now.

It's time to go to bed...”

Her eyes only growing larger with glee as Fluttershy sang, Sweetie Belle suddenly jumped up from under her covers, standing on the couch and clapping her hands together and cheering for Fluttershy. Realizing what she'd done, Sweetie Belle dropped to her knees, blushed and grabbed Fluttershy’s hands. “Oh! I'm sorry, Fluttershy. But... I know! I know this song! Let me sing it with you, Fluttershy!” With a deep breath Sweetie Belle turned away from the other foals, letting her loose hair cover her face so she could hide her blush. Clasping her hands together, Sweetie Belle began singing with more enthusiasm and volume than artistic skill, projecting loud enough to make Fluttershy visibly wince.

“Hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to lay your sleepy head!

Said hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to go to bed!”

Fluttershy was shocked as Sweetie Belle began dancing on the couch with her eyes closed. The little filly was singing at the top of her lungs while swaying her hips side-to-side and swinging her arms in the opposite direction, all to her more energetic rhythm. Fluttershy winced, unsure of how to calm the enthusiastic filly down even as she reached out to softly touch the foal’s arm. “Okay Sweetie, that was-”

Lost in her own world, Sweetie Belle was totally unaware of Fluttershy’s attempt to get her attention. Sweetie Belle’s voice rose higher while her tail began to sweep back and forth over her hips, the heavy beat carrying her away.

“Driftin' (driftin') off to sleep!

Exciting day behind you!

Driftin' (driftin') off to sleep!

Let the joy of dreamland find you!”

Watching as the foal got more energetic and louder, Fluttershy attempted to cut the foal off once more. The other foals were all sitting up now, clapping along with Sweetie’s song. “Thank you Sweetie, um-”

“Hush now! Quiet now!

Lay your sleepy head!

Said hush now! Quiet now!

It's time to go to bed!”

Spinning around on one foot, Sweetie tried to strike a dramatic pose while throwing her hands high over her head, jumping onto the back of the couch. She was grinning wildly at the other girls, who were already starting to cheer her on. But Sweetie Belle found herself off balance, and quickly began to slide forward, tipping while her arms wildly swung over her head to try and desperately correct her balance. The filly landed hard, face first on the couch with a muffled cry of, “Ow!”

* * *

The noise of somepony singing their lungs out made Dusk sit up as the glass of the window near his seat on the porch swing began to rattle and shake. Slipping a bookmark into the tome he had been reading, his fingers traced the gilded title even as he turned to gaze into the cottage. ‘Legends of Equestrian Myth’. It had seemed like such a good-natured storybook for foals, yet so many of the stories resembled the monsters from his research for Shining Armor… except for the story his brother had mentioned about one named Tirek. Studious as he was, Dusk felt it worthwhile to hunt the novel for hidden references, but after months of on-and-off research, he had made so little progress in his brother's request that guilt was setting in.

Setting the tome aside, Dusk looked in the window, and could make out Fluttershy holding little Sweetie Belle in her lap on the couch, while the other foals rolled in their cots, kicking their legs and laughing excitedly. Wondering just what he had missed, Dusk rose, wandering to the door and knocking lightly before calling out for permission to enter.

* * *

Two hundred feet away, Henrietta had a very different opinion from Dusk about the noise. Stumbling from the hen house, still spooked from her confrontation with the foals hours ago, she peered around the empty and dark yard. Seeing nothing capable of stopping her, she rushed to the far side of the henhouse, pecking at promising patches of grass along the way. Her destination, a gap in the fencing, was too alluring to ignore forever, however.

On the Everfree Forest side of the cottage, it promised fresh grass, and all the fat lazy worms an adventurous hen like her could only dream of. Arriving at the slightly broken part of the fence, she eyed it for a long moment. With a determined cluck, she made a hop, and struggling valiantly, wiggled her way through the broken part of the wire fence. Then, walking around with purpose, she stretched her wings in the gentle breeze of newfound freedom, not minding the four or five feathers she had lost getting out. The promise of unsuspecting, juicy worms drew her towards the treeline. She was only able to maintain a casual pace because there were so many clumps of grass that had yet to be investigated by any of the other greedy hens in her flock.

* * *

With a weary sigh, Dusk dropped back onto the swaying porch swing, one hand tracing over the cover of the tome he had left there. Closing the door behind herself, Fluttershy leaned back against it, closing her eyes and hanging her head. As Dusk watched, her whole body seemed to droop, with even the tip of her wings lowering to brush down against the deck.

Sliding over to one end of the two-pony swing, Dusk put the old and weathered book on the window sill. Patting the empty half of the swing, Dusk smiled at the tired mare. “Come on, sit down, Fluttershy. You've earned a rest by this point.”

Lifting her weary head, Fluttershy gave him a little smile in return before nodding. Pushing off the door, she walked around the swing so she could slump down next to Dusk, leaning heavily against him as she rested her head on his shoulder. She pressed herself in close against his side, her long tail flicking up and over the far side of the swing. When she finally seemed comfortable, she let out a small yawn that made Dusk chuckle. “Mmm… thank you, Dusk.”

Tentatively slipping an arm across her back, he lay his open palm on the soft curve of her plush hip, squeezing her against him for a short moment. Fluttershy smiled, letting out a happy sigh. Dusk was surprised to feel her wing brush across his back and lay there, the feathers tickling his neck as they curled in against him. He was even more surprised to feel her reach out for his free hand, pulling it into her lap. Yawning again, she interlaced their fingers and began stroking his arm with her free hand. Dusk considered his next words carefully, unsure of how to deal with the normally shy mare being so… open with her affection towards him. He rather enjoyed it, and didn’t want to scare her off.

He kissed the top of her pink mane gently, and Fluttershy murmured at the gentle pressure before she nuzzled in against his neck. Hardly daring to breathe, Dusk’s voice was barely above a whisper when he finally spoke. “Are fillies always so quick to tease their friends like that? Shining Armor was always so serious after he joined the guard academy, except when we were talking about his hobbies. He got so excited when Barb took after his love of comics.”

Only as he finished talking about his brother did Dusk notice that Fluttershy’s breathing had smoothed out, and she had ceased stroking his arm. With her laying against his side, practically having claimed his arm as hers, the stallion realized belatedly that she had fallen asleep. He would have to either wake her up or carry her inside without waking her somehow, assuming she really had drifted off - and he found himself reluctant to do either, as comfortable as the mare’s weight against him was.

He settled himself in to wait, softly stroking his thumb along the back of her hand. He turned to look out at the sky, resting his chin on her head lightly, listening to her calm breathing. Every so often he chuckled a little to himself when she exhaled, her breath tickling his neck.

Dusk nearly jumped out of his seat when she suddenly spoke up, voice quiet and curious. “Just what do you think the foals were trying to make when they... ‘fixed’ the side table they broke this afternoon? It doesn’t even remotely look like a coffee table, but... er, I’m not really sure what it is anymore.”

Barely stifling a yawn after her unexpected question, Dusk turned his head to look where he had set down the table hours before. Sitting forlornly at the end of the deck, the mutilated remains of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Carpenters first and last project was a mystery. The fillies had managed to reconnect the legs of the end table, though one was on backwards and another upside down. They had then tried to reattach the top, but things had clearly gone wrong. Shaking his head slightly, Dusk said, “I really think they were trying their best to just fix it and got carried away again…”

Yawning broadly as she turned over to stare again at the remains of the table, she shook her head ruefully. Shifting herself, she nuzzled Dusk’s neck again, putting more of her weight against Dusk's side. She drew her other wing to rest across the front of them, sighing contentedly against the crook of his neck. With Fluttershy’s wing now covering his front, Dusk got a whiff of Fluttershy’s earthy, natural scent, and he inhaled deeply, a familiar tingle crawling down his horn and through his spine.

Voice a soft whisper, Fluttershy’s lips moved against his neck, just the barest brush against his skin as she spoke. “Maybe… but I still think I could convince them to make Angel a really good stepping stool, if they wanted to try again.”

Dusk’s mind only paid partial attention at Fluttershy’s words, most of his focus on the electrifyingly light contact of her lips against his neck. The mare gripped his arm tightly, and leaned forward, her heavy, distracting chest resting against Dusk. She let out a soft breath against his neck, before pressing her lips against his cutie mark softly. Dusk found himself lost for words for a few moments, but Fluttershy’s next act surprised him even more.

“Thank you for helping today, Dusk,” she whispered, before placing another kiss against his cutie mark. Sitting up taller, Dusk squeezed her hand and hip, head tilting away to give her more access to his neck.

Clearing his throat, Dusk tried to speak, cursing his voice when it cracked. “I-it was nothing, Fluttershy. Today was… very ni-ICE!” Dusk yelped when he felt Fluttershy nip his cutie mark, not having expected the reserved mare to bite him like that.

Fluttershy giggled against his neck, once more kissing the stars she found there. Nuzzling in against him, she suddenly froze, eyes going wide. Her wings snapped away from Dusk, gluing themselves back against her back as she tried to lean away from Dusk. “Oh! Oh, Dusk, I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, to… Um, well, I just-” When she pulled away from him, Dusk saw that she was blushing brightly, trying to move to the other side of the swing.

Seeing and hearing that she was about to panic, Dusk gently gripped her hands. Trying to meet her gaze, he said, “Fluttershy, please, it’s fine.”

He smiled at her, trying to calm her down. The now-nervous mare shyly met his eyes, still blushing a bright scarlet. When she spoke, Dusk had to strain to hear her, despite how close the two were. “I-it’s just that, um, Dusk, I was so comfortable, an-and you were so warm, and I just, um, well…” She looked down again, to where he held her hands, and her bangs fell across her face, hiding her from him. “A-are you sure it was fine?”

Grinning widely now, Dusk leaned forward enough to kiss the top of her pink mane. “Yes, Fluttershy, and I was quite comfortable as well. If you’re feeling up for it, I’d like to do that again… your wings were very warm.” Dusk held a soft smile, waiting to see what her reaction was.

She was quiet for a few moments, though her thumbs were still running along the back of his hands. Dusk saw her wings ruffle before settling in once more against her back. When she finally looked up at him, her face was only slightly less scarlet, and her bangs still covered most of her eyes. “A-are you sure, Dusk?”

Dusk nodded once, and heard the mare give off a happy squeal before finding himself pressed against the back of the swing the next second. Fluttershy wasted no time in cuddling herself against him once more, her arms trapping one of his in her lap again. Her long tail flicked away from the edge of the bench, coming to land on their interlocked hands, acting as a sort of soft blanket.

As she nuzzled in against his neck, her wings seemed to twitch undecidedly. One second they would extend towards Dusk, before returning to her back. Finally, one wing hesitantly moved to cover his back, brushing over him lightly before resting on him.

When Fluttershy let out a content sigh, Dusk brushed her mane from her forehead to kiss it. “Thank you, Fluttershy.”

Smiling against his neck, and face still ablaze, her lips brushed against his cutie mark before she asked, “For?”

“Trusting me, and letting me help you today. It was certainly enlightening.” Dusk brought his free arm under her wings and around to her waist, pulling her in tight against him.

Still too giddy to stop herself from smiling widely, Fluttershy giggled before replying. “Oh, Dusk…” She kissed his neck again, before tucking her face in and breathing his scent in deep. She felt a delicious shiver go down her back and through her wings. She shuffled her wings before settling them back where they were, the one around Dusk’s back hugging him tight against her.

Yawning, Fluttershy said, “Dusk, would you mind waiting out here with me until Harry returns? He tends to get back late, but I always wait for him. I-I’d love the company, if yo-” She fell silent as she felt Dusk’s lips against her temple.

Dusk’s lips brushed against her hair as he spoke softly. “Of course, Fluttershy. It’s such a nice night out, as well, it would be a shame to not spend it with such a lovely mare.” He grinned when he felt Fluttershy tighten her hold on him for a moment. Dusk found himself once more thanking Princess Celestia for sending him to Ponyville in the first place. He’d never have met such amazing mares if it hadn’t been for her.

Interrupting his thoughts, Fluttershy’s voice sounded drowsy. “Oh, Dusk…” Yawning, she settled herself more comfortably against him before continuing. “I’m so lucky Rarity introduced you to me…” Her lips brushed his cutie mark again, before she fell silent.

Dusk waited for a time, but Fluttershy didn’t say anything else, or move beyond her level breathing. Her tail twitched from time to time where it covered their hands, tickling his arm slightly. Smiling, he squeezed her softly before gazing up at the sky once more, leaning his head back. Watching the moon in its course overhead, Dusk wondered how Bronze’s training session with the other girls had gone, and hoped that Rarity’s trip had been worth the effort.

* * *

Time unknown, Somewhere underground, outside Ponyville?

Still in the chain net, Rarity had no clue just how far the Diamond Dogs had carried her when the growling behemoth finally put her down on a pile of musky rags. They had clearly been used by someone with poor hygiene as a bed - and had gone without a good washing for far too long. Face down in the vile, reeking pile of rags, she fought for breath while wriggling around to at least lay on her back.

The next shock to the fastidious mare was how shoddy the chain net she’d been bound in had been made. The chains that had bound her legs together easily fell apart now that she was no longer being held over that brute’s shoulder. Free of the chains and no longer face down in the dirty rags, the reeking musk thinned, but she found no improvement in the quality of the air. Finally looking around, she saw that in the doorway, two of the bigger dogs stood chest to chest, growling under their breath and slapping each other's pecs in hard and ringing blows.

Unable to help herself, Rarity’s mind snapped into action. “These dogs act worse than some brutish filly, trying to impress a colt she's got a crush on. Don't tell me they've already forgot about kidnapping me? With chains this weak, I just need to wait for a moment to find a clearing and then… and then I'm still lost in the middle of their den. Damn... By the Light, I swear I'm not going to get lost in some dirty pig sty!”

As if the dogs heard her thoughts, they both turned, letting a smaller one pass between them, a metal chain and collar carried casually in his hands. With a mild shrug he barked something at the guards before pointing at Rarity. “Smart pony, right? Smart pony knows why she's here? Smart pony knows her magic finds shinies... So smart pony, use your magic. Find us shinies! Dig them up! Do a good job, find us many much shinies, and smart pony gets fed. But! Do a bad job, smart pony gets to join the digger dogs. And if she doesn't dig better than the digger dogs, digger dogs get pony for dinner!”

Staring wide-eyed at the tiny Diamond Dog, Rarity had to suppress a giggle. The dog was smaller than she was! He was half the size of the two playing guard. Remembering how fragile the chain net had been, Rarity turned her keen eye for quality on the chain and collar he carried, struggling to stifle a disdainful snort of laughter. “Is he serious!? I might be a dainty mare, but look at him! Apple Bloom or Scootaloo could handle this poor little puppy. He can't expect me to take him seriously. Still… It'll be even easier to escape from him if I can lull the poor fool into a false sense of security.”

Gasping dramatically, Rarity lifted her arms defensively, but only ineffectually batting at the dog as he collared her with the cheap and tacky black leather collar. She would never have embarrassed Fluttershy with such an awful looking thing. Still though, she put up a show for the dog, tearing up and whimpering. “You stole me from my home just to be some kind of laborer? But I'm a unicorn! I'm better at magic than brute labor!~” Pausing briefly to bat her eyes at him and play up the fragile mare, Rarity tried to push the dog into dismissing her as weak. “Surely you won't let my magic go to waste!” Curling her lip to deeply pout, Rarity waited, wanting to see how the dog would react.

The small dog swung at her face, catching her cheek with the leather lead that was attached to the collar. Though the blow was hardly that impressive, Rarity still had to bury her fury at being struck. Keeping up her act, she instead inched back, holding her hands up defensively in front of her face even as the dog waved the leather strap at her threateningly. When he spoke, it was with what she assumed he thought was authority. “Shut up pony! You get up. Use your magic and show us where the shiny stones are. Do it right, and maybe we can let fancy pony have dinner tonight!”

* * *

Apple Bloom woke to the sound of Sweetie Belle’s muffled cry of shock. Shooting up in bed, she looked around, ready to rush to the little filly’s aid. Instead of apple thieves or something from the Everfree Forest, she saw only Scootaloo whispering to the younger girl in an attempt to hush her as gently as she could. “Sorry, Sweetie, but I could have sworn I heard something going on out by the chicken coop after Dusk and Fluttershy fell asleep. And you got the best view of them through your window.”

Blushing brightly and stuffing her blanket into her mouth, Sweetie Belle nodded silently, eyes wide. After a short moment, though, she tried to ask the pegasus a question that was muffled by her attempt to stay silent, yet somehow still talk around the blanket.

Stretching a little to get a knot out of her back, Apple Bloom was unsurprised to find that Scootaloo was up to some sort of mischief, even in the middle of the night. She walked as silently as she could to avoid waking up Dinky. When she settled directly between her two friends, her voice was soft, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

“Just what’re y’all talking about? There ain't nothing interesting moving out there. Even over by our place, we almost never get things wandering out of the Everfree Forest. Just the occasional timber wolf or two.”

Turning away from the window to scowl at Apple Bloom, Scootaloo huffed her annoyance, flipping a hand through her wild hair. “Well I saw something! Swear to Celestia! It was right near the chicken house and I just wanted a better look.”

Rolling her eyes, Apple Bloom tapped her fingers on the window to emphasize her point that there was nopony moving out there. “Heck, all of Fluttershy’s critter friends have gone ta bed at this point. So, how about you go to bed too? Besides, it's a coop, not a chicken hou-”

Stiffening up with giddy excitement, Sweetie Belle’s blanket fell away from her face and she pushed closer to the window while grabbing Apple Bloom’s shoulder and shaking her. Her voice was an excited whisper, and her other hand pointed towards the treeline. “Apple Bloom! I just saw it too! It's all white and near the back of the chicken coop by the fence!”

As all three fillies crowded together at the window to try and make out what Sweetie Belle had seen, Dinky rolled over in her cot, rubbing her eyes with her balled fists before talking through a sleepy yawn. “So-?” Stopping to crack her jaw as she flopped back down on the bed, she continued speaking while pulling her pillow over her head. “So, why don't we just go look and find out what it is? I can do a light spell. That way if it's nothing, we can just go back to sleep, right?”

Delighted by Dinky’s suggestion, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rushed away from the window, racing to their cots to start changing from their nightgowns back into their clothing from earlier today. Grinning wildly, Scootaloo called out to Apple Bloom, her voice gaining volume in her eagerness. “Oh! I bet it’s a hen that got kicked out of the chicken house for snoring!”

Sticking her tongue out at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom rushed to pull on her jeans, shooting back. “No way! First of all, it's a chicken coop, or a hen house. Not a chicken house! Besides, it's probably just some loose paper or something! There’s no way that chickens snore!”

Sticking her tongue out in return, Scootaloo blew a raspberry at the farm filly. “How do you know!? You live in Granny's place, right? Or do they make you sleep in the hen coop when you're caught breaking the rules?”

Jumping to her feet and pulling her jeans up over her nightgown, Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, and nearly shouted back, frustration clear in her voice. “Chicken coop!”

Curling her lip while pulling at her shoes, Scootaloo was quick to fire back with an open snark. “Hen hut!”

From under her blanket, Dinky groaned, pulling the sheet back just enough to look over at Sweetie Belle. “I guess this means we're going out now, aren't we? Cause if we don't, they're going to keep getting louder and fighting until Dusk and Fluttershy come to see what's making all the noise.”

Pausing as she straightened the hemline of her dress around her shoulders, Sweetie Belle jumped a little bit and turned to look at Dinky as she peered out of her covers. “You don't have to… I'm … I'm just fine with light spells too, and there's no reason to get both of us in trouble if Dusk or Fluttershy catch us outside this late.”

Throwing off her blanket and fishing around for her pants, Dinky shook her head before looking up again at the others and grinning. “Nuh, uh! I'm just as much a Cutie Mark Crusader as you are. All for one!”

Rushing to whisper back simultaneously, the other fillies punched a fist into the air. “And one for all until we all get our cutie marks!” Realizing they'd all answered the same way, the fillies fell into a giggling fit while Dinky caught up and started putting on her boots as well.

“Finally!” Scootaloo gave an exasperated sigh. “This is great! Come on, it's time for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to go on our mission to find that chicken!”

Apple Bloom noticed Dinky’s shoulders droop. Casually sauntering to her friend's side, she wrapped an arm around the unicorn’s back before offering the calmest member of their group an enthusiastic smile and shrug. “Let's just get this over with so Scootaloo will admit she's wrong and we can all go to sleep!”

Brightening up a little, Dinky whispered something under her breath and a burst of yellow-orange colored light formed into an orb on the tip of her horn nearly six inches in diameter.

The fillies slowly crept towards the front door. Apple Bloom pushed it open, wincing at the loud creaking noise it made. Thankfully, Dinky’s magic provided enough light through the open door to see that Dusk and Fluttershy were still asleep at the end of the patio.

Sweetie Belle barely muffled an “Awww!” even as Scootaloo made an exaggerated gagging motion. Scootaloo grabbed Sweetie Belle’s hand and rushed off across the lawn, never looking back until she reached the edge of the light. She stopped, looking back at Dinky and Apple Bloom before remembering herself enough to at least not blow their cover by shouting anything when Dusk and Fluttershy were a stone’s throw away.

Moving slowly and deliberately in Scootaloo’s footprints, Apple Bloom and Dinky followed behind. When Apple Bloom reached the chicken wire, she treated it like just another walk with Applejack or Big Mac, turning a critical eye to the fencing that protected the hen house. Occasionally, she reached out and tug at the wire on top to make sure the nails still held fast, and put her boot against the bottom edge for the same reason, gently adding pressure like Big Mac had shown her to find any give in the fence.

“What’cha think, Dinky? I'd say Fluttershy does a good job keeping her chicken friends safe.”

Shaking her head, Dinky gave Apple Bloom’s side a squeeze, pointing at Scootaloo. The excitable pegasus filly stood with Sweetie Belle behind the coop, waving a handful of white feathers over her head and dancing in place.

Apple Bloom’s jaw dropped at the sight of the recently-plucked feathers, looking everywhere for the chicken Scootaloo had somehow silently pulled them from. Forgetting herself, she expressed her shock out loud, voice carrying across the yard. “But there ain't a chicken up or nothing! You just found some they shed earlier, Scootaloo! That has to be it!”

Apple Bloom was so caught up in her excitement that she had nearly reached Scootaloo and her prized fisful of feathers when she heard the now-familiar noise of the big rooster shifting around inside the coop. She was grateful when she saw that Scootaloo had heard him too, the pegasus flinching and lowered her voice a little further. Her enthusiasm remained the same, however, as she held the feathers out for the earth pony to inspect. “Nuh, uh! See the hints of blood on the quill? That means these were plucked, not shed, and recently or it'd be all dried up!”

With far less understanding of feathers than Scootaloo, Apple Bloom let go of Dinky and turned to Sweetie Belle for help, but the unicorn was standing by herself at the edge of the light, watching the stars. With a huff, Apple Bloom called out quietly to the younger filly. “What you think, Sweetie Belle? You're the smart one. Think a chicken got out like Scootaloo says?”

As Sweetie began to turn to face them, she stopped suddenly, her face lighting up in joy and she gave an audible gasp, pointing towards the Everfree Forest behind Scootaloo’s back. “Look! Its Henrietta! That silly chicken, she's almost wandered all the way to the tree line! If we hurry, we can get her back quick, and then Dusk and Fluttershy will crown us ‘The Cutie Mark Crusaders Chicken Saviors!’”

Caught in trying to look where Sweetie Belle was pointing, the other girls got lost in her excitement and never took a moment to question her idea. Instead all four girls began dashing after the wandering hen, who had gotten distracted for the last few hours and was still picking at interesting tufts of grass by the treeline. It was the slightly muffled roar of “Cutie Mark Crusaders to the chicken rescue!” that spooked her, as the familiar foals that had chased her hours earlier came running that sent her slow brain into a frantic panic. Turning on her spurs, Henrietta plunged straight into the Everfree Forest, the fillies close behind her.

Despite Dusk and Fluttershy never waking up to the noise the fillies made, inside the chicken coop, there was a loud and frustrated cluck, and a certain large rooster rose and began inspecting his flock.

* * *

Rarity had tried her best to infuriate her captors the entire time they demanded she search for gems in as many subtle ways as she could think of, but the dogs had simply turned a blind eye to her behavior. From losing a shoe and stubbing her toe, to sitting on a flat rock and refusing to continue walking until they'd recovered the shoe that she had hidden in her backpack, the dogs had only muttered to each other and given her glares. And so it was that she lay propped on one of the guard dog's shoulders, half-heartedly projecting light on the walls of a tunnel, only pretending to use her magic for finding gemstones. As the large dog carried her, she accidentally illuminated a brilliant pink pearl. In a sudden and frenzied excitement, the little dog that held her leash rushed off, digging tooth and claw at the half-embedded gem, peeling it free of the stone so he could present it to the two weary alphas that had joined their walk.

“See!? She found a huge shiny stone! Biggest single stone we found in months, too! And in a room we dug out two months ago! And all because Spot found her!”

The two larger dogs stared at each other for a moment, then the pink gem, before the smaller of the two gave a shrug at the bigger dog. With a casual cuff to the back of Spot’s head, it stole away the pink gem before giving a lazy snort and turning to face Rarity. “So the pony might be of a little use. But this tunnel? We dig it out weeks ago, so why your nose not tell you that gem was here? Not like you to miss sniffing out a shiny, Spot. You losing your sniff? Nose not up to snuff? Maybe this pony replace you. After all, you not even tough enough to take down a pony, are you?”

Stamping his feet in anger and shifting from foot to foot while snarling at the larger dogs, Spot snatched up Rarity’s leash, nearly breaking its fragile chain while storming back over to the bigger dogs. Still carried by the guard dog, Rarity finally got a good look at the two big alphas. Face to face with the gray-blue furred giant nearly the size of Big Mac, Rarity’s confidence began to waver. But Spot’s response was what really shocked her. “Then me take three digger dogs and two guard dogs! We go to the new tunnels you found nothing in! Me show you all! In three hours, my little pony will find us more gems than you two could in a month!”

This time it was the giant dog that cuffed Spot across the ears, and unlike his companion, he didn't soften the blow. Knocked to the ground, Spot’s coughing made Rarity feel sorry for the little dog, despite how much he was taking responsibility for her kidnapping. But the big dog turned his eye to her, grumbling in his broken and poor Common. “No. Stupid dog. Bad Spot. She not just pony. She unicorn. Unicorn magic, remember? Unicorn trickiest of ponies. Nearly as bad for brain as Alee-corn princess, with her laws, and ‘tree-tees’. We come with you to new tunnels, pony too dangerous to trust to just three guards. Now get up, we walk.” The giant paused for a moment, breathing deeply, then reared back on his haunches to loom directly over Rarity, cupping her chin. “No tricks, pony. Spot might be quick with words, but Rover and Fido have dealt with ponies before. You pony not getting out from under our paws.”

To make his threat explicit, Fido reached down to the dirt under him, and scooped up a small stone in one mammoth paw. Holding it before Rarity's face, he closed his paw around the rock, crushing it in his palm to a dusty powder that stuck to his fingers. “Now find shinies, pony! Or your head next!”

Tunnel after tunnel passed around Rarity where she hung on the guard dog's shoulders. Proudly, Spot had moved to lead the group again, holding Rarity’s leash. Occasionally he stopped to sniff the air. When he did so, sometimes the little dog would grin and point at a wall before barking up at Rarity. “Pony! Shinies over there!” Each time he did, Rarity turned her gem finding magic to the wall, and revealing any gems inside for the three digger dogs that were with them the glowing aura. Rarity really had to credit the digger dogs for their enthusiasm. The moment they saw the glow of her magic they eagerly leapt to work, digging furiously at the rock to uncover the ‘shinies’ her magic revealed.

But when Rarity turned her magic to illuminate the next chamber, the glow of a massive gem vein that dominated the east wall made her sit up and pay attention. Only inches below the surface, the glow of emeralds responding to her magic washed the room in a pale green hue that set Rarity’s inspiration to work, and made her a little upset that she'd definitely have to leave the rocks behind when she made her escape. “It is such a shame though, Applejack would look so good dressed in green, her dress accented with emeralds...”

Set on her feet by the guard dog that had carried her, Rarity took a minute to admire the green glow that washed over the chamber as the dogs’ aggressive digging uncovered more of the emeralds. With more of the guards joining the digger dogs to peel away the stone, Rarity took a few steps back, trying to drift to the far side of the room. She was sure she'd seen sunlight just a few chambers ago, maybe-

Grabbing at her collar and tugging at her throat a little, Spot caught Rarity totally off guard. Somehow she'd overlooked the small dog and never noticed as he swaggered to her side. Face beaming proudly, Spot reached up as high as he could and attempted to pet Rarity’s mussed hair with his muddy claws. “There's a good pony! Now that you've earned your dinner, what about rest of the room? Let's both get dessert tonight, yes?”

Deciding it was better to keep the little prideful dog on her side, Rarity reached for her magic and cast her gem finding spell again, quickly highlighting the presence of a small separate clutch of deep purple and blue sapphires. The moment Spot caught sight of it, he rushed to the end of Rarity's leash, tugging at it in the hopes of dragging her over to the glowing stones. As ineffectual as his efforts were, Rarity followed him at the limit of the leash, resting her hands on her hips and standing as far back as she could.

Turning to glare up at her, never once noticing her reluctance, he barked a simple order while pulling her towards a simple pickaxe the dig dogs had dropped in their enthusiasm. “Dig, pony!”

Looking at the worn wooden pickaxe handle disdainfully, Rarity made the effort to lift it to her shoulder, offset by its weight and poor quality. Trying to keep from scowling and calling out the dog for his poor treatment of a real lady, she gave a dramatic grunt and halfheartedly delivered a wobbly blow to the hard ground inches from Spot’s feet. Thrown off balance by the awkward tool, she wobbled from the impact and staggered a few feet, dropping the axe and losing her temper. "Is this what you really want to make a unicorn do!? I am a lady; a dressmaker! Not some mindless grunt to sweat herself silly digging in the rock!”

It took a moment before the echoes of her flustered scream stopped rebounding off the wall of the chamber. Realizing that all the dogs were now staring at her, Rarity rushed to rebuild her meek appearance for the dogs. “Err… I mean… um... Oh! By the Light! The ground’s just SO hard!"

Waiting for the dogs to react, Rarity pointed her toes into the ground, wiggling her shoe against the dirt while hoping against hope that the dogs would overlook her outburst, even as her thoughts began to race. “They intimated that they've negotiated with Celestia herself… but by the Light, she's almost too kind-hearted. Just how much do they even know about ponies? If they're as ignorant as they've acted so far…”

Spot was the first of the dogs to recover from her outburst. Maybe it was his pride, his innocent mind, or just a moment of willful ignorance, she couldn't tell, but he grabbed the pickaxe from her, and threw it at a nearby digger dog, taking a small sack of the emeralds from its arms and shoving the bag in Rarity’s arms. “Lazy pony! FINE! Digger dog, dig for the shinies the pony found!”

Scratching behind his ear with a claw, Rover closed his hanging jaw and shook his head. Still a little caught in a moment of disbelief, he said, “Now wait, Spot. That pony just did bad pony things. We should punish her to remind her of pony’s place, right?”

With both dogs stuck in a disagreement, they turned to Fido, the slowest thinker of all three, and Rarity couldn't help but remember the way his massive clawed fist had crushed the rock right in her face. Staring past Rarity, she could see his brow was contorted in an effort to think. His expression only grew worse when Spot and Rover disagreed before the digger dogs and guards, who had all stopped their work to look at the biggest alpha for leadership… all except the one that was hard at work, sorting the gems Rarity had just found, polishing each in turn before dropping the dark purple sapphires one at a time into the heavy sack Rarity held.

Ever so slowly, Fido looked over the room. In a wise man, his expression might have been thoughtful, but the dog looked almost ready to panic.

The sudden roar of crashing footsteps from the tunnel where they’d entered the room from was a shocking intrusion, but both Rarity and Fido couldn't help but find relief in the distraction. Two breathless guard dogs rushed into the room. One weaponless mutt’s cheap copper helmet was caved in and visibly fit far better than it had been been intended to, while the other still held a broken staff in a wobbly hand, but the straps of his leather armor had been frayed to ribbons and he bled from several minor cuts. A panicked mess, the dogs burst into a confusing array of barks and whines that made the other dogs in the room explode into a riotous chorus.

Shocked by how chaos had overtaken the dogs so easily, Rarity felt her stomach beginning to churn at the sight of the near open melee before her. Covering her ears and ducking behind a large rock, Rarity tried to disappear again, a furious headache growing at the endless barking. Soon there were sounds of fighting, and slowly the noise of their barks died away. As the noise rose, Rarity had to pause, deciding to wait. Her only thought was to try and stay hidden from the angry dogs.

As the dust settled, she finally grew the courage to peer around her rock. Nervous as she looked around the mostly silent room, she worriedly rubbed her cold, bare arms. Near the entrance, one of the newly arrived guards lay in a heap by the door, legs twitching while his hands clawed at his throat, the sickly sound coming from under his hands reminding Rarity of air being sucked through a straw. Growing weaker and weaker, his hands fell away from his throat, while his body continued to spasmodically twitch. Looking closer, in horror Rarity realized that his throat had been ripped out by a much larger set of jaws. Staggering under the awful violence she had missed, Rarity was only able to stare at the crimson coating Fido’s maw as he marched out into the tunnels with nearly all the dogs, even most of the diggers, barking furious orders in their native language.

Near her side, one dog still dug, but he was shaking as he worked, and several times had to stop to pick up the rocks he dropped in his open panic. By the door was a single guard with a bleeding cheek that tried to act serious, but he too was worried, and constantly checked over his shoulder in the tunnel beyond.

Cowering at her feet, Rarity felt Spot’s shivering body pressing against her legs. Confused beyond belief, she gave the tiny dog a dainty push with a foot. “Just what was that?!”

Leaping to his feet and turning around in a moment of flustered embarrassment, Spot spun around in place. Shaking his head, he embarrassingly muttered an answer while staring at the rock at their feet. “Some ponies ambushed the guard dogs’ patrol… and when they came to report to Fido, they accidentally interrupted Fido while he was thinking. He-he gets mad when he is interrupted while thinking. N-now shut up, pony. Hold the bag for the digger dog and stay quiet. We both don't want to make Fido mad again… please?”

Feeling a little sorry for the tiny dog, Rarity gave him a short nod, and crouched down to make it easier on the digger dog as he deepened the hole up to his shoulders. Watching the dog at work in the hole, she couldn't help but give a devious smile. “Sorry Spot… but this is my chance. I just need to get the guard close enough. With this sack of gems as a bludgeon, you can lead me out of here.”

Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 4

Author's Note

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for all the support I got when I was in the hospital for most of June. It was a frightening time and while everything is getting better, it really threw my life off the rails the last three months.

Also thanks to my editors and all you readers for putting up with me for this long hiatus. It has taken me a long time to get my head back into writing as well as MLP. I'm just now starting to catch up on Season 7 and already find new ideas are flowing freely.

Finally a warning: While the scene in this chapter is not explict or graphic, there is a dark tone that is a lot closer to gore then the majority of my writing. So I'd like to leave this heads up here as a warning.

Thanks again, and I can't wait to see you all comment!

Chapter 16 - Dog and Pony Show / Stare Master - Part 4

Fluttershy's cottage

A torrential series of angry noises woke Dusk with a start. Trapped in place under Fluttershy’s weight, Dusk found his slowly-awakening senses blurry. Focusing was a struggle made only worse by the distracting softness that was the mare half in his lap. Fighting to hold back a yawn while the noise grew louder, it was the violent beating of wings and the noise of metal mesh straining that finally kickstarted the more coherent parts of his brain.

Dusk moved to stand up, only belatedly realizing he couldn't get up without pushing Fluttershy off of him. Pausing, Dusk gently brushed his fingers through her hair, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. “Hey? Fluttershy? You should wake up. Something is bothering your chickens again. We should go check on them.”

Fluttershy gave him a soft and questioning “Smugh?” before attempting to roll over in his lap, curling her wings in tighter around him.

Smiling to himself, Dusk settled his hands on her shoulders, repeating himself while giving her a soft shake. “Fluttershy? I really do think that something's wrong with your chickens.”

Still dozing, Fluttershy nestled deeper against him, wrapping her arms around his neck while burying her face in his chest, muttering softly. “That's just the rooster. He does that every morning at dawn. Just,” she paused, yawning timidly into his neck before continuing. “Just let me get five more minutes. If he hasn't calmed down by then, I’ll go ask him what’s wrong.”

Realizing Fluttershy hadn't even bothered to open her eyes when she spoke, Dusk let out a heavy sigh. “Fluttershy, dear. I know I'm new to small town life, but I know about roosters. Now wake up, it isn't morning yet and I'm-”

Despite Dusk’s initial worry about Fluttershy’s slow reaction to the bird’s cries, he had to admire how swiftly she now rushed to her feet, racing over to the porch rail. Bracing herself, she leaned over it and stared at the hen house. When she spoke, her voice trembled slightly. “What? Oh no, oh no, oh no! That means Harry isn't back yet either! There’s no way he would've let us sleep out here if he got home and saw us on the swing!”

Still trying to catch up with the worried mare, Dusk simply continued to talk to himself even as Fluttershy stared into the darkness. “-going to check on him with or without your help… wait?! What?”

Flustered by Dusk’s confused thoughts, Fluttershy spared one worried glance back at him before leaping over the top of the railing and rushing across the lawn, calling back at him as she ran. “Hurry, Dusk! Charlie is screaming about Henrietta and the fillies! He thinks they attacked her!”

Flabbergasted once again at how Fluttershy so quickly flew into action, Dusk turned instead to the cottage door, rushing inside to check on the foals… and saw three empty beds and the abandoned couch. Trying to fight against panic rising in his chest, Dusk shook his head, muttering to himself. “Rarity is going to kill me.”

* * *

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest

Exhilarated by the chase through the dark forest, Apple Bloom ran as hard as she could. Twice she got so close to the little hen, she could practically feel the feathers. Yet every time she attempted to catch Henrietta, she wound up face down in the dirt. Still, she had gotten closer than Scootaloo had yet.

Lagging behind with Sweetie Belle and Dinky, Scootaloo cradled her arm to her chest, the first hints of a bruise already started to darken the skin near her shoulder. She had told them when they found her slumped beside a tree that she'd tried to jump Henrietta, but instead hit the tree by “accident”. To Apple Bloom though, it looked more like she was milking the attention she was getting from Sweetie Belle. The improvised sling that Dinky had made for the pegasus wasn’t helping with Apple Bloom’s mood.

The only thing that kept Apple Bloom from saying something to Scootaloo was the occasional trail of chicken scratches. Pressing on deeper into the woods using the glow of Dinky’s magic, Apple Bloom kept at the edge of the light. The deer trail Henrietta had followed twisted between deadfall trees and a dry creekbed. As Apple Bloom’s shoes sunk into the squishy mud with a noisy squelch, the shocked cry of Henrietta quickly grabbed her attention. The hen had lept out of the creek at the edge of the filly’s vision, sprinting down the broken trail before taking a turn to the right. Excited, Apple Bloom turned to the other girls, giddy with joy that they were getting closer. “Did you see!? She's getting tired, I'll catch her next time for sure!”

But even as she turned to look back, Scootaloo rushed up to her side, pointing to the other fork in the split trail, pointing down the path with her good arm while wrapping her wing around Apple Bloom’s shoulder and turning her back towards the path. “But we all saw her go down that way, Apple Bloom! Did you hit your head or something?”

Shaking her head a little in disbelief at what she had missed seeing in the dirt before, Apple Bloom did a double take, staring at the ground. Clear as day under the glow of Dinky’s spell, two different muddy trails of hen tracks split off and followed both paths, moving in opposite directions. “What! Bu- but I swear I saw Henrietta go down the other trail. Just... umm... Should we, um… so we split up?”

Stretching her wings out and glancing back at the unicorns, Scootaloo grinned, unable to hide her excitement as her tail lashed rapidly behind her back. “I’ll take the path I saw one chicken take, you take the other? And whoever catches Henrietta gets all the credit when we return them to Dusk and Fluttershy?”

Grinning, Apple Bloom took a few quick steps to rush over to Sweetie Belle, grabbing the little filly’s hands. “You think you can handle Dinky’s light spell? Cause me and you are the team that's gonna win!”

Unable to match Apple Bloom’s excitement, Sweetie stared wide-eyed around them at the trees and darkness, shivering and grabbing Apple Bloom’s hand with both of hers. “I- what? No! Apple Bloom, this is the Everfree!”

Chuckling at Sweetie Belle’s reluctance, Apple Bloom put an arm around her and gently started pulling her towards Dinky. “Don't worry, Dusk said you're really good at magic for a foal, right? So I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time!”

Shaking her head aggressively and unsuccessfully pulling away from Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle dug in her heels and built up her nerve to stand up to the older fillies. “Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, this is crazy! Even if there are two chickens out here, we can't split up! This is the Everfree Forest! Dusk and Big Mac don't go into the forest without somepony to back them up, right?! But if we split up, who's gonna watch our backs?!” Swallowing, Sweetie Belle looked to the other unicorn filly for help. “Right Dinky?”

Biting her lip, Dinky gave Sweetie Belle a nod while she took a moment to try and calm her breathing . “I think you're right, Sweetie. Let's just stick together and get one of the chickens, then get out of here quickly, before anything else goes wrong. I still can't believe we didn't notice a second chicken for so long!”

Feeling a little hurt by Sweetie Belle and Dinky’s lack of faith, Scootaloo tried to shrug it off, returning to the path Apple Bloom had picked. “Alright. Then if we gotta stick together, let's go after Apple Bloom’s chicken. She was closer than we were, so I'll take her word it was Henrietta. After all, I barely saw the chicken slinking through the grass from where I was.”

Feeling Sweetie Belle give her hand a squeeze, Apple Bloom straightened up and grinned at Scootaloo. “Then let's go! Maybe we can still get back before Dusk and Fluttershy even notice we're gone!”

* * *

Applejack couldn't help but swell up with pride as Winona silently held up a paw, the signal for them to stop. Waiting in the gap between two outcroppings of rock with Bronze, they watched the patrolling guard, Applejack’s whole body tensed as she waited for Bronze’s signal to jump the patrol of diamond dogs.

To her surprise, however, they held their positions as the dogs walked off down the tunnel. Applejack’s confusion only grew as she heard a soft sigh of relief from Bronze. Turning to the squire, she asked, “What’s wrong? You've already proved you're damned good with that sword. You humiliated the two that were guarding this tunnel. Why let this bunch go?”

Sighing as she sheathed her sword, Bronze shook her head before stepping in line with Applejack, watching as Winona waved for them to continue. “I wasn't trying to show off with those dogs. I just wanted to scare them off. There's no reason anyone needs to die today, most of all some random guard dogs who are just doing their job. I doubt they even know about Rarity. But there are so many patrols running around now, I just know one of them is going to stop and notice us eventually.”

Pursing her lips for a moment, Applejack eventually nodded, understanding the guard’s reasoning. “I'm get feeling bad for them, even if they might’ve helped kidnap Rarity... Most of the dogs we've seen so far… they look about as bad as Winona did when she came to Ponyville years back, looking for work.”

Scratching futilely against the armor on the back of her neck, Bronze mentally cursed the itch she’d developed. Glancing at Applejack, she shook her head, another sigh escaping her lips. “About that. They seem like the same ones the Wonderbolt Cadets had to deal with when we first met. You know, when Princess Celestia sent us to scare off the dragon? I’ve heard from friends in Canterlot that the Wonderbolts’ special forces chased them off again a few weeks ago. So why are they here so near to Ponyville?”

Winona had been listening to their conversation and stopped walking, her tension clear in her stance and the way her ears were still on the alert as she waited for them to get closer. Still watching the tunnel ahead, her tail drooped low. Her voice was quiet, and her speech seemed simpler, almost as if she had grown more feral as they had explored the tunnels. "I think they rotten to core. My tribe was same. No good alpha. Just violence and threats. I ran away because they all rotten. Applejack much better alpha." Wagging her tail just a little, the young canine girl leaned over to give Applejack a surprise hug before rushing ahead on silent feet. Her tail still excitedly flicked from side to side, though the blush she had was hidden from Applejack as the loyal hound disappeared into the shadows.

Watching Winona’s return to serious scouting, Bronze glanced at Applejack, offering a soft shrug. "So she used to be part of one of the Diamond Dog tribes? No wonder she understands them. I- well, I kinda wish I'd paid better attention to Deadlock Stronghold when she taught us about the dogs. I don't know nearly enough about their behaviour for this kind of mission.”

Applejack gave Bronze a friendly nudge with her shoulder, muffling her own laughter to avoid making too much noise. "Hey, I've been working with her for a few years now, and she's never been willing to talk about this kind of stuff. Maybe she's just as worried about Rarity as us and just doesn't want to show it."

* * *

Focusing on the broken tree branch in his hand, Dusk ignored the trickle of hot sweat that ran down his back. Fighting down the rising tide of panic in his chest, he focused on gently pouring his magic into the dead wood, watchful as it began to slowly glow, worried too much would destroy the fragile branch. As its glow began highlighting the trees around them, the still-green wood soaked up ever rising amounts of his magic, forming a powerful brightness to push back the engulfing darkness created by the canopy of branches overhead. When the light spell took root in the wood and fully stabilized, Dusk closed the spell, sealing it in place with a whispered prayer. “By Her Light, let it be.”

As Fluttershy swallowed back her mounting distress and took the vividly glowing branch from Dusk’s hands, she responded in kind, the conviction in her voice even more powerful than his. “By Celestia’s will.”

But she hadn't taken two steps into the fork in the trail before spinning around on her heel, the surety that had been in her voice gone as she called out to Dusk. “Are you sure this is the only way?! We're so deep into the Everfree, Dusk!”

Still standing at the fork, horn radiating his vivid raspberry magic for light, Dusk tried to stay calm, shaking his head. “Fluttershy, it's the only choice we have. The girls were all together in the dry creek. From the tracks, it looks like they’re still chasing Henrietta. But something big came through this fork, and I'm not good enough at tracks to say what it it is or which way it went. If we don't follow both paths as quickly as possible, whatever it is might catch up with the girls before we find it. You've gotta be brave and go. Quickly!”

Drawing another deep breath and inflating her chest, Fluttershy held the magical torch high over her head, turning a critical eye to the trail ahead. Dusk was right. Whatever had come down one fork and fled up the other had flattened the ground in a five foot wide swath that knocked down trees and squashed any plants that had grown too close to the narrow path. It almost looked like something had been dragging a boulder through the woods by sheer brute force. Squaring her shoulders and reflexively puffing up her wings to make herself feel bigger, Fluttershy marched into the darkness. Dusk was right, she had to be brave. “For the fillies”.

* * *

Barb was flat on her belly, crawling close to the ground. She felt somewhat guilty as bits of the scout uniform tore off while she snaked across the tunnel floor. She stopped occasionally to grab any strips of fabric that were noticeable, her polished smooth belly scales sliding across the rough tunnel floor. Thankfully in the muted darkness, her purple scales served as a natural camouflage. With Bronze’s long dagger clutched in her mouth, the little dragon slipped from one rock to another, terrified that she’d be seen at any moment.

Pausing behind a stalagmite as a dog patrol crossed the tunnel, Barb twisted to one side, peeking out of the corner of her eye at the room Winona had pointed out for her. “Winona was right! It really does smell just like Rarity over here, and it's way stronger than in the last room! But there's so much blood in the air. Fresh blood… ohhh Rarity!”

When she could see the guards reach the far end of their patrol, Barb bolted out from behind the rock, sprinting the last ten feet flat on her stomach, rushing into the long and narrow tunnel that branched off from the chamber where the others waited for her report. The scent of blood was strong as she entered the path, and Barb had to take a moment to catch her breath, struggling to ignore the thoughts the crimson smell brought to mind. Had the monsters threatened Rarity? Attacked her for being unable to dig? She was so helpless, and Barb knew she had to be brave.

As she rushed to a safe spot right beside the cavern entrance, Barb thought the beating of her heart was so loud that she’d be heard immediately. Reaching her destination, she pinned herself between the wall and a pile of rags that reeked of blood. She then curled her tail in tight and used the rag pile as both a barricade and as a stool, leaning heavily on it for a brief second as she scanned the dim room.

Bent in half by a ragged bag full of gems slung over her shoulder, Rarity’s magic lit up the rocks at her feet. A busy dog repeatedly disappeared into a hole in the ground, popping up occasionally to throw a handful of fresh stones into the sagging sack. A guard dog and a puppy sat together not five feet away, talking too softly for Barb to make their words out.

But she'd done it! She'd crossed the room without being seen when even Winona had panicked and pulled back, and now here she was, not even thirty feet from Rarity!

The sudden mournful cry of the mare's voice made Barb shiver with rage, her words cutting to Barb’s heart even as the dragoness’ spines quivered. “Please!~ This sack is so heavy! Can't you take it and let me carry a new one, Spot?”

Rising on top of the stack of rags again, Barb watched as the big guard dog and the little puppy barked back and forth in angry tones, until at last the guard reluctantly rose to his feet. He was heading away from the other dog and towards Barb’s hiding place. Looking down at the rags to see if there was another bag nearby, Barb had to fight back the urge to retch as she realized why the bloody scent had become so strong after entering the room. The bundle of rags was another guard dog, a face she even recognized. He was the one Bronze had humiliated by shredding his patchwork armor with a few quick blows of her sword. Now his eyes were glazed over and almost half his throat was missing! Fighting back the need to vomit, Barb scurried back into the tunnel, away from Rarity. She had to tell the others! The dogs had started killing each other!

There was no more time for stealth, Rarity’s life was at stake!

* * *

The moment the flattened ground stopped, giving way to the unmistakable presence of bear prints, Dusk knew something was wrong. Freezing in place, his eyes moved rapidly, searching the ground for any hidden clues. There had to be something that he could use to understand what had happened between the bear and whatever other creature had created the flattened trail he had been following.

But then another thought occurred to him, where was the bear? Was it Harry?

Feeling his panic returning, Dusk’s mind raced, asking more questions that he had no answers to. Everywhere he looked he saw more puzzles, rather than answers.

The bear was heading towards the flattened trail. That much was clear. However, before the flattened path started, the only other marks he could make out where those left behind by a chicken’s scratching claws, and... what looked like a snake? The bear had turned several times, lurching and lunging around, as evidenced by the clawed trees and rocks... but had suddenly disappeared, its paw prints vanishing right where the flattened ground started. “Dear Celestia, just what happened he-”

The sudden cry of a reptilian voice made Dusk stop analyzing the tracks, instinct warning him to rapidly back away from the rustling bushes near his feet. Emerging with casual grace, the creature before Dusk’s eyes was both avian and reptile, with a lizard-like tail, leathery wings like a dragon and a matching lower body... yet it had a chicken's legs, torso and head.

Marching straight at Dusk’s feet, the little creature walked with a slight limp. Its distinctly acidic and arcane blood had dried over a single cut that ran down its right side. Barely a scratch, but the monster halted in place and turned its blood-red eyes up to lock gazes with Dusk, it’s shrill warning cry of aggression from the magical beast made his heart race.

Dusk’s curiosity burst forth, overriding all of his other concerns at the moment. There was something in the amalgamation’s eyes, its mysterious familiarity tickled at Dusk’s memory and lured him to crouch down and meet the chicken-lizard’s gaze. Staring with it at eye level, Dusk whispered to himself aloud. “There’s something wrong, my little chicken friend. Something about you I swear that I should remember. Care to tell me just what it is? Or are you just another quandary I'll not understand until I find a book about-”

A sudden, permeating feeling of paralyzation surged through Dusk’s joints, all of his limbs and every muscle stiffening up simultaneously. Realization coursed through Dusk, and in a panicked burst of momentum fueled by adrenaline, he managed to leap back, creating a few feet of distance between him and the beast. But his eyes were locked with the creature’s unrelenting, unblinking steely gaze. In a moment of desperate creativity, Dusk wrapped Shining Armor’s magic shield protectively over his head.

There was a moment where the pressure of the creature's petrifying gaze weakened, and Dusk whispered to himself. “Just like a basilisk, but half chicken. Dear Celestia, what are you?!”

But even as he spoke, the creature cried out in frustration and took a single step forward. Somehow, its gaze was unhindered by Dusk’s desperate magic, and again the sinking feeling of paralysis made Dusk's limbs tighten; he could even feel his heartbeat slow.

Now at last he had a concept for what he faced, but he still had no idea how to stop it without just killing the odd creature. Pushing aside his fear, Dusk poured all his mental effort into shifting through the still images in his mind, sorting through every memory that referenced magical beasts like this. As he searched, Dusk’s panic mounted. His toes were the first to lose all feeling, but in seconds the creeping paralyzation had spread past his ankles and into his legs. His hands grew heavy, numb and inflexible.

His mind racing, Dusk dove into his memories, into classes with Celestia, studies with his father, endless nights alone in the forbidden parts of Starswirl University’s library. It was in a half-forgotten memory of Sunset Shimmer’s research of arcane creatures that he finally found what he was looking for.

* * *

He was only nine, but already his hunger to learn had outpaced Moon Dancer’s ability to educate him. That was when Celestia had decided to make Sunset Shimmer his new tutor.

At first, the change to being tutored by Sunset had been frightening. She was cold and short with him, but he learned that if he stayed quiet and listened, she put up with his company for a few hours at a time.

Setting down his math text, Dusk sighed, turning his gaze over to the massive tome before his older tutor. Its leather cover was worn and cracked from age, pages dry and cracked, crinkling every time Sunset flipped a page. But the pictures, they were what really stuck in his memory. Vivid drawings of animals he didn't recognize, including gruesome but incredibly detailed vivisections of the same creatures pictured on following pages. In fascinated horror, Dusk pointed to the picture of a lizard with its eyes being carved out. “It says that's a Bask-ilisk. But why are they drawing it as somepony carves its eyes out!?”

To Dusk’s surprise and delight, Sunset smiled at him, first correcting his mispronunciation, before reading out the entry on the creature. “Basilisk, Dusk. They're a very rare species of magical lizard monsters. This whole chapter is about them. Well, and their cousin the bird-like cockatrice, as well as a host of other related species with magical eyes. It’s so weird, they feed on prey turned to stone by their petrifying gaze. So powerful is their magic, that even after death, the surgeon has to wear special magical glasses that blocks out almost all light or risk being stoned while working on removing the beast's eyes. It's very dangerous work, so they rarely bother trying to dissect a basilisk. The Wonderbolts even have standing orders to aim for their eyes using ranged weapons if possible. A shame, as according to what I read last week, after dissection, their eyes are invaluable in alchemy; simply fascinating.”

Scratching his head, Dusk nodded a little, growing excited as he leaned over the table to read the book over her arm. “But what kind of magic glasses? Did Starswirl invent them!?”

To Dusk’s shock once more, Sunset laughed and shook her head, relaxing a little and letting him sit closer. Pointing to a line in the book, she gave him a genuine smile. “Dusk, how many times do I have to tell you? Starswirl the Bearded lived centuries ago. He didn't discover everything! The pony that made these was a blacksmith and glass blower: a unicorn named Dynamic Spectrum. He discovered that if you filter out all colours of light except the yellows and browns, you could protect a pony from the basilisk’s magic. Now, why not get back to your math book? Or did you finish it already?”

* * *

Dusk began pouring all of his magic into a spell that filtered the visible spectrum of light that hit his eyes, allowing in only the yellows and browns. It was a simple deduction, all he had to do was infer from his memories of Sunset’s book on Basilisks that there was a family relationship, and that this must be the cockatrice she had mentioned offhandedly. Dusk was both astonished and grateful as he felt a sudden reduction to the alluring attraction of the chicken-lizard’s gaze. The feeling of numbness in some of his limbs remained, however, but he was finally free to move his neck a little.

Glancing down, Dusk was horrified by how far the petrification had gone. Up to his knees and inches past, his body was swollen and gray. His arms up to his elbows were the same. Thankful for the cessation of its progress, the slow sense of feeling was returning to his body, flakes of stone falling away in bunches.

Now that the fight was at a standstill, the creature shrieked out a cry of anger. It refocused its gaze on him, but Dusk felt nothing change.

Outraged, the small monster turned its back on Dusk, flicking its tail in rage before storming off into the bush. Worried where it was off to, Dusk struggled to find a way to drive away the creature’s magic. He knew he couldn't just wait; he couldn't accept that only time would let him break free as the chicken-lizard’s magic faded.

* * *

It took all of Rarity’s strength to heft the sack of gems over her shoulder and down onto the guard dog’s head. Her stomach twisted at the noise the blow made, and the way the big dog went limp. He splayed out unconscious on top of the hole the digger dog worked in, trapping the tiny dog.

Rarity tried to ignore Spot as he lept to his feet, turning the air blue with curses. “Pony! Drop those shinies! Bad pony! Stupid pony! Ponies don't attack guard dogs! Pony gets no food, and a whipping now!” Wrapping the cord of his patchwork leash around his hand, Spot nearly shook with frustration and fear, scared by Rarity’s sudden defiance. “You very bad pony! Now come here, Spot give you much many lashes!”

Busy unsheathing the crude sword that looked more like a fire poker than a blade in Rarity’s eyes, she didn't even bother to acknowledge the little dog’s attempt to act menacing with the threatening lashing of the patchwork leash. With a practised flip of her wrist into an offensive grip, Rarity twisted the blade around and thrust its blunt tip into Spot’s face, resting the tip gently on the edge of his nose. “No Spot. You've been a very bad dog. You're not in charge here anymore. Now sit, doggy, and remember that you're a very lucky puppy. See, I need a guide dog to get back to Ponyville.”

Eyes going wide, the little dog rapidly pulled back from her blade. Whimpering, the pathetic little dog’s heartbreakingly pitiful appearance nearly broke Rarity’s heart, testing her resolve. She just needed to get the dog to guide her home, but forcing the poor welp after all she'd seen the other dogs do to him felt so heartless.

Spot’s voice was so soft, Rarity hardly noticed he was asking her a question until the first time he repeated himself, cautiously stepping closer. “So pony wants Spot to guide her home? Then Spot go free and you not tell Fido and Rover that Spot helped you escape?”

Grinning in spite of herself, Rarity gave the dog a quick nod. “Of course, Spot, darling. But I do have a second job for you. Bring that sack of gems. I spent my day helping your digger dogs find them, I should at least get to keep a share. It is only fair.”

The dog’s shoulders trembled a little at her words, but he offered her no argument, just a simple rebuttal. “If no other dogs see us, Spot will help you, but if Spot and pony get caught…”

Laughing despite herself, Rarity shook her head. “Then let's get going fast, Spot, before-”

The sudden roar of conflict erupted from the tunnel’s mouth, a sound that made both Rarity and the small dog cringe. They backed away when they saw two of the guard dogs retreat into the room.

But the sight of two guard dogs falling back into their little mine was instantly trumped by two awe-inspiring sights. The first came as a third dog flew into the room, accompanied by the ringing noise of metal on metal. The echoing ring was a tinny reverb that sent shivers of hope down Rarity’s spine.

The second sight was the powerful presence of Applejack and Bronze striding into the room, both armed and heavily armored. Just behind them was Winona and Barb, the latter of which held a knife of all things!. Then came a blur of speed that Rarity knew could only be Rainbow Dash, who rushed overhead into the larger cavern, barreling straight at the two guard dogs who were still cowering away from Applejack’s warhammer. Wielding her lance sideways, the athletic mare raced past the guards. She then whipped around at the far side of the room, returning to collide with the distracted guards from behind, landing rapid blows with the metal shaft of her lance, knocking both dogs out.

With hours of her fine work dedicated to tricking the dogs into thinking she was too fragile and too much a damsel to worry about escaping all little more than a waste, Rarity normally would have gotten upset. However, the sight of her beloved Applejack and cute little Barb storming in all heroic-like softened her heart. Sheathing her crude sword in the belt loop she had added to her fashionable exploring gear, Rarity rushed into Applejack’s arms, just now feeling the repressed urge to cry bubbling up, drawn out by the stronger mare’s arms holding her tight. “Applejack! You all came here just for me?! Oh thank Celestia! We just have to escape before those alpha dogs notice you’re all here!”

There was a momentary pause as Applejack’s eyes hurriedly took in the state of the room. The slumped over body of a guard dog, a little dog staring wide-eyed at them with a heavy sack over his shoulder, and the staring eyes of another dog watching them from a hole under a guard’s prone body. But Rarity’s pure joy and Applejack’s relief at having her lover back safely allowed her to push away all of her concerns for a moment. “There there, sugarcube. I’m just happy to have you back whole.”

With impressive agility, Barb lept onto Applejack’s armored back, creating a loud clatter of noise as her claws scratched over the armor. Settling down on Applejack’s shoulder, the little dragon reached down, brushing a claw through Rarity’s mussed bangs. “We were all worried about you, Rarity. Did they hurt you? I’ll maul any of them that did if you want, promise!” Stretching out her neck, Barb glared around the room as she growl under her breath exposing plenty of teeth, her fierce eyes staring at the remaining, if unconscious, guard dogs in the room.

Gently chuckling under her breath, Rarity reached out to scratch the little dragoness under her jaw, teasingly dragging nails in the soft spots she'd learned Barb liked the most. “Ohhh! That's very brave of you, Barb! But I think we would be better off sticking together. Besides, I wouldn't want to have to explain to Dusk that we let you get kidnapped immediately after you went to all the trouble of rescuing me!”

Barb purred under her breath with pride as Rarity’s nails scratched across the scales on her throat and around her muzzle. The little dragoness arched her back and stood taller on her perch, proudly puffing up her scaled chest. “No way I'd let any of them catch me off guard again. My dragon’s honor is already bruised enough as it is!”

But as Barb arched her body higher, Rarity caught sight of the badly damaged filly guide’s outfit, her eyes widening while she gasped in concern. “Oh dear, Barb! Whatever happened to your cute little filly guides outfit?! Don't tell me you got into a brawl with those brutish dogs!”

Blushing darkly and trying to shirk away to hide again on the far side of Applejack’s broad shoulders, Barb sheepishly explained. “The guards were patrolling so thickly in this hallway, and Winona didn't think she'd be able to sneak past them all. But I'm smaller than her, and my scales blend in with the cavern better then her fur! So I crawled all over the place to find you. But by then I saw how much danger you were in and l knew we had to save you! So we kinda just stampeded the patrol when we had a chance to overw-”

The little dog Spot, hearing what Barb had said, interrupted the explanation. Pointing a hand at Rarity, he struggled momentarily to spit out accusatory disbelief. “You all attacked the guard dogs!? B-but Spot can't cover that up! Can't talk out of so many guards getting lost! Rarity set Spot up! They'll maul Spot!”

To Rarity’s surprise, the little dog bolted away to the far side of the room, diving for a small crevice in the wall. But they were all shocked as Winona dropped to all fours and raced after the fleeing dog. Snapping her jaw shut over his tail, Winona dug her paws into the ground, growling deep in her throat.

Bronze cried out a warning to the dog girl, shaking her head as she tried to heel in Applejack’s assistant. “Let him go, Winona, I don't think we have anything to fear from him! He said it himself, he can't go back to the tribe. If they find out half of what just happened, even ignoring how Rarity got him to help her escape, the other dogs will maul him as a traitor.”

Winona’s eyes narrowed as she firmly held her grip on Spot’s tail, the smaller dog dug aggressively at the small opening in the wall. She turned her gaze back over her shoulder, looking from Applejack to Bronze and back. There was a whimper that came from the depths of the girl's throat, but when Bronze gave Applejack a nudge, the serious whistle from the farm mare ended the argument. Releasing Spot, Winona watched as he crawled on his belly the rest of the way into the hole, the sound of his panicked digging against stone fading quickly as he dug deeper into the distant cavern wall.

Sighing contentedly, Rarity clung to Applejack with one arm, her tail coiling around her lover’s. She turned to Rainbow Dash, who was keeping a careful eye on the dogs she’d knocked out. “Dash, darling, is there any chance you can carry that sack of gems for me? I've been lugging it around for a few hours now, and it's rather exhausting.”

Giving the dogs one last long look, Dash easily lifted the shoddy sack of gems Rarity had pointed out to her. At her side, Winona let out a little whimper, the pitiful noise emanating nervously from the base of her throat. Pausing as she was about to join the group to start making their way back out into the tunnels, Dash looked at the dog girl. “C’mon, you're better than me in the dark, Winona. You can at least tell me what's got you by the tail.”

Turning to watch the others for a moment, Winona tried to offer Dash a halfhearted smile, scratching the stone floor with her sharp toenails. “Can still smell him. He smelled nice. Not all angry like the bigger dogs. Lots of scared though. I remember feeling scared like that.”

Giving Winona a sympathetic nod, Dash started towards the tunnels to catch up with the others, her lance still held casually in one hand at her side. “Well, maybe he'll escape the tunnels on his own. You did really well, right? So maybe he’ll do the same.”

Some time passed in silence, and the little digger dog had settled down in his hole under the unconscious guard dog. Passing the time by grooming himself, he was jostled back to reality when Spot barked into the hole to get his attention. “Dig dog? Why you still sitting there? Why not dig your way out? You want Fido to crunch on your bones?”

Pausing with one leg over his head, the dig dog slowly and deliberately straightened himself. Looking up with a smug grin, the dig dog gave a happy yip. “If Fido find, he be too mad at guard dog for sleeping on job. Fido slow. By time he think of me not dig, he be old bones. But Spot have no good story, yes? Better Spot run than join down here. Fido not slow for Spot. Run now, and Spot can find new place better fit Spot. Dig dogs will miss Spot. Spot not so slow like Fido.”

Growling a little under his breath, Spot yipped an answer to the shockingly smart dig dog. “Spot liked you dig dogs too. But Spot no give up. With Spot smarts, Spot will outsmart Fido. Just you see. Spot will be back.”

* * *

The sight of the giant rock that filled the entire deertrail between the looming trees made even gentle-hearted Fluttershy curse under her breath in annoyance. “I know some species of monsters that live in the Everfree have odd habits, but leaving boulders on a busy trail? That's just rude!”

Leaning on the large round boulder from behind, Fluttershy gave the six foot tall obstruction a futile shove. Struggling to push it forward a few inches at a time, Fluttershy grunted with effort, doing her best to push it past an overhanging tree branch that had blocked the path. It took all her strength, but after a long and exhausting effort, the branch popped back and swung out of the way.

Glad to finally take advantage of the free space on the side of the boulder, Fluttershy paused for a moment to catch her breath before rushing back up the path to grab Dusk’s enchanted tree branch. As she lifted it overhead, the slight movement of something in the bushes to the side of the path caught Fluttershy’s attention.

Calling out gently to the shy creature she couldn't make out, Fluttershy cooed. “Oh, dear! I'm very sorry if I woke you up with all this noise. I'll get out of your way now, little friend. And don't worry, I'll bring back Applejack and Big Mac when we all have some time in the next few days and move this boulder, okay?”

The bushes rattled again, and when the little creature hissed, she was surprised that she couldn't make out much of what it was saying. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Fluttershy ducked her head behind her wing. “Oh, my. I'm very sorry, but I can't really understand you. Are you sick little one? I can probably help if you need it.”

The hidden creature’s response was a loud hiss and pacing movement under the bushes. It was getting mad, even territorial. Despite not being able to understand it that well, she knew better than to stay too close to defensive creature. Circling around the boulder to give the defensive creature some space, Fluttershy took a deep breath before trying to call out more confidently. “It's okay, little one. You have all the space you need. Why don’t you come out? I'll keep my distance, I swear.”

There was a flustered hiss, then to Fluttershy’s confusion, a bawk, like an inquisitive chicken. Resting against the far side of the boulder and standing on her toes, Fluttershy was just barely able to see over the boulder. The oddly-shaped rock had an uneven surface that pricked at her stomach through her shirt, but she didn't let that distract her, too fascinated by the discovery to worry about it. The bushes shook a little, then parted, and the oddest creature Fluttershy had ever seen marched out into the open. With its wings spread wide open and head held high, Fluttershy would have at first sworn it was a lost rooster. But as soon as it began sniffing around at the boulder where Fluttershy had been standing, the rest of its body was revealed, and the leathery wings and scaled body came as a shock to her. With a forked lizard’s tongue and reptilian eyes, the scaly hindquarters looked so odd standing on chicken legs. It held its tail high, hissing at her one more time when it locked eyes with her as she was leaning on top of the boulder.

Despite her best efforts to keep balanced, there was something in the strange hybrid’s eyes that turned Fluttershy’s stomach inside out. Nauseous, she slipped backwards off the boulder and landed in the grass, rubbing her rolling stomach with a open hand. “Ohhh… dear Celestia, what was that!?” The outcrop that had been pressing into her belly looked so oddly familiar, and for a moment she traced the lines over a face she couldn't help but see in the oddly-shaped stone. Even the deep black eyes were just- just like-

“Harry!?” she exclaimed, beginning to shake as her horror rose. Her friend’s normally smiling face was twisted in pain, but she could still see the determination in his eyes. Somehow the proud giant bear’s noble features had been reduced to a simple stone statue, every single fine detail still featured in his face. It seemed an impossible horror that rocked Fluttershy to the bones.

But as terrorized as Fluttershy felt, it was still nothing compared to the rolling horror of nausea that formed in her belly when she was what happened next.

The little chicken lizard extended its beak and licked the hair on Harry's leg just once before biting down on the wet stone.

The crunch of rocks being ground down into gravel in the toothless maw left Fluttershy shivering in revulsion, fighting the urge to empty her stomach at the sight. Even as she watched it bent forward, its split lizard's tongue dragging again over the stony flesh revealed by its first bite of Harry’s fur.

Something inside of Fluttershy’s body reacted to the sight of the creature about to hurt Harry; that gentle, loveable bear that was always so helpful and so nice to everypony he met, despite his fearsome demeanor. She didn’t even notice she was moving until the magical torch Dusk had made her hit the avian-lizard creature in the ribs, knocking it back twenty feet from the deer trail and into a tree at the edge of the light.

Fluttershy was panting for breath as she stepped into a very uncomfortable stance, ready to fight, holding the thin wooden branch in front of her with two hands. She desperately tried to remember exactly what it was that Bronze had been trying to drill into Pinkie’s head for hours a few weeks ago in the orchard.

“Grip your weapon with both hands. Keep them as close together as you can, and put your feet shoulder width apart. Make sure to bend your knees a little, and keep light on your feet. And most importantly, keep your eyes on your opponent.”

Fluttershy struggled to stop herself from crying at the idea of attacking a little animal, half-hysterical that such a innocent-looking creature would dare attempt to hurt Harry. He was the biggest softie she’d ever known, even if he did like fishing!

She found herself shouting as the little creature started stomping through the tall grass, heading towards her and Harry again. “Just go back to the mountains! You’re not gonna hurt Harry! He’s my friend! I won’t let you! I-I promise you... Now just-just go away!”

But the creature didn’t back off. It snaked ever closer, barely moving enough to leave a path in the long grasses on the side of the trail. Fluttershy’s nervous grip on the glowing wooden stick only grew more fidgety as, in her panic, she set her feet, turning from side to side to face the way the creature made noise as it moved through the tall grass, centering all her weight on her feet. Then, all in one massive rush, a thousand things happened all at once.

Dusk burst free of the trees from the east, the stallion snapping branches and twigs as he somehow managed a shocking pace despite his stiff movement. Dusk’s right leg was bloated and gray, petrified up to the knee, but he moved with impressive agility thanks to the drive of adrenaline and the desperate need to help Fluttershy. Leaping between the mare and the creature that Dusk was now sure had to be a cockatrice, the unicorn threw up a shield spell, spreading it out from their bodies to expand as widely as he could manage while keeping it intact to drive back the monster. Pushing the sphere of protective magic, Dusk drove it ten, twenty, then forty feet back into the woods, until the pair couldn’t see it anymore.

Fluttershy was so relieved at Dusk’s sudden intervention, she fell to her knees, using the magical torch as a crutch against the ground to keep herself up as she gasped for breath and tried to calm the pounding of her heart. Letting go of the branch with one hand, Fluttershy shakily rose to one foot, and wrapped her free arm around Dusk’s waist, pulling his body hard against her. As soon as she spoke, she realized she was far more frightened than she’d initially believed. “Dear Celestia, thank the goddess you’re here, Dusk! What is that creature?! What happened to you?! Did you find the fillies?! Can you carry Harry with us?! No, wait, can you help him?! Surely you know something!”

Leaning against Fluttershy as she clung to him from the side, Dusk squeezed his eyes shut and let out a long sigh of breath. Around them, barely visible in the darkness, the sphere of magic that formed from his use of his brother’s impenetrable shield began to flicker and thin out at the very edges. As Dusk felt the spell begin to break up at its perimeter, he reopened his eyes, and put a free hand on Fluttershy’s, giving her hand a tight squeeze.

“Sorry Fluttershy, but I don’t know if I can help Harry right now. I think this is a cockatrice, and if I’m right that means that it’ll come back, and soon. They’re a relative of the Basilisk; dangerous, rare magical creatures that eat prey their magical eyes have turned to stone. I think it got hurt by Harry... it must have been hungry to attack something as big as him, and now we’ve both made it very mad. But I think I’ve figured out how to fight it. Its magic is in its gaze, its eyes. But I need you to find the fillies, Fluttershy. Just… find the girls and head back to your cottage, alright? I-I can handle this.”

‘I think,’ Dusk added mentally.

Shivering at the thought of leaving Dusk alone to fight the creature that had hurt Harry, Fluttershy, let out a sharp breath, trying to remind herself that Dusk needed her right now. As his magic failed and he stumbled, sucking at the air for breath, in the distance she could already hear rapid movement through the brush, maybe a hundred feet away. Nodding to herself firmly, she gave his waist another tight squeeze. “Alright… But please, please be careful, Dusk. It got…” She sniffed, trying not to cry, not to think about it too hard. “It got Harry. I couldn’t… I wouldn’t be able to take it if you got… got...” She shook her head, sniffing again as her voice failed her.

Squeezing him one more time, she climbed to her feet and ran through the bushes away from where the creature was coming from. She had to find the fillies - she had to.

Watching Fluttershy as she fled into the forest, following the path past Harry, and hopefully onto the trail of the Crusaders, Dusk couldn’t help but smile to himself. “I promise, Fluttershy. I’ll do what I can to protect you.”

As he looked at the massive stone boulder that was Harry, Dusk heard skittering in the bushes as the cockatrice started to crawl closer. Stiffening twinges in the joints of Dusk’s still-petrified leg almost seemed to tell him the creature was drawing closer, and a moment of inspiration came to him.

Rushing into the woods directly at the magical beast, Dusk ignored the growing pain in his mostly-numb leg. “If its magic is powered by its presence, I just have to distract it deeper into the woods. The further I can get it away from Harry, the better chance he might be able to break free of the magic. I just have to keep moving... Find the foals, Fluttershy. Find them, and get back home!”

* * *

It took all of Fluttershy’s courage to leave Dusk behind, to ignore the sound of him moving into the bushes where his magic had thrown the cockatrice. Trying to draw from some of his bravery, she tightened her wings against her back and rushed through the deer trail, following the tracks the fillies had left behind. Something in the playful ignorance of the fillies simply out on an ‘adventure’ was heartwarming, despite the terror of the situation and how much danger they were really in.

Pushing herself to run faster, she ignored the way that stray bushes cut at her dress, pulling at her legs and knees as she ducked to avoid the low-hanging branches of trees that had overgrown the path. She came to a bend in the trail, rounded the twist in the path, and…

Fluttershy felt her body lock up at the sight of Apple Bloom inching closer to a chicken-like figure that poked out of the bushes. Its lower body concealed by the shrubbery, but her worried mind flooded with questions. “Oh Light, how can there be two cockatrices?! Or did the cockatrice escape from Dusk? Why don’t the fillies fear it? And how did they corner it?”

Exhausted and breathless, Fluttershy couldn't even manage to yell out a warning before Apple Bloom triumphantly plucked the… perfectly normal hen, which Fluttershy just now recognized as her dear friend, Henrietta.

The earth filly tucked the protesting but exhausted chicken into the crook of her arm before walking over to Sweetie Belle and Dinky. “Well, I guess Scootaloo was right! Henrietta really did come down this path after the dry creek. But I’m still the one who caught her. Let's-”

Overwhelmed as she realized the girls were all alright, Fluttershy couldn't help herself. Sniffling as overwhelming flow of tears of relief began to fall, she cried out, shocking the fillies. “Oh, girls! You're all alright! We were so worried about you!”

“-get back before Fluttershy notices we're missing… oh, pegasus feathers.” As Fluttershy rushed to her friends, pausing to scoop up Sweetie Belle and Dinky with one arm, Apple Bloom wilted with worry, raising one hand defensively while backing away towards Scootaloo. “I'm sorry, Fluttershy! It ain't like we were running away or nothing, it's just… well... We saw Henrietta escape from the hen house and wanted to show you we were responsible enough to rescue her! We didn't mean to cause you to worry!”

Backed into Scootaloo, Apple Bloom’s knees knocked together as she swallowed the lump in her throat. In a rush, Fluttershy rushed over to them, her wings spreading wide, and then…

With a joyful cry, the pegasus scooped the remaining fillies, as well as the rambunctious hen, up in her other arm, shielding them with her wings as she hugged them all close. “Oh! Apple Bloom! I'm just so glad you managed to find Henrietta and stay together! The Everfree Forest is no place for foals! Now let's get home. Dusk is… is… keeping watch for us, so …” She seemed to almost freeze in place for a moment, distracted by her thoughts, before pressing on. “...so it should be a quick little jaunt back to my cabin. I'll leave punishing you four up to your families.”

Turning back towards where she’d just come from, Fluttershy glanced down the deer trail, turning away from it with a shake of her head. “Better stick to the shortest path, get home quick, and avoid running into the cockatrice again.”

Just as Fluttershy started to take the first few steps towards the safety of her cabin, easily controlling the struggling bundle of fillies who protested being trapped in her arms, the bushes shook. From them the frightfully familiar sound of a chicken’s bawking call warned Fluttershy of the danger. The next thing she knew, a chicken's head rose up above the bushes. It blinked owlishly before strutting out of the bushes. For just a moment, Fluttershy couldn't help but ask Apple Bloom the obvious question. “There… there isn't any chance that you saw two chickens escape the hen house… is there?”

Confused, Apple Bloom struggled to look over the protective barrier of Fluttershy’s wing, unable to hide the doubt from her answer. “Did a second hen got out? No way! I did like Big Mac and A.J. taught and checked the fence. There's no way two chickens coulda escaped.”

Barely able to whisper to herself, Fluttershy herded the fillies behind her protectively before beginning to back away from the approaching hen, its razor beak and gleaming eyes locking in on her. “Oh dear Celestia… no, Dusk. No.”

* * *

It frustrated Rainbow Dash beyond words to have to stay back and watch the tunnels behind her friends, searching blindly against the pitch black tunnels. All the while, the howling of the Diamond Dogs made her hair stand on end, and sent a chill down her spine. But she'd promised Bronze she'd cover their backs, and now had to bite her lip to ignore the tense standoff only twenty feet away.

It was nerve wracking. To be forced to watch the way the Diamond Dogs crowded together in the mouth of the tunnel. They were only held back by Bronze Feather and Applejack’s aggressive defense. Swifter or stupider dogs, Dash couldn't decide on which, would drop to all four legs and scoot forward, moving with impressive speed in probing attacks. Every time they tried, one of the two mares caught them. Those nipped by Bronze's blade were left with shallow, smarting wounds. Those that Applejack landed even a glancing kick or blow with her hammer on flew at least a few feet. When she got a proper wind up, the dog flew clear across the tunnel. There was a growing pile of dogs that had ‘chosen’ to sit out the fight, regardless of how much the two bigger dogs berated them.

Dash couldn't help herself but get lost in watching the way Bronze fought. This wasn't an excuse to compare herself with the competition anymore, but the guard mare moved so casually with a sword. It made her wonder if all the Royal Guard were trained to use so many different weapons as easily as Bronze. It was even more of a wonder since Bronze herself said she was more comfortable with a spear than a sword.

Behind her, somewhere in the darkness, the faint rake of nails cutting into stone made Dash jump and spin around, shifting her feet as she rushed to turn back to her abandoned post. She braced her lance into the familiar fighting stance that had been drilled into her over the past few months, keeping the cool stone wall at her back. Straining her eyes, she searched the endless darkness ahead of her, hunting for the source of the noise.

But as far as Dash could see… There was nothing there.

Nervous muscles tensed subconsciously as Dash adjusted her stance, still gazing into the darkness. There was nothing to see in the darkness… but Dash grinned to herself.

The distant sound of the tiny scrabbling of rocks was such a quiet signal that she almost missed it against the loud noise of the ongoing fight behind her back. With no other choice left, Dash readied herself in the middle of the tunnel, bracing her lance under the crook of her elbow, she leaned down to set Rarity’s bag of gems left on the ground by the tunnel wall, out of her way.

The sudden rush of movement from the darkness came as a blitz, almost the moment that Dash set aside the bag. But Dash had prepared herself for this, twisting her stance to face the rushing shadow outlined in the darkness. The real shock came at how low the dog was, running straight at her on all fours. Dash was forced to drop to a knee as she braced for the charge. Only her sense of fair play made her cry out a single warning to the dog, to let him know the ambush was pointless. “Stop right there! I see you, so jus-”

The jarring, wrenching impact the dog made as he more or less blindly struck Dash’s heavy metal lance chest-first twisted knots in her stomach. Her warning had come too late, and now the small dog - ‘He’s no bigger than Winona!’ Dash thought - writhed on her lance. He had impaled himself through the chest, and was so close now that she couldn't help but see every gruesome detail as somehow, he still struggled despite a foot of bare mithril ripped through his broken body.

He gave a gurgle, like he couldn’t breathe through his ruined chest, and Dash felt blood splatter on her cheeks. The dog's weak voice cried out, “My… shinies… mine!...”

It took a second for Dash realize how quiet things had become. The pitched battle at her back fell silent as the dogs caught sight of their vivisected ally. As one, a mournful howl rose to fill the tunnel, but none of the guard dogs stuck around for long. The vast majority of the pack fled, most grabbing wounded friends and dragging them away. Soon only the two big dogs remained, screaming orders at the backs of their fleeing brethren.

For her part, Dash watched in horror as the small dog on her lance slowly slid backwards, still tightly holding the bag of gems that Rarity had given her. His breathing was ragged, his broken body struggling in vain to hold tight the bag that he’d taken, even as his life’s blood pooled at Dash’s feet.

When he looked up at her, Dash saw only anger and defiance in his eyes. He managed out a strangled, “My shinies!” He pulled the bag closer to his ruined front, now a dark crimson as it soaked up his blood. He coughed again, spraying blood once more.

As the tiny dog gripped the bag further and further into his spilled-out guts, Dash could hear his breathing growing slower and slower. His eyes bore into hers, accusing and resentful. After what seemed an eternity, they finally softened, and the small Diamond Dog gave out a pitiful, high-pitched whine. Dash heard his voice one last time, his voice so soft she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it.

“Cold...”

His voice drifted off, and he gave one last, gurgling breath, then lay still.

Chapter 16 - 5: Incomplete. includes some sex.

As the cockatrice rushed out of the bush, Fluttershy knew that Dusk wouldn’t have let it get past him, which meant…

Fluttershy choked out a sob. The monster had already taken Harry from her. Now it must have done the same thing to Dusk, and was after her and the foals for an easy meal.

The cockatrice leapt at her, and Fluttershy bit down on her lip, throwing her arms up in front of her face to protect herself. When the creature began to peck at her flesh, she threw her hands out and tossed it away, back into the bush it had emerged from.

Yet before she could catch her breath, it was back, crashing from the long grass and hissing in defiance. A sense of pure rage and hatred emanated from the small monster, washing over Fluttershy, drowning out her emotions… except for a flicker of her own anger, eager to meet this creature's challenge, eager to avenge Harry and, a small voice whispered to her… maybe Dusk as well?

“No!”

The bird-like monster snapped back, stunned by the brazen retaliation. It had been stopped mid-stride by the powerful emotion behind the simple statement. Fluttershy only barely registered that the creature had stopped. Anger and rage had hit her like a tidal wave. She was shaking with barely suppressed fury, her shoulders hunched forward, hands balled into fists.

She had called out the creature and now its eyes were locked with hers. She could feel the bewilderment in the creature’s gaze, but more importantly, some part of her registered the deadly magic in its piercing look.

Despite the way she felt her legs beginning to tremble, Fluttershy found the courage to take a step forward. She had to create a buffer space between herself and the four cowering foals behind her. A tiny, pure flame of resolve inside her flared up, becoming a monstrous wildfire, incensed by everything that had occurred over the course of this horrible night.

As the rage threatened to completely overwhelm her, a nervous twitch started in her right hand, and she raised a tight fist as a whole new mood bloomed in her heart. Unable to measure it, to sift through the feelings that were threatening to burst free, Fluttershy looked deep into the cockatrice’s magical eyes, her emotions finding form in a single, repeated statement.

“No!”

The cockatrice was at a loss - never before had prey so willingly stepped at it like this, so openly challenging its magic. To meet its gaze was death. But locked in battle with the focused glare from Fluttershy, the monster found something that was new to it - it found something that unnerved it. Attempting to move forward one more step, now locked in a war of wills, not sure whose eyes were trapped watching the others’, the bird faltered.

The magic worked as it had always done before. Sweetie Belle saw it first, as stone began to surreptitiously form over Fluttershy’s fingers, crawling up over the mare’s wrists in an excruciatingly slow yet rapid pace. Before she could draw a breath, the stone had continued its journey, sliding to cover her arms. On the verge of tears, the young filly cried out, “Oh, no! Fluttershy!”

On hearing that scared cry for help, Fluttershy felt something inside her just… snap. She was no longer scared of the strange little magical creature. She wanted it to stop hurting ponies she liked, and then…? She couldn't believe it, but she just didn't care what happened to the little chicken-like creature after that. It was terrifying the fillies behind her. It had petrified Harry. And she didn’t even know what had happened to or where Dusk had gone.

Though it was painful, feeling the creature’s magic sliding over her slowly, Fluttershy took one long stride directly towards the cockatrice, never blinking. Her voice was no longer its normally kind, understanding tone. Now it was cold, demanding, and flat. “You're going to let me go. Remove your magic from Harry, and then we’re going to go find Dusk. And then anypony else you've attacked. Right. Now.”

The ever-expanding tendrils of magically-growing stone continued to seep over Fluttershy’s body as she held the monster’s gaze. She could feel her body slowly going rigid as its power overwhelmed her, but she didn’t care. Distantly, she felt a small twinge of pity for the creature; it couldn't look at anything without killing it.

Squashing that feeling of pity, Fluttershy took another step, glacially slow, ready to wring the monster's neck if it didn't obey her. She spoke again, an ominous tone of disgust colored with an undercurrent of rage echoed in her voice as she reached out for the cockatrice’s throat. “Let. Me. Go.”

For a second, the Everfree Forest fell silent.

To the fillies behind Fluttershy, now nearly as terrified at the mare’s decidedly un-Fluttershy-like behavior as they were of the cockatrice, it seemed as though the entire forest was watching this encounter, every creature holding its breath as pure-hearted Fluttershy seemed ready to do something awful in the name of vengeance.

Facing all of this, the raw malice, the pure disgust that this previously-scared prey directed at it…

The cockatrice blinked.

All at once, a weight she hadn't really noticed until now seemed to lift from Fluttershy’s body the moment the twisted monster broke eye contact. All over her, the buildup of stone softened, and as it did so, it rapidly began to slough off her skin, quickly piling up around her feet.

Feeling lighter than air; Fluttershy reached behind her to soothe the terrorized filly that clung to her friends, making sure to not break her stare at the creature. With newfound confidence, Fluttershy brushed her nails through Sweetie Belle’s hair lightly, trying to comfort the filly. “Now, now. No need for tears, Sweetie. Everything's all right. Now let's go back up the path. This cockatrice owes Harry an apology first, then we had better find Dusk or he'll be in real trouble.”

Whether or not the creature understood Fluttershy was impossible for the fillies to tell. But constantly checking over its shoulder and finding her steely gaze locked on it, the monster found itself quickly marching back up the path, towards the stone bear.

* * *

Oppressive darkness and numbing silence... That was all Dusk felt.

He was trapped and stiff. Unable to feel- no, not just feel, Dusk realized; he was unable to move any part of his body at all. Every joint felt trapped, held pinned in a vice that locked him in place. Every nerve in his body sent back the exact same cold, numb sensation. Despite being unable to breathe, his lungs didn’t ache. He wondered if it was a byproduct of the creature’s magic. Were all of its prey stuck like this? Would he feel it as the creature began to eat it?

What had happened? What had gone wrong? He couldn't seem to remember much. He just knew he had failed somehow, yet he couldn't recall how.

Unable to even measure the passage of time, Dusk was left to struggle in vain against the overwhelming pressure that restricted his body, binding him in place. Bitterly, feeling as though his pride and ego had taken a massive blow, he couldn't help but think to himself, “After all my training, and everything I've studied, I lost to some feral animal. I can't die here. Dear Celestia, this cannot be my fate!”

“Against the mountain, how can one pony claim to stand against fate?”

A voice whispered through Dusk’s mind like drops of rainfall dancing on a still pond. Its silken tone, dancing across his frozen nerves, feeling like it sent tingles of exultation vibrating through his very soul.

With the voice came the feeling of a powerful unicorn - or alicorn, impossible as it sounded - somepony beyond even the Princesses. He was unable to see the source of the powerful essence, and was beginning to feel frightened that this presence’s magic dwarfed anypony he had ever met. That thought alone rattled him to the core. But before Dusk could search for answers, a too-familiar giggle echoed from the darkness.

Latching onto the half-formed memories of a place of overwhelming light, Dusk struggled to remember more about the voice whispering in his mind, of where he had been when he heard the voice, of what it had said. Yet all his thoughts kept returning to the presence of the voice, and the only pony he had ever met with such a staggering existence that exerted a raw will on the world around her being. This being felt far more powerful, but… Celestia? Could it all be so simple? “Celestia? My goddess, I-”

Dusk couldn't tell how, but some part of the familiar voice echoed in his mind with laughter, before correcting him. “Not Celestia, dear child, but a very good guess.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then Dusk felt what he could only identify as the sensation of a hand, somehow stroking through the aching muscles inside his back. “She did a very good job of this, and you've gone and thrown it all to chaos in just over twenty years. Discord would be proud. You are leaking magic everywhere!”

Something passed before Dusk’s eyes. He couldn't have seen it. He knew, somewhere in the depths of his confused and exhausted mind, he couldn't see anything, but rational thought was beginning to fail him in this strange setting. Grasping for answers, Dusk’s thoughts returned to the first time he had… died. When Luna’s voice had called him back.

But before he could even finish recalling the memory imprinted deeply into his mind, the voice danced with laughter once more. “Luna? No. She isn't here either. I’m impressed though. Most ponies would have passed out by now. Why do you fight on? What could possibly be worth all the trouble you’ve been through?”

Dusk responded in his own mind, a rapid montage of images flooding his mind of the mares he’d come to know in the year, the intensity of them shocking him even as he replied. “For them. I promised each of them so much... I can't fail them… I'd give up anything for them.”

There was a pause. Time passed and the voice’s presence lingered, always at the edge of his vision. Was it judging him? Weighing his answer? He couldn't tell. Couldn't follow the voice’s presence except when it passed occasionally before his eyes.

After what seemed an eternity, it spoke. “Are you sure? You are one of Celestia’s brightest students, yet I don’t believe you understand just what anything could be... I know that you believe you would do whatever it takes to be there for them, though. But what if you were asked to give up the Light of the World for a mere handful of mares? Could you do that, for them?”

There was a weight to the voice’s tone, an emphasis in her words that he didn’t quite understand. She had a wary edge that nearly made Dusk pause, but his response escaped before he could consider the implications of what she’d said. “For the mares I love? I'd give anything! I swore I'd protect them! No cost would be too great, if I had to pay it!” Dusk shocked himself at the intensity of his response, not that he regretted the words.

The voice was quiet for an immeasurable moment. Then, with a clear note of teasing in its voice, as though the speaker already knew the answer, it whispered into his ear. “Then why are you still here? One of your mares needs you.”

Reaching for his magic, a mare appeared in Dusk’s mind. He could tell she was quaking in overwhelming terror. Dusk dredged up every scrap of mana he could feel, the creature’s stone curse somehow blocking him from calling upon his full power. He forced his mana into his aching, deadened limbs. For a moment the raspberry-coloured fire burned against the rock… then suddenly died, snuffed out by the rock’s resilient enchantment. Letting out a frustrated growl, Dusk tried to fight off a gnawing feeling of despair. “I- I can't... I just don't have the power. This curse is smothering me… it’s too strong!”

Dusk felt a slight pressure on his back, like fingers tapping artfully up along his spine, dancing on the bones. “Perhaps I should give you a taste of your birthright, then. That which my daughter has denied you thus far…”

Dusk couldn't help but let out a shiver at the feeling of those ‘fingers’ brushing along his spine. As they move up his body, though, he could feel a blooming growth inside his mana, something he could only compared to… to the Black Lotus.

In one massive and sudden rush, Dusk was now surrounded by mana. Seemingly limitless amounts of raw magic were gushing forth from somewhere, the sheer strength this power promised him alluring beyond anything he’d encountered. Even as he embraced it - how could he not, with the endless possibilities it whispered to him? - it began reviving his deadened limbs, spiraling out through his petrified figure, warming his entire body. Yet despite the possibilities he could feel opening up to him with all this power, it still lacked the seductive edge that the Black Lotus had always held. This power just felt… right.

As his confusion was drowned out by the rush of strength this magic - his magic? - gave him, he couldn't help but wonder again who this mystery pony was, and more importantly... "W...why? How!?"

There was another laugh behind him, and the cadence of it sounded remarkably similar to Princess Luna's. "Because, my little pony, I hate to be cheated. And when my... adversary cheated and had you attacked in Cloudsdale, I was granted leave to, as you say, bend the rules a bit to compensate."

Dusk felt utterly lost, having no idea what the voice was talking about. "Adversary? Rules?... I was attacked in Cloudsdale?"

The voice’s owner laid a feathery touch on his shoulder. "Hush, my child. You'll figure it all out eventually. My daughter has taught you well, and nurtured you far better than even I expected of her. For now though, you have more pressing matters. Free yourself of this enchantment, as your work is far from over."

Still awash in an immeasurable flood of mana, Dusk reached inside to draw up from his internal fires. But as he looked around, instead of the controlled flame he had developed and grown since foalhood, he found a roaring inferno that staggered him, defying belief, blazing higher than he could conceivably measure. The flood of mana he had been sensing wasn't from the voice and her captivating riddles…

It was all coming from him.

Trying to wrestle the overflowing flood of mana into something he could use, Dusk twisted it into a brutish hammer of raw force. Even as he formed it, he knew it was cruder than any spell he’d cast as a foal, but there was so much power, he knew it would be a vain effort to try controlling it further. Raising the instrument of his freedom, Dusk cursed the spell that enveloped his physical body.

Gritting his teeth, he swung.

* * *

Fluttershy could have dropped to her knees with joy at the sight as leaves of paper-thin stone peeled off Harry’s body like strips of dried bark being shredded from a tree. Beneath it, gritty fragments still remained, sticking stubbornly to the massive bear's fur, but as the layer of stone broke off, he began breathing with a rough, gasping wheeze. It worked! The cockatrice’s curse could be lifted! Now all she had to do was find Dusk, and-

A concussive explosion slammed into everyone in the clearing like a hammer. It drove even the massive bear to his knees, tearing the branches from nearly every tree in sight. Whatever mystical control Fluttershy had established on the cockatrice by sheer force of will was shattered by the impact. As the mare shook dirt from her face and struggled to sit up, the foul monster released a cry of victory and bolted away, running towards the deepest, darkest bowels of the Everfree Forest like a demon out of Tartarus. Never once did it look back, clearly determined to make the most of its moment of freedom.

The fillies were back on their feet before the ringing stopped in Fluttershy’s ears. Working as a team, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Dinky helped dust the clinging debris from Harry’s fur while the great grizzly bear slowly rolled over and sat up, still clearly dazed by the traumatic experience.

Fluttershy continued to pull herself together as Sweetie Belle approached, the small filly offering a hand to help Fluttershy up. Reminding herself to put on a brave face for the foals, Fluttershy was unsure of just what could be wandering the Everfree Forest to have caused so much noise and destruction; especially when something as dangerous as the cockatrice was menacing the area.

However, she had to work past that unknown fear. Dusk was missing and the foals were now in danger by... whatever had done this. She smiled at Sweetie Belle before taking her to join the girls, who were still helping to right the massive bear on his feet. Fluttershy stroked his head around the ear before speaking with an uncharacteristically firm and confident tone. “Harry, take the girls home and keep watch until I get back. I have to find Dusk.”

For a moment, the titanic bear growled and looked like he was going to argue with his caretaker, shifting his stiff body as he shook out his sore limbs. One look to the frightened foals crowding around his massive legs, though, made him reconsider. Nudging Fluttershy with his maw, he simply let out a short chruff. He then turned around, nudging the foals around him in turn and gently pushing them to start walking back towards the cottage.

Fluttershy smiled at the retreating bear, the gentle giant she’d welcomed into her home. She was beyond relieved that he was fine, and as he left with the foals, she called out to the girls. “Harry is gonna take you back to my cottage and keep you all safe while I go find Dusk! Listen to him, don't cause too much of a fuss, and maybe he'll even let you ride on his back!”

As they left, it was hard for Fluttershy to wait, watching for a few long moments to make sure the foals weren’t going to give poor Harry too much trouble. She smiled as, after some one-sided negotiations by the fillies, he bent low to the ground and let Sweetie Belle and Dinky climb onto his back. Casually, he carried both girls without a hint of effort as he walked on all fours.

When at last they passed out of her line of sight, Fluttershy turned back to face the direction the shock wave had emanated from. Only Dusk could have survived whatever had done that to so many trees.

As she began making her way towards what had caused so much destruction, Fluttershy felt a pang of regret. The other girls had received weapons and combat training from Princess Celestia and Bronze Feather. However, while Fluttershy still had the mithril gloves that Bronze had given her, Fluttershy hadn’t even considered bringing them. The gloves themselves lay half-forgotten on a shelf near her bed. But there was no time to retrieve them - not when Dusk was still out there, hopefully unhurt by the blast.

* * *

The first hints of starlight overhead broke Dash from her fugue. The dog’s blood still covered her hands, her lance, and was smeared all over her clothing. Bolting free of Applejack’s supporting grip, she rushed past the girls and lept into the clear sky. She flew high into the sky, finally feeling like she was able to breathe clearly in the reassuring freedom of the open air.

Despite the comfort being in the sky offered her, every time she closed her eyes she saw those pitiful eyes again, the Diamond Dog seeming to ask her ‘Why? Why did you do this?’ as he stared into her soul, body folded around her lance like a broken doll. She couldn't shake his gaze, couldn’t help but shiver when she felt her lance pierce his body… Truth be told, she barely remembered most of the trip out of the tunnel after that, only having a vague notion of Applejack and Bronze dragging her away from him, leaving his body a broken heap in the tunnel.

The sudden noise of beating wings rising up to join her made Dash flinch, but a distant part of her mind remembered the distinct clanking of Bronze’s armor when she flew, and a hesitant glance down confirmed the guard was coming to join her. Shuddering with the effort to shake off the lingering memory of the dog’s horrified gaze, Dash turned to face Bronze as she approached, trying to remember everything that had happened as they fled the endless tunnels after she ki… neutralized the dog.

It was all a blur.

“Hey Dash, you feeling a little better now that you got a chance to stretch your wings and clear your head?”

Bronze's voice was tense, worried, yet distracted by something. Dash knew she'd been the topic of conversation while they had fled the tunnel, but trying to think of what had been said just reminded her of the staring dog. That memory seemed to override the rest of the night, the pain of that moment like a knife dragging against her heart.

Trying to act casual, Dash stretched out her whole body, shaking tense arms while only now realizing her hand was cramping from her iron-like grip around her mother’s lance. “Yeah, no. I'm fine Bronze. It's- um, I’m good. What's up? You look like you've got something else on your mind besides my peace of mind. Spill it already.”

Bronze hesitated, a moment of disbelief and concern playing across her face that Dash didn't miss. That was fine. She was fine. The fact that everypony else seemed to think otherwise wasn't her problem. Glancing down to the ground, Dash saw Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie and Winona were already moving, heading back towards the Apple farm. That was good. They’d be safe at the farm - she didn’t think the dogs would be brave enough to encroach fully into the town’s limits.

“Applejack and Rarity asked me to… to fly to Canterlot. I'm the only member of the Royal Guard in Ponyville, and being Dusk’s second, it kinda falls to me to make sure the town’s protected.” Bronze let out an explosive breath, seeming to relax a little in the free air as well, before continuing. “Normally I’d go get Dusk and let him know what’s going on, but Rarity begged me not to. Said he’s babysitting some of the foals with Fluttershy. If we hurry, we can make it there and get our reports done before the sun comes up.”

The thought of Fluttershy and Dusk being safe at her cottage was comforting, but then Dash remembered - Light, how could she forget? - that she’d killed somepony. How would Fluttershy react to that news? Dash sucked in a breath, before forcing herself to calm down. Fluttershy would understand. She wouldn’t lose her oldest friend. Pushing aside that fresh worry, Dash tightened her grip on her lance once more, determined to finish this debacle. The Royal Guards would ensure the safety of Ponyville. “I'll go with you. Ponyville will be fine - the dogs won’t do anything this soon after they’ve been spanked.”

That made Bronze smile. As heavy as Dash knew her armor was, the guard looked relieved at Dash’s offer of help, twisting around to look down at the other mares as they rushed back towards the orchards and safety. “Thanks, Dash. I'm glad you're feeling up to this. It's gonna be a rough flight and we don't have time to drop off anything. Need some water, or are you ready to go now?”

Unable to help herself, Dash felt elated, and guilty about it to boot. “Are you kidding? Right now I'd really rather a swig of something a lot harder than water, but it'll have to do for now, at least until we get some more guards out here to keep Ponyville safe.”

* * *

It was easy for Fluttershy to follow the trail of devastation left in the wake of the blast that had knocked her off her feet. Everywhere, heaps of broken tree branches lay piled up where they had landed, splayed out from the epicenter.

Tense, scared, and ready to jump out of her skin from fear, Fluttershy found the eerie silence only made her more cautious, wary of whatever had blown this part of the forest apart.

Large piles of broken wood, as well as some of the smaller trees left shattered by the force of the blast, blocked her path. Fluttershy unfolded her wings and flew over the larger piles, taking small, hovering hops from one clearing to the next.

After she half-flew over one particularly large wall of broken trees, she was able to see a bright light growing in the distance. It was a stunning luminescent aura, a sphere surrounded by a trench of dirt, broken forest, and even a few shattered boulders, presumably cracked by the detonation.

Approaching the glowing sphere with caution, Fluttershy gasped with shock when she was finally able to see what waited in the center of all the devastation.

Somehow, Dusk stood there, all alone in the middle of the devastated forest, untouched. His body was illuminated by his magic, the bright magenta nearly blinding. Shocking her even more was how the bright aura of his magic bent around him, forming a pair of wings that folded over the front of his body, crossing into a protective layer over his chest.

As though he'd heard her gasp, Dusk shifted to look up at her, and she felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of his eyes. They glowed, lit purely by his magic. There were no pupils there, only the bright raspberry shine of his power.

He stared at her, silent for a moment, before he raised a hand towards her. As he did so, the wings created by his aura spread out wide, far larger than any pegasi’s wings. When he spoke, even his voice seemed tinged with the overwhelming power that covered his body. "Fluttershy... please... there's just so much..."

Before he could finish the sentence he struggled with, the bright light that surrounded him dissipated into nothing, the darkness of the night sweeping in over the pair immediately. Dusk staggered as the light left, and for a moment he wavered on shaky legs, on the verge of collapsing.

Fluttershy's wings snapped open wide, reacting on impulse before she could even think. Rushing forward like a dart, she caught him before he could hit the ground. She held him tightly in her arms and buried her face in his hair. “Oh, by the Light, Dusk! Are- are you alright?”

The stallion offered her a weary smile, lifting one shaky hand to stroke the soft pink locks that hung in his face. He managed a weak and pensive chuckle before speaking in a breathless tone. “I think- I think I know better than to say this, but at this point, I just have to say… what else can go wrong?”

Unable to help herself, Fluttershy began crying even as she laughed, her tears landing on his face. Overwhelmed by the situation and the night so far, before she realized what she was doing, she leaned in and locked her lips with his, silencing herself even as her tears continued to run down her cheeks, giving the kiss a somewhat salty taste.

She held Dusk even tighter as the kiss drew on, before she finally pulled away and saw the surprise in his eyes. She felt a dark blush spread over her cheeks in response to her embarrassingly forward kiss, and tried to move away in shame.

However, Dusk moved far more quickly, and his suddenly firm yet gentle grip on her wrist didn't allow her to move too far before she had to stop. Struggling to rise on shaky legs, Dusk stood, and brought the two of them in close, wrapping his arms around her hips and hugging her from behind, kissing the side of her neck once before speaking. “We… should get back to your cottage, Shy… The fillies! Are they safe? And the cockatrice? Where is it?” Dusk half-turned the mare in his arms, concern clear on his face once more.

Nearly on the verge of tears again, but beginning to giggle once more at how rapidly Dusk brought himself back to worrying for others, Fluttershy shivered and nodded. Letting him turn her around fully, she unfurled her wings and brought them around his body, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. She held him close, keeping her trembling wings expanded over his back, reveling in the contact, the warmth of his body. Despite not being able to make herself meet his eyes, she savored how close he was, before finally speaking. “They’re… Harry’s taking them back to the house. We… I scared the cockatrice off. Are you okay?”

Dusk nodded as he held the mare. “Yes… it’s been a strange night. I… There’s a lot I need to look into, to think about, Fluttershy. As well… um, us. We should talk, but not here.”

The mare in his arms nodded, before squeezing him once more. She pulled away, but only so she could trap one of his arms with both of hers. As they turned in the general direction of her home, she kept one wing firmly glued to his back, guiding him. Dusk’s earlier weakness seems to rapidly dissipate, the stallion appeared to be quickly regaining his strength, or at least the appearance of enough to climb over and around the fallen trees and branches as they began making their way out of the devastated clearing.

* * *

3am, Granny Smith’s Kitchen, Sweet Apple Acres

It was hard for Applejack to put into words how relieved she was to be safely back on the Apple family farm. However, she could tell that Rarity was tense. Her every action screamed that she was distracted by something. Applejack sighed, knowing that losing more sleep now was all but inevitable. But watching her unicorn lover pace a trench in Granny’s kitchen didn't sit well with her. Pushing her chair back slightly from the Apple’s large table, she said, “Sugarcube, why don't ya come sit down. There ain't nothing you can do until daylight. Besides, Dusk's staying with Fluttershy, if those two can't keep four foals out of trouble, nopony can.”

Continuing her worrisome march from one end of the large family kitchen to the other, Rarity was walking away from Applejack when the farmpony spoke. The fashionista whirled around on one foot to confront her lover with one raised finger. “But don't you see? They're also staying in about the furthest place outside of town as anypony. Even most of the farm families live closer to Ponyville then Fluttershy does! And she's right on the border with the Everfree Forest! We've already seen the kind of monsters that prowl in those woods at night!”

Standing up, Applejack moved to stand by Rarity, gently grasping the smaller mare's hand in hers reassuringly. Applejack tried to comfort the anxious mare, speaking softly and guiding her to a free chair. “Yes, and you’ve seen Fluttershy pacify a manticore and win a punch-out with a dragon. And I know we weren't there for it, but you know Dusk took on a hydra to protect Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Not to mention the time he straight up fought Nightmare Moon to try and protect everypony, remember?”

Momentarily thoughtful as Applejack reminded her of the absurd situations their pair of friend got into, Rarity's expression became only slightly less pensive as Applejack went on. When at last there was a silent moment, the prim pony asked, “So what is your point, darling?”

Chuckling, Applejack moved one hand up to Rarity's jaw, and rubbed a thumb over the fashionista’s flawless cheek, Applejack smiled. She marvelled at how she found she could still lose herself in those beautiful eyes, and answering softly, laughing a little as she tried to stay focused. “So if you know that little Sweetie is under the best care she can get, why’re you wearing a hole in Granny’s floor? Or are you tryin to wake up poor Barb and Winona for no good reason?”

Rarity's firm expression held for just a second as she stared back into Applejack’s eyes. Slowly, rose hues tinted her cheeks, the smaller mare finally rolling her eyes before surrendering to a blush. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around the tall farm mare’s hips, pressing the two of them close against one another. “Oh you are such a fuddy duddy! I had a really good grump on and then you had to ruin it by talking sense! I think you’ve been spending too much time around Dusk, love.”

Applejack wrapped one arm around Rarity’s hips, her other hand finding its way into that luxurious purple hair she loved so much. Gently massaging the back of Rarity’s head with her strong fingers, Applejack laughed, the two of them sharing comfort in one another. “No, but now that you mention it, we really should start a schedule or something. Twice now I've got my extra chores done and even finished preparing things for Appleloosa, and both times I show up to the library just to see that Dash is there already. Go figure that mare knows when it’s prime time for some danged rain or something. If Dusk’s herd gets any larger, we’re going to run into some real sharing problems if we don’t nip it in the bud now.” She made sure to chuckle a little. She didn't want to sound like she was accusing the younger mare of hoarding Dusk to herself, but it had been such a disappointment to doll up her hair - all fancy-like like her Ma had showed her - only to find Dash already busy with Dusk.

The sudden sharp squeak of a nearby door swinging open interrupted whatever Rarity's answer might have been. Dressed in her nightgown and robe, walking with her usual hunch, Granny Smith wandered into the kitchen and reached for a teapot in a morning ritual that ran longer than Applejack had lived with her gran. Shuffling to the stove after filling the pot at the sink, the old matron muttered gently to herself. “Waste’a candles leaving them burning all night Apple Bloom, if’en your big sister doesn't teach you responsibility with expensive candles, I might need t’have a talk with her.”

Realizing that the old mare hadn't realized anyone was actually at the kitchen table yet, Applejack gently coughed to clear her throat before calling out to the clan matriarch. “Morning Granny. Sorry for burning the good candles, but me and Rarity had a real time with this Diamond Dog colony. If you could spare some of your tea for us, I'd be happy to make up some porridge for breakfast and spin you a tale that'll make your teeth stand on end!”

Standing up and moving to help her granny, Applejack never noticed the intense way Rarity’s soulful azure eyes watched her. The unicorn pursed her lips, eyes thoughtful as she listened to Applejack’s recounting of the night they had spent in the dogs’ tunnels.

Eventually finishing her story, Applejack settled into a chair beside the watching unicorn. As she waited for Granny to finish her porridge, Applejack finally noticed the unicorn’s gaze. Putting a supportive hand on Rarity's knee, she asked, “Feeling any better, sugarcube?”

Rarity nodded once, a small smile finding a way to her lips. “Assuredly.”

Applejack knew the mare was thinking of something more - she had that look in her eyes that she always did when she was considering something important. When Applejack opened her mouth though, the unicorn cut her off, her voice a soft whisper, and she gripped Applejack’s hand on her knee, thanking Celestia for the wonderful farm pony she’d fallen in love with. Meeting Applejack’s gaze, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. “We'll talk later, when we’re alone.”

* * *

Near Dawn, Canterlot

Bronze had to shake off the dull pangs of exhaustion. She had no time for them right now. She stood before a goddess and nothing was so taxing as being under the eye of Princess Luna.

It had seemed so simple to find the night guard sergeant on duty and report. But that had escalated from notifying a keen, if sullen, bat mare with a crisp new uniform to having to report at Silken Flight’s desk. Bronze could've sworn that by the time her and Dash had arrived, the bat would likely have been going to bed, but the spy mistress looked as fresh as any officer on duty by the time Bronze was allowed into the office.

As Bronze gave her report, it felt just like when one of her old sergeants called for a surprise inspection of the barracks when she’d been on liberty all weekend, but with the lack of sleep starting to dull her senses, it was a hundred times worse. In the corner of her mind, a list was already forming of little things she should have checked during that brief break in the hallway. Her hair was still full of gravel, her armor had needed a polish before she'd started the day’s exercises, but she'd left it for after training... Light, that was still just yesterday! Bronze thought; not to mention-

Silken Flight sat behind her desk, tapping one quill thoughtfully against the wood as she looked over the notes she’d taken from Bronze and Dash’s report. Eventually, she stood up, gesturing for them to follow. “Okay, hold the rest of your report. Princess Luna will want to hear all of this immediately. Gentle Breeze, Shining Armor’s going to need to hear all of this, so go tell whatever one of his XO’s that’s on night duty to come to Celestia’s Spire. I am taking them straight to her majesty.”

Bronze watched the snowy-haired young filly as she rushed towards the door after snapping off a crisp salute, Silk calling after the mare. “And don’t forget to bring along your papers. I still need you to take dictation of everything Rainbow Dash and Bronze Feather say!”

The young foal skidded to a halt and turned heel to rush back to the disregarded paperwork, blushing so hard it showed despite her dark skin. But Bronze couldn’t help but get lost in a momentary flicker of pride and bemusement at the foal, remembering her first days in Shining Armor’s service... and how quickly he had taken her to task regarding one half-finished report.

But as they flew as a trio to the towering Spire, they could see where Princess Luna stood watch over the night. In less than an hour, Princess Celestia would raise the sun. Bronze couldn’t help but notice how distracted Dash really was. Falling back to catch the daydreaming mare’s attention, Bronze gave Dash the smallest nudge with a wing, before leaning in close to keep their conversation private. “Hey, if you’re that tired, maybe you should report to Luna first. I’m sure once you’ve given them your account, they’ll find some place for you to crash, alright?”

Dash rolled her eyes and playfully swatted Bronze’s wing with her own. “Look Bronze, I’m just fine! I was just… just distracted, don’t worry about it, alright? Besides, if you’re uncomfortable reporting before so many high ranking ponies, I can speak first. If nothing else, I’ve gotten used to talking to big shots with all the crazy shit that’s been going on since Dusk came to Ponyville.”

The sudden and changed in demeanor that followed shocked Bronze. She’d seen how cocksure Dash could be, but the rapid way that Dash went from seemingly exhausted, to worried momentarily, and back to her normal confident self caught Bronze momentarily off guard.

Speeding off to fly beside Silk, Dash left Bronze in her wake, left her wondering just what had happened to make her so distracted, and to set off the rapid-fire different emotions… until she remembered. The Diamond Dog. The tiny one that Dash had skewered protecting their backs. That had to be it, but even as Bronze came on the realization, the three flyers came upon Celestia’s Spire. Princess Luna sat in the center of it, wings half-extended, legs crossed. As she came in for a landing, Bronze thought the alicorn looked like she was meditating - or sleeping.

Silk landed upon the enameled balcony, swiftly moving over to the pale goddess, and spoke in a rush of whispers. Hanging back at Dash’s side, Bronze watched as a pair of bat pony attendants rushed from some hidden room inside the Spire, hands at knives on their hips. They hesitated for a moment as they recognized Silk. Their hands left their belt at that point, and they changed course, approaching Bronze and Dash with wineskins and fruit they grabbed from a table inside the Rise. No words were spoken by anyone, save for the spy mistress who continued to whisper in the goddess’ ear.

Bronze took some grapes, while Dash took a pull at one of the wineskins, gasping and sputtering as the scent of herbs filled the air. Bronze barely held in a laugh. She grinned, and started patting Dash’s back while the other mare sputtered at the strong wine.

From the center of the Rise, a voice spoke up, calm and confident. “Just breathe, young Rainbow Dash. The drink is a popular blend of strong wine and herbs made by the students of medicine at Canterlot University. It is meant to treat exhaustion, as well as promote clarity of thought. My attendants keep a fresh supply of it on hand at night, as most who need an audience with me have pressing reasons to be here, oft for dangerous reasons.”

“Just about sounds right to me, Princess.” Dash smiled a little while she gave a weary chuckle, shaking the tension from her wings before taking a smaller, more reasonable drink of the wine. Swallowing easier and giving a happy sigh, Dash passed the skin to Bronze before offering the goddess a half-hearted bow. “That is some good sh- … stuff, Princess. You and Silk need to talk more, or should Bronze and me start reporting? It’s been one long day and Ponyville’s in trouble.”

Silk gave a wiry grin, shaking her head. “When isn’t it?”

Dash grinned wider, and shook her head. “This time, it isn’t Dusk’s fault.” When Silk started to respond, Dash cut her off, her tone suddenly cold this time. “No. Seriously. These Diamond Dogs kidnapped Rarity right in front of Barb. Me, Bronze, and AJ got her back, but they outnumber us like twenty to one, so we need backup, fast.”

Turning to inspect Rainbow Dash with the full force of her willpower, Luna’s smile spread in a thin line. “You're a humorous mare, Rainbow Dash, but we prefer your father’s taste in jests. Go on, report.”

Bronze couldn't help but smile a little when Dash gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck. Here they were, detailing for the Goddess of the Night, and Dash just had to be her normal, cocky self when dealing with authority. At some point, she gave Shining Armor a small nod of acknowledgement as he rushed in, bedraggled hair and rumpled uniform with a steaming cup of coffee clutched to his chest. Clearly someone had risked Cadence's wrath to wake their captain. As she watched him scratching at his fuzzy chin - clearly he’d forgone a quick shave when he was woken up - he poured over maps that showed where the Royal Guard were already deployed.

When their reports had been given to the Princess, the Captain of the Guard was the first to speak. "With all the activity of late,” Shining began, “it's gotten to be a bit hard to shuffle the standing guard around to find a division free to clean up after Dusk.”

Bronze had been inspecting the map and all the new markers she didn't recognize. Realizing Shining had only spoken to delay for time, she thrust a finger at the map and one of the strange new markers that was located between Ponyville and Canterlot, hoping to help her old commander out. “Hey, so Shining, what are those green units? Are they something new? I'm a little rusty with your mapping system since I moved to Dusk's service.”

If Shining Armor was distracted by her question he showed no sign of it. Still comparing paper notes to the map and cross referencing units deployed in the field, he spoke with an absent-minded tone, staring more at his papers than the part of the map she pointed out. “The small green squares are bat mercenary units, numbering between ten and twenty-five members, and those with a circle around the square denote nomad camps with a population of less than five hundred, including their mercenaries. Ever since Princess Luna’s return they have started voluntarily reporting their positions instead of forcing us to try and keep track of their movements on our own.”

Remembering the other mares’ stories about the bat foal that had beaten Soarin in one-on-one combat, a spark of inspiration went off in Bronze's mind. “So why not send the group camped here,” she said as she pointed to a unit on the map, "to Ponyville? It would reduce the risk of the Diamond Dogs attacking, reassure the locals that they're being taken care of, and give you the time you need to free up a Royal Guard unit, right?”

There was a moment of dead air, and Bronze felt a trickle of sweat ran down her neck. Silk swiftly strode over, inspecting the map for the first time during this conversation. Her grin looked unnatural on her face to Bronze, the hardened mercenary was acting like an eager foal. Her leathery wings lifted off her back excitedly, tail flicking giddily as she she spoke with delight. “Yes, why not hire them? If Princess Luna were to sign her name to your request, they'd likely even do the job for free. Or at least ask for a heavily reduced contract.”

There was another moment as everypony went silent, while Bronze looked between a flabbergasted Shining Armor and the slowly spreading smile on Princess Luna’s face. Moving over to the map, the lunar goddess placed a hand on Silk’s shoulder as she spoke. “I would approve of any reasonable action by my dear children that protects the lives of civilians. Shining?”

The stallion nodded thoughtfully before giving a measured shrug. “It would work. The nobelists would have a tantrum over the expense, but they complain about everything, regardless of how reasonably we argue military costs. Princess Luna? I'll take most of the magistrates’ flak on this, but they'll hound you about the bats getting ‘in the way’ of the Royal Guard’s duties. Are you okay with dealing with those paper pushers?”

Straightening her back to stand at her full height, Luna made a small gesture to the cluster of bat ponies that were hovering in attendance for her commands. The motion got an instant reaction: one older female bat lifted a writing desk and rushed over to stand at Luna’s side, quill at the ready. “A petition: ‘To the mercenary band of…-” her voice drifted off as she inspected Shining’s map, reading the tiny symbols engraved on the group Bronze had pointed out. “... the Silver Moon clan. We have need of your aid in a time sensitive matter: the protection of the humble town of Ponyville from attack by Diamond Dogs who have already broken their word in signed treaties. We eagerly await your response, signed, The Night Mother...’ If you think they'd prefer my title instead of my name.”

They all watched as the elder bat wrote, the lines of sweeping ink swirling with practiced flair. After she finished, Luna looked over the paper quickly before nodding once and thanking the mare. The scribe rushed out of the room, flanked by the white-haired foal that had led Bronze here.

Luna watched them leave for a moment, before turning to Shining armor and answering his earlier question. “My children have been punished for a thousand years because of the devotion and loyalty their ancestors held for me. Hunted to near extinction, mistrusted for an age, because they held to me as strongly as the other tribes held to my sister. Returning my children to their proper place in Equestrian society is more important to me than dealing with the annoyance of some self-righteous bigots throwing angry words around.”

The matter settled in his mind, Shining Armor dove into his own writing, quill to page and head bowed, pausing only briefly to check names and titles of relevant members of the bat mercenary group. It was as a jaw popping yawn forced its way between her lips that Bronze realized how long the day had been and they were still waiting on the letter.

Turning to look out at the horizon, the faint first flickers of dawn marked the beginning of a new day. Bronze felt a tingle of guilt as she realized Princess Celestia was now standing at the far end of the Rise, her hands thrown to the sky as she urged the sun to rise from its sleep. ‘By the Light, how did I miss Princess Celestia walking in?!’

Feeling an angry blush cross her face, she dropped to kneel - despite how awkward her heavy armor made the act. As she kneeled there, her tired mind began to wander. Remembering the letter her father had sent her, she smiled, knowing that this time of day he would likely already be baking. Somehow, though, he always found the time to take a few minutes to kneel outside as the dawn sun rose. Imagining what he must be up to now, her grin grew wider at the thought they might both be sharing this calm moment through the Goddess. “Good morning, Dad, hope the day’s baking goes well… Sorry I don't have the time to visit today, but I promise it's for a good reason… and that I’ll write back as soon as I get home.”

Bronze blinked, a realization jolting her out of her musings. Home… she considered Ponyville, with her new friends and potential herd, and Dusk, home. She glanced over at Dash, who was kneeling as well, wings drooping towards the ground. Bronze felt a newfound resolve at the realization - she wanted to cement her place with the ponies she cared about in Ponyville, she-

Celestia's hands dropped to her sides, and Bronze released another embarrassing yawn that made her entire jaw ache, disrupting her thoughts. Turning to look at her, Celestia smiled, her voice a silken calm despite the unusual activity on her private balcony. “If Dusk is working you and Rainbow Dash so hard, it only makes sense you two should use his private quarters. Rest assured that Shining Armor and Silken Flight will take care of Ponyville. You two need to get some proper sleep before returning home. Now go on, fly over to the old observatory, and I'll send somepony over with breakfast… or, after that day you’ve had, I guess it would be your dinner.”

Bronze was flushed in embarrassed pride at Celestia's concern, but before she could accept, Dash attempted to reject it. “Uhh… thanks and all, Princess. But I think we’d both really feel better if we got back to Ponyville as soon as possible. I mean, the bats won’t get there for a while, and... It's just that, well, l…” She paused, swallowing hard and noticeably shivering. “... I really feel like we'd be letting down Ponyville if we left it unprotected for so long, right Bronze?”

Shaking her head, Bronze heard something in Dash’s tone that told her there was something else bothering her. Something more than rushing to protect Ponyville bugging Dash, but Bronze had no idea what it could be. She reached out and put a hand on the pegasus’ shoulder, trying to comfort and support her at the same time. “It's daytime, Dash. Ponyville is safe, at least until dusk tonight. No way the dogs will go out to raid the town today. The only reason Winona's eyes don't hurt from the sun is she's used to being above ground all the time now - those Diamond Dogs wouldn't be able to fight effectively on a bright day like today. Let’s just go get some rest. I’m not sure I’d even make the flight back home, as exhausted as I am. Flying in so much armor, so often? You'll crash and burn long before you can help anypony.”

Celestia smiled, gesturing at the obviously tired pegasus before speaking. "I understand your concern, Rainbow Dash. In fact, I commend it. Even in the face of exhaustion, your loyalty to your town and friends keeps you going. However, Bronze Feather is right. You'd probably end up making it home so tired you'd end up being useless if anything did happen today. Rest assured, my sister's bats will arrive at Ponyville long before any rogue Diamond Dogs dare to visit the surface. They will find quite the shock waiting for them if they are foolish enough to attempt anything.”

Looking from the solar goddess to Bronze, and back again, Dash seemed like she was about to protest again. After a few moments of being silent, however, she finally nodded.. Accepting a set of keys from Shining Armor, Bronze and Dash flew off for Dusk’s observatory. Both eager for a shower, some food, and a lot of much-needed rest.

* * *

On the way back to her cottage, Fluttershy had kept an iron grip on Dusk's arm, wing still firmly guiding him. Despite his protests that he was feeling better - and Fluttershy's grudging acceptance that he did seem to be fine after finding him in the center of the crater - the mare still refused to let go of his body.

As Fluttershy’s cottage came into view, Dusk was relieved to see that Harry the bear had decided to guard the home by laying down before the front door. The moment the bear caught a whiff of Fluttershy, he lurched to his feet and ran down to meet them, only barely managing to skid to a halt before barreling into the smaller pair.

Dusk's initial worry that the bear wouldn’t be able to stop and end up trampling over them was quelled when Fluttershy calmly let go of his arm - while keeping her wing passively in place on his back - and threw her arms around the titanic bear’s neck as the enthusiastic giant lumbered to a halt.

Fluttershy gently scratched along the bear’s facial fur, pressing her mouth against the top of his head to place a kiss when he bent down far enough. “Oh, I was so worried when I first saw you! You’re okay now, right? And the girls?”

Nuzzling his face further against his caretaker, Harry let out a series of growls that, while indecipherable to Dusk, Fluttershy seemed to understand perfectly. Finally taking her wing off of Dusk’s back, the mare knelt down, looking at one of Harry’s forelegs. He whimpered pitifully.

When she spoke, her voice was tinged with teasing. “You big cub, you’re just missing a little bit of fur. It’ll grow back!” Fluttershy took one hand off the bear’s face, and reached down to gently stroke that same foreleg inspecting the hair. Dusk only now noticed that some of the hair was, indeed, quite a bit shorter than the rest.

The *grumph* from Harry that followed sounded a little pouty, even to Dusk’s ears. The massive ursine pulled his head away from Fluttershy’s hands and peered behind the pair of them, back towards the woods. Watching it for a quiet moment, he huffed out a short breath through his nose. He then moved around behind Fluttershy and firmly pushed her towards the cottage with his broad forehead and snout on her back.

Fluttershy laughed, one wing quickly reaching back to guide Dusk again. When he drew close enough, she firmly grabbed his hand, twining her fingers with his as she let Harry push her towards her home. “He’s just worried there might be something else in the woods, Dusk.”

Dusk nodded, his thumb gently stroking the back of Fluttershy’s hand as he spoke, mentally chuckling at how well Fluttershy seemed to have the bear wrapped around her finger. “Well, after tonight, I can’t say I blame him for worrying. Tonight was rather… enlightening. And the most humbling day I've experience since… well besides Nightmare Moon, I don't know how long!”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at the stallion, fixating on the first half of his comment. “Enlightening? Dusk, it was *terrifying*. I… I nearly *lost* you and Ha-*eep*!” Fluttershy let out a loud squeak as Dusk swept his good arm around the mare, pulling her into a hug at the same time as the bear stepped in closer, burying his cold snout against her neck.

Dusk wrapped his other arm around the shy mare, the questing hand finding its way into her hair to grasp at the back of her head, firmly pressing her against him. Dusk brushed his cheek against Fluttershy’s, shushing her gently. “Shhh… We’re all fine, the cockatrice is gone.”

Stroking his other hand down her back comfortingly, Dusk asked a question that had been bugging him since Fluttershy had found him. “How did you scare that thing off, anyways?”

Reassured that Fluttershy was fine by the way she buried her face against Dusk’s neck, Harry settled back to sit down and watch them again while Fluttershy started drawing strength from Dusk's scent. Her own arms were wrapped around his waist, the mare enjoying the feel of him holding her tightly. After a few moments of just enjoying his closeness, Fluttershy finally spoke, voice soft. “He just… I got *so mad* at him. Just- Well I wanted to make him listen to me. And all that anger had to go somewhere, so I forced it to kinda flow out in the form of a stare. Then he finally started to listen to me, and I- Well I forced him to let Harry go, and then… there was just this big explosion, and he left, and I don’t know where...” The mare’s voice dropped off, and she shivered.

Dusk firmed his grip on the mare, shushing her again. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry I scared you - I’m not even really sure how it all happened, either. I know the cockatrice got me, but then… well…”

Dusk’s voice drifted off, unsure of what to tell the anxious mare. Sighing, he decided that he wanted to figure out how much of whatever had happened to him was real and not just snatches of random thought as oxygen starvation kicked in. He needed to deal with all of this before worrying her with the confusing situation he’d found himself in. “I think I was frozen for a time, but eventually I managed to pull together enough mana together to break free of its gaze.”

The pair stood there for a moment, drawing comfort from one another, before Harry began to grow restless again. The bear returned to firmly nudging the pair with his snout, puncturing the motion with an insistent grumbling growl.

The pair laughed, being forcefully pushed up to the front door. Still holding the mare around the hips, Dusk asked, “So, you got mad? Really? I just can’t picture that?”

Fluttershy grew quiet for a moment. When she spoke, her wing extended to lay against Dusk’s back once more. “It’s… I just couldn’t put up with letting bad things happen to you anymore. I think I sort of hypnotized the animal side of the creature. I really don’t like the feeling that comes with it. It just feels so wrong. But he just made me so *angry*, and I…” She drifted off, wing tightening around Dusk’s shoulders.

Chuckling softly, Dusk said, “Well, remind me never to upset you then, Fluttershy. Besides, I don’t think you would ever need to hypnotise me for anything.” Dusk leaned in closer, and laid a soft kiss against the side of her head, laughing softly as he saw the heavy blush on Fluttershy’s cheeks.

Finally exiting the endless forest into the familiar clearing around her cottage, Fluttershy turned around, laughing a little as she brushed a hand along Harry’s jaw. “Thank you for walking us home, you big goof. Now you get some rest for now, okay?”

The bear let out a soft grumph as he just turned away from them and walked at his own casual pace to find a favorite spot to lay on the edge of the patio. He made sure to place himself facing the woods. When Fluttershy saw that he wasn’t going downstairs to the den built into the cellar under her cottage, she simply had to ask, “Harry, what are you doing?”

Harry gave another growl and remained where he was laying. When Dusk turned to Fluttershy and raised an eyebrow, she shook her head. “He says he’s going to stay here, the big worrywart.” Sighing, she turned back to the door, pushing Dusk in front of her. “Come on, we’ll get the girls settled in and I’ll get him a blanket.”

The next few minutes were leagues more hectic than Dusk had ever expected them to be. The moment Dusk was in the door, the Cutie Mark Crusaders swarmed him. Sweetie Belle tearfully hugged him, saying she’d been so scared when the explosion had happened and nopony knew where he was. Scootaloo and Applebloom excitedly bombarded him with questions and exclamations about the noise that had rippled through the forest, what kind of creature Fluttershy had scared off, and how amazing Fluttershy had been when she forced it to do what she wanted. Dinky was like an island of calm in the swirling storm of the quartet, seemingly content to look over Dusk. Never raising her voice, save to ask him one time if he was hurt or needed her to grab Fluttershy’s first-aid kit.

As Dusk tried to answer as many questions as he could, and calm Sweetie Belle down, he noticed Fluttershy taking a large blanket out to the front porch, returning a few minutes later with a happy grin on her face. The mare approached the group, eyes glancing over the blankets scattered around. Laying one hand on Dusk’s shoulder, she addressed the fillies, saying, “Okay girls, after tonight, I know It’s nearly morning, but I’m ready to go to bed. Do you all have everything you need?”

Most of the fillies started to return to their cots, except for Sweetie Belle, who had already started dozing off with her head on Dusk’s leg. Halfway through collecting her blanket and pillow, Applebloom paused, looking back up at Fluttershy, “I think we’re good, Fluttershy - but where’s Dusk gonna sleep? We only got enough cots out here for us.”

Wings shifting slightly, Fluttershy’s cheeks reddened, and their was a momentary pause in the air. But when she found her voice, it remained confident as she answered, “Oh, I’ll set another one set up in my room for him. I didn’t want him to bother you girls during your sleepover.”

Dusk’s eyebrows rose, but he remained quiet and carefully shifted Sweetie Belle back into her cot. The filly grumbled quietly, but as Dusk tucked her blanket in around her, the filly stretched out for a moment before curling around her large pillow, mumbling into it. “...night...dy.”

Smiling at the tired filly, Dusk turned to the others. “So, you ladies promise that you aren’t going to stay up the rest of the night, are you?”

Scootaloo snorted, already half-buried in her cot next to Applebloom’s. “Pff, yeah right. Gotta get up early so we can try out more stuff for our cutie marks!”

Yawning next to her, Applebloom nodded. “Yeah, we already got a ton of ideas! Gonna be really busy.”

Chuckling, Dusk place his hand on the small of Fluttershy’s back, who was already turning to lead him to her room. “Okay then, I guess we’ll see you girls later then. Sleep well!”

Following Fluttershy, Dusk couldn’t help but chuckle at the chorus of “good night”s behind him. Fluttershy walked ahead of him, her wings held tightly to her back, and one of her hands gasping his between the two of them. She guided him into her room, pausing to hold the door as she gestured him to go in further. Dusk noted that the mare had, at some point, lit a pair of candles in the room, the room lit in a soft glow that cast long shadows along the walls, but still gave off an intimate feel. Somehow, despite all of Fluttershy’s meek behavior, Dusk wasn’t surprised when he entered her room and saw no space for a cot.

Behind him, Fluttershy gently closed the door before turning to face him. She was nearly silent, save for the sound of her nervous breathing, as she slipped her arms around his waist, burying her face between his neck and shoulder. Still unsure of what the mare had planned, Dusk simply returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around the mare, careful of her wings. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her mane, and didn’t speak, waiting for Fluttershy to break the silence first.

After a few minutes, Fluttershy spoke, face still buried against him. “Dusk? Can you, um, can you put up your silence spell thing? Please?” The mare had begun to lightly, gently, drag her nails up and down his back, though Dusk couldn’t tell if it was to comfort her or himself.

Nodding once, Dusk flared his horn and wove his magic in the appropriate way, speaking once he had completed it. “It’s up, Fluttershy. Noise can still come in, but whatever you want to say will remain between us.”

The mare in his arms didn’t answer immediately. She seemed content at the moment to remain holding him, lightly dragging her fingers up and down his back. Dusk could tell she had something important on her mind, however, by the way her wings continued to twitch from time to time. He was glad that dealing with Dash and Bronze had made him more aware of a pegasus’ moods, and how their wings seemed to reveal a bit of what they were thinking. He brushed a finger along her primaries, smiling when she shivered in his arms.

Finally, after remaining quiet for a few minutes more, the mare turned her face up, lips brushing Dusk's ear. Her voice was whisper-quiet, but her words shocked him. “Dusk, I… I love you.” Her arms tightened around him, but after a moment she pulled back to look at his face, gauging his reaction.

Dusk’s eyes went wide. The soft-spoken pegasus in his arms was quiet, and he saw hints of tears where she’d apparently been quietly crying against him. The unicorn brought one hand up from Fluttershy’s wing, and cupped her cheek, brushing a thumb along one tear trail. Confidence and trepidation flowed through him in equal measure as he spoke. “I love you too, Fluttershy. But are you sure you-”

The mare cut him off, quickly pressing her lips to his, and wrapping her wings around him, enveloping him in a world of feathers and Fluttershy’s earthy scent. She brought her hands up in between them, balling his shirt up in her fists as she eagerly, forcefully pushed against him. Dusk was a little surprised by the mare’s forwardness, and she pushed him back several steps towards her bed by the time he managed to arrest their motion.

When he stopped them, having nearly been shoved down onto Fluttershy’s bed, the mare finally pulled back. Her cheeks were a bright red, and her voice was breathy, a subtle - though not unwelcome - difference from her normal soft tone. “I-I’m sorry Dusk, I just - I was so scared that I’d lost you tonight, and that made me realize just how much you mean to me, an-and to the other girls, and now I just want you because I’m so selfish, and I-”

Dusk cut off Fluttershy’s hurried explanation by gently kissing her, tightening his arms firmly around her curvy waist, pressing the length of her body against his. She squeaked at first, but then melted into him. Her wings pushed him closer to her as well, the mare blushing harder as she pressed her large chest firmly against his. She could hardly believe what she was doing, but she knew she wanted more, so much more. She wanted what Rarity had with Dusk, wanted Dusk to be hers too.

Telling herself that she could do this, Fluttershy parted her lips slightly, forcing herself to press her tongue against his lips. She was nearly overcome with happiness when he parted his lips as well, and his tongue met hers. A sudden shock of pleasure ran straight down Fluttershy’s spine, and the mare nearly collapsed; might have if not for Dusk’s arms firmly holding her. Her wings left his back, snapping stiffly into full spread behind her. She moaned into the kiss, her tongue shyly exploring Dusk’s, and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck to help hold herself up, not trusting her legs anymore.

Groaning into Fluttershy's mouth, Dusk dragged his hands up and down Fluttershy’s plush sides, relishing in the feel of the shy mare pressing herself against him, coming out of her shell to express how she felt with him. Losing himself in the way Fluttershy eagerly pushed against him, constantly eager for more, Dusk slipped his hands down to grasp the mare’s full rear.

Fluttershy abruptly broke out of the kiss with a startled squeak, staring at Dusk with eyes full of hunger and lust. He didn’t let her go, content to just watch her and wait for her reaction. The mare’s face was flushed red, and her body felt like it was on fire. Fluttershy knew her heat had ended ages ago, but in Dusk’s arms, it felt like that burning need had come crashing back. Not wanting the feeling of warmth in her belly to end, Fluttershy squirmed in Dusk’s hands, letting out a low moan before gasping for breath when his fingers dug into the flesh of her ass.

Feeling more encouraged by Fluttershy’s response, Dusk-

Found himself pushed backwards into the mare’s bed. Momentarily confused, he looked up at the pegasus, who wore a fiercely determined look on her face. Wings fluttering nervously behind her, Fluttershy bashfully murmured, “Um, stay there, okay?” Not waiting for a response, she turned to one of the candles, and placed a glass bell over it, quickly snuffing the light out. The room darkened by a considerable degree, though the remaining candle gave off just enough light for Dusk to see Fluttershy biting her lip nervously.

Returning to the foot of the bed in front of Dusk, Fluttershy nervously wrung her hands, looking at the floor. Her pink mane covered her face, after a few moments, she grew still, and Dusk heard her let out one single, slow, loud breath. Looking up suddenly, Fluttershy met Dusk’s eyes and purposefully reached for the hem of her dress, practically tearing it off in one swoop.

Dusk’s eyes followed the dress up and over the mare, and continued to watch it as she tossed it aside, transfixed, as the light fabric floated to land over a chair. So different from Rarity who would have insisted in properly hanging the dress. After realizing he wasn’t paying attention to the mare whose bed he lay in, he turned to meet her gaze. Fluttershy’s face was a bright red, but she bravely held her head up, meeting his purple eyes, despite being nearly naked in her lingerie. The mare spread her wings wide, willing herself to show Dusk everything.

Dusk leaned forward on the bed, eyes transfixed on the mare in front of him. His stare began to slowly move down Fluttershy’s body, unable to help but openly ogle the pegasus. The soft light from the candle in the room seemed to make her pale skin glow. He was surprised at first to see how pale she was under her clothing, given how often the mare was outside. The analytical side of Dusk’s brain reminded him that she typically wore heavier clothing outside, so it made sense that her body wouldn’t be as sun-kissed as her hands, forearms and face.

Eyes continuing their downward trend, Dusk’s stare met Fluttershy’s breasts and the custom bra Rarity had created to contain the massive mammaries. Though the mare herself was usually embarrassed by her large assets, she now found herself pushing her chest forward slightly, eager for Dusk’s approval - which she could clearly see she had, if his slack jaw was any indication. Feeling braver by his rapt attention, the mare stepped forward, putting herself within easy reach of the stallion.

Dusk shook himself lightly when she stepped forward. Glancing up at her still-blushing face, Dusk received a shy nod from the mare. His gaze dropping back down, Dusk brought his hands up to Fluttershy’s plump sides and gently pulled her in closer, between his legs. Sitting up straight now, Dusk brought his nose in close to the mare’s slightly pudgy stomach, just beneath her still-covered breasts. Breathing in deeply, Dusk let out a soft groan at the enthralling smell of the mare in his hands, before closing the final distance and placing a soft kiss on the mare’s warm skin.

Having expect Dusk to go straight for her chest, Fluttershy was entirely caught off guard by his attention to her stomach, letting out a laughing giggle. Flustered and slightly embarrassed now, as the mare had never been able to shed those extra pounds that she fretted over, the pegasus bent her legs slightly and wrapped her arms around Dusk’s head before trapping him firmly against the top of her cleavage.

“Dusk!~~ That’s not- not there, please? I know I’m not as fit as Dash or Rarity but-”

Dusk brought his face out of the warm embrace of Fluttershy’s breasts, quickly bringing his lips up to meet hers in an eager, passionate kiss. He slipped a hand up to the back of her neck, holding her in place, even as the other kneaded her side.

When he eventually let the mare go, her eyes had glazed slightly, and Dusk’s breath came in heavy and fast. “Fluttershy, you are absolutely gorgeous. Every bit of you.”

Pressing his forehead against hers, he waited for the mare to process what he said. When she blinked and seemed to return to her senses, she gave him a bashful, goofy, and teasingly excited grin. Surging forward, the mare pushed Dusk backwards onto the bed, flattening her chest against his as she eagerly reclaimed his lips, aggressively pushing her tongue into his mouth.

Fluttershy’s eager moan was only slightly muffled as it carried throughout the room. Burying her hands in Dusk’s hair, a rush of happiness accompanying a foreign sense of complete excitement assaulted all of her senses, and she happily let it wash over her. She brought one leg up onto the bed, before realizing that her skin was still brushing against Dusk’s clothes. Reluctantly letting the stallion beneath her go, Fluttershy sat back, giving him a moment to look at her, his eyes wide and surprised. Delighted that she had gotten that reaction from him, the pegasus eagerly pulled on his clothing, fumbling with Dusk’s belt. Meeting his gaze, she practically whined, “Off.”

With the way Fluttershy was begging him with her eyes and actions, practically grinding along his leg as she sat half-atop him, Dusk eagerly began removing his shirt, using magic to rapidly accelerate the tedious process. As Fluttershy continued removing his belt, he tossed the shirt where she’d left her dress before dropping his hands down to help her with his pants. After an embarrassing amount of fumbling and confusion for such a simple action, they finally succeeded in removing his belt. Dusk began kicking his pants off, with Fluttershy reluctantly sitting up and forward to help give him some room to work with.

When the pink-haired pegasus sat forward, Dusk saw an opportunity and grinned. While trying to remove his pants, he leaned forward as well, gently nibbling Fluttershy’s stomach and dipping his tongue into her navel. The mare above him let out a loud gasp and giggled, falling off balance and crashing down on top of him in in a fit of laughter and surprise. Now pinned beneath her, Dusk breathed in deeply, feeling drunk off the smell of the amorous mare laying on top of him. He finally managed to finish removing his pants, his aching erection springing up eagerly, and Dusk slid his hands up Fluttershy’s calves to her thighs, massaging the mare’s soft legs as his hands traveled.

Still giggling on top of him, Fluttershy felt a wild abandon at how eager Dusk seemed to be to touch her, to do anything to her. Embracing the feeling, she reached behind her shoulders and undid the clasp on her bra, letting it drop onto Dusk’s face. After freeing her chest, she reached down and began sliding her panties off, blushing slightly as they came away damp.

Kissing his way up Fluttershy’s chest, he took one dangling nipple in his mouth and sucked on it, lightly brushing his teeth against her sensitive nub. Fluttershy’s wings flapped excitedly, brushing the sides of the bed as she wrapped both arms around Dusk’s head, trapping him against her chest.

Teasing the mare with his tongue, Dusk move backwards up the bed slightly, pulling Fluttershy along with him, guiding her with his hands on her thighs and the breast in his mouth. Whining eagerly as Dusk brought her further up the bed, Fluttershy’s tail flicked happily, and she felt it cover Dusk’s erection. The stallion beneath her groaned softly, the soft hair brushing his cock making him want to rush.

Dusk didn’t want to push the mare though. Releasing her breast, Dusk shifted so that his face was closer to Fluttershy’s, eagerly kissing the mare’s neck. Dragging his hands across her ass, he brought them up along her sides and brushed her primaries once more before settling on her thighs. He buried his face in her neck, whispering, “Fluttershy, are you sure abo-” His breath caught in his throat.

Fluttershy had sat down in his lap, trapping his pelvis between her legs, pressing the shaft down firmly against her marehood. She froze up on top of Dusk, suddenly filled with trepidation. She shifted, unable to help but moan at the feel of his firmness sliding along her pussy, and met his eyes. She was afraid of what he’d think of her having second thoughts at this point.

When Fluttershy had gone still, Dusk had stopped as well, unsure of why she was hesitating now. When she looked down at him, suddenly scared, Dusk understood. Smiling up at her, he brought one hand up to cup her cheek. “Shy, if you want, we can stop. I know it’s been a hectic day, but we’ll only do whatever you want.”

With that reminder of what they’d gone through in the past few hours, Fluttershy’s face became resolute. Shaking her head quickly, she said, “No! I-I do want this, Dusk, really. I just… can we do it at my pace? Please?” She emphasized her plea with a shake and grind of her hips along their connected genitals, causing the two of them to mutually gasp.

Dusk smiled up at her before replying, “Of course, Fluttershy. Just… I want to make sure you enjoy this too, okay? If I push you too far or if you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and we’ll stop.” Dusk brought his other hand up to the pegasus’ face, cupping both cheeks before letting his fingers slide down her body slowly, teasing her. When he reached her breasts, he let his thumbs circle her nipples as he lightly dug his fingers into the mare’s soft flesh.

Nodding fervently, Fluttershy pressed her chest forward, eager to feel Dusk’s hands all over her. She immersed herself in the gentle way he massaged and groped her chest, and the feeling of his stallionhood rubbing between her legs. Eventually though, impatience overran her, and she reached down to their laps, grasping Dusk’s cock firmly. Tugging on it, she ground it against herself, wings snapping to their full extent, and letting out an eager groan.

A wicked, perverted idea filled her head, and blushing hotly, Fluttershy made sure to stroke his length from base to tip. The noises Dusk made only turned her on more. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Fluttershy angled Dusk’s cock towards her pussy’s entrance, having to restrain herself from greedily taking him as fast as she could.

Meeting his gaze - no longer feeling any of the earlier, silly worries she’d had before - she brought up the hand that had aligned his shaft. Making sure he was watching her, she gave her hand a long, drawn-out sniff. Dusk cocked his head curiously, but Fluttershy merely said, “Rarity was wrong, Dusk…” She fell forward on the bed, her hands landing on either side of his head, breasts firmly trapped against his chest and face, his cock on the edge of penetrating her. Leaning in close to his ear, she licked the tip of it, tongue brushing over the earring with Celestia’s cutie mark on it. “You smell just as good now as you did before.”

With that, Fluttershy rolled her hips forward, taking Dusk from the tip to the root in one motion. The mare let out a noise somewhere between a whine and a moan, the shock of the intrusion making her hold still to process it. Her wings held out stiffly on either side, eyes were clenched shut, and her hands balled into the sheets by Dusk’s head.

Dusk was faring much better, enjoying the sudden warmth and tightness of the mare on top of him, and the feeling of her breasts against his chest, her nipples like two hot buds of pleasure against him. Feeling her stop once more, Dusk brought one hand to the small of her back, just above her tail, and began massaging her there with a pair of fingers. His other hand grasped the back of Fluttershy’s neck, and he gently pulled her forward until her forehead met his, his horn parting her pink mane.

“Easy, Fluttershy, take your time. We have all night,” Dusk whispered, waiting for Fluttershy to recover her senses.

After several long moments, Fluttershy eventually gave herself a shake, and opened her eyes to meet Dusk’s. He saw some pain in her teal orbs, but the joyous smile she bore set him at ease.

Fluttershy leaned down to capture Dusk in another kiss, this time rolling her entire body against his, groaning happily against the wave of pleasure. She let go of the sheets and moved her hands back into Dusk’s hair, gripping down on it gently as she moved on top of him, sliding her body back and forth against his, trying to memorize the feel of his skin against hers.

Pulling back from their kiss, Fluttershy buried her face against Dusk’s neck, grazing her teeth along his skin. Nipping him roughly, she reached back and guided his hands down to her ass, squeaking happily when he began lifting her and dropping her down on his own.

Dusk half-growled into Fluttershy’s ear as she began biting and licking his neck, the mare’s tight grip in his hair making him want to fuck her faster. He kept a deliberate pace, however, wanting to be careful with her, and wanting to prolong this - the normally-reserved mare in his arms already had him nearing his limit. One hand left her ass, trailing its way up to land between her wings. Grinning, he began applying light pressure on the muscles he found there, noteing that they weren’t nearly as developed as those on Dash’s back.

Fluttershy let out a high-pitched whine when he touched her flight muscles, the mare’s pussy tightening down on his shaft suddenly. That was the final touch for Dusk - digging his fingers into Fluttershy’s ass and grasping the root of one of her wings. He came, thrusting desperately into the mare on top of him.

Fluttershy’s knees tightened against Dusk’s sides, the mare grinding her hips as closely against him as she could. Her cheek was pressed against his, and she was gasping roughly into his ear, tremors flying through her body every time she felt Dusk pulse inside of her.

After what felt like a small eternity, she felt Dusk’s climax ebb, and she slowly came down off her own orgasmic high as well. She could feel his warmth in her belly, and it felt like it was spreading throughout all of her body. The mare happily stayed in place on top of him, reveling in the feeling.

Enjoying the sound and feel of Fluttershy breathing into his ear, Dusk lay under her. He took his hands from her wing and ass, moving them to the small of her back, massaging in small circles. Dusk turned to nuzzle his jaw against Fluttershy’s, before trailing a series of kisses to her lips.

Fluttershy giggled while he kissed her, the happy noise still bubbling out when he claimed her lips. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, wings finally drooping down to cover her back. “That was… thank you, Dusk.”

Dusk chuckled under her, his breath tickling her neck. “Thank you for trusting me, Fluttershy. Though, I do have a question for you…” He trailed off, doing his best to keep a sly smile off his face.

Fluttershy buried her face in against his neck again, tongue lashing out quickly to taste the stallion’s - her stallion’s, she thought proudly - sweat, enjoying everything about him. Letting out a happy sigh, Fluttershy shifted her hips again, feeling Dusk go soft inside her. “Anything, Dusk.”

Unable to hide the smile now, Dusk leaned down, feeling like a foal about to whisper a secret. “Would you do me the honor of being in my herd?”

* * *

10:00 a.m., Dusk’s Observatory, Canterlot

Dash woke standing on the balls of her feet, body drenched in sweat and her heart racing so fast her knees felt week. For a moment she couldn't dismiss his face as he stared into her eyes, accusatory and angry. She could still feel his weight at the end of her spear, his life’s blood pouring down into her hands. Her mouth opened, a scream on her lips-

Her eyes caught sight of Bronze’s sleeping form, curled up on the bed, curled up right beside where Dash had been sleeping seconds ago. Her hand clamped over her mouth and the cry died on her lips.

Swallowing back the crash of panic, and banishing the face from her mind, Dash snatched her shirt off a chair and left the bedroom, closing the door as gently as she could as she slipped out.

* * *

10am, Celestia's Spire, Canterlot

“Then it's all settled. I'll let Dusk know Silk and the mercenaries are on the way.”

Luna found slipping into the Dream Realm like putting on comfortable old shirt. It took no effort, fit exactly the way she wanted, and had brought back such fond memories.

The endlessly changing shadows of a twisted, warped world danced around before Luna, yet even as she exerted her willpower against the malleable world, she could see the first bubbles taking shape. There was Celestia, with only the tiniest of orbs representing her rigid focus, marking her daydreams that were nearly impenetrable.

Next to her was Silken Flight, who still stared at the empty spot Luna had been standing, her dreams a nearly-transparent ball. Luna smiled at her lover, who seemed incapable of stopping herself from worrying about Luna’s safety, even in this realm, her realm. With a thought, Luna projected an image of herself comforting the bat pony, and Silk’s dream ball shuddered before the mare herself picked up a stack of reports and left the balcony.

Turning towards the final pony pouring over the map, Shining Armor surprised her. His mind was focused, and the daydream over his head was constantly flickering in and out of existence. When it did exist, it was nearly as small as Celestia's own. Luna found herself curious at what had him so focused, so driven to work that he wanted to avoid thinking about, that she couldn’t help but peek into his daydream.

A black box. A diamond ring. Young Princess Cadance.

Luna smiled as she stepped away. The mind of a stallion in love.. I wonder how Cadance will react. Stepping towards the balcony’s edge, Luna ignored the way the whole world moved in slow motion, like somepony stuck in mud.

Launching into flight [scene unfinished]

* * *

The echoing whisper of a click made Bronze stretch out in bed, flexing her aching wings and bending her stiff back. Exhaustion and exertion weighed so many of the joints down. ”I am never flying from Ponyville to Canterlot in full armor with a racehorse like Rainbow Dash again. But, by the Light, if I have to do it again, I'll invest in a pair of replacement wings!”

Dash’s Nightmare

* * *

Noon, Sunday, April 17th, Fluttershy’s Cottage.

Dusk woke slowly, fighting against the temptingly soft blankets and sheets that lay on him. When he opened his eyes, it took him a moment to remember where he was, and what had all happened the previous night. The fillies chasing Henrietta. The cockatrice. Fluttershy crying in his arms, as he sat dazed and still confused. Putting the fillies to bed. And then…

Dusk breathed in deep, lungs filling with the scent of the bashful pegasus that he’d grown to love, and let out a content sigh. Without looking, he reached across to the opposite side of the bed, before realizing he was alone. Looking over to Fluttershy’s side of the bed, all that lay there was a single yellow feather on her pillow. Smiling now, Dusk sat up, brushing one hand through his long hair, before looking around for his robe and pants.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Dusk plucked the yellow feather from Fluttershy’s pillow. Brushing its length under his nose, he was rewarded with the faint scent of the mare herself, bringing back flashes of the previous night’s excesses. Grinning wider now, Dusk pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his robe and pants, curious where the mare herself was at.

Making his way out of Fluttershy’s room, Dusk saw that the living room was empty as well, blankets strewn across the cots and sofa haphazardly. After a half-second’s fright, a moment’s worry that the events from last night were repeating, Dusk heard the voices of the fillies from outside, laughing and calling to one another. Trying to rub the sleep still lingering in his eyes, Dusk made sure his robe was closed as he walked on, feather secure in one deep pocket. Hearing Fluttershy’s voice come from the kitchen, he turned in that direction, bringing a hand through his hair once more in a pointless attempt to tame it.

As he neared the kitchen, he slowed, listening to the quiet mare’s voice speaking to someone confidently - a rare occurrence he was happy to experience.

“Your leg hair will grow back. You’re acting like it’s the end of the world, you big fussy cub.”

The growling reply that came back could only have been Harry, and Dusk still found it a marvel at how easily Fluttershy interacted with him, despite being so reluctant and timid around other ponies. Moving into the kitchen, Dusk leaned on the doorframe, staying silent as he looked at the beautiful mare that he now shared a bond with.

The pegasus herself was draped in a heavy robe covering most of her body, though her wings lay open to the air, relaxed against her back. She was making pancakes, and already had a large stack of them set aside, with several more cooking in a large pan. In front of her was a window, and through it a large muzzle poked in, nose sniffing and moving around in eager curiosity at the smell of the breakfast that was in front of him.

“Oh you hush, Harry. After all that excitement last night, you should be glad that’s all that happened. I still can’t believe it, I almost lost both you and Dusk...”

Dusk tilted his head, watching Fluttershy more carefully now. She’d seemed mostly fine last night after they’d arrived back at her house safely, fillies in tow - and the two had… expressed themselves to one another. Now though, she seemed to be drawing in on herself, lost in thought about the previous night’s scares. Dusk made mental notes as her wings drooped, still trying to pick up on all the visual tics that pegasi seemed to give with their wings. It was simply fascinating how much of their body language those two appendages could-

A surprised giggle jolted Dusk out of his thoughts. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up at Fluttershy again, who was now fighting off Harry’s nose with one hand.

“Harry! Your nose is so cold, you big goof! Stop that!” Fluttershy giggled again, before gently grasping his muzzle in one hand and kissing the nose.

With a satisfied hrumph from the large bear, his muzzle disappeared from the window, only to be replaced by one large forepaw snaking in, one claw extended towards the pancakes.

When Fluttershy saw what the bear was doing, she gave a sharp, “Ah, ah!” and reached out with her free hand to flick his claw. The pitiful noise the large bear let out made Dusk wonder if that really was the same bear that Fluttershy had said was so protective of the fillies on the walk back to the house.

The large paw disappeared and was replaced once more by the same muzzle, only this time the lower lip was pushed out in what Dusk assumed was an attempt at pouting. Fluttershy giggled again, and reached out to stroke the fuzzy giant’s chin.

“Now Harry, you know these are for the girls and Dusk… But!” Fluttershy’s grin became wide, and she leaned in close to the bear’s nose, whispering loudly, “If you go get some of your special honey that you’ve got stashed away downstairs, and share it with them, I’ll make you your own batch of pancakes, okay?”

When Fluttershy leaned back from the bear, Dusk smiled, curious to see what Harry would do. For a moment, the bear’s nose just twitched, sniffing at the air and, presumably, the pancakes. The large bear licked his chops once, twice, before leaning further into the window and giving his pegasus caretaker’s face a long, wet lick.

Harry disappeared through the window at Fluttershy’s laughter, and Dusk was about to go over to her, when the bear’s muzzle returned, sniffing loudly. Fluttershy was still giggling, wiping the bear’s saliva off her face. The bear growled what seemed questioningly, and Fluttershy’s laughter stopped, a bright blush covering her face.

The mare looked down at the pancakes still sizzling on the pan, bangs and hair hiding her face from view. Her voice was embarrassed when she finally spoke. “Harry! That is… whatever we did is personal! But…” Fluttershy looked up at the bear, though her face was still hidden from Dusk. “Thank you. It means a lot that you think Dusk's a good stallion. Angel Bunny isn’t so sure.”

The bear’s nose twitched again, this time sniffing in Dusk’s direction. The bear gave a last parting growrph before his muzzle disappeared a final time. Fluttershy leaned further over the stove, calling out, “He’s just overprotective, like somebear else I could name!”

When the mare giggled again and returned her attention to the pan, Dusk pushed off the doorframe and began walking towards her. Trying to stay quiet, his approach was announced by one of the floorboards letting out a loud creak, causing him to flinch and stop in his tracks as Fluttershy gasped and turned towards him, spatula half-raised.

After she realized who it was, she laughed, putting a hand over her chest. “By the Light, Dusk, you scared me! I was just about to go wake you up, I’m nearly done here.” Fluttershy gestured at the pancakes on the counter, before turning back towards the pan and flipping the ones sizzling there. “Did you, um….” Her cheeks brightened again, and Dusk couldn’t help but smile at how adorable it made her look. “Did you sleep well?”

Still saying nothing, Dusk moved up behind the pegasus and slid his arms around her wide, plush hips, enjoying the feeling of her robe. She let out a surprised squeak even as he pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair, inhaling the scent that was pure Fluttershy deeply. He felt her wings press back against his chest, the feathery limbs trying to flutter, but they only ended up tickling his front. He was silent for a long moment, just enjoying the feeling of the mare in his arms.

When he finally spoke, his breath sent shivers down Fluttershy’s back, and her wings twitched against him again. “I slept fantastic, thank you Fluttershy. I had one of the most perfect mares in Equestria making sure I was comfortable, after all.” He kissed the back of her neck, in the center of her cutie mark. When she shivered he smiled, once more enjoying the feeling of her wings shuffling against his chest.

Fluttershy felt like her face was on fire, but she focused on moving the pancakes from the pan onto the stack of the finished ones. Placing her spatula down, she was still for a moment, before whirling around in Dusk’s arms, surprising him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him tightly to her, even as she buried her face in against the hollow of his throat, her wings finally free to lift off her back and encircle him.

The mare was quiet as she held him, and Dusk was content to simply hold her close. When she finally spoke, her voice was halting, and sounded almost afraid. “I just… I had to make sure you were real. A-after everything that happened with the cockatrice, how you just… I don’t know, came back on your own… I was terrified I dreamed it all. Even after seeing you in Celestia’s light this morning, it still felt so surreal.”

Dusk remained quiet for a few moments before he brought one hand up to Fluttershy’s chin, turning her face up towards his. Fluttershy let out a soft squeak of surprise as Dusk pressed her lips against his in a firm kiss. The pegasus melted into the kiss almost immediately, however, eager to taste Dusk once more. To taste her stallion once more.

When the two eventually parted, Dusk leaned his forehead in against hers, the mare’s pink hair tickling his horn. The pair laughed softly, hands running over one another’s backs. Dusk’s hands brushed over the bases of Fluttershy’s wings, and the pegasus sucked in a breath and bit her lip in response, smiling wickedly as her face flushed red.

“Dusk,” she breathed out, giving him a quick kiss before continuing, “You can’t just go touching a pegasus’ wings like that…” She shook her wings, feeling a shiver travel up her spine and into the feathery appendages as she brushed her primaries along Dusk’s back.

Dusk’s eyes widened in mock shock, and in a disbelieving tone he asked, “What? I can’t? You mean I shouldn’t do something like… this?” He gently squeezed the bases of her wings, stepping in closer to her when he felt the mare’s wings shiver in his hands.

Fluttershy’s eyes drifted shut as she let out the softest of groans, pressing further against Dusk. Feeling emboldened by his actions, and remembering everything from the previous night, she brought her lips close to his, brushing them softly together. “Because i-if you do that, then I’ll have to… to…”

Suddenly the shy mare lost her nerve, hiding her face against his neck, breathing his scent in deeply and trying to avoid looking at him. Her wings retreated to her back, and she squeezed her arms around his neck, burrowing herself in deeper against him.

The pair were quiet for a moment, before Dusk finally broke the silence, stroking one hand through the pegasus’ long mane. “I love you, Fluttershy.”

His new lover’s initial response was to just squeeze him against her once more, but after a few moments he heard a soft, “I love you too, Dusk Shine.”

Then she pulled away from him, and Dusk saw a determined look in her eyes. She brought her hands up to his cheeks, and pulled him down to her for a firm kiss. Dusk was surprised only for a moment, before he breathed out into the kiss and took a half step towards the mare, angling her to press her back against the nearby sink. She let out a delighted noise into his mouth, and Dusk moved to deepen the kiss.

A loud growl interrupted him, however. Shocked out of the intimate moment, both ponies jumped away from one another, facing the noise. A large paw was stuck in through the window, holding a surprisingly small jar of honey.

“Harry Bear!” Fluttershy said admonishingly. “That’s just- you can’t- oooh!” Flustered, and for one of the few times Dusk had seen her, apparently upset, the pink-haired mare reached out and snatched the jar of honey from the massive paw. “I know that you want your pancakes, Harry, but that was just rude!”

From outside the window Dusk heard a series of ‘grumphs’ and half-growls. Coughing awkwardly, but trying to smile at the amusing situation, Dusk put one hand onto the lower of Fluttershy’s back before speaking softly. “I’m going to go check on the fillies and call them in for breakfast. Is that fine?”

Extending one wing to brush her flight feathers against his back, Fluttershy nodded absently as she continued to listen to what - Dusk assumed - was an unapologetic and hungry bear’s growling.

As he walked towards the front door, Dusk heard Fluttershy finally responding to her ursine friend. “Harry Bear! We- I- we would never do that out where the fillies could see! And furthermore…”

Holding in a laugh, remembering just how intimate the two had been getting in the kitchen, Dusk walked out of the front door, glad to be in Celestia’s beautiful morning.

* * *

Meanwhile in Twilight Velvet’s Chamber, Griffonstone

Blitz couldn't blame the sergeant on duty when he returned from patrol the day after Dee's visit. He'd only been doing his job when he made note of Blitz’s limp while entering the Equestrian barracks.

Blitz was tempted to blame the medic on shift when he reported to get his leg checked. After Velvet Sparkle found out about the sergeant’s report and couldn't find a matching medical report, the short argument he’d had with her ended with her escorting him personally to see the poor duty medic. But the medical mare was just doing her duty, and had noticed his last physical was already a year overdue. And no attempt at bribery could avoid her noting in his file the fresh scratches Dee had left all over his back.

Now, however, Blitz was very tempted to blame Dee, as he stood in Velvet's office - being chewed out by the ambassador again, though this time it was because he hadn't managed to find a way to steal or hide his physical before Velvet found it.

"... and furthermore, Blitz you can't tell me it's a healthy relationship! Dee’s basically a ghost! I only found out she was ever even here at all today because somepony has a limp and a barrage of scratches all over his back! Now my personal unit has to look through everything that's happened since just before you arrived for hints of how she slipped in. To this day Celestia frustrates me by allowing her special agents this sort of freedom - meddling in where they’re not asked, screwing up who knows what!”

Twilight Velvet slapped his medical examination shut, turning her glare up at the stallion standing in front of her desk. “At least you’re still fit for duty. By the Light, Blitz, you could have at least told me she showed up. Given me some idea she was here - instead of letting me find out like this. Celestia only knows what little Dashie would think about you hiding a visit from her herd mother. Or are you even going to tell her? When was the last time Dee even saw your herd’s filly?"

Blitz couldn't deny that what came next was entirely his fault. It wasn’t probably the sigh, nor the mutter, but rolling his eyes, and the half-muttered reply that set the mare off. "We never were a herd, but that's not the point, she-"

Twilight Velvet’s eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped in volume, and a tone entered it that told Blitz he had screwed up. “Rainbow Blitz. You are not telling me what I think you are. Because what I think you’re telling me is that you and Dee hooked up at some point after Firefly died.” Velvet slumped back in her chair, rolling her eyes. “No, Light. The way today is going, you’re going to tell me you two hooked up before that.”

The jab stung, and in any normal situation, because of their long-standing friendship, Blitz would have called Velvet out. However… “Velvet, when Dee and I got together is no concern of yours. Look, I-”

Velvet suddenly stood up, hands on the desk in front of her. Her eyes were wide and accusatory. “Blitz, no. No, no, no. No. You are not saying that- by the Light, Blitz, you… you didn’t. You couldn’t.”

Setting his jaw against the painful memories of Firefly’s death and the weeks, months surrounding it, Rainbow Blitz took a second to collect himself. He could feel the old hurt still there, threatening tears if he let it, and the shape that it had left him and Dee both in. Pointedly not answering the implied question, Blitz spoke, his voice somehow not shaking. “Dee asked that I not tell you because she said it would merely cause you more stress - she swore on her badge that she did not interfere with anything you had set in motion.”

Twilight Velvet stared at him for several long moments, before pulling her chair in closer to her desk to sit down. She looked around her desk, shuffling some papers. Blitz could tell when she was trying to make herself busy. After perhaps another thirty seconds of her looking at reports, she finally spoke. “Rainbow Blitz, I need time to process this. I have - I have things to do, guards to speak with, I need to go see the mollens, and-”

Suddenly, Velvet’s office door slammed open. Blitz’s instincts snapped into gear despite how the mood had switched in the room. The long belt dagger on his hip slid into his palm and felt just like a familiar glove, as he lept between the intruder and Velvet, throwing himself on the mare.

The rumble lasted but a moment, and Blitz knelt on top of the mare’s throat, blade over guards head. His voice was controlled ice as he glared down at her. “Entering the ambassador’s quarters without permission can easily cost a pony their life, now speak up quick and if Velvet is not satisfied, this will be a short conversation.”

Blitz could feel Velvet's eyes on the back of his head but didn't risk breaking eye contact with the mare to check on her. The girl was nearly in tears as she managed to sob out the words that brought Blitz right back to memories of the worst days before the Dawn of the Red Sun. “The young Emperor Ashen Thunderhead… he- he's dead!”

Author's Note

One of two unfinished projected created over two years ago and simply festering. I am sorry that this never will be finished properly. I hope some of you enjoy this at least a little bit.

The other unfinished project: Letting go of Sunset

This will be out someday when I decide to dump it out in public. It's a super long term epilogue to the story line I was going to do.

Prologue: The Second Last Day in Equestria

Dawn of the Second Last Day, 48 hours before the Summer Sun Celebration.

Things in Dusk Shine's life were simple, organized, and happy, every day since he began studying at Princess Celestia's school. The aggressive teaching program kept him busy, and more often than not, forced him to learn new things about the world and the way things worked, both natural and magical. It was an exciting, though reclusive, lifestyle, but with the chance to learn so much, who could blame the stallion for enjoying the lifestyle tremendously?

Like many mornings, Dusk was the first to awaken; long before his assistant Barb, who still lay softly snoring across the room in her small bed. A smile crossed Dusk's lips for a moment as he inspected the odd little dragoness, still sleeping curled up around her tail, using its spade to block out a bloom of morning sunlight that glowed through a gap in the drapes and brightened Dusk's observatory.

For now, Dusk let her sleep, knowing the young lady needed all the rest she could get these days. With classes out for the weeks surrounding the Summer Sun Celebration, students were given free time to visit home and relax after a grueling exam period. But Dusk was different. Something in the exams had bothered him, and even now the nagging thought tickled at the back of his mind.

Walking with light grace, the young stallion stepped before a full length mirror Princess Celestia had given him when he moved into the abandoned building. He still questioned what her motive had been for the gift. Often in his free time he pondered adding 'Find an excuse to put it away and add another bookshelf' to his daily work checklist, but Barb had pointed out that with all the other bookshelves already in the massive main workspace, he really didn't need one more. In any case it was a gift from his mentor, and just any excuse just wasn't good enough to make a little extra space.

At twenty-one, Dusk was in good shape for a bookworm. Princess Celestia's insistence that he take part in the school's yearly athletic events to keep in shape and get to know his classmates paid off in more than one way. Never the star of any team, he had put in a fine performance at everything, always aiding the coaches far more than showing off. Thus, he had never done well enough publicly to stand out against others’ skill and talent, and while often considered for an assistant, he never had the talent needed to be a good Captain. Standing at an even six feet and a little over one hundred sixty pounds, he was a lean figure, but without enough excess muscle to show a six-pack. With long, dark, royal-blue hair and an odd natural streak of both purple and pink over his right eye, he had occasionally been teased that he could be a male model if only he was willing to put up with the invasive attention.

Dusk’s eyes started to wander away from the mirror as the package from last week captured his attention. His breath caught in his throat as he stepped forward, speaking to himself to spur this moment forward in hopes of just getting it over with. “Come on Dusk. It was one interview for Canterlot Confidential. What's the worst they could have done?”

The cover was the worst. He had only done the interview as a moment of pride when told he was the youngest stallion to finish Star Swirl U's doctorate exams. And they had approached him in the school library, all sweet words and praise. His picture, showing him sitting below portraits of the Princess and Starswirl himself in the school’s library, was now plastered upon the front page. Quickly, his eyes shot to the story title, frantic to see how they were twisting his words to suit their audience. 'Princess Celestia's chosen pupil, and Star Swirl U's youngest ever Doctorate Grad, speaks exclusively with us!' then the next one below, just as damning. 'Humble genius on duty, his studies, and his flawless athletic track record.' Even here, a nervous tick had started to shoot up his arm and made his head twitch. But there was still one more bubble left on the cover related to his interview. 'Single stallion confesses: Still looks up to Beatrix Lula's record.' Wait what?

Dusk was lost for a moment, turning back to the mirror as he started flipping through the magazine. A mare's publication, it was filled with fashion advice and tips on romance. Why had they asked him about Beatrix? The name was familiar, but they hadn't spoken in years, not since...

Dusk pushed painful memories aside. He had never heard what her doctorate thesis was about, and nobody had seen her since the exams last year. Was she even still at SSU, or had she moved on after submitting her thesis?

A sigh left his lips. What did it matter? The magazine wasn't that important and it wasn’t like anyone he cared about, besides mother, read it. As his gaze lifted to the mirror again, he began to smile, shifting the twin locks of oddly bright purple and pink before letting his bangs fall back to rest over his brow again. The decision to once again leave the question of Princess Celestia's mirror and this headache of a magazine alone, if nothing else, made it easy to make sure he was presentable whenever the Princess needed him for something, and he never wanted to disappoint his kind patron and teacher. Walking downstairs in only his deep purple boxers, he skipped past the kitchen, far more interested in what was in the main hall and his library.

* * *

The majority of Dusk's last two weeks had been spent working on the bonus question Princess Celestia herself had posed during their exams, quite suddenly and with only five minutes left. In his mind, he could still see her sudden entrance into the room; walking at a light stride as she wandered to the podium, flanked by two royal guards that always stayed at her side, while that ethereal mane floated in a slight breeze everyone in the test chamber wished they could feel. She may have spoken to the gathered unicorns still buried deep in their tests, but Dusk could have easily sworn her eyes were on him when she spoke. “My students. I offer one extra question not on your tests. Any who can answer it with what little time you have left will receive a passing grade, no matter how you do on the rest of the test.” A pause dropped for the crowd, letting it sink in to allow for the more desperate students’ gasps and murmurs before she lifted a hand for silence again, her voice stern, tone dark and, for just a moment, haunted. “What is the origin of the Mare in the Moon myth?” The Princess waited only a moment as the class whispered in confusion at a childhood legend being brought up in so serious a test.

But there was no time to be confused; the proctor took a step beside his Princess and his voice lifted high, his horn glowing pale rose-white to let his words boom about the room without having to shout. “Five minutes left, colts and fillies. No time for talk and anyone caught asking for help on a foal tale is in line for the same punishment as any other form of cheating.” A serious threat, as expulsion was normal for even small breaks in the rules during a test. Dusk himself had never done extra study into the myths of his childhood, this new question caught him off guard.

While the stories told by his foalsitter, Cadance, were still fresh in his mind to this day, he had been far more interested in her storytelling than the tales themselves. Now he was forced to rack his brain to fill in this one extra credit question. He was so shocked, he had stopped in the rechecking of his answers for the third time, the ever-dedicated stallion trying to ensure not a single answer had been missed or smudged, and that all spelling errors were corrected. Pen in hand he took a breath and scribbled...

* * *

His first attempt still burned in his mind with shame. “It's just a silly story about what happens to bad colts and fillies to keep them in line when a sitter is about. Any hints as to its origin have likely been lost to the ages due to the rewriting of history books over time.” It was a bad answer, and he had scratched it out and tried working it out twice more before the proctor ripped the page from his hands. Even now he still felt the stares he had garnered from the gathered students. The shock of hearing himself arguing with the old man even as he got carried away with trying to strong-arm his paper back, demanding just another second to put his words into proper context. That had resulted in him being sent to Princess Celestia's office, and while she had gone easy on him, he was ordered to be confined to the school grounds and banned from the library, pending an apology to the elderly unicorn.

And he had dealt with that last week, making sure to show all the due respect in front of several other teachers and a half dozen students. It had been embarrassing as well, but it was over with and now he could move on with his free time... and Princess Celestia's question. The desk in his study was covered in books, the full collection of every source Star Swirl Library had on hand about childhood stories and foal-tales about The Mare in the Moon. Why was it the legend had persisted unchanged throughout so many decades? Nay, it had been centuries and still the legend was the same! It was almost unnatural for a story this old to remain the same for nearly a thousand years of pony history!

A busy unicorn dedicating himself to a new study topic, Dusk took up the next book from his desk and reached out with the light purple glow of his magic, drawing a quill from the inkwell upon his desk. This next book was old and had to be handled with great care; the unicorn eventually resorting to using magic to help him flip the pages without risking damage to one of the library’s oldest books. As he worked quietly flipping to the page his notepad listed as the next source to look up, a smile spread over his short muzzle, his eyes scanned the page title and a tiny flare of pleasure glowed in the depths of his eyes. This was it! 'Of the Mare In the Moon And Princess Celestia's Public Reading Of the First Edition.' Now this was exciting! The stallion quickly jotted another note down upon the list he was already building in his second notebook. 'Princess Celestia's relationship to the mare myth? First Edition of what?'

A creaking of floorboards three hours later was his only hint that Barb was at last up; the late morning sunlight had brightened the observatory and forced the young dragoness to get out of bed. However, as a good an assistant, she was already entering Dusk's study from the kitchen with a daisy sandwich and tall glass of water. Dusk was deep in his reading, never noticing a thing until one of his notebooks was covered by a plate pushed in front of his face and the tall glass of water held out while a still-sleepy Barb spoke out with annoyance.

“You've been at it again Dusk! Stop reading and eat something.” A sigh escaped her lips. “You promised Princess Celestia you wouldn't let your extra summer studies prevent you from visiting home, and it’s only two days till the Summer Sun Celebration!” Exasperated at Dusk's focus on the paperwork and not his health, Barb was forced to bring out the big guns. “Or do I have to ask Shining Armor to come look into his little brother's diet?”

It might have been an idle threat, but Dusk worshipped his brother’s approval almost, almost as much as he worshipped the Princess herself. And with Princess Celestia and her honor guard busy with the Summer Sun Celebration, getting Shining's attention might not be hard, but his patience for his younger brother’s antics always tended to be short. Dusk had to stop and put down his quill before sheepishly taking the water from his assistant and drinking deeply, a bead of sweat upon his brow. “Sorry Barb, don’t bother anyone. It's just so interesting! Did you know in the hundredth year of Princess Celestia's reign after her sister's disappearance she held a public reading of the Legend of the Mare in the moon the night before the Summer Sun Celebration? Or that she read it from her personal copy of 'The Elements of Harmony,' a first edition penned by Starswirl himself? Or even better! That the copy she used is still housed here at the university!” Excited as he was Dusk moved to swiftly gulp down the water before shifting back from the desk and ripping into the daisy sandwich. Magic might keep crumbs off an eight or nine hundred year-old book, but it was far better to avoid doing such damage in the first place.

Barb began to simply nod at his talk while looking over her adoptive father. Shaking her head, she poked his shoulder. “Then shower, put on SOMETHING, and go to the Library and ask if you can see it. If it’s so rare and important a book, they will never let you at it in your boxers and smelling like that.”

Dusk blushed as he finished the last bite of his breakfast, sniffing at his musk and shaking his head. “You're right Barb. Sorry. I will make showers the first thing on my morning list from now on.” Ashamed he needed to be reminded of something so basic, the blushing stallion sheepishly gave Barb a nod and the empty dishes, closing the book and setting it on the pile to return to the Library. “If you have time after you are done with breakfast could you pack my backpack and get the checklist for today? I do not want to miss anything else today.”

Barb was stuck left only able to nod, a sigh held back until after he left the room. His musk was so strong, and the dragoness’ sense of smell was far too keen. She could only hope he had not noticed she was near retching from his three-day-old sweat. Happy he was off to clean up, she too went to work, a happy whistle on her lips.

* * *

A short while later, in the school’s main courtyard, Shining Armor and the royal guard were practicing shield spells. Far from a mirror image of his younger brother, Armor stood at six foot five, the silver emblem of his rank as polished as his name suggested. Hardly even flexing he as he put on this display for the students who had come to watch and the royal guard themselves, his shield bubble, the translucent soft rose colored aura of his magic, wrapped about a Princess Celestia stand-in. A guard in oversized and heavy armor, which gave him the size and proportions of the princess, stood nervously within the bubble; the intent of which was to protect him from any harm. Shining called out with firm, but calm confidence to the gathered crowd. “... and that’s the theory to the Shield spell. If one’s magic is sufficient, it can hold back any form of assault, and can be kept up for days on end. No need to be shy, Thunder Wall is more than well guarded. Throw everything you got at him.” The guard's Captain was being a little cruel today, but Thunder had earned it.

Last week, he had been caught consorting with the teaching staff when he was meant to be training students how to take a strike from a storm cloud without losing elevation while in flight. The pegasus guard was smart, at least; he never denied his relationship with Ember Star or Ribbon Dancer but now had weeks to learn about what he did on duty versus off.

The crowd, of course, was only too happy to test the illustrious guard Captain's powerful version of a spell first taught by Star Swirl himself. Already, students were throwing rocks and other basic and smaller magic spells at the shield, all of them bouncing off and landing in a small pile on the ground around Thunder Wall’s feet. Most spells simply expelling their full power on the shield’s surface. All of this hardly caused Shining to sweat, having already proved weeks ago to Princess Celestia that he could keep the shield up for weeks on end without exerting himself. A sudden surge in the air, however, got Armor's attention swiftly, a thick blast of brilliant raspberry magic slammed into the shield from the far side of the field, near the main walkway that rounded the north edge of the magic field and led to the main library.

This newcomer instantly had everyone’s attention, as Shining took a step and braced both feet upon the dirt field, pouring his concentration into the spell that protected his guard. Sweat broke out upon his brow as the assault continued and grew only fiercer, the excess magic cast off by the focused magical force hitting the bubble of powerful shielding magic burning the dirt around the now frightened pegasus stallion.

And yet, just as suddenly as the blast started, it stopped, Dusk dropping to his knees and panting heavily as he failed to pierce his brother’s defensive shield spell. All in attendance were quick to stand up and start to cheer the guard captain who first dropped his spell before wandering over to the frazzled Thunder Wall and checked the lad to make sure he hadn't been harmed. Anger brimmed in Shining's throat but he held back, pausing a moment to realize it was his younger brother who had thrown so serious and aggressive an attack... and amused at how powerful the spell he had thrown together to break his shield really had been.

Pushing past fawning mares and stallions, the giant rushed to his brother’s side and clapped him upon the shoulder, nodding at little Barb as she stood wide-eyed and fanning Dusk with her tail spade, still muttering darkly at his antics. “.. and yet you always try to push things just a little further Dusk! Did you know what you were casting or did you make it up again? Princess Celestia said you shouldn't try new magic when she isn't around, it’s dangerous.” For the second time in a single day Dusk's behavior had exasperated the poor little dragoness.

Shining's rich laugh escaped at her words and spoke out to cut off her worried rambling in a kind and reassuring tone. “Don't worry Barb, I like his trick. It's so rare someone other than Princess Celestia herself can make me break a sweat while trying to pierce my Shield spell.” A hand touched his brother's soaked forehead, brushing hair aside. “You did really well. A minute or so more and you might have cracked it Dusk. You okay? Been sleeping well since the big exam? Mom said you did so well you were interviewed by one of her favorite magazines.”

Dusk, for his part, remained on the ground, resting on his knees in the nice black dress pants Barb had picked out for him. Dirt was now ground into the knees, leaving a stain Barb was likely to spend an hour getting out later. His light violet dress shirt was buttoned up to the neck and a thin summer vest of pale pink had been worn over top with rich dark royal blue hues edging the trim to offset the pink. All was now soaked in his perspiration from extreme effort at cracking the shell. And here was his brother, hardly a drop of sweat on his face, standing over him, the flawless guard captain offering him a hand up and fawning over Dusk's needs.

Accepting the offered hand, Dusk made to stand up while still blushing darkly; he nodded with a quiet unease. Something that was bugging him in the back of his mind that had been forgotten in the chance to challenge his brother’s magic. His voice was still ragged as he struggled to catch his breath, but Dusk answered as best he could. “Barb's right though. I did just make the new spell up. I was thinking of an arrow to pop the bubble, so I focused the magic to a point and threw it... and yet somehow it just became a fat blob of force before even making impact.”

He sighed, and smile spread as he took a towel from one of the guardsmares, watching his brother do the same, and started to mop up his sweat. “Thanks, Shining. I've been well enough, just researching the origin of some silly foal tale that the Princess asked me about.“ The unicorn stallion paused, something about that sentence nagged at his mind and he knew it was more important than he had thought before. “The exam was great, even if I was panicking beforehand, it turned out really well... And before Barb starts, I have been sleeping just fine. She just sleeps in all the time.” Dusk’s mind flashed back to the copy of the magazine in his observatory, a complimentary copy for doing the interview. He made himself a mental note to get Barb to burn it... no, she might read it, better he destroy it himself when she was busy later. He wanted no member of his family to read that trash. “That interview. It was such a rag, please tell Mom it isn’t worth reading. I bet only mares on the prowl would ever take half the junk in there seriously." Playing it cool, he hoped they could move on quickly enough.

Barb’s mouth was already half open and starting to form a reply before Dusk cut her off, stomping her foot. Mildly grumpy, she spoke up against Dusk anyway. “But he didn't eat ‘til I got up and threatened to make you hand-feed him. And now he’s running around town looking for some long-lost book of pony lore Princess Celestia read a story from nine hundred years ago.”

Shining Armor laughed at his niece’s annoyance and started to pat her head-spines lightly in an attempt to ease her fears. “Don't worry Barb. He is strong, and if needed I'll happily pin him down and sit on his chest while you force-feed him. And Dusk, mares on the prowl are exactly the kind of distraction you don’t need right now.” A chuckle escaped his lips at Barb and Dusk's deep blush in response. “What book is it? Anything the Royal Guard might have in our archives?”

Dusk was recovered and the two nagging ideas in the back of his head were at last finally sorting themselves out, one coming to the forefront long before the other. His voice more relaxed, he spoke out with an easier tone. “It's called 'The Elements of Harmony'. The records from other books say it is the first book to reference 'The Mare in the Moon'. And that it was written by Star Swirl himself.” There was a gasp for breath before the excited unicorn continued. “Plus apparently Princess Celestia's personal first edition is held at the library here in Canterlot.”

Shining took a moment to pause at his brother’s words, confused by Dusk’s obsession over the foal’s-tale reference, yet glad he could at last offer some reassurance. “That? Well I can promise you that copies of that are far from hard to find. The guardponies all read it as part of our history classes since it tells the origin of so many of our traditions. Not to mention the last great disaster to befall the land. You know, the tale of Nightmare Moon?”

Dusk's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. “Wait, Nightmare Moon? The one who killed Princess Luna and Princess Celestia herself had to defeat in battle? Why would a guard book talk about that?” It had never before this moment clicked in Dusk's mind that Nightmare Moon and the Mare in the Moon might be the same figures in pony history! His long week of research suddenly felt so one-sided and inadequate. “Where can I find a copy?”

Armor could only offer a shrug, his voice light and easy. “First edition reprints of ‘The Elements of Harmony’ are all over the place. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if you had a copy in that massive library you keep at the observatory. You have one of almost every other book I've ever even heard of, and two of some I've never.”

Dusk gasped, and with a nod of thanks took off running back to his room, poor Barb in tow. Shining couldn't help but laugh softly at his younger brother’s antics while the other guards now gathered around and took up casual conversation about his younger brother and the antics of the day. Thunder Wall was soon freed of his heavy armor and sent off to shower and cool off, his punishment clearly not an issue anymore. Philandering on duty or not, it was clear he had learned his lesson today.

Somepony asked Shining a question, and distracted by thoughts of his brother, it took him a moment to realize and answer. “What? Oh. Well, he’s just a little obsessive about learning all that Princess Celestia asks him about. I'm sure he might do well in the guard, but I think he is far more interested in learning than how to be a good guard.” Those gathered saw how candid the guard Captain was about his brother. The rumor mill couldn't resist and soon the mixed group of students and recruits were pressuring the powerful unicorn with questions of every nature. And thoughts of following his brother and questioning his interest in Nightmare Moon were forgotten, along with the letter his girlfriend had asked him to give Dusk. They had only been dating seriously for the last year and Princess Cadance wanted to get back in touch with his little brother after having foalsat him so many years ago.

About to turn and go back to the field, Shining accidentally kicked a backpack on the ground before him, only just realizing it was there as his foot made contact. “Who left these books behind?” He let the question hang in the air for a moment before a swift inspection revealed that his brother’s star-shaped cutie mark lay on the flap. “That airhead. Always running around so fast when he’s obsessing over things. He’ll forget his head one of these days.” A sigh escaped the stallion’s lips and he took a few minutes to hand the class over to another of his lieutenants. He shouldered the bag of library books and began the walk to his brother’s observatory a whistle on his lips.

Author's Note

Alright! This is a first work so go easy but feel free to criticize. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly enjoyed. Written in about three hours in Open office, note that rewrites will likely come with time due to the rushed and haphazard nature of my creative moments!

Revised version 1.1 thanks to the assistance of fans who've been reading over my mistakes. Added in the missing and underdeveloped foreshadowing for chapter 1 and beyond. Still likely going to find a lot more errors when i look this over later but hopefully i cleared up the worst of them this time.

Edited version 1.1 posted July 31st 2014 @ 2:10 pm

Edited version 2.0 posted October 29th 2014 @11:12 pm. Huge thank you to Wrabbit for the help editing!

Version 2.5 posted August 14th, Thanks to Shawkthorian for all your help reediting these chapters!

Version 3.0 posted April 29th, 2016. Focused on removing improper use of 'own' and 'would', as well as major formatting changes that have happened across the series.

Chapter 5: Applebuck Season - Part 3 [Dusk X Applejack - Handjob, Oral, Titfucking]

It was two days after harvest when Dusk awoke to find a letter from Applejack in his basket. Shifting last night’s correspondence with Filthy Rich to one side, the stallion popped open the simple apple shaped wax seal on the note.

A short note written in simple words by an uncomfortable hand, attempted to mimic Dusk's flowing formal calligraphy. The expensive paper scented with Sandalwood, left Dusk suddenly with a clear picture of the nervous mare in Rarity’s drawing room, a pile of crumpled scrap paper building around her feet.

“Dearest Dusk Shine,

Now that our harvest is over, nothing could bring me more pleasure than to ask you to join me tonight for dinner and some stargazing. The harvest moon is sure to be out tonight, and its orange hue as a backdrop to the sky is sure to impress.

With loving regards,

Applejack.”

Dusk blushed, the clear strain it must have taken for Applejack to write the romantic letter with an attempt to keep her own honest and straightforward manner in check was deeply touching. Pulling open his bottom drawer Dusk looked over the four sealed bundles of paper Cadence had given him, when she had visited him a few weeks ago, suddenly realizing he would have a better use for some of them then dressing up a letter to someone of political importance. “Or was this your intent all along? Did you really already see so much Cadence? Or am I just an open book to you at this point?”

Laughing gently to himself Dusk drew open the bottom envelope, instantly glad he has chosen the vanilla scented pages. Pulling a sealed pot of ink from the same drawer, Dusk would inspect the note left with the ink pot, reading to himself. “To mix scents take the source of the scent you want to add and vaporise it with magic, add four drops to scent the inkpot for a day, ten for life. All writing done with scented ink will linger for a lifetime.” With his magic Dusk plucked an apple from the fruit bowl on the desk by the library entrance, splitting it into quarters and placing one chunk into his mouth. Even while he chewed, Dusk carried out the directions, a second quarter of the apple vaporized and its volume inspected. With care four drops of the juice were allowed into the inkwell, the rest he would drink.

Enjoying the sweet apple nectar, Dusk wrote his reply, enjoying the mixture of vanilla and apple scents as they teased his nose. So early was it, Dusk could see Derpy’s door open down the block. Opening the library window, Dusk would use his magic to lift the flag on the mailbox by the treehouse front door. The letter folded and sealed was soon put inside for the mail mare to pick up. “Stargazing Applejack? I think you’ve got a wonderful idea for a first date.”

* * *

Applejack pushed into the drawing room, flustered cheeks dark red. Rushing across the room to Rarity’s side, she shoved the letter onto the sketch that her friend had been working on. Short on breath from her run, she stammered a little as she spoke. “Y-you said to write it so I d-did, and now he is g-going to come to s-starg-gaze! Why did I let you talk me into something s-so sappy Rarity?!”

With one deft finger, the unicorn mare pushed her drawing glasses further up her nose, the silver frames were mostly for show, but the weak prescription helped bring the paper before her into sharper focus. Even as she read, a soft giggle burst from her lips, a coy grin forcing her mouth to curl into a smile of mirth. “Why Applejack, wasn’t that the point? You wanted to get him alone. Make it personal, like your dream?” When her friend didn’t answer, she turned from the letter, only to find that Applejack had pulled hat down over her brow and was staring out the window at the street. “You did go apologize to the Cakes like you agreed to over tea, right?”

Forced to shift back to the here and now, Applejack gave a small nod. “I did. I reckon they were way too easy on me, after what happened. They made it clear they were disappointed, but Pinkie already took a lot of the blame onto herself.” As she looked back to her friend, an unsettling feeling began to settle in the pit of her stomach. “Why…”

Shifting on her chair towards her friend, Rarity folded the letter up once more and put it back into its envelope. Placing it back into her taller friend’s hand, she squeezed Applejack’s hand reassuringly. “Then you will host him for a date darling. Buy something he likes, bake one of your favorite dinners and convince Big Mac to let you have one of the smaller barrels of his private reserve.” When AJ gave her a blank stare in return, Rarity rolled her eyes dismissively. “Oh come on dear! You know he keeps his best stock in the cellar. The cider he doesn’t sell to anyone normally.”

“Now Rarity, Mac sells that cider. It’s just that Granny is really strict on how long its gotta be aged and cooked. Granny only let me start learning how to make it two years ago.” The look Rarity was giving her made Applejack pause, and reassess her own words before laughing at herself. “Alright, I get your point Rarity.”

Rarity turned back to the sketch on her desk, her pencil drawn up once more to fill in a few more details, fixing the light smudging Applejack had caused in her excitement. Waving her free hand dismissively to her friend, she offered one last tease. "Good to hear, dear. Now can you dress yourself properly for your first date or should I throw something this afternoon? I don't care to think of you on a date with poor Dusk in dungarees!" The sound of Applejack storming out and slamming the door, was her only answer, the seamstress, couldn’t help but chuckle a little as she returned to her work properly.

* * *

Dusk stopped to look into a mirror, inspecting the casual attire Rarity had insisted he wear. The cotton blue t-shirt felt strange, with no collar or any buttons, it was a slightly tight fit, snug across his chest, while the tartan plaid shirt she had given him to wear on top also had no buttons, leaving it open and exposed. The fact she had taken the time to make such a shirt in his hair color was impressive, the strong base color of dark blue with purple and pink stripes. By comparison, the dark black-blue dress pants were a real step back into what he felt was more normal, even with the twin stripes of pink and purple down his right hip. “I swear Rarity, your taste in clothing makes me wonder. I’m sure Applejack doesn’t care what I wear.”

From the other side of his room, the mare would laugh, her body turning from her measurements of Barb to answer him. “She might not admit to getting hung up on it, but I do and you look simply charming. I think even she will like it.” She paused to jot down a few quick notes of measurements before pushing Barb to lift her arms so she could continue, answering him still. “Besides. I could have sent you there in a three piece tux with cufflinks like my cutie mark.” She paused and her eyes went wide, whispering out a soft “Ooohhh…”

Dusk shook his head, as he released a slight groan. “No Rarity, I don’t need another tux. You’ve made me three already, and I haven’t worn one yet. Its kind of you to offer, but why would I need clothing I’m never going to wear?” When she started to form an answer he shook his hand before her face. “Just… worry about Barb’s new dress tonight. I’m sure the challenge of making something silky yet strong and still able to stand out against her scales will keep you busy all night.”

For her part, Barb was too busy daydreaming about the gorgeous mare kneeling before her, the measuring tape pushed to calculate the height of Barb’s tail and its position on the girl’s back. Waving with one hand she called out lazily. “If she does get bored of it, I’ll help her sew you something else fun to wear.”

* * *

The walk to the farm was quiet tonight, the sky bright with stars while the majority of town was already off to bed. With harvest still at it’s height, almost all the other local farms were working at full swing once more, the effort of making up for helping the Apple’s had only taken a while, and the general attitude of the farmers that had visited Dusk after the BBQ feast made it clear they were all enjoying a massive, healthy harvest.

With the crisp autumn air blowing through his hair, Dusk would draw his fingers back into his hair and cursed himself, as he realized he didn't dry his hair properly. He checked all of his pockets for something, anything useful. Even as his fingers wrapped around a ribbon of extra cloth, he couldn’t help but grin. “You really do think of everything Rarity.” Inspection of the band of band of silk revealed it was a deep blue, with pink and purple tips.. Using it to tie together his wet hair into a ponytail and hold the damp mass back from his flesh.

Applejack leaned against a fence post by the road leading into the orchard, quietly talking with Big Mac and Apple Bloom. Even as Dusk approached the conversation dulled and all three turned to look at him for a moment.

It was Mac who broke the silence, stepping forward and offering Dusk his hand. With a vigorous handshake in progress, the massive titan's lips split with a grin, his deep voice sincere. "Never thanked ya proper. Gave AJ a second barrel of the private reserve. Take it home and remember the hard work that earned it, friend." Before allowing Dusk to answer, the stallion turned to his sister Applejack, speaking with her, while squeezing both her hands in his own. "After I drop AB off with Twist, Aloe and Lotus wanted to take me for dinner, so we can catch up now that harvest is over. I might be late getting back, warn Winona." For a moment both sisters were slack jawed, such a long winded conversation with Big Mac was a rare sight.

Rather than waiting on his sister's answer, the stallion would simply start to casual stroll down the road towards town, a quiet smile mixed well with a whistle that split his lips. Apple Bloom took the opening to step up, tugging at Dusk's hand and when he turned to look down at her, she offered him her best glare. "You're going to be nice to AJ, right? I think you're not a bad stallion, but she is my only sister and I don’t wanna have to sick Mac on you."

Dusk bent down and fluffed at the girl’s hair, being careful around the bow. "I tell you what, if you think I'm not being a proper gentleman, I will let you tell Princess Celestia or Princess Cadence. I am sure after they spent so much time raising me to be a proper gentleman, their punishment would be far worse, and you would not have to get Big Mac all riled up." When both Apple girls laughed, Dusk stood up and gave the filly a light push. "Go catch up with your brother, I'm sure Twist is eagerly awaiting your arrival."

With the filly swiftly dashing off to catch up with her older brother, Dusk was finally able to get a good look at the mare he was here to see. A new pair of blue jeans hugged the powerful mare’s legs, forming a shapely figure that was easy on the eyes. She also had on a warm cotton jacket in a similar sandy yellow as her hair, worn unbuttoned over a thin white tank top that clung close to her ample chest, unrestricted by a bra. Topping it all off was a well worn old leather stetson, carefully hand polished. Somehow Dusk knew instantly it must be a memento of some kind to the mare. Dusk took a step up to her side, and drew a small rectangular black box from inside his open jacket, a golden ribbon tied in a bow. Slipping the thin box into her hand he leaned close so he could whisper softly into her ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't find something better, but Rarity was sure you would like this."

Her eyes wide, the mare unwrapped the golden bow and popped open the box, her lower lip quivered even as a whisper of joy escaped her lips. "Dusk. It's beautiful. Is it glass or?" She swallowed, a single finger ran across the cylinder hair band, which looked like glass at first glance, but as her finger drifted over the surface inspecting it all, including a single hole on the side, it quickly dawned on her that it was really made of a clear crystal. As she continued to inspect the bobble with her fingertip, she noticed three cut sapphires in the shape of small red apples, that instantly reminded her of her cutie mark. "Oh, Dusk!" A glance behind the solid hair band, revealed a single matched crystal spike that lay waiting, a pin to hold the jewelry in place.

While the mare was clearly enchanted, Dusk was busy talking to himself, his voice rambled on. "I am really sorry. We could not get any emerald shards to make the apple leafs out of in time, but when I wrote Cadence to ask if she could stop by town and pic-" The mare silenced him with a sudden deep kiss. Her free hand cupped his jaw so she could turn it up and gaze into his eyes, her other hand still busy clutching the little box tight to her chest. When they at last broke off the kiss, Dusk was left to gasp for breath and blush darker still. "I err... I am glad you like it, Applejack."

With warm laughter, the mare turned and presented her ponytail to him, grinning over her shoulder at him. "Can you slip it on?" Dusk’s fingers worked quickly, slipping into her hair and removing the leather tie from her ponytail. He took a moment to stroke it smooth of knots and then bundling her hair together again, Dusk slipped the crystal tie into place, turned it so the three apples were on display, and slipped the pin into place to hold tight and prevent the hair from slipping free. Dusk then used his magic to scoop up a thin sheet of water from the nearby well, froze it solid and moved the improvised mirror so she could look at how the braid looked.

He was rewarded with one of her hands taking up his own and a soft squeeze of her grip made his heart began to beat faster, the pleasure of the mare's attention made him flustered. Applejack took advantage of that, turned and drew him into a second kiss.

* * *

Dusk sat on the back of the applecart, curled up with AJ in they warm cotton blanket. The mare had set up the cart and blanket with dinner and some of Mac’s best cider on a hill with a clear view of the night sky. He couldn't even remember exactly when they had both settled back into the thick warm blankets folds and now it felt so good, so natural. The soft weight of AJ's head on his shoulder a comfortable pressure, his left arm wrapped around her hips and lay on her belly.

Lifting his right hand the piping hot apple cider burned against his lips and roared down his throat. A small trick with his magic to keep it just as warm as her little coal fire, and allowed them to remain cuddled up together without someone having to get up and tend to the fire.

As Dusk lowered his mug to rest on the ledge of the cart, Applejack took advantage of his busy hands to lean in, and kiss across his neck. While her continued kisses started out light, she quickly became more aggressive, small nips at his flesh while she slipped her right hand down between his thighs, one hand cupped his groin through his pants. Even as he moaned, she giggled in response, her greedy fingers cupping the weight she could feel and giving his trapped a twist and stroke.

Applejack’s aggressive attention got her instant attention, the stallion fought back a cry of pain and quickly took her hand in his own to stop her; his right hand released the cider cup and moved to cup her jaw. Gasping in shock while he looked into her eyes, the male tried to slow her down, his head shaking dismissively to her. “Applejack, you have to be a little more careful. You’re a lot stronger than you think.”

Realization dawned and she looked down even while he squeezed her hand in his own. Her own blush richly returned, and she lowered her head to his shoulder. “I’m… sorry, Dusk. I’ve never been with a stallion, only other mares. Its so exciting.” She nuzzled at his cheek before turning a grin up at him.

“How about we start slower? Maybe just, this?” The stallion’s word were matched by his fingers, as they slipped to open his belt buckle, followed by the button and zipper. Even as she watched, his erect shaft pushed up, forming a balloon in his silk underwear. Enjoying this sight, the mare slipped a hand in to stroke her hand back and forth across the length of his groin, keeping it far more gentle, but still tender.

Happily giving a nod to Dusk, AJ’s fingers continued their work over his member, her voice distant as she talked to herself. “Occasionally, Rarity and I would play with a toy or two, mostly just for relieving the stress of heat, but sometimes for fun. But they didn’t feel half as good as the real thing.” Her slow pace, a tease of easy stroke across his shaft, her thumb moved up to stroke across the head and tease at its tip.

With his lover brought up, Dusk suddenly felt a bud of remorse crop up. His left arm, still around her hips would draw to her teasing digits as they stroked across his groin, his voice soft. “Applejack, I know herds are a common thing. But me and Rarity never really talked about something like that. She knows we are on a date tonight, but-”

The mare’s kiss, deep aggressive and passionate would silence him for a moment, even while her hand slipped lower, and cupped the weight of his sack inside those silken boxers. When she released his from her kiss, the mare shook her head. “Don’t worry Dusk. Me and Rarity have talked about this already, she knows how I feel about you.” She paused and looked into his eyes, her own sap green eyes fixated. “If you feel the same, we have already agreed we can share."

The mare’s hand moving to tease and squeeze over his balls got almost all of Dusk's attention at first. With a look deep into her eyes, the stallion saw the mare's deep passion in those sap green gems. Slowly he relaxed again and pressed his lips to her ear and followed it with four soft nips across the ridge of her earlobe. He was rewarded with a low moan from the mare, and that strong grip began to stroke and massage his sack. Releasing her flesh the stallion let his grin spread lips hovered against her ear as he whispered. "Then if you and Rarity really are comfortable, It would be my honor to share you two wonderful mares."

The mare’s reaction was to roll over while pulling the massive blanket around and over them both. Her strong legs pinned his own knees down and she lowered her body to lay atop his own, her right hand pushing between their own locked hips, into his silk boxers. Strong fingers caressed over his bare shaft, digits wrapped around its base and she began to stroke in long steady rhythmic strokes. Her lips found his neck and a sudden swift bite pressed into the tender flesh.

Suddenly trapped under the aggressive and experimental mare, Dusk relaxed and relented to her affections. As she assaulted his throat he couldn't help but groan out in lust, her hands attention to his hard manhood was rewarded by a hot and wet release into her hand. Blush dark on his cheeks, Dusk struggled to catch his breath to apologize. Instead Applejack slipped her arm from between their bodies, eagerly licking the sticky white fluid from her fingers, her own grin wide as she cooed in pleasure at the taste. "You are delicious Dusk."

Unable to resist a little laughter at her eager reaction to his early release, Dusk drew his arms up her sides, his touch lingered on her heavy breasts, cupping them from below and giving a squeeze. Even that crude attention to her sensitive nipples bad the mare stop in her lapping treat to moan out in delight. "Oh... Dusk!"

With a target in sight now, Dusk moved both hands up from her breasts and followed the line of her white tank top to her shoulders. With hands cupping both her tops under the warm cotton blanket, Dusk’s deft fingers guided them both down her arms. While the tank top's fabric strained for a moment against the weight of her lose breasts and the odd way he was removing it, he was soon rewarded as it popped free of her ample tits and revealed the heavy weight of her breasts. Broad areola with dark flesh formed broad saucers around Applejack's erect nipples. He took no time to pause and admire her beautiful breasts, instead leaning up and wrapping his mouth around one head, his tongue and lips fondling the tender teat aggressively while the mare’s pleasured moans grew louder, into horny whimpers of pleasure.

With Dusk’s continued pressure on the horny mare’s trapped breast, she relaxed a little of her weight backwards, and let her knees lift for a moment. Yet, as soon as the stallion felt blood return to his knees, her body pressed forward and her legs spread so she could straddle his hips and dry mount him despite the fabric in the way. His hard shaft ground against her sensitive mound, as she swiveled her hips and ground them down harder against him. With his mouth still full of her heavy breasts, Dusk’s own moans were muffled into her cleavage. Dusk pulled his head back from the warm pillow, and gathered his own fast breath in rapid and happy gasps. The effort it took to hold back his own drool was too much as she persisted in her aggressive grind of hips against his own, saliva wetting Applejack’s chest.

Delighted by the effect she was able to elicit from him, Applejack slipped her fingers into his hair and kissed him one more time before letting him relax for a second as she lifted her weight off his tormented groin, her fingers moved to peel back her jeans past her hips. Unable to get it any farther, she gives a dejected grunt and lifts her knees from the cart, the warm blanket falling from her shoulders as she rises. Both hands slipped under the lip of her jeans again, and she forced them from her thighs, to pile up on the cart at her ankles. With only a thin white pair of cotten panies, soaked by the excitement of their foreplay, covering her nethers, the mare quickly dropped down atop him again, shivering in the cool of the autumn night and in a rush to claim his heat and the warm blanket again.

Unable to resist a little laughter at her quick strip show, Dusk was caught in mid laughter as she roughly gripped his hips and pulled his pants back only a few inches until she found what she was after. With the blanket pressed against his bare ass, Dusk was quickly distracted from that fact by the mare now cuddled between his knees. Applejack was clumsy compared to Rarity, and it showed as she attempted to both stroke and suckle on his shaft at the same time. With the fat head suckled into her lips, she found herself stuck between heavy licks to steal the salty white seed that coated its tip. But she had to keep stopping, for as she tried to set up a good rhythm of slightly strokes that pumped up and down the length, constantly bumping her own mouth against her hand when she got too distracted by the pleasure of the act and the taste of his sweat and seed on her lips.

Enraptured by the mare’s enthusiasm to taste more of his seed, Dusk drew the blanket back properly over their bodies, and slipped his hands back under the sheet, to stroke at her hair, since it was all he could manage to reach. When she moved one of her hands to balance her body with a hand upon his right thigh, he groaned out a little, and twisted two fingers to scratch deeply across the back of her jaw and the more sensitive parts of her neck. She responded by releasing his shaft with her hand, her focus now totally on the reaction he gave to her lips and tongue. Still excited, and clearly lost in the moment, her mouths thrusts grew ever deeper, more aggressive, and he could feel the underside of his shaft tickled by her tongues pressure across the underside. Her aggressive assault quickly lead her to learn a new lesson, her mouth was depthless. In another drive down his erect cock, the tip of his shaft suddenly ground up against the back of her throat, that sudden pressure shocking them both and causing her to pull back while she caughted for breath.

Also caught up in the moment, the shock of her pull back left him with a whimper on his lips. As aroused as he was in that moment, he took an aggressive step, his hands cupped at her shoulder and he gently pushed her over to her back. When she managed to stop her caught, he would shift to settle on her ribs, taken advantage of her attempt to catch her breath. Now naked, Dusk slipped in and slipped his soaked shaft between her heavy, wet breasts. Applejack was shocked, but didn’t argue, as his fingers began to tease and torment over her painfully hard nipples. But he didn’t stop there, his hands cupped her heavy breasts together while his hips began to thrust and grind that hard shaft between her tits. Occasionally his heavier thrusts caused the head to rub against her chin and throat, but quickly she realized this and while their joined moans mixed together, she took a moment to suckle and lick at the tip of the shaft.

This first attention was enough to make Dusk pause and moan, delighted by the extra pleasure of her tongue and lips as she teased his cock. A warm smile up at him, she spoke up for the first time in what had felt like forever. “Come on now Dusk. I want to taste more of your seed, don’t tell me you’re done already?”

Her words made Dusk realize how serious she was. Rather than answer with words, he did instead with deeds. With a slight twist of her nipples as he returned to his swift series of thrusts, deep thrusts between the heavy tits drove his cock tip further, faster against her jaw and chin. Occasionally he managed to drive his tip into her mouth itself when his frantic pace aligned with her own mouths downward thrust. His body trembled with the continued effort, while Dusk’s back ran with rivulets of sweat, his shoulders quaked while he moaned out in a rich and lustful hiss. And then his own seed burst free of the dam, and as he thrust forward with his next hips movement, thick streams of thick and sticky white cum burst onto her face, spray to her neck and shoulders, even some mounds found their way to her breasts and into the cleavage he was still occupying with his thick shaft.

Now gasps of breath were restricted between Dusk’s clenched teeth, hissing over her cheek as he folded forward against her head. With his own head left to rest on the wood of the cart seat, he let his eyes fall closed, his jaw slack in his pleasure. It was two or three minutes before he felt her hand stroking his trapped cock, to pull at the pooling cum on her breasts and in her cleavage. One eye opened, if only a slit, so he could look at what she was doing. Tongue coated in white seed, Applejack licked up any drops she could gather. Voice soft, Dusk grinned to his lover. “B… better?”

Applejack’s warm smile was rich, and she used her hands to lift his hips up a little, her lips drawn up to kiss his semi soft wet cock, while her tongue circled its head in a few slow circles. When she let him go, Dusk lowered his body to the cart bed at her side, the mare busy cleaning her self of the lingering gooey seed only spoke up to answer him as he let his eyes close again. “That was sensational Dusk, when can we continue?”

A hand drawn up to his face and a groan released from his lips, Dusk dragged fingers to smooth across his nose, over his lips and let it fall to the cart by his head. “Not all of us have the stamina of your clan AJ. Let me at least catch my breath, please?”

Her answer was to wrap him in one arm, strokes of her fingers through his hair were gentle, while a soft kiss pressed against his head. Her voice was like soft whispers into his ear. “Then catch your breath my love, but I want at least a second round. I want to feel this,” and here the mare’s free hand revealed what it was up to, wrapping around the shaft of his semi soft cock, strokes slow and with a loose grip at first. “Inside my walls. It feels better in my hand then any of Rarity’s toys.” Even though she blushed a little at the words, Dusk laughed a little, relaxed under her grip and kissed her cheek in return.

* * *

It was well after midnight when Dusk, his lips parted, a fight against a yawn lost. With one arm still under Applejack’s body, he had to use his free right arm to fetch up the cold glass of cider. While he was never one for hard drinks, tonight was a good one, and he wanted another sip to wet his throat before he gave in to sleep. Even that little movement was enough however, and the dozing mare shifted her against him, a kiss pressed into his cheek while she released a pleasured murmur. “Dusk, you’ll stay for the morning, right?”

Unable to restrict a grin, Dusk lowered the empty glass from his lips, his head still swimming a little from the rich liquor’s disorientating effects. Taking the effort to turn back in against her bare body, while his free arm drew the blanket back around their entwined bodies. As he leaned in to return her kiss, the stallion grinned, curling his jaw in against her throat, with a soft series of kisses across her shoulder. His voice a low tone of comfort. “Dash and I have plans to review what she knows about this griffin, Gilda, in the afternoon sometime. Barb promised to dig up whatever she could from my mother’s letters, so I should go home before Dash arrives to help her sort through all that. Suddenly having to deal with a foreign guest like this, is a real shock.” A yawn cut him off, and he would shrug, his body shifted to curl in tighter to the mare. “I remember a school project years ago about Griffin culture. I am sure I can review it and find some helpful advice.”

The mare raked her fingers through his hair, a smile spread to cross her lips. “Dash never talked much about her school days. I’ve never even meet a Griffin, but if you need a hand hun, just ask. All the rumors I’ve heard suggest they like strong people, maybe let me arm wrestle her?”

Warm laughter was shared between the lovers, while Dusk settled his body in close against her own powerful figure. Eyes slitting closed he offered a nod. “I am sure you will be of help AJ. Your rumors were right. Griffins are prideful but respectful of strength.” Giving her throat a nibble, the stallion grinned to himself. “Let that wait for tomorrow, let’s sleep for now.”

The mare grinned, shifting her left hand to stroke his cheek and stroked her nails into his jawline, lips parting to kiss the bridge of his nose before curling back in against his cheek again. “Agreed love. It can wait till tomorrow, for tonight you’re mine.”

Author's Note

And thus ends Chapter 5 - Applebuck Season. Hope you all like it and can't wait to hear you're feedback on my third sex scene.

Next comes Griffin Brush-off. I've got big plans for the next few chapters. I think at least a few of my major concepts will really impress.

Major thanks to Wrabbit, Frankie, DJ and the cheese god for massive help with everything from editing, to helping focus my insane ideas.

Enjoy your porn, I hope it fits the plot! :twilightblush:

Interlude 7 - Derpy the Mailmare / Winter in Ponyville - Part 3

Derpy couldn't shake off the chill of a long flight home, and found herself rubbing warmth into her stiff arms as she crept into her house, fighting back a yawn and hanging up her soaked messenger's jacket in the predawn twilight. She'd managed to ignore the bad memories throughout her long flight, but she knew she had to check in on Dinky.

Walking with great care to avoid tripping, Derpy made her way into the little filly's bedroom, despite her usual clumsiness, slipping through the door in the pitch black, and stepped with care up to her daughter's bed.

Dinky's sleeping form was outlined in the moonlight, a perfect little babe asleep and at peace. Reaching down with two fingers, Derpy smoothed them across the filly's brow and smiled as the girl shifted, nuzzling in closer to her touch.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Dinky. But, you're just too young to know everything about your sire, and his family. I really think sometimes, that Pan and Ame were the only two decent ponies. Your grand sire proved that."

Derpy slipped her hand down and took a gentle grip of Dinky's hand. She needed it right now, the last of these bad memories needed to be dealt with so she could move on, and things were only getting worse.

* * *

Derpy squeezed Pan's fingers, her eyes blinded by the flow of tears. She could remember when he'd last squeezed her back, but it felt like hours. She only knew the room was dark, and that the other doctors had left. Rain had come back several times. She had spoken to her several times, but Derpy couldn't recall the words; it was all just a background noise to the one thing that mattered.

Machines had been hooked up, and air was being pumped into his lungs. She remembered that much. The machine wouldn’t let her forget. And another measured his heartbeat with a slow, inconsistent beep.

The sudden pressure of a hand on her shoulder wasn't enough to make her clear her eyes or look up. Not until the voice followed. "Forgive me, my dear child. If I had any idea that your poor stallion was suffering, I'd have come for him and found a way to care for him."

That voice... that voice was probably the only one that could have made Derpy look up. But she didn't release Pan's hand, and thus found herself gazing into the sad eyes of the goddess herself.

Princess Celestia tried to offer her a smile, but it was thin and tired; Derpy wondered if it was a reflection of her own face, but she was in awe at having the goddess so close. She struggled to find words, but what came out felt like childish gibberish. "I'd give it back... He's too good... I can take the headaches if he'd be better... Can't I give it all back?"

Celestia bent down to one knee, and wrapped her powerful arms and massive wings around Derpy's body, the shock of the goddess holding her close and whispering soothing words in her ear was overwhelming.

But Derpy refused to let go of Pan's hand, not even if Celestia had asked. A smaller voice called from the doorway. "Princess... she... she wanted to see him, and she was going to walk here on her own if I didn't bring the wheelchair. I...- sorry."

One of the hospital's nurses pushed in the chair, the bandaged filly with the fiery red locks sat in the chair and watched with one uncovered and intelligent eye. When Celestia gave a nod, the nurse pushed the chair closer, and then stepped out of the room.

Derpy watched the filly, and felt Princess Celestia's hug at last end. Just as the goddess stood up, pressure on Derpy's fingers made her gasp, and turn back to the fragile stallion in the bed. Through cracked and bloody lips, he whispered words that made Derpy want to strangle him and kiss him all at the same time. "I... guess I ov- over did it this time. The goddess herself at my bedside and an angel weeping tears and clutching my hand. Truly I have lived a blessed life. Forgive my sins, goddess. In my vanity, I thought I could handle it... your student-"

Celestia's hand on Pan's forehead silenced him for a moment, but his grip on Derpy's hand grew stronger, and the machinery calmed down, except the heart monitor, which had grown stronger. "My student was guided by your hand. Never forget that. She has incredible power, but you have real talent. Maybe someday she will be your equal, but right now, you are one of a kind."

Derpy smiled at the way he relaxed a little, but the silence didn't last long. Pan turned his head a little, looking to the silent filly, her head wrapped in bandages and only one bruised eye exposed. Lifting his free hand, he pointed to her, his voice calm. "Congrats, girl. I didn't have long to look at it, but you really are one in a generation. You've got magic in you... magic unlike any I've ever seen. Make good use of it. You can do just about anything if you put your mind to it. Don't let it go to waste. Do something. Do something big and special, and don't you dare let anyone tell you what you're meant to do in life."

The filly gave him a slow nod, not speaking, but watching everything closely. Celestia looked back to Derpy, her voice feeling artificially calm. "I can do no more for your stallion, dear. But come to me when you are done grieving. I promise that you will be cared for. For now, I must speak with this filly." Walking the wheelchair towards the door, she stopped, looking back at Derpy and Pan, her last words sad. "I'd only give him another hour, dear. Maybe two at most. If you have things to say, say them now. You don't have time to wait for the right moment anymore."

And as suddenly as she had came, the princess was gone, and they were alone. Derpy knew what the goddess had meant, but now the words choked in her throat as she tried to speak.

Pan understood however, and gave her time, laying back in his bed and squeezing her hand. Until his voice went cold as the door opened again. He said one word to the intruder, but for the first time in their short courtship, Derpy felt venom in his words. "Father."

Derpy twisted about, looking back at the doorway. A familiar face waited, looking back down at her. Disgust in his eyes, the old stallion Derpy had seen Pan arguing with a few weeks ago looked back up to the dying man, his voice held no sorrow "And so it comes to exactly to the end that I predicted. Alone in a bed, wasted away. All your 'good deeds' for not. The scum that calls themselves a race you wasted your life helping won't even remember your name tomorrow. Was it worth it, foal? Was this act of slow suicide worth throwing your life away on the garbage Celestia is too kind to throw away?"

Derpy couldn't help herself, she finally let go of Pan’s hand. Rising up like a tidal wave, she threw all of her weight behind her fist, and caught the elderly stallion in the jaw. Shocked at her own strength, Derpy could only watch as she rose into the air her wings beating to add extra lift to her blow by raw instinct alone.

The angry stallion was lifted by her strike, and hovered for a moment, when Derpy stopped rising, then collapsed to the ground before her, gasping for breath and clutching his jaw. Derpy didn't care. His words had been chosen to hurt Pan. She'd never let anypony hurt somepony she loved. Never again! Landing by Pan's bed, Derpy cupped his hand, and squeezed it again. "I will remember him. So will our foal. His child will never need to know of the vile creature that walked into a dying stallion’s room and sprayed only venom."

Shock filled the room, and Derpy finally realized what she'd said so bluntly to the wicked old stallion. Embarrassed with herself, she turned back to Pan, readying herself for anything. Instead, the stallion simply reached out, and squeezed her hand. "You'll make a good mother, Derpy. Don't ever forget that. I'm sorry I won't be able to see our foal personally. Take care of her, Derpy. You're a mare a foal can be proud of." Looking to the old stallion, Pan's voice went cold "You still here, old man? Feel free to leave anytime. I want my last day to be spent with family I love. If you feel up to being a real stallion, at least tell Amethyst. I’d like to see her one last time.”

The stallion reared up, but puffed his chest out, and spit at Derpy’s feet. His voice baneful as he waved a hand before his face. “Amethyst? As if I’d ever allow her to meet this sow you’ve selfishly chosen to breed with. You have proven it beyond my last doubt, you are no son of mine. I disown you, foal. Go to your grave unknown, unloved, and forgotten by all but some donkey.” Snorting with disgust, the old stallion stormed out, slamming the door hard.

Derpy returned to Pan’s side, kneeling down and squeezing his hand again, drawing it up to her lips and kissing his knuckles. “I’m sorry, Pan. I didn’t meant to hit him, but I …. I just couldn't let him continue! You’re a good stallion, too good for somepony like me.”

Pan gave a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Don’t say that, Derpy. You’re a wonderful mare, and I’m honored to have fathered a filly with you.”

Derpy gave him a little nod and squeezed his hand in return. Silence began to fill the room, and yet, Derpy didn’t mind. She leaned in and placed her head on his chest, listening to his breathing.

The sudden soft knocking at the door made Derpy sit up and look around. Stepping solemnly into the room, Pan's aunt offered her a smile before stepping to the stallion’s other side, kneeling down and taking a hold of his other hand. Stroking an open palm across his forehead, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I sent one of the nurses to try and find Amethyst, but-"

Pan closed his eyes before she had finished speaking, a long sigh hissing between his lips. Whatever magic the princess had used must be weakening, as Derpy could hear the heart monitor slow and struggle. "Father was here. No doubt he's left orders. I'm... I'm sorry, aunty. I'm sure he'll make your life hell next, now that I'm not around to be the target of his ire."

The mare laughed, but was crying at the same time, and winced when she saw a tear trickle from his eye. Derpy leaned in, and gently wiped it away, while his aunt answered. "Pan, don't be a fool. He doesn't matter. Stop thinking of others and be selfish for once!"

The stallion grinned, but didn't open his eyes, his voice was getting weaker, smaller. "Then... do me one last kindness. Derpy and our foal need a home. A proper home. Can you... can you give them your place in Ponyville? I remember spending summers there with Amethyst... I think it's the perfect place for a mare."

Weeping openly now, the mare nodded a few times before remembering his eyes were closed. "Of course, Panacea, she can have it. It’s too big for me and I'm too busy anyways."

The stallion smiled at her and deflated back into the pillows of his bed. A pained sigh and a struggled breath followed. "Then my last request, auntie... find Amethyst. Tell her the truth... I couldn't stand the thought of whatever lies father has told her... she's a good mare, Derpy... I hope you two can be friends."

Derpy couldn't answer, but it didn't matter. Pan's breathing stopped, and his heart faltered. The low steady buzz of the monitor rang out for several minutes until at last, the aunt flipped a switch to silence it. Pan was dead, and that was the end of it.

* * *

Derpy felt the gentle summer breeze blowing through her hair. It helped calm the beading sweat on her head as she bent down, reaching past her round belly, pulling another soaked shirt from the basket and clipped it onto the line just above her head. The effort of laundry had become worse over the last few weeks, and she'd started to wonder if she should give in and hire somepony. The hospital board had given her Pan's back pay right away, but the lawyers from his father's family were still trying to tie up the ownership of his home and property. She'd have to make the money last; who knows how long it would be before she could find work again.

"At least the ponies here are kind and understanding. Most of all those Apples. They were so kind to let me foal-sit their colt and filly while I could still get around."

Taking care, Derpy bent down again, her back aching the whole time, and fetched up the last shirt. As she clipped it to the line, the distant sound of knocking caught her attention. "Somepony at the door? Not another lawyer..."

Lugging up the wicker basket, Derpy carried it back inside under her arm and went straight through the house to the front door. For a moment, she considered just letting them knock, it had only been two days since the last creep had come around. It was only because of Mac's sudden arrival with a heavy basket of apples from his parents that she was able to keep her cool.

Unlatching the door and pulling it open, Derpy was surprised to see a friendly face waiting. "Rain! You got time off work!? That’s amazing! It's been so long!"

Leaning forward and hugging her friend around her stomach, a sudden kick from the foal came as a shock, and Derpy couldn't help but rub her belly and try to soothe the rolling foal. "Oh, calm down, calm down. That's just your auntie Rain." Looking up and realizing that the mare was staring at her a little, Derpy blushed. "Sorry. Dinky has learned to kick in the last few days. And she's good at it!"

As Rain laughed and cupped her hands around Derpy's belly, it finally dawned on her that they were not alone. A wan-looking unicorn mare with a pink horn and a violet and purple mane stood behind Rain, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable. Realizing how she'd been behaving, Derpy stumbled over herself trying to backpedal. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't notice you were there! Can I help you, miss?"

The timid mare looked from Derpy to Rain, who remembered herself and looked embarrassed for just a moment before letting go of Derpy's belly, stepping over to gently take the mare by the arm. "I apologize, Derpy. I got too caught up. This is Amethyst Star, Panacea's little sister. It turns out her father had her shipped off to one of the family estates out in Manehatten and had her ordered into a law school there."

Giving the new visitor a few gentle shoves forward, Rain pushed for her to step up to Derpy. At last giving in to the older mare's prompting, she stepped forward and attempted to smile up at Derpy, but was sniffling, trying not to cry.. "I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't have met you when things with Pan were better. He and father fought all the time, I... I didn't know Pan was even... gone... not until his letters stopped one day. Sorry... Derpy."

The sad way the mare held her hands before her with a heavy bag weighing them down, refusing to look Derpy in the eye, made her heart go out to her. She'd been suffering too. She'd only just discovered the loss of her brother. Derpy at least had the opportunity to say goodbye. Unable to help herself, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the mare and pulling her into a hug. “It’s okay, Amethyst. Really it is. I wish we’d been able to meet in better times. I promise that you’re welcome here, though, no matter what else comes. I… I’m sorry you couldn’t have had a final word with Pan… he was a kind stallion.”

Amethyst flushed, and it took her a while to soften up, but she finally returned Derpy’s hug and relaxed, if only by a little. Drawing fingers to dry away the mare’s tears, Derpy looked over Amethyst’s shoulders, at Rain. “Thank you, Rain. I know it meant a lot to Pan that we could meet. Can I invite you in for tea, or maybe some lunch?”

And thus, the trio went inside, and talked quietly over fruit and juice. The truth came out when Amethyst finally relaxed and became more comfortable.

“It all started last week, Derpy. Auntie finally found where dad had sent me away to study. She came to visit, but it was during one of my classes, and dad had bribed the staff at the dorm. So I missed her visit, and he was already there when i got back. He’d torn up auntie’s note and… he threatened to strike me when I asked why he’d destroyed my mail. It took me two days to get the truth from the dorm maids, and by then I had to come see auntie. I needed to know why she’d leave Canterlot when her hospital is so busy? Why dad was so angry. That’s when I found out about Pan. He mentioned you in his last few letters, said you’d just moved in in the last one. I’m… I wish I had thought to bring my letters with me. It was all such a rush. I think… I think dad will not let me back in after this. But I don’t care! Being a lawyer was his idea. I want to take care of Pan’s foal… That is… if you’ll have me?”

Derpy could picture the stallion she’d seen in the hospital doing all that, and more. Far more. Worried, she snatched up the mare’s hand and squeezed it. “Are you sure? He’s… he’s still fighting with your auntie’s lawyers over Pan’s possessions. He keeps saying there is no proof I didn’t simply pay Pan a stud fee, and that Dinky is at best a bastard foal at most. We’ve no proof, so-”

Amethyst's eyes went wide and she looked to Rain, who nodded in agreement. “Hold it! We covered at least this much in inheritance law! A single stallion with a common law mare, most of all one with a foal and no other known lovers? That’s straightforward basic stuff! Maybe with all the money dad has to spend he could slow things down, but still! This much later, there is no way he could still be arguing this!”

Confused, and with no real understanding of the law, Derpy gave a shrug, and Rain joined in. Suddenly excited, Amethyst sat up a little more and looked around, her voice suddenly excited. “Do you have a quill and paper?! I could write my teacher, Truth Seeker. He’s a huge fan of Inheritance Law! I’m sure if I asked, he’d put a word in with whatever magistrate is handling the case and get things cleared up quickly.”

Later that day, Rain returned to Canterlot with a letter for Amethyst’s former teacher. It was shocking how quickly the right words by the right elder could go. In days, the case was settled. Amethyst had managed to find work with the Ponyville labor board, mostly for the town’s small tavern.

* * *

A few weeks passed, and Derpy sat on the back porch of her house, watching the young colt Mac working in her small garden. She had offered the Apple’s a few bits a day for the assistance, but they’d refused, and ordered their son to stop by every day for an hour after school. When Derpy had tried to offer him the coin directly, he’d refused there too, but was never one to say no to her when she offered to split an apple with him.

She found herself biting down into the rich fruit when Mac grinned up at her a little. “Ma finally says to tell you… We’ve a new lil’ filly now. They named her Apple Bloom, and she’s got bright orange eyes!”

Derpy laughed a little, swallowing the juicy apple chunk in her teeth and reached a hand out to fluff the colt's hair. “I kinda figured your ma had a foal on the way. No wonder she was happy to have my help for a few months. Thank you for telling me, Mac. I’ll have Amethyst give your Ma something to show my congratulations.”

The colt sat tall, puffing his chest out. “She figured you’d like to know!” The happy colt looked up to the sky, and frowned a little, shaking his head. “Sorry miss Derpy. I think I gotta be heading home. It’s getting cloudy to the south, and ma will be unhappy if I get caught in the rain!”

Derpy walked the boy to the front door, but let him go the rest of the way from there alone; Dinky was getting too restless, and made her belly so heavy, she struggled to get around comfortably. She’d just started back towards her favorite spot to rest in the warm sun when Amethyst rushed through the door, grinning like a mad loobie. Derpy was taken back when the mare shoved a thick envelope into her hands and squeezed her hands a little until she took hold of the thick brown package. “It’s from my teacher, remember?!! Got his seal right here! The double-headed eagle with a scroll of law in each clawed foot.” When Derpy just nodded at her and stared on dumbfoundedly, Amethyst gave her a hug around the shoulders, and gave her a little push. “Well?! Open it!”

Derpy had to swallow. This had been a long time coming and she’d known what it was before Amethyst had pointed out the important signs. She trembled a little and her lower lip quivered, as she turned the package over and peeled open the seal. The layer of papers inside was mixed, from the yellowed note paper that curled up at the edges, to the crisp pure white of legal documents. There was even a small cube-shaped box that was a deep red and had a texture that she couldn’t place. Her heart stopped as she stared at the box, and she could feel the single line of tears running down her cheek. “It’s…”

Amethyst saw the box and gently closed Derpy’s fingers around it. “You don’t need to open it yet. Let’s find Truth Seeker’s letter. He probably has a lot to say from the magistrate’s final decision, okay? Just take it slowly, right?”

Derpy gave her a nod, and found a chair at the kitchen table, still clutching the small cube tightly to her belly and fighting to keep calm. The …. the velvet?... Whatever the material was tickled her fingers, tormented her imagination. “I… you’re right, Amethyst. Thank you, and… sorry, I… I guess this just brought a lot back.”

Amethyst found two letters in the crisp white legal papers that she settled on, waiting for Derpy to calm down. She even gave her a one-armed hug around the shoulders when it was clear just how upset she was feeling. “Ssh… easy, Derpy. It’s okay, it’s okay. I think it’s damn clear what was decided by now. Not that I ever doubted Truth Seeker. It was kind of him to take on the case personally when dad started piling on the extra lawyers and started making trouble for Auntie.”

When Amethyst gave her that hug, Derpy felt warmth and support, and she couldn’t help herself. She leaned in and gave the mare a soft nuzzle on the cheek. It was often like this, the mare’s kind words and gentle touch were so nice. Finally catching her breath, Derpy gave a sigh, grinning up to her. “Okay, Amethyst. I’m better, I’m in control. Please read.”

Looking into Derpy’s eyes to make sure she really was okay, Amethyst finally gave a nod and lifted the first of the legal pages, reading quickly and summarizing for Derpy. "The Magistrate apparently grew tired of the continued use of excuses that dad's lawyers kept coming up with and finally took personal interest in the case. Says here he went and examined the contents of Pan's apartment, and found reference to a safety deposit box. That's when it ended. With the proof found in that box, it was the magistrate’s ruling that Derpy is legally Golden pacena widow, and therefore shall be treated as such, with all inheritance to be dealt out to her and with no further delays. All legal fees in this matter will be charged to the complaint."

When Amethyst’s voice stopped so suddenly, Derpy knew what was in the box she still held. Placing it on the table she looked up at Amethyst and back at the box again. "Did... was there a note or anything with... with it?"

Amethyst quickly scanned both letters and then started leafing through the pile of letters. At last finding a small and well worn brown journal. Flipping it open to a page marked with a note in the sharp and precise script that Derpy now knew to be a scribe or clerk's work. Reading aloud again, Amethyst blushed darkly at the words her brother had penned. "I love this sweet mare, my darling Derpy. Last month, when I wanted to ask her to be my bride, I chickened out, and simply asked her to move in with me instead. She's near ten years my junior, but I feel a great joy when I hold her close. I have moved the ring to my deposit box. Was it because I didn't want to frighten her should she find it while cleaning? Or am I too much a coward to ask such a sweet mare? Enough of this doubt. Our anniversary comes in a few short weeks. I'll ask her then, and with The Lights grace, she'll say yes."

Slowly placing down her brother's journal, Amethyst looked to Depry. "Well, come on now! Open it!"

Fingers numb, Derpy lifted her hand and forced her unwilling fingers to grip the lid, pulling it open. On a white pillow, a silver ring with a pair of stones rested. One yellow and another orange, the twin stones were not flawless, but had been formed together. Derpy wiped her nose, sniffling a little. Amethyst however filled in exactly what she was thinking. "Just like your eyes, Derpy. Twin jewels: beautiful, but natural. Their flaw makes them special." Realizing what she had said, Amethyst quickly tried to apologize. "I mean, I didn't mean your eyes are flawed, I mean- I... sorry, Derpy."

When Amethyst hung her head, Derpy smiled a little, reaching out and squeezing Amethyst's hand. "No, you got it right. And they're even off center, just like my eyes. Somehow... somehow that makes the ring more special, doesn't it?"

Grinning Amethyst wrapped her arms around Derpy's neck and hugged her close. "You're too forgiving, Derpy. Thank you, and I'm sorry for being rude."

Derpy looked up into the younger mare's eyes, saw that familiar spark in them, and gave in. She'd seen it so many times before, but she'd pushed it aside, not sure if it was just her imagination, or just a reminder of Pan's eyes lingering in Amethyst's. She leaned up, and gently kissed the mare's lips.

* * *

Derpy ran her fingers through Dinky's hair, and smiled as the young filly yawned and rolled over. "And after that? Two, maybe three weeks later, you were born. Since then, things have gotten better. First you, and nine months later, Princess Celestia came to visit me. Ponyville needed a new mailmare, and by then you were old enough to stay home with Amethyst. And it payed better than what coin Amethyst made at the bar. Then? Then three years later, I put Pan's ring back in its box and offered it to your other momma, Amethyst. We've been a proper family ever since."

Leaning down to kiss the sleeping mare's cheek, she finished retelling the story. She felt better now. And arms slipping around her neck told her that while Dinky has slept through the story, she had somepony listening. Leaning back in her lover's arms, Derpy gave her a nuzzle. "Sorry if I woke you-"

She was silenced by a kiss, and Amethyst’s lips made the fatigue of a long night melt away. Her fingers massaged at Derpy's shoulders and over the sore muscles at the base of her wings. When their kiss ended, Amethyst nuzzled her cheek to Derpy's neck. "It's okay. I wasn't sleeping very well anyways. Thanks for hanging up your new coat, who knows how much it cost!?"

Derpy laughed and squeezed Amethyst's hand, her finger stroking over their ring. Looking deep into her eyes, Derpy saw that same glow dancing in their depths. Placing her lips to Amethyst's ear, she whispered her love.

* * *

December 12th, 1700

Dusk laid his quill back into its inkwell and finally let himself smile. A finger ran across the edge of a different parchment on his desk, humming quietly to himself. Satisfied at his work, he folded the paper to prepare it for mailing. The envelopes waited on the desk to his right, the black ink of the names drying at last.

Fingering through the empty envelopes, Dusk double-checked the names from his list. "Aloe & Lotus, Amethyst Star, Bonbon, Cheerilee, Dinky Hooves, and Granny Smith. Fantastic! A good assortment of ponies to give Princess Luna a broad swath of Ponyville’s population.”

Content with himself, Dusk leaned back in his chair and gently laced his fingers together, cracking his jaw before reclining back in his chair, taking a break while waiting for his papers to dry. Any plans for a lazy Saturday came quickly to an end as four fillies came charging into the library hall, all noise and energy.

Following after the girls who had gathered around Dusk, Applejack wore a broad smile and lifted two fingers to her lips, whistling sharply to get their attention back from Dusk. “Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle! Dinky! Peppermint Twist! You fillies promised you’d help decorate the library! Not scream Dusk’s ears off! Now quiet down. I put the boxes of Hearth’s Warming decorations by the big window, and if you’re not sure where to put what, ask and I’ll try to figure things out.”

Dusk had been overwhelmed by all the girls that were dancing and screaming around his chair as they pressed him into his chair from all directions. Now that they cleared off and quickly broke off into two small groups, Dusk felt as though some sanity had returned. Standing up, he slipped his hand into Applejack’s, giving her a squeeze. Leaning in close he whispered into her ear, only loud enough for her to hear over the jabbering fillies. “When exactly did I agree to this small riot?”

Laughing with quiet joy, Applejack squeezed his hand in return. “Oh come now, it’s only a few excited fillies! Besides, you did agree to it. Remember? Last week when you came to speak at the school about the history of Hearth’s Warming, and how the celebration began. All the school foals were asked to volunteer around town to assist with decorating. Besides, the library is public property, and it could use some proper holiday spirit!”

Dusk leaned against his taller lover, resting his head a little against her shoulder. “That I can’t argue with. I’ve never been a big person for parties, but I do think Hearth’s Warming is important. It shows the power our tribes can muster to protect one another when we work together.”

Applejack liked his words, and squeezed his hand as she watched the girls already at work. Dinky and Sweetie Belle working together with their magic to place things that were too high up for the taller earth fillies to reach. For their part, Apple Bloom and Twist placed small figures on the bookshelves, replacing the carved wooden bookends with fancier painted and gilded ones from the box.

The sudden violent bang of the door being thrown open caught Dusk off guard, but even as he turned to look, Rarity’s panicked voice became his first warning that today was going to become another very long day very quickly. “Dusk! Dusk!!! This is a tragedy! A disaster! Ahh… Ah…. This is the. Worst! Possible! Thing!”

Worried, Dusk let go of Applejack, moving to rush towards the door, only to run into Rarity as she rushed in. Gripping her arms, Dusk looked towards the door for what danger had worried her badly, but nothing in sight suggested the unmitigated disaster she spoke of. “I- What is it Rarity! What has happened?! What’s attacking Ponyville this time!?”

Instead of answering, Rarity paused for a second, looking over Dusk’s shoulder and admired the fillies’ work on decorating the room. When she realized he had asked her a question, she snapped back, the letter in her hand lifted, pushing a letter in his face. “This! This, Dusk! I thought the old stallion was joking! But he really did it! He invited us to the biggest wedding of the year! And it’s next week, in Canterlot! How are we ever going to have something proper made to wear! How will we ever pick out a proper gift! Who will babysit Sweetie Belle! And what about my hair!?”

Still in shock, Dusk stared at the mare in his arms, his jaw dropping slack in pure disbelief. “Rarity… this is all about some wedding? Just… Just… just tell me whoever’s getting married is at least important or interesting in some way?”

Insulted, and shocked in return, Rarity cupped his head with both hands, staring up at him. “Dusk!!! How could you ask that!!? This is the biggest wedding that will happen this generation! At least, unless Shining Armor and Princess Cadence ever got married! This is the wedding of Fancy Pants and Fleur-de-lis!”

“Alright, that helps explain a few things, Rarity. After all, Fancy Pants is part of the oldest established family in Equestria. If I remember correctly, you can even trace the family all the way back to Princess Platinum herself!” Picking up on some of Rarity’s excitement, Dusk turned to Applejack and the fillies who were all watching them, their looks ranged from delight by Dinky, boredom by Apple Bloom, to a range of amusement at Rarity’s powerful reaction by the rest. “Applejack, do you think you and Apple Bloom could babysit Sweetie Belle for a day or two next week?”

Laughing a little, Applejack shook off the distant look in her eyes and stepped up to rest a hand on Sweetie’s shoulder. “Well, of course I can. I think of Sweetie as my second lil’ sister! Besides, with all the snow lately, there ain't much we can do around the farm but fix up the buildings around the farm. Sweetie can help with some work in the attic we were gonna do anyways.”

Excited, Sweetie and Apple Bloom rushed from their work and linked arms, dancing in circles and singing at the top of their lungs. “Pre Hearth’s Warming sleepover at the Apple farm! Hurray!”

Apple Bloom grinned up at her sister, pulling Sweetie into a hug and turning her biggest pout up at her sister. “Applejack~ can we have cider and roast marshmallows by the fireplace? Can we? Please?!!”

With Sweetie assisting in the pleading, curling up a lip and whimpering a little to help make herself as cute and pitiable as possible, Applejack couldn’t keep herself from laughing. “Oh come on, girls! You’re as bad as Rarity! We’ll see about marshmallows and cocoa. Maybe some weak cider if you’re really good!”

Delighted, the two fillies rushed back to their friends, getting only louder and more excited as they went back to decorating the library, hanging foil and other cute decorations upon the walls.

Turning back to Rarity, Applejack tried to continue, only to have an accusing finger thrust in her face. "Applejack! How could you?! I'm not melodramatic! Now the fillies will think I just exaggerate everything!"

Applejack stepped forward and linked an arm around Dusk’s elbow, pulling him back a little. “Now now, Rarity, don't go getting all offended. It’s a wedding between two ponies you've never met, right darling?" A little embarrassed, Rarity nodded. "Then me and Dusk will help. Why don’t you go see Aloe and Lotus about your hair? They’ve done wonders for you in the past, right?” As she made her case, Applejack watched her older friend, grinning a little at the end. “As for me? I’m claiming Dusk for a few hours if you’re taking him away for a few days.”

Rarity didn't resist as Dusk moved away, but looked worried for a moment. “Well… of course Aloe could manage my hair. She’s so good with that… but the fittings! And we need a good suit for Dusk, and some kind of a proper dress for myself!”

Dusk saw where Applejack's mind was going and took a step to follow her lead. “She’s right, Rarity. Besides, we can think about gift ideas while you're gone. And you can handle the dress just fine. I can wear the new magistrate robes. Might as well show them off, you put more than enough work into them, somepony might as well see them before they fade and there are no important events coming up before Hearth’s Warming and Winter Wrap Up.”

Shocked, Rarity’s eyes went wide, but creative joy sparkled in their depths. “Of course! And I can whip together something that goes with your robe! Oh, that’s such a fantastic idea! Really it is! As for the present? Just, please, don’t go with something tacky like a cooking pot, or some newfangled dinner-making contraption, please?”

Too caught up to wait for an answer, Rarity blew them each a kiss, then rushed from the house, only just taking the time to scratch a stunned Barb on the underside of her chin before charging out the door. Mesmerised, Barb took a minute to close the door that Rarity had left ajar for the second time, before padding in a daze into the library, waving a hand lazily. “What was that all about? Rarity’s in a really good mood, and excited to boot.”

Laughing a little, Dusk squeezed one of Applejack’s hands. “She was invited to some wedding in Canterlot. I’m sure she’ll run herself ragged worrying about her hair and the dress till the last second as well. But what about that gift?”

Applejack slipped her free hand across the top of Barb’s head, scratching between the first and second scale where she seemed to like it the most. “Simple. Get them a set of matching bathrobes and towels.”

Shocked at how quickly Applejack answered that question, Dusk stared at her. “Did… did you already have that planned out?”

Applejack laughed, and gave him a small nudge on the cheek, while still holding him close, her chest to his back. “Of course. You don’t want to count the number of times me and Rarity have talked about how you could use a spare bathrobe. It’s far nicer to be able to shower and come downstairs for breakfast without having to change and dress. And a matching set is just practical.”

Impressed with her line of thought, Dusk leaned against her. “That gift idea really is you in a nutshell, Applejack. It’s straight forward, extremely useful every day, and yet feels like a luxury that doesn’t scream for extra attention. It’s settled. I’ll look into having a set prepared in Canterlot right aw-”

A finger on Dusk’s lips stopped him mid sentence. Barb had joined the fillies in decorating, and was now being decorated in turn. With a grin wide on her lips, AJ suggestively motioned with her eyes towards his bedroom upstairs. Her voice a whisper, she asked a simple question. “Later?”

Dusk had no resistance to the tall mare, but really didn’t mind. Turning to look at Barb, he called out. “Keep an eye on the girls, Barb. Just… just don’t eat the tinsel, again. Remember how embarrassing that got when you went to the bathroom afterwards?”

Author's Note

Sorry for the long sidetrack with Derpy, but I hope it have proven to be an exciting diversion!

I will post the blogs as I can and will add the links. They are all finished but as I'm at work, it might be hard to add them properly.

Chapter 12: Swarm of the Century - Part 1

Tuesday, March 29th, 4am. Dusk Shine’s Library.

Bronze never needed an alarm clock; a lifetime of rising with the guards before dawn and drilling until her hands went numb had tuned her internal clock to perfection.

Moving with care by the faint starlight that shone through her open blinds, she dressed and collected her weighted bracers and shin guards. While together they hardly broke twenty pounds, Bronze enjoyed the reminder of just how heavy her real armor was in comparison. It made her normal workout a pleasure against memories of exercising in full mail.

With her weights attached, Bronze stepped out into the hallway, only to be shocked to see that a dim light emanated from the library. Walking carefully on the carpeted floor, she peeked around the corner.

The sight of Dusk passed out over two open books on his desk, snoring quietly in the gentle glow of a crystal lamp, was mesmerizing. Watching his steady breathing and the way his hair fell across half his face made her pause a moment, and she couldn't help but smile.

Entering the library, she approached Dusk where he slept at his desk. Gently gripping his shoulders, she pushed him back against the headrest, pulling a spare blanket from the couch to wrap over his shoulders. For what felt like an hour, she looked for excuses to linger, first smoothing back his hair, then listening to his quiet breathing.

Finally, she bookmarked the two thick research books on his desk, making sure to get the right page. Cleaning the rest of his desk, her eyes were drawn to the gold filigree title of one of the books. 'The Grand Disasters of Ancient Equestria'. Emblazoned on the cover, an image she remembered from her grandmare's foal tales. The two princesses stood together at the base of a mound, surrounded by the six Elements of Harmony. Atop the hill, a towering stallion stood, dressed like a madman, his head thrown back in laughter.

Whispering to herself, she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise from some shared fear of the stallion pictured. "By The Light! This is the kind of thing he researches when things calm down!?"

Finally the rising glow of the predawn sun told her that she'd lingered too long. Going to the door, she looked back one last time at the sleeping stallion, memorizing every line in his face and the way his body lay, tension visible even now as he slept.

Outside the library, the air was crisp and she could see her breath, but it was nothing a brisk jog couldn't solve. Setting her stride, Bronze stretched out her wings in a way she couldn't manage inside the house, enjoying the early morning’s quiet breeze between her feathers.

Turning onto the main road, a heavy scent in the air came directly from the smokestacks over Sugarcube Corner, making her mouth water. Turning another corner, she tried to ignore the smell of fresh baking, continuing on in a straight line, until she encountered the thin, rutted perimeter road indicating she'd hit the edge of town.

The echo of a rainy night’s patrol with Shining Armor as he visited the lower city's guards came back to her just as she prepared to follow her usual routine and turn right, to jog around the outside limits of Ponyville.

* * *

"Now, young squire, why do we never follow the same path from the upper city and palace, down to the lower court and guard houses?"

Shining had been a titan, even five years ago. Then, he was the youngest of four lieutenants who shared most of the responsibility for Canterlot's detachment of the Royal Guard. Bronze had hardly come up to his ribs, yet after only two weeks of running errands for him on top of her normal training and duties, she'd been ordered to grab his shield and go on her first patrol with him.

Staring wide-eyed up at the knight, she could only shake her head, still too awed by the giant unicorn's presence to question him.

He smiled at her and ruffled her hair, his voice friendly. "Because sometimes in the execution of our duty to The Goddess, the guard make enemies. Be they the family of those criminals we catch, or simply foals up to misguided mischief. That is why a guard never walks the same path, why you never form a habit of following a routine. You only provide opportunities to those who wish you ill will. Now lift your torch high, and we will go have a word with the lower city guards."

* * *

Bronze stopped just before she turned the corner, her ears twitching. She was no scout or ranger trained by the Wonderbolts, but she could swear that...

Backing up as quietly as she could, Bronze prepared to take a running start at the opening between homes that formed the alley. She beat her wings for height, and leaped into the air so she could soar across the open mouth of the alleyway.

Twisting around in mid flight, she was shocked and a little horrified to see that it was no ambush, but a skinny mare who knelt just around the corner of the house, raking the loose dirt, probably to build a garden. The mare gasped at her antics and Bronze landed again, realizing she'd embarrassed herself with paranoia. "I- oh, sorry ma'am! Didn't mean to surprise you, I was just-"

The pressure of a hand on her shoulder made Bronze freeze, but Lyra's voice was friendly, even playful. "You know how hard Dash can be on new pegasi in town, Lily. I was just showing her the path she likes to take when she's testing how agile a mare can run."

Restraining herself from jumping out of her skin, Bronze raised a hand and scratched at the back of her head. Thankfully, the mare calmed quickly and gave them a worried nod. "Ohhh, Dash can be so demanding of new members of the weather team! I understand now! Ever since that incident last fall, Roseluck wouldn't stop talking about how Dusk and that griffon mare nearly ripped the sign off her shop when they went jogging together. What a disaster! She still won't let Dash in her flower shop!"

Dismissed by the mare who returned to her gardening, Lyra grabbed Bronze by her shoulder, directing her to follow with a jerk of hir head before taking off at a casual jogging pace.

Reading the mare's signals, Bronze turned, following after the older mare and matching her pace. For a while, Lyra remained focused, and jogging appeared to be hir only interest, driving Bronze mad with questions she wanted to ask.

Nearing the end of her patience, Bronze blurted out the first thing on her mind. "Shining Armor and Silk argued for hours if I should know you were here. The real reason, I mean."

Never turning hir focus from the rutted path around Ponyville, Lyra's voice was calm, hir breathing easy, as if the jog was no effort to hir. The unconcerned tone of hir response nearly drove Bronze mad. "And?"

Almost ready to tear out her hair, Bronze simply spat it out. “In the end, Princess Celestia told them to tell me what was relevant, but not more. You were sent here to keep Dusk safe from Trixie, and when your cover was ruined you were recalled. But Dusk requested you return and now you’re listed as ‘in reserve’ for special missions, whatever that means.”

When Lyra stopped jogging and turned to stare at her, Bronze did as well, but already on a roll, she didn’t bother waiting, and pushed on. “And I know you’ve got somepony as a contact directly to Silk and Princess Luna. And right now, Rarity thinks we should be mad at him from overworking himself with the earth ponies, but Applejack thinks he did a good job, and I caught him passed out reading at his desk again this morning, and I know if I take that to Applejack, she’ll probably just shrug it off, but if I go to Rarity, she’ll use it as proof they need to talk to Princess Cadence during his check up this week because while he tries to hide it, it’s really clear his back doesn’t just hurt him occasionally, it’s an everyday pain that isn’t getting any better, and there is just so much going on, and I’ve never had to worry about everypony else’s feelings, and I really need somepony I can talk to!”

As Bronze panted to catch her breath after losing her cool and spilling everything that had been bothering her since Winter Wrap-Up, Lyra’s neutral face split into an actual grin, and shi threw hir head back at last, laughing openly, while one hand squeezed firmly on Bronze’s shoulder. Flustered by her outburst, all Bronze could do was stare up at the older mare. But at last, Lyra finally answered her. With a new question! “You’ve never been in a herd before, or even a stallion, have you, Bronze?”

Shaking her head, but unable to break that hypnotic gaze, Bronze tried not to answer, but at last gave in. “I- Well, it's not like that! I never had time for- What I mean is, I couldn’t afford to let little things like stallions distract me- I mean, well, nopony ever suggested I need be part of a herd, or anything! It’s just that-”

Laughing at her, Lyra gave her a small shove and turned, returning to hir jogging pace. “Well now, let’s walk and talk, you clearly have energy to burn.”

Forced to run to catch up, Bronze had hardly pulled parallel when Lyra answered her, and with shocking self assurance. “The truth is, I was part of a herd once. Years ago, now. It’s a balancing act, every day, Bronze. You have to take other ponies’ feelings into account for everything you do. Tell Princess Cadence about his research, and everypony gets mad at you. Tell Rarity, and she goes to Princess Cadence or Nurse Redheart. Tell AJ and nopony does anything, and then somepony ends up hurt.”

Rolling her eyes, Bronze glared back at Lyra. “And?! So what? I know that! That’s all basic stuff! I’m not a filly!”

Playfully punching Bronze in the shoulder, Lyra arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure? No, don’t glare at me, seriously, you are young and haven't had to make big choices like this on your own, right? So you need to think about these kinds of things. You’re scared for Dusk, right? Well, I can try to help, we went to school together, but I don’t think he’d listen to much I have to say, I was friends with his brother, but he’s a lot smarter than I am. So coming to me doesn’t help much. You could go to Princess Cadence or Celestia, but they might overreact and get involved, and that could mean major changes, maybe even dragging Dusk back to Canterlot and ruining your comfortable new niche.”

Impressed with how thoroughly Lyra had thought this through, Bronze gave hir a nod. “Exactly! You see what I’m talking about! I’ve been trying to think of a way to get a grip on him. But Rarity, Cadence or Celestia would take charge, Pinkie isn’t serious enough, Barb is worried but doesn’t want to say anything, and Applejack isn’t going to budge, Dusk has her all dreamy-eyed after his hard work on the farm the other day. If you don’t think you can help, who do I go to for assistance?!”

Laughing openly, Lyra poked her in the ribs, jogging sideways as shi kept the pace even with Bronze. Hir eyes dancing with mirth. “You go to you, Bronze. Find a way to make him listen to you. You’ve got a new job now right? You’re his ‘deputy’, right? So find a way to use that new job role to make him listen to you. And if you’re still struggling, what about Nurse Redheart? She and Dusk seem to have a bit of a tug of war of wills going on. She probably wouldn’t go to Cadence right away, since she knows Cadence is coming to town this week anyways.”

Shocked at Lyra’s insight, Bronze lost her pace for a moment, and again had to push herself to catch up with hir, having not really noticed that Lyra had upped their pace quietly while they talked. When she pulled level again, Bronze had to give it to Lyra. “You… you might be right, Lyra. I suppose I could recruit Nurse Redheart’s assistance. She’s on her last nerves with his refusal to sleep, she will know how to handle him, and if she can’t, she should know about some stuff that’s been happening so she can be prepared for when Princess Cadence arrives.”

Lyra playfully nudged her with a shoulder, hir eyes full of laughter. “So come on now, what’s Dusk reading that’s keeping him up so late? Another ancient textbook that nobody’s cared to read in two hundred years like back at school?”

A chill at remembering the book’s cover ran down Bronze’s spine, but she shook it off and joined in with Lyra’s laughter and good mood, glad at least to have somepony to talk to who wasn’t invested in Dusk’s companionship. “No, nothing like that. It was an old history book, talked all about different disasters throughout history. I think he was taking notes, but he didn’t have any notebooks on the table. The worst part, get this, was the cover. It was Princess Celestia and Luna fighting some stallion who stood nearly a foot taller than them with the Elements of Harmony. But for some reason in the artwork, he wasn’t taking them seriously. Strange, right?”

Lyra gave her a nod, shrugging as they continued to run. “Somepony who was so powerful and confident that they didn’t fear the Princesses combined power AND the Elements? That does sound like some kind of walking disaster. Did you see what the book called him?”

Cursing herself for being too shy to pry further into his book, Bronze shook her head. “I- No. I didn’t want to interfere, so I just bookmarked it where he’d been reading and threw a blanket over him. I think the section he was on was titled ‘Lord Tirek’, whoever that was.”

* * *

9am, Ponyville Hospital.

When the nurse called Dusk to a private room, Bronze made her move and rose with him, following them to the room and ignoring the way the nurse eyed her as she entered with Dusk, shutting the door after she entered. Dusk lifted an eyebrow, but when she returned the gesture, he remained silent, and moved to rest on the exam table, unbuttoning his shirt and laying face down.

For a few minutes, they waited, Bronze ignoring the awkward silence that hung in the air. Without a knock, Redheart swept into the room, her face deep in a clipboard. “Alright, Dusk, just what’s up? Your blood pressure has doubled since last week, and I keep hearing that you were trying to match the earth ponies at snow plowing? Have you simply lost your mind, or do you have some secret reason I should be made awar-” Stopping in her tracks, Redheart had finally looked over her clipboard and noticed Bronze’s presence. Squaring her shoulders and slamming her clipboard down against the table, she glared directly at Bronze. “Just what are you doing here!? This is confidential, you can’t just wander in!”

Holding her ground, Bronze watched to see if Dusk would react, but when he simply looked back over his shoulder at her and raised his eyebrow again, she turned back to Redheart. “I’m his Vicarius. His health and well-being is my business now, Redheart.”

Now it was Redheart’s turn to look at Dusk, her exasperation clear as day. “Are you seriously going to let her bend the basic rules of a hospital on a whim?!”

Dusk’s lip curled and laughter entered his eyes. Turning to the side and leaning a little to the watching Bronze. “Well, historically, a Vicarius was the second to a magistrate and empowered to replace or overrule him in matter of great importance. I wouldn't advise she push her luck trying to order anypony around, but on the matter of my personal health specifically, she is technically correct."

Scowling at Bronze, Redheart snatched up Dusk's clipboard, scribbling furiously on the chart before shoving it into her hands. "Fine! I'm so glad you are here to help, Bronze. Currently, I'd like to prescribe 5 mg of Ramipril to the magistrate until his blood pressure levels out, or he admits to whatever it is he's been doing of late that's driven it up, again. Is that suitable in your opinion, Vicarius?"

"Oh, no. We talked about this before, Redheart. I know you mean well, but no drugs. It's bad enough I still get nervous urges every time I talk to Zecora. No drugs!"

Bronze accepted the chart and pretended to read it, it gave Dusk time to rant and her to think. She hadn't gone far with her field medic courses and could understand only the most basic information on Dusk's chart, but it gave her a moment to catch her breath and review the cards she'd already dealt. "Okay, I've pissed off Redheart, but I think she'll take me seriously now, and I have Dusk trapped by his own word. Now to let Redheart see the rest of my hand and hope she doesn't go straight to Princess Cadence."

Clearing her throat to try and stop what was clearly an ongoing argument between the two, Bronze made her move. "It's a blood thinner, right? Keeps a stallion's heart from exploding, relatively few side effects. Correct?"

Her rebuttal interrupted, Redheart returned her crossed focus to Bronze, and it appeared that her use of basic medical care hadn't impressed the medic. "Yes, of course. But after his episode with an emergency supply of Black Lotus, he refuses any medical advice that requires drugs. Even though he is well aware when Princess Cadence arrives, she will only prescribe the exact same dosage. And with his phantom back pain coming and going, we need to get his blood pressure under control before something catastrophic happens."

"And what if I could provide you with at least two of the sources of his increased blood pressure?"

Bronze couldn't look at Dusk as she spoke, the hurt and fear in his eyes screamed at a part of her that might have forced her to shut up. Suddenly, Redheart was the one with a growing smirk. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned back against the examination table. "That would be something I'd welcome hearing more about, my dear Vicarius Bronze Feather."

Bronze didn't give Dusk any time to interrupt her, as bad as it hurt to betray him, she needed to make sure he was okay first; he could hate her for betraying him later. "I discovered Dusk passed out in the library this morning, several hundred pages into two different text books, one on law, but the other was a very detailed history of living disasters, creatures or ponies who did world-ending things. And his back pain isn't phantom, he just hides it well. Take it from a mare living in his house; it's constant and flares up in his shoulders constantly, regardless of whatever he might try to claim."

Now it was Dusk's turn to give her a frustrated glower that matched Nurse Redheart’s earlier glare. Except he didn't, for just a moment his eyes twinkled with something, a laugh? Then he shrugged his shoulders and lay his face flat on the exam table surface. "I've been outmatched. I surrender. She is correct on both counts. I've been working on a special project for Shining Armor, my brother, head of Princess Celestia's royal guard, if you remember. The subject of my research is obscure, but he asked me to try to find a solution to a problem Princess Celestia has worried about since nearly the foundation of Equestria. I've been using half-doses of your tea to nap occasionally during the day to give me more time to research when I wouldn't scare anypony with the horror of the subject matter, but now that it's out, I suppose that's all been in vain. Too bad, I made great progress this winter."

The lack of annoyance or anger in his voice shocked Bronze, but Redheart didn't give him a moment of peace, and stepped up, unscientifically jabbing a finger into the ball of his shoulder. The momentary wince was so brief, Bronze almost questioned if she'd really seen it. But Redheart didn't, and pulled the clipboard from Bronze’s hands, scribbling furiously. "How long has it been this bad, Dusk? Is it spreading? Any numbness?" Shoving her clipboard back into Bronze’s hands, she gave a small gesture with her hand for Bronze to flip to the note paper. "If you can scribble his answers while I examine his back; I'll be able to transcribe proper notes later, and thanks for bringing this to my attention, Bronze."

The rest of the exam became a blur of blood, reflex, muscle and memory tests, and Bronze did her best to keep up with the blur of instructions Redheart kept throwing at her. Two pages of notes written in clipped sentences and military shorthand later, and finally Redheart sent the last vial off to the lab for examination.

Moving to sit by his head, Bronze reached out nervously for Dusk's hand, but he bridged the gap and squeezed her hand with a reassuring pressure. "Don't worry, Bronze. I'm not sure if I like this side of you, but it does remind me of the way two important mares in my life behave when I tried to hide things from them as a foal."

A little shocked, she tried to stay calm, and enjoyed his firm grip. "Two mares you hid things from?"

Winking at her, Dusk's voice was playful. "My mother and Princess Celestia. They both always knew when I was trying to hide something, or get away with anything. One time, before she could talk, Barb ate one of Shining Armor's favorite Hearth's Warming decorations off the tree. I must have spent hours trying to make a replacement that looked just right out of gold foil and glue, but somehow when Princess Celestia showed up to read us the story of Hearth's Warming, she knew right away, even though Shining hadn't even noticed yet."

The quiet laughter in his eyes was soothing, and she found herself relaxing, her free hand unconsciously snuck into his hair, brushing through his long, loose locks. "Oh, the poor thing. Hopefully she doesn't feel too guilty."

Dusk winked at her, before relaxing under her touch. "She occasionally threatens to eat whatever loose jewelry we leave around the house, but she didn't get nearly as many sweeties from Shining Armor that winter."

Redheart snapped her metal clipboard closed, returning to Dusk’s side. "Alright, Dusk. You clearly plan to continue this research you're doing for Shining Armor. I'll give you two choices. Take the medication willingly, twice a day, as well as at least six hours of continuous sleep a day until Princess Cadence's visit, or I recruit Barb and Bronze to sabotage every meal you eat with any one of a dozen sedatives to make sure you get proper sleep until the Princess convinces you to listen. Take your pick."

Deflating a little, Dusk extended a hand to the nurse, giving in for once. "Alright, alright. I yield. No need to threaten, just give me the script and I'll take your medicine. But don't think I can't change Princess Cadence's mind."

Grinning with just the corner of her mouth, Redheart winked. "When it comes to your health, Dusk, I think Cadence will be on our side."

* * *

3pm, Ponyville School.

Bronze could hear the distant sound of the the school bell striking as she left Dusk's library, locking the door and turning towards the noise, muttering under her breath. "That's what I get for taking a nap."

Setting off at a jog to warm up her stiff joints, basking in the heat of the afternoon sunlight, but adjusting to a quicker pace as soon as she felt comfortable, letting a long stride eat up the distance. Rounding the last house before the massive school yard, the sight of dozens of foals leaving reassured her that she wasn't as late as she'd feared.

Cutting across the exercise field, she realized Dash was still in town, standing on the hill and talking quietly to a pegasus filly. Struggling for a moment to remember the girl's name, Bronze called out to Dash. "Hey, Dash. You got the message to meet at Applejack's today, right? Didn't think you'd be hanging around town on a sunny day like this."

Interrupting their conversation, the filly glared up at her for a moment and finally Bronze was able to make the connection. "Oh, Scootaloo. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

The filly hardly gave her a second glance, but Dash looked over her shoulder and did a double take, rushing to Bronze’s side, her voice low enough Bronze doubted anypony else could hear her. "Hey, so uh... problem. I normally spend at least an hour or two after school helping Scootaloo build her wing muscles back up. Today's kinda the first time I can't just say: 'Sorry, Scoots, gotta go fight a dragon, we’ll train tomorrow, promise.' Can I get a little help here, please?"

Looking over Dash’s shoulder to the filly, who had squared her jaw and was glaring at them. “What had Nurse Redheart and Dusk said about her? I wish I’d been paying proper attention!” Bronze tried to find the right memoires, and in the end, could only snag at a few facts she remembered.

Cursing herself for not having Dusk’s fantastic memory for such small details, Bronze grinned at Dash and pushed past her, walking over to Scootaloo’s side. “Hey, kid. So I was talking with Nurse Redheart about Princess Cadence’s visit this week. You excited to show off for her?”

Still shooting her an evil eye, Scootaloo shifted into a defensive stance, crossing her arms over her chest. “Of course I am. After all the time Dash’s put in helping me get my wings in shape, who wouldn’t want to show off for the princess? But why are you guys all running away from town, and how come Dash can’t tell me what's going on! Is it another dragon!? Or has Nightmare Moon returned!?”

As the filly grew excited and got carried away with her own imagination, her defensive stance turned to something far more hopefully, hands clasping together pleadingly she stood on tiptoes and leaned towards Bronze, eyes wide with wonder. Suddenly Bronze felt thirteen again, and remembered watching Shining Armor sparring for the first time as his squire. Now she knew why the filly and Dash were having troubles! Cuffing the girl on the shoulder, she winked at Dash. “Tell you what, kid. You promise to keep a secret, me and Dash’ll bring you along and let you watch, okay?”

Shocked, Dash crossed the short distance between them, grabbing Bronze’s shoulder and glaring around before leaning in close. “But Dusk said we needed to keep this quiet! You wouldn’t believe how long he spent drilling Pinkie on what to say if she was questioned yesterday! He doesn’t want anypony starting a panic!”

Behind them, Lyra’s cool voice cut into the conversation. “Scootaloo is good at keeping secrets. She might get overexcited sometimes in class, but she doesn’t go running to blurt everything she thinks to other students.”

Scuffing her foot against the ground, Scootaloo gave Lyra a little nod. “I would if I had more classes with Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle. They understand what I’m talking about... or at least they try!”

Cupping the filly’s chin, Lyra grinned down at her. “Yes, but you do have several classes with them and still don’t talk to them much. You could do with friends besides Rainbow Dash. Try, okay?”

Looking up only as long as she was forced to, Scootaloo gave Lyra a nod before rushing to Dash’s side and grabbing her hand. “So can I come along now? Oh please oh please oh please?!”

Bronze laughed, and wrapped an arm over Dash’s shoulder. “I’d suggest you say yes. Otherwise we will have her trying to trail us all day. Sorry I’m late to meet you, Lyra, but as you can see, somepony else got in the way.”

Shaking her head dismissively, Lyra gave a shrug. “Did your morning improve like we talked about?”

Watching as an excited Dash and Scootaloo got lost in their own conversation, Bronze couldn’t help but wink at the spy in teacher’s clothing. “As if you don’t already know?”

* * *

4pm, Apple Family Farm, deep in the orchard.

With the fields newly cleared and planted, Bronze had spent much of Monday with Applejack and Big Mac deep inside the apple orchard, finding a good clearing they could use in relative privacy. Now with a forty-foot ring cleared so they could properly begin, Bronze looked up at Lyra, yet the mare simply stood watching in silence, watching her instead. Nervous, Bronze looked to the other side of the clearing where Dusk and Applejack stretched together, while Dash and Pinkie talked. A silent Big Mac stood at the edge of the clearing, simply watching the others. Fluttershy and Rarity had set up a bench, and sat with the fillies, Rarity busy dancing her needle through some stitching, while Fluttershy gushed over three baby squirrels with the fillies.

Taking a deep breath, Bronze tried to prepare herself, and spoke up at last. “Dusk has asked me to find a way to help prepare some kind of a self-defense course for you six. Knowing what challenges have already come to test you as the Elements of Harmony, I made some orders from Canterlot, and prepared a basic training regimen that you all can follow. Lyra has reassured me she can help with the basic fitness side of things, so that leaves weapons.”

Now Bronze had their full attention. Well, she had everypony but Fluttershy, Rarity and Sweetie Belle’s attention. They had remained mostly fixated on their own activities. Walking to Mac’s side, Bronze grabbed one end of the thick leather canvas and gave the stallion a nod. Together, they cast the cover off the display rack, revealing the results of Bronze’s efforts. Six basic quarter staffs, reinforced with leather binding at both ends, and three points across the length to provide options on how to grip the long, thin wooden pole. “These are what we will concentrate on most of all, since it would be odd for anypony in Ponyville to see you carrying a weapon openly and Dusk has requested we keep this low key. The quarterstaff is a weapon you can find almost anywhere, and if you can’t, a good stick or pole can be used to at least mimic the training I can provide. Dash, since you’ve the most experience with polearms and quarterstaffs, I hope you can help me train the others.”

Shooting to attention, Dash snapped off a sharp salute. “Not a problem at all! After drilling with lead-reinforced staves in school at Cloudsdale, I’m more than ready!”

Stepping down the rack, Bronze had to use both hands to heft the next item, awkwardly supporting it on her shoulder as she walked to Applejack’s side. The handle, a finely polished dark oak, was easily five feet in length, and led to a thick steel hammer head with a wicked pick on the back. “Applejack, considering your strength, this might seem a little extreme, but it’s a weapon with real heft. I also got you mithril-reinforced boots, light enough for everyday wear, but strong enough you should be able to kick a hole in the side of a house without risking a broken bone.”

As Applejack accepted the warhammer with one hand and Bronze caught her breath, her eyes caught sight of the boots still hanging on the display rack, a sparkle of delight shone in them. “But they just look like some good old-fashioned leather work boots. You sure they didn’t just rip ya off?”

Straightening up and smoothing out her light leather vest, Bronze grinned at the mare. “I checked. Tried to drive a nail through the metal at several points to make sure they properly lined the whole boot with mithril, not just the heel. Princess Luna’s assistant, Silken Flight, took great care in personally ensuring these all were made properly. But please, AJ, don’t wear the leather out using these when you’re going to be working around the farm. It’s hard to find a good leather worker who can weave over metal and keep it comfortable.”

Testing the heft and swing of the warhammer, Applejack grinned a little. “I’ll try, Bronze, I promise. But a good kicking boot is hard to find, and I like the look of ‘em a lot.” Stopping to look over the other items, she raised an eyebrow. “Now, wait a minute. If this hammer is for me, who's the other one for? It looks too heavy for Dusk.”

Mac took Bronze’s nod as a signal, and hefted the other hammer, this one a double-headed metal affair with two very broad and circular faces instead of the more utilitarian square single head of AJ’s warhammer. The look of shock on the stallion's face as he hefted it was clear as day, and the question in his eyes was clear, so Bronze cut him off before he got disappointed. “I’m sorry, Big Mac, I ordered two, but since the one for you wasn’t a priority and is quite a bit larger, it isn’t done yet. This one is made of mithril and for Pinkie Pie.”

The stallion merely shrugged, and with one hand hefted the five-foot hammer onto a shoulder, walking casually over and proffering it to the giddy mare. Accepting it, Pinking made a few quick swings, marveling at the sound it made through the air. Dash, however interrupted, questioning Bronze. “Wait, what? What’s the point of a hammer made of Mithril? Don’t hammers work because they’re heavy? Why make one light?”

Stepping back as Pinkie got carried away with wide, arcing swings of the hammer, Bronze gave a lazy gesture to Pinkie’s current antics as if they alone were a clear answer. “Because the mithril didn’t take much of the weight away, and the hammer is still reinforced with lead in the core. It means it’s light enough so Pinkie can swing it around and stay active, but heavy enough to leave anypony or anything she hits smarting. I didn’t include a pick on hers since she isn’t as strong as Applejack and keeping her active seems like a more powerful defense for her.”

Twirling the hammer around before settling it on one shoulder, Pinkie grinned. “I like it, it’s all ‘woosh!’ and ‘swoosh!’, and if I hit someone with it, they’ll go ‘bong!’” Pinkie, in her usual overactive way, mimed the likely effect of being staggered by the lighter but larger of the two hammers on display.

Applejack scowled a little now, and gestured a thumb at Mac. “What do you mean ‘his hammer’? Big Mac’s gotta stay home and take care of the farm; he ain't got no time for adventuring with us!”

Bronze was about to answer, but the big stallion put a hand on AJ’s shoulder and spoke up for once, and since it was so rare, Bronze let him finish his thoughts. “Adventure all you want, lil’ sis. If you’re in trouble, I want this training too. Never know when trouble might follow you home.”

Squeezing her brother’s hand on her shoulder, Applejack gave in. “Only as long as the farm don’t suffer. If it does, I expect you all to throw in the time to get things back up to snuff.”

The shared laughter was good, and Bronze remembered Dusk talking about all the trouble they’d had last fall with harvest when Mac had broken his ribs. “No wonder, they still worry something like that could happen again.”

Clearing her throat, Bronze played the serious one, once enough time to laugh had passed. “Moving on! I know that Fancy Pants and Fleur are coming to town to deliver you and Rarity some proper fencing weapons, and those at least can be passed off in public as relatively normal for a noble unicorn from Canterlot to wear. I’m sure you two can come up with some kind of a cover about traditional unicorn garb to make everypony forget about Rarity having one as well. And Dash, I know you’re already properly equipped with your mother’s lance. That just leaves, Fluttershy-”

“No.”

If she’d somehow doubted that the mare was listening, that sudden sharp word from the gentle-natured mare made things clear. Still scratching one squirrel across the jaw, Fluttershy didn’t look up, even when Sweetie Belle froze up and stared at her, wide-eyed with shock. Clearing her throat, Bronze tried again. “It’s nothing like that, Fluttershy, I just want to make su-”

“No!”

The air went quiet as Fluttershy’s forceful refusal echoed through the quiet clearing, giving even the squirrel cause to pause, despite Fluttershy’s playful fingers. Bronze stomped over to the display rack, snatching up the tools she had very carefully researched and spent days finding the right master to craft. Stomping over to the mare who still refused to look up, Bronze shoved the gloves under Fluttershy’s nose. “Look, you don’t like hurting anypony. That is admirable, Fluttershy. But by The Light, take the damn gloves. They are silk, but with mithril weave. If you ever have to protect somepony you care for, maybe this time you won't break your hand and the dragon’s face. Alright?”

Silence hung between them for what felt like forever. A sniffle came from under that mass of hair, and Bronze was worried she had gone too far. Then soft hands took the silk gloves from her, and Fluttershy’s voice whispered back up at her. “O-Okay, but… but only to make sure I can protect other ponies.”

Reaching down and squeezing one of Fluttershy’s hands, Bronze gave her a big smile, hoping the mare might look up at her. “I promise. I wouldn’t ask you to ever hurt anypony, Fluttershy. Until you’re comfortable, just join us for the exercise and company at least?”

Finally looking up at Bronze, Fluttershy’s eyes were full of tears, but a small smile formed as she looked deep into Bronze’s eyes. “I... alright. I’ll come. If only to hang out with Rarity and the fillies…”

Giving a little nod to the mare, Bronze grinned, squeezing with both of her hands and shaking her head. “I understand, Fluttershy. Having your company would be really nice.”

Returning to the center of the clearing, Bronze gave a small wave to Rarity, who had returned to her needlepoint once the situation with Fluttershy had resolved itself. "Dash, since you learned a decent amount of hand-to-hand in Cloudsdale focused on kicks more than punching, can you go over things with AJ and Pinkie? As they are earth ponies, Cloudsdale’s style should work better for them. Lyra and I will go over more basic stuff with the others."

Happy to show off, Dash back flipped, kicking at the branches of a nearby tree while crying out in excitement, and earning a glare from Applejack who openly muttered. "Can't wait to see how long this lasts. Come on, Dash, let's see if you can teach me anything about kicking."

Laughing, Bronze tried to smooth things over with AJ. "Go easy on her! Dash probably can't teach you anything new about kicking, but the two of you together can show Pinkie some of your best tricks and at least see whose style she likes more!" Returning to serious business, Bronze gave a nod to those still waiting by the log. "Rarity, Dusk, since you two are waiting for Fancy Pants to teach you how to properly use a sword, I'd like to show you at least a little basic hand-to-hand self defense."

Dusk stood up, and Bronze gave a small motion to Lyra, who paired off with him and quickly began showing him a series of grab and holds. Looking up from under her thick locks, Rarity looked astonished, and shook her head, unmoving from her spot on the bench. "Oh, no! That's really not necessary, dear. I can already handle myself quite well, really."

Shifting herself into a sparring stance and dancing a little in place to warm her feet up, Bronze lifted both hands and gave the reluctant mare a tugging gesture with both hands. "Oh come on, Rarity. I know getting dirty isn't your thing, but that's why I warned you to wear something like a sweat suit or some kind of jogging gear. Come on, I promise; no throws today, alright?"

Lowering her needlework with a sigh, Rarity gave another attempt to make Bronze give up. "Really, darling. I don't want to hurt you."

Grinning, Bronze waved at Rarity one more time. "Oh, come on, Rarity. I don't think you need to worry about hurting me. That's why I wear this leather padding. And I'll be careful to make sure I don't hurt you. Don't worry, I was second in my class for boxing and hand-to-hand."

Finally giving in to Bronze’s urging, Rarity passed her work to her little sister, giving the filly a few instructions on how to finish the piece off before crossing the field to stand in place where Bronze waited. "If you're really sure about this, dear... I don't want to cause you any harm..."

"It's fine, Rarity. Let's start with a simple hold. I'll go slow and you just grab my wrist, alright?"

Bronze lifted a hand and began to swing a lazy punch at Rarity's shoulder, but it was all over in a blur of motion, leaving Bronze's head spinning as she sat flat on her ass, leaving everypony but Sweetie Belle in stunned silence, who continued quietly humming to herself as she continued to stitch.

Jumping up to her feet and crying out in shock, Scootaloo made up for the others’ slow reaction time in raw volume. "By The Light, Rarity! When did you ever pick something like that up!?"

Dusting her hands off and offering Bronze a hand back up, Rarity smiled at the filly. "When I was a filly around your age, I had a period where I felt very vulnerable, so I took up self-defense classes to help me feel more self-confident." Turning back to Bronze, Rarity looked meek again. "I did try to warn you, dear. I've been practicing this for nearly 12 years."

Laughing a little at herself and accepting Rarity's assistance in standing up, Bronze gave a shrug. "You did. You really did. How about you practise with Lyra instead? She's much more experienced at hand-to-hand than I am, and clearly you're already beyond my level."

* * *

10 pm, Bonbon’s Apartment.

Lyra found hirself whistling a little as shi turned the corner away from the others, heading off alone for home. Behind hir, Sweetie cried out, her voice warm and playful. "Thanks again Miss Lyra! See you in class tomorrow!"

Stopping to look over her shoulder, Lyra waved back to the ever-cheerful filly. "Just promise you'll remember to tell everypony Apple Bloom got the black eye while you were playing in the barn, and not because of Scootaloo."

Puffing her chest and wings out with pride Scootaloo buffed her nails against her chest. "I told her I had picked up what Bronze was showing us faster than she wa- ouch!"

The light swat across the back of her head had been playful, but was hard enough to get her attention. Agitated, Dash glared down at the filly. "You hit her in the face when she tried to throw you over her shoulder. If you'd really been paying attention to Bronze, you'd have remembered to pull your punch in training. Now let's go see Nurse Redheart and find out how long she plans to ground you for."

Watching just a minute longer as Dusk, Dash and Scootaloo went one way, while Rarity and Sweetie went another direction, Lyra enjoyed the lingering memories of how enjoyable the day had been.

The moment they were out of sight, shi shifted her mind instantly into a more serious gear. Hir sore muscles and stiffening back were pushed aside and forgotten, while shi set hir shoulders and turned hir thoughts to what had to come next tonight.

Two blocks later, shi lifted hir key to unlock the door, only for it to suddenly swing sharply open before hir eyes, the delighted voice of lighthearted joy a sudden violent clash against the professional set of mind shi was in. "Lyra! You're finally back, but it's so late! Come on inside, please! I'm just making some tea before bed, but I'd really like your company for a while if you're not too tired!"

Stunned into a moment of silence at the violent mental gear shift she hadn’t been prepared to make, Lyra forced hirself to smile no matter how awkward and uncomfortable it felt at the moment, nodding stupidly to hir landlord.

If Bonbon noticed that shi was acting oddly, thankfully she didn't mention it, instead linking arms with hir and dragging hir bodily into her living room, pushing Lyra into the more comfortable lounger before returning to the small kitchen, calling out over her shoulder as she left the room. "What do you enjoy? Honey? A little sugar? I'd imagine since you were out at AJ's farm they fed you well, but I've got these fantastic honey and gram baskets that are simply wonderful!"

Lyra’s hand on the arm of the sofa tensed as she double-checked her mental clock, trying to figure out how much time shi had before they expected hir at the meetup, until Bonbon revealed she knew about where shi had been all night. A slow panic swept over hir, washing away hir thoughts about tonight's mission. "By The Light, how did she ever catch us?! We were so careful, and nopony ever came close to the orchard except Big Mac. Just who has she told? Is she a double agent? Or another of Silk's undercover mares keeping an eye on me? Should I answer her? Will she gossip with the neighbors? Should I el-"

Bonbon’s cheerful voice finally got loud enough to break Lyra from hir dark musing. "Lyra? Are you okay, you stopped answering me. Don't tell me you drifted off to sleep."

Forcing hirself to straighten up, Lyra tried to play it cool, yawning audibly and stretching on the chair, just as Bonbon came back into the room with a small and very plain silver tea tray, including all the usual fixings, and a small platter of gram biscuits. Covering a fake yawn, shi offered Bonbon a half-hearted wave and a few answers to see just how much the mare knew. "Sorry, just a little sleepy. Applejack is a nice mare, but she can always find more things that need just five extra minutes to finish up."

Bonbon’s delighted laughter was a high-pitched titter that made Lyra’s breath catch. Pushing hirself to keep talking, shi kept to safe topics. "I'd love a little dollop of honey in my tea, Bonbon. Between Mac and AJ, a mare will never go hungry helping out around the farm, but I'd take a cracker or two if you don't mind."

To Lyra’s shock, Bonbon settled the tea tray on the high table by hir elbow and with one hand daintily sweeping her skirt under her legs, and settled onto hir knees. Working swiftly, she prepared Lyra’s tea as requested with the raw honey stirred in for sweetness, then with her long, slender fingers lifting one of the gram crackers, she tickled the rich brown honeyed biscuit across Lyra’s lips before pushing it in enough for hir to snap off a bite. Handing over her tea to wash the crumbly treat down, Bonbon waited for Lyra to finish swallowing before clapping her hands together with delight. "Well? Is it good? My dear friend Hoity Toity insisted I take some home with me the last time I was in Canterlot for work, but I usually make everything too sweet so I've never been a good judge."

Still trying to process Bonbon's style of flirting, Lyra needed a minute to chew and swallow the biscuit and tea before shi could finally answer. "I'm afraid that I might not be the right mare to ask, Bonbon. I drink so much of the really foul tea my trainer brewed up to help reduce muscle fatigue and exhaustion during training, I hardly even taste what I drink anymore."

Laughing gently, Bonbon batted Lyra's shoulder playfully, shifting closer against hir so she could rest an arm around hir shoulders. "Oh come on, Lyra! Try some more. It's really nice, it's got a nice herbal blend with a hint of jasmine in the scent."

With Bonbon's arm around hir shoulders and playfully stroking through hir hair while teasingly tugging a little at hir earlobe, Lyra found herself again fighting the distraction of Bonbon's sweet perfume and tender rump's weight in hir lap. Accepting the offer of tea as a distraction from the lovely mare, Lyra took her time, and really let the tea linger on her tongue, enjoying the soothing taste that helped even out her frayed nerves.

Passing the tea back to Bonbon's free hand, Lyra found hir own hand had wandered to the mare's hip and was toying with her tail, coiling it around hir finger, and hir thumb was now stroking over the trapped hair. Bonbon's response was a throaty moan that sent a chill down hir spine and only returned hir thoughts to Bonbon’s devious distractions.

Realizing shi'd totally forgotten about Bonbon's question, Lyra leaned against the smaller mare, her husky voice a breathy whisper in the mare's cute little ear. "I like it, Bon. It soothes my tired muscles but doesn't make me riled up like my tea does."

The smile that earned from Bonbon made Lyra feel suddenly very short of breath, making it a struggle to keep calm. Lowering the empty teacup to the tray she'd brought into the room, Bonbon thrust her now free hand between their bodies, grabbing the bulge of Lyra’s private protector and giving hir trapped flesh a teasing squeeze. "Oh? So you're saying all of this is my responsibility? I'm flattered."

At the same time as Bonbon's very suggestive tug pulled on hir hidden flesh, a face, scowling in annoyance, appeared in the window on the far side of the room, where Bonbon couldn't see. The hooded mare’s gestures were silent, but spoke volumes, and Lyra almost wanted to cry at the internal debate between hir orders and what hir body, no, what shi wanted, badly, now.

Releasing Bonbon’s tail, shi gestured back, behind the mare’s back and then cupped Bonbon’s hip, hir voice sad and reluctant. “Bonbon… I have school in the morning. I wouldn’t want to get carried away when I can’t do this properly. Maybe sometime on the weekend we could continue?”

Disappointed, the mare deflated and collapsed against Lyra’s chest, pouting a little up at her, but smiling all the same. “I wish I could, but I go back to Canterlot for work at noon. I’d hoped to ask you to look after things with the other tenants while I’m gone, but that sorta slipped my mind at some point.”

Feeling Bonbon’s fingers still toying with hir hair, Lyra looked back to the window, but the mare outside the window was gone. Shi returned focus to Bonbon and leaned in, dragging a lingering kiss over the mare’s lower lip, raking hir teeth across the trapped flesh before finally letting it pop free. Rubbing noses, shi cooed just a little, trying to catch some semblance of Bonbon’s flirty tone. “I’ll do it for you, Bon. As long as you ‘pay up’ when you get back?”

It appeared hir gambit worked, as Bonbon shot up, her eyes alight with mischief. “Very well, Lyra. I intend to pay well for all the ‘work’ you’ll have to do while I’m away. I suppose you’d better go, or I’ll have you up all night and probably make you late for class in the morning.”

As Bonbon slipped from hir lap, Lyra finally stood up, but part of her demanded shi continue the game just a few seconds longer. Catching Bonbon’s hips, shi pulled her back for a moment longer, resting hir hips against Bonbon’s flank. “It would be worth missing class, but then I’d have to make you late for your train in revenge, and we can’t have that.”

Another long kiss held them up a minute more, and then Lyra at last left the mare behind. Upstairs, she unlocked hir door, preparing for the mare waiting inside. Impatient, she’d pulled out Lyra’s change of clothing from the hidden drawer in hir dresser and prepared everything on the bed. Snapping around when Lyra entered, she started signing aggressively, but Lyra didn’t bother reading, shi knew what was being said.

Stripping without a word, shi started dressing quickly, and when the other mare finally stopped, shi arched an eyebrow, hir voice a near whisper. “That’s great, but your electric-blue hair is sticking out. Might want to tuck that away, you’re way too recognizable.”

Hissing in frustration, the mare adjusted her cap and re-tucked in her hair, her voice, just as low, came as a gruff reply. “Let’s just find this book and pray to The Light Silk’s forgery is good enough to trick him, alright?”

Author's Note

Here we go! The ball has started rolling, and what can stop it? Who knows?!

Another deep thank you to my editors. If you guys didn't work yourself to the bone, scenes like the conversation between Bonbon and Lyra towards the end would be a real nightmare to write.

Please note: This is the version 0.99 release. Due to RL issues, one of the editors hasn't had a chance to do their edits. If you happen to notice small mistakes, please understand. *small bow*

Chapter 13: Call of the Cutie / Suited for Success - Part 2 [Dusk x Dash - Massage play, Masturbation]

Wednesday, April 6th, 7 am, Twist’s house.

“So did you two have a good sleepover last night at least?” Apple Bloom shifted her backpack over her shoulder, adjusting its weight to a more comfortable position and looking back over her shoulder at the trailing fillies. Walking hand in hand just a short distance behind her, they were currently keeping up, but she was sure the foals would instantly wander off if she didn't keep an eye on them.

Sweetie gave her a happy nod, smiling as wide as her mouth would allow. “Yes! It was so nice of Rarity to suggest it! With poor Amethyst feeling ill yesterday, I was so happy to be able to help by hosting Dinky.”

The quieter mare gave a small smile, but pouted a little. “I wish I'd have been allowed to stay and help Momma take care of Ame. She does so much for me.”

A butterfly crossed their line of sight, and the young foals stopped in place, fascinated at the sapphire-winged creature, watching with jaws slack and eyes wide with excitement, the previous conversation completely lost. Apple Bloom gave them no chance to wander off the path to Twist’s house, shoving two fingers in her mouth, releasing a shrill, ear-splitting whistle. Glowering a little she shook her head. “C’mon! Sweetie! Dinky! We don't got all day to get to school! We can hunt butterflies on the weekend or something!”

Pouting up at her, Sweetie fired back. “But we could have taken her to Fluttershy or Dusk! They would have known what species she was! Besides, she had really pretty wings.”

Dinky was quieter, and waited until Sweetie had finished her defense before speaking up, in a far softer voice than her friend. “Miss Cheerilee did say extracurricular research and independent study would be accepted starting next week.”

Confused, Apple Bloom stopped and pointed at the now distant butterfly, resting on the eavestrough of a nearby house. “Well, sure. But I get lots of extra credit for writing up reports on the farm, and keeping a journal of crop growth and rotation. Why d’ya wanna write about a butterfly?!”

Sweetie giggled and gave a shrug, but her voice was full of wonder. “Because her wings were the most perfect sapphire blue! Maybe I could get my cutie mark as a lepidopterist!”

Her eyes crossing, Apple Bloom tried to repeat the word. “Lepri-what?!”

Giggling again, Sweetie clutched her hands together. “A pony who studies butterflies!”

Dismissing her with a scoff, Apple Bloom turned back towards the path to Twist’s house. “But even if you got a cutie mark for researching butterflies, what would it even look like? ‘Cause Fluttershy’s cutie mark is already three little butterflies.”

Both of the younger fillies were stumped by that, but Dinky couldn't help but ask her just as confusing a question in return. “Well, Applejack’s cutie mark is three apples, and Big Mac’s is one large apple missing a slice. So what's yours going to be?”

Apple Bloom couldn't answer that, and instead ignored it, walking faster now that she could finally see Twist’s house in the distance. “Don’t matter. It will be what it will be!”

Apple Bloom was just about to step off the main path so she could cut across the lawn to Twist’s house when the door burst open, and her ginger friend rushed out, a peppermint candy cane in hand thrust into Apple Bloom’s mouth before she darted past to the smaller foals, gifting each of them with another of the white and red treats. “Ohhhh! Good morning! Good morning AB! Good morning Thweetie and Dinky!”

The joyful filly swept Dinky up into her arms, spinning the quietest member of their class around in the air over her head while laughing excitedly, and the others couldn't help but get caught up in Twist’s energy. Sucking on her candy cane, Sweetie giggled at Twist’s antics but found the time to question her. “Wow, Twist! You're in a real good mood. These peppermints are so good, too! Did your auntie Bonbon help you make ‘em?”

Delighted, Twist lowered Dinky to her feet, waiting just long enough for her to get her balance before rushing back to Sweetie, grabbing her hands and offering a huge silly grin. “No! I made them all mythelf! And I got my cutie mark!”

That made everypony fall silent; all eyes were now on the excited redhead. Taking a tentative step towards her, Apple Bloom lifted a hand to her friend, apprehension and excitement tinged with jealousy. “Yo… you did? Ca… can we see it?”

Giggling so hard she snorted, Twist released Sweetie and rushed to Apple Bloom, turning her back to her taller friend, her thick curly red hair pulled aside to expose her neck and her bare back. Crossed striped red-and-white candy canes were located between her shoulderblades right on her spine. Pushing her thick purple glasses back up her nose with one free finger, she whipped around and lunged forward into a powerful hug. “Do you like it? Do you, Apple Bloom? Ithn’t it the betht?!”

Twist’s good mood was overwhelming, and Apple Bloom did the best she could to push her jealousy aside to give her friend a big smile in return. “Th-that's just great to hear, Twist! You're so lucky!”

Grabbing her heavy school bag clearly filled with dozens more of the sweet treats, she snatched one of Apple Bloom’s hands, taking Sweetie’s hand when it was offered, and turned to rush to school, dragging the rest of the fillies behind her. Giggling the whole way she shouted to the world, “C’mon! I wanna thhow everypony in thchool!”

* * *

8 am, Rarity’s Boutique.

The sharp rap of knuckles on the door made Dusk stiffen up, looking back over his shoulder as Rarity lifted her voice just enough to be heard from the kitchen. “I'm still in the middle of things here, darling. Could you get that?”

Straightening up and forcing himself out of the chair, Dusk abandoned his tea and dragged his weary body towards the door, remembering to let her know only halfway there. “Of course, Rarity, it's no problem at all.”

The house door wasn't far from Rarity’s tea room, and Dusk was glad whoever was knocking had chosen that, as the boutique’s shop door was on the far side of the house, and his joints still ached after last night's excitement.

When he opened the door, Dusk thought he was looking into a rainbow-colored mirror. Dash was dressed in a thin pair of shorts, and a very thin, very short camisole that did nothing to hide her stomach. As sore as he was, Dusk's eyes still lingered on that exposed flesh as he took the rest of her in. She looked like she'd gotten less sleep than he had, though Dusk doubted that. Maybe an hour after he'd drifted off to sleep the previous night, Amethyst and Derpy had woken him up for more.

Suddenly jolting out of memory, Dusk remembered himself, and gestured inside. “Morning, Dash. We are just having some tea, and Rarity is making oatmeal.”

Dash gave him a little nod, as if automatically responding to his words. But her bleary eyes searched him, hunting for something and standing in the doorway.

Feeling uncomfortable under her searching gaze, Dusk took in her bedraggled hair, mussed up tail, and slack jaw. “Ha… has she passed out on her feet? Why is she so tired?”

Reaching out to touch her shoulder, Dusk nearly jumped out of his shoes as she suddenly straightened up and poked him with a swift jab in the chest. “Okay, Duskie boy. I didn't sleep worth a damn ‘cause they started work on my new place at five, and I'd only been asleep for, like.. three hours. What's your excuse? Too busy up reading all night with your books? What an egghead!”

Not even letting him answer, Dash thrust a hand into his hair, messing it back up before strutting into the house, leaving him at the door still trying to catch up with her rapid shift into action. Dusk shut the door and moved to return to his seat. Dash went straight to the table, pouring herself a cup of sugar with just a touch of tea for flavor, stirring only long enough to make the mixture qualify as liquid in a very open-minded sense, before drinking it all, making a foul face as he returned to his seat.

Inquisitive, even as he tried not to get sidetracked when she stretched her arms high over her head, giving him a grand view of her washboard abs and a hint of the slight swell over her bra-less breasts, Dusk nudged her lightly. “Dash, sit down at the very least. Do you not like tea? And if so, why use so much sugar?”

Returning her cup to the matching plate, Dash scowled as she looked over the uncushioned chairs around the table. As if inspired, she pushed the table over a foot, and slumped down so she could sit directly onto his leg, stretching hard and rubbing his chest with her wings and a little of the bare flesh exposed by her spaghetti string shirt. “Come on, Dusk! That should be obvious. It's like the only way to get a sugar rush this time a day without feeling bloated. Like, I'd go to Sugarcube Corner and get something gooey and glazed with extra butter, but I always feel so bloated afterwards, so I had to give that up!”

Rarity entered with one of her serving trays held in both hands, three fine porcelain bowls filled with steaming oatmeal and small chunks of diced apple. Settling the tray on the middle of the table, she put a hand to her mouth, clearing her throat with noticeable distaste at Dash’s choice of seat. “The construction still getting to you, Dash? I said you could use my guest room until they finish. No reason to keep fighting to get even a few hours of sleep!”

Wilting under Rarity’s glare, Dash followed the bowl the fashionista put before the plate beside Dusk’s, and moved over into a chair while leaning well over the table, sniffing the hot steam and fighting back her drool reflex. “I think I might take you up on that offer after the morning I just had!”

Reaching around Dusk for the bowl of brown sugar and a cup of cream, Dash set to work flavoring her breakfast before bending to the task of eating with glee. Dusk accepted the small shaker of cinnamon from Rarity and gave a light seasoning to his own before taking the cream back from Dash, adding just a little to his bowl before returning it to Rarity. Stirring with great care, Dusk watched Rarity, still thinking about yesterday, finally clearing his thoughts enough to broach the topic again. “Rarity, about Bronze. I wanted to explain about why she got so worked up yesterday-”

Catching her attention, Rarity straightened up, taking a tiny spoon of her oatmeal and tasting it with great care. Satisfied with the flavor, she lowered her spoon and sat forward, gripping his hand. “Oh, yes, yes. How was Amethyst? Did it go well?”

Now with Dash watching him closely, Dusk tried his best to stay calm, confused by Rarity’s deflection, and trying to shift gears to keep up with her. He ate a spoonful of the porridge before answering as casually as he could. “I think it went well. She was deep in her heat. It was very awkward, but we did our best to make it work. Hopefully it takes, but I promised to return if necessary.”

Dash was staring at him now, holding her bowl up near her mouth with one hand while shoveling food with her spoon. It was so clear she was deep in thought that before Dusk’s eyes, her brow furrowed and her glare intensified. Finally, as if asking some dark secret from the origin of Equestria, she pointed her spoon at him like a blade, her voice deadly serious. “Why were you hanging around mares in heat? Don't you know the smell makes most stallions go dim? I'm sure you're bright enough to deal with it, but don't get cocky, Dusk, they'll drive you bonkers. Don’t you remember when AJ was in her heat, and she got near you, then I-” Dash cut herself off suddenly, looking at Rarity and turning a deep red. Coughing, she tried to get her blush under control and continue. “A-anyways, I've seen it happen plenty of times before. You gotta be careful.”

Rolling her eyes, Rarity reached out and put a hand on Dash’s, forcing the younger mare to lower the bowl to the table. Staring into her eyes, Rarity spoke so plainly Dusk began to blush at how open she was. “Dash, Amethyst hired Dusk to stud for her. After all these years, she wanted a foal and figured Dusk would make a good sire. Why else would he spend the night with a mare in heat?”

Rarity’s hand showed surprising strength, preventing Dash’s reactive jerk at the news from spilling the sloppy mess of what remained of her oatmeal across the table. Dash twisted to face him first, and then back to Rarity again. Her jaw slack and eyes bugging out of their sockets, she stammered for something to say, finally settling on a simple, “Oh- I… I err… see… uhh… good for you, slugger?”

Watching the clearly distressed mare, Dusk felt only more embarrassed as he struggled to find an appropriate response, unable to ignore how badly his cheeks burned. “I-I, well, thanks, Dash. But I only did it because Amethyst and Derpy are such good friends. I had a similar offer from the spa twins, but I think they were simply being more playful than anything.”

Rarity waved away his concerns, shaking her head. “I'm sure they were just teasing you, dear. That's hardly worth worrying about right now, they’ll be busy with the transient workers for the next few months. Now eat up!”

Dusk accepted her word at that point, and pushed those thoughts to the bottom of his to-do list. Dash pushed her bowl aside, and gave a deep, self-satisfied burp, beginning to lean back in her chair while rubbing her belly. As her back came into contact with the decorative enamel backrest, however, she visibly flinched and began muttering under her breath. “No proper chair comes without a damn pillow.”

Reaching out as he swallowed the last spoonful of his oatmeal, Dusk let his fingers brush across Dash’s shoulder to get her attention, offering her a supportive smile. “Your back again? Don't tell me you pulled a muscle. Not with the Young Fliers’ Competition so close!”

Dash scowled at him, but didn't pull away, dragging her lip between her teeth, chewing the flesh as Rarity collected their plates. The fashionista leaned in as she collected Dash’s bowl, cooing softly in her ear. “Dash, feel free to go curl up in the spare room for a few hours. I've used the bed occasionally; it's quite comfortable.”

Dash’s cheeks darkened at Rarity’s attention, finally looking up at her and nodding a little. “Alright, thanks Rarity. I-I will. Can you wake me around two? We're supposed to have a light mist tonight, and I didn't bother to schedule anypony else to work on something that minor.”

Dash stood up, and looked like she was about to walk from the room when she froze, her hand stroking Dusk’s jaw. “And no, I didn't pull anything. I just slept bad and my neck and back are stiff, alright? I can still run circles around you, book-boy, but if you're serious about wanting to help, do the dishes for Rarity, so she can give me a back massage. Unlike some ponies, she's got a soft touch that'll make your knees go weak.”

Rarity paused in the doorway, laughing openly at Dash’s compliment, turning just enough so she could blow Dash a kiss. “I've got some designs that I simply must finish, Dash, or I'd fall for your subtle suggestion. Let Dusk give you a back rub. He may not be a masseur, but he can still do things with his hands that will make you see The Light.” The suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows had Dusk wondering if Rarity was simply teasing him, bragging, or tormenting Dash. Rarity left the room with an entrancing sway of her behind, and Dusk realized he wasn't the only pony who had watched her until she disappeared out of sight back into the kitchen.

Dash coughed roughly while he couldn't help but laugh at the awkward realization that they'd both been eyeing Rarity’s retreating stride. Dash thrust her hand into his, voice gruff, and she refused to look back at him. “Well? C’mon. Make yourself useful, like Rarity said. Maybe I'll even give you the day off jogging if you do half as good a job as Rarity suggests.”

Dusk followed Dash to the spare room, a simple thing just behind the private showroom with its short catwalk. Small, it was hardly five feet across, and six deep, and the bed touched both walls, with a small dresser making up the only other furniture room. The only other luxury feature in the room were five small paintings hanging on the walls. Her back to him, Dash slipped her hands up to her shoulders, pulling the spaghetti string straps loose. Turning just enough to look at him, she grinned just a little, with one hand across her small breasts for privacy. “I don’t feel up to putting on some big strip show today, Dusk. But do a good job, and I’ll show you what I got myself for my birthday.”

The suggestive brush of her tail against his groin and catty sway of her hips as she climbed into the bed held Dusk’s full attention. He noted that she only moved her hand away from her breasts after she had made herself comfortable. With both arms under a pillow, Dash closed her eyes, letting her tail sway lazily over her hips. Her wings flexed outward for a moment, settling against the bed so that Dusk would have an easier time getting to her back. Not looking back at him, she called back, “Come on, egghead. Let’s see what you got!”

Dusk was about to step onto the bed to straddle her hips when the door opened behind him, just missing his elbow. Rarity looked inside, putting a finger to her lips and pushed a small crystalline jar, filled with a thick clear liquid, into his hands. Leaving again in silence, she let her tail drag across his hip, teasing him playfully.

Dusk didn’t need to guess just what was in the jar. Stepping carefully up to the bed, Dusk threw one leg over to the far side of Dash’s hip, lowering himself to kneel just below the curve of her cute rump, doing his best to keep the weight of his body from crushing her legs. The cap of the bottle gave a soft rubbery popping sound as he pulled it free, and he set it aside on the dresser. The fluid inside oozed out thick, and the moment the oil came into contact with her bare flesh, Dash gave an excited gasp and sigh into the pillow. “You’re cheating! That’s Rarity’s icy hot oil, isn’t it?!”

Dusk only laughed a little, and attempting to be precise, let the oil collect on both of Dash’s shoulder blades. Setting the bottle beside the cap atop the dresser, he carefully gripped the edge of her shirt, slipping it down her back even further until he reached her hips. Leaning forward over her back, he bent down, nuzzling behind her ear, and Dash made a soft, eager noise as she tilted her head away from Dusk, showcasing the soft skin of her neck. Smiling, he began to whisper in her ear. “If it’s cheating, why is your back covered in goosebumps? I think you like this oil, don’t you?”

Refusing to answer, Dash turned her head away, but her tail brushed very slowly across his belly now that he was pressed close enough for her to reach, reassuring him she was enjoying their game. Shifting his weight back to his knees again, Dusk finally got to work, using first the tips of his fingers and the weight of his thumb to spread the clear, but thick oil over her back, only avoiding the base of her wings at the last second, remembering how it had affected Derpy last night. Dash’s long sigh as his fingers continued to brush over her back told him he was doing well. The spreading warmth of the oil on his hands made his fingers tingle, giving the work an exciting thrill beyond the sounds of Dash’s low moans at his touch, but the distant sound of the household door opening and closing again broke his concentration. Applejack’s voice was just loud enough to cut through the house. “Rarity, he’s gone again! I just don’t get it anymore! His work’s done, but he’s nowhere to be found!”

Suddenly, Dusk was glad he’d left the door open after Rarity had given him the oil. Shifting his hands to Dash’s ribs, he became more aggressive. Grinding his thumbs into the flesh along her spine, he hunted down the taunt muscles and took extra time to knead his knuckles into the tougher spots. The sound of Rarity leaving her inspiration room upstairs kept Dusk from welcoming Applejack just yet, and the fashionista soon joined her. “Oh dear, AJ! Are you sure he isn’t just working on his still or something? I’m sure Mac isn’t avoiding you or anything, and I know he said the still needed a lot of work after that parasprite outbreak last week.”

Dusk stopped the massage again, and Dash gave a frustrated grunt, glaring back over her shoulder up at him. But he playfully tapped the tip of her nose, and that made her freeze up as the icy hot oil tickled her. Dusk could hear AJ and Rarity hug, the edge in Applejack’s voice showed her exasperation. “He isn’t, Rarity. He was in there earlier, but when I went to bring him some breakfast, he was gone, and things were cleaned up and locked. He didn’t leave no note, and Granny didn’t see where he went. I’m worried, Rarity! He’s been like this since the thaw, and I just don’t understand why he’d lie to me!”

Dusk drew his thumbs down to the base of Dash’s spine, grinding them over the joint where her spine met her tailbone, earning him an instant groan of approval from the mare. A nagging thought spawned as his hands worked, and Dusk called to his lover. “Applejack, maybe he has simply picked up a second job around town to help pay for all the new expenses on the farm? Did you check with Ginger Gold at the labour board?”

Applejack showed no sign of surprise as he joined their conversation from another room, her worries still clear in her voice as she began to pace, her steps loud enough to carry across the house. “Oh… I don’t know, Dusk. You’re right, I didn’t ask, I’ll go check there next, thanks.”

Dusk shifted his hands, watching Dash, who had closed her eyes and was giving a quiet sigh and quiet murmur of pleasure as his hands continued to work over her back muscles. Letting his eyes wander her body, he found the sensitive spots that Derpy had so enjoyed again, realizing they were the only part of her back he had yet to work. His intense curiosity demanded he explore more, and his fingers drifted up her back, while he shifted his weight forward, to straddle her hips, directly planting his weight on her tight athletic ass, earning him a satisfied groan from the mare. Wetting his dry lips with his tongue, Dusk raked his fingers across the perimeter of the muscle around the base of her wings.

Dash’s reaction was instant: a powerful, lusty moan of great pleasure, far louder than he’d expected. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks, and she half-turned under him, her hand lifting to lightly bap him on the nose with the flat of her palm. Just hard enough to sting, but not enough to leave a welt or bruise, her voice was an odd mix of lurid moan and angry excitement, and her eyes danced with a mix of sudden lust and shock. “Dusk!!!”

The sudden laughter shared between AJ and Rarity was more than loud enough to carry out of the room. Applejack’s voice was for the first time relaxed, and laughter continued to ring in her tone. “Oh come on, Dash! I’ve only heard you make that sound for one reason before, and only when you really liked what we were doing together in bed. Don’t go too rough on him!”

Rarity kept laughing, and made some crude joke Dusk couldn’t quite make out, but Dash’s cheeks flushed only darker and she turned to yell back at her friends. “We already HAVE a room, Rarity! And I know what to do with a stallion!” After she’d finished, she buried her face in her pillow.

For a minute Dusk remained still, silent and worried he’d gone too far. As he waited, Dash’s wings flexed and flicked, unfolding to spread wide before laying flat again on the bed, once more revealing her back to him. Muttering out of the side of her mouth, she spoke softly, so the other two wouldn’t hear her. “Well? Are you going to keep going, Dusk? I can’t sleep properly if you don’t finish...”

Dash’s tone, and the playful dance in her eyes was unmistakable. Dusk stood up slowly and walked the two steps to the bedroom door. With care, he closed it quietly and turned the lock. Turning back to the bed, he was shocked to see one of Dash’s hands had been shoved into her thin shorts, and from her moans, he knew exactly what she was doing. Swallowing back a new kind of embarrassment, Dusk crossed back to Dash, returning to the bed. He straddled her ass again, letting his groin grind against it to torment her, and pin her lustful hand where it was in her shorts. She didn’t complain, but instead buried her face into the pillow, muffling her moans as her fingers continued to work in the folds of her sex, the sloppy wet sound something he could now easily identify as a mare pleasuring herself.

Dusk’s fingers found that sensitive muscle at the base of her wings again, dancing around the outside ridge with a light drift of his nails, while rocking his hips against her ass, knowing already just how much she liked the feeling. Dash’s reaction was just as strong as before, burying her face into the pillows to muffle her moans while he felt her writhing under his body. Dusk circled his fingers around the muscle about her wing base, noting the small differences between her and Derpy. Dash’s muscle was firmer, while Derpy’s was soft and squishy, and Dash’s had a more defined border, standing out on the athlete’s back.

As he moved his fingers towards the joint of her wing and back, Dusk found the muscle grew even firmer, and he assumed Dash’s constant flight worked the muscle harder, and had made a dramatic difference. Circling around the base of her wings on both sides, Dash’s hips began to jerk back against his groin, grinding against his hard-on uncontrollably. Her moans took on a higher pitch, and she tried to bury her face even further into her pillow.

Unable to help himself, Dusk leaned forward, keeping one hand on her flight muscles, kneading them gently but firmly. His other hand found the back of her free hand gripping the pillow, and after a moment, she loosened her grip just enough for him to slip his fingers into hers. He kissed the side of her neck, and her stifled moan was replaced by a muffled gasp. On a whim, he took her earlobe in between his lips, chewing on it gently and exhaling through his nose into her ear.

Almost immediately, Dash let out a loud scream into her pillow, tight ass bucking back against Dusk as hard as she could manage from underneath him. Her entire body began twitching randomly, and her wings had shot straight out to the sides to their full extent. As her scream tapered off, she slowly relaxed onto the bed again, Dusk still atop her. He couldn’t make out her low mumbling into the pillow, but she didn’t sound unhappy. Dusk let go of her ear and began placing more kisses against her neck.

After a few more moments, Dusk leaned back onto his knees. Dash felt his arousal pressing against her ass, and she playfully pressed into him for a moment before looking at him over her shoulder. Smirking, she said through a yawn, “Well, you earned this, at least.” Half-turning towards him again, clutching her pillow to her chest, she teased two fingers against his lips, before he let them in.

The taste of her was sharp and immediate, and meeting her grin, he took his time cleaning the fingers she’d been masturbating herself with. When she began pulling her fingers back, he let them go, before catching her hand and kissing her knuckles. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned back to the bed, laying down again. Her tail flicked up to tickle his chin, and she called back to him. “Tell Rares I said thanks for letting me borrow the room.”

He didn’t reply verbally, instead choosing to slip his hands up to her shoulders, taking a gentle grip and leaning in to kiss between her shoulder blades. She didn’t react, instead letting out a soft snore. “Asleep already. I suppose you really were the one who slept worse in the end.” Shaking his head and laughing a little to himself, Dusk stood up, taking a deep breath and straightening his clothing. Reaching for the door, a sudden sharp ‘Snork!’ made him freeze, turning to look back at Dash upon the bed. The mare had rolled over, and for a moment the room was silent, before she again began to snore, only this time her impressive volume matched her bold personality. Dusk couldn’t help but shake his head a little, admiring the half-naked mare, her pierced nipples now on full display from her new position on the bed. Muttering to himself, he resisted the urge to return to her. “Dash, you’re one mare in a million.”

Rarity was alone in the tea room when Dusk peeked in to check up on her, fingers coiled around a small porcelain cup. Her fingers lifted and lazily waved at him, while she gave a little nod at the open spot on the loveseat beside her.

Dusk knew a request when he saw one, and carefully settled into the seat beside Rarity, enjoying the plush cushion as his body sank in beside her. Rarity finished her tea and set it aside, then leaned her back against him, sniffing gently at the air and making a particular face, scrunching up her nose. “Oh, dear, oh dear, Dusk. You're going to have to learn some control. Everypony in town will know you were having fun with a mare if you go around smelling like that!”

Dusk hadn't noticed any strong scent, but instantly tried to find what she was talking about, shifting in his seat and sniffing his jacket, hands and even his armpits, awkward due to Rarity’s weight leaning back against him. Rarity began softly laughing, and he relaxed, wrapping his arms around the tiny mare, holding her close and lowering his head to rest beside hers, against her shoulder, nuzzling jaw to jaw. “Dash… got really excited when I tried some research. Do all pegasi go crazy after somepony touches the tender muscles at the base of their wings?”

Rarity’s soft laughter was silken, and she hugged his arms around her body, entwining her fingers with his, held him close, softly kissed his cheek before answering. “I'm afraid I've no answer, Dusk. Perhaps you could check with Bronze?”

Dusk sat up a little at the name but still held Rarity’s body close to his chest, sighing a little. “About Bronze, I-”

Rarity squeezed his hands tighter and smiled gently. "I'm sorry for cutting you off so quickly earlier, but I didn't think Dash needed to hear more right now. Besides, you shouldn't worry about it, Dusk, really. We talked a little more, and I understand. She's just not very comfortable around foals; it's really nothing that major, she'll get used to it in time. We could have her foal-sit Sweetie; if that doesn't make her feel more comfortable, nothing will."

Dusk winced, trying to decide just how much he could comfortably share without feeling like he was betraying Bronze and Cadence's trust. He put his hand on Rarity's, and squeezed her hand with a firm grip, giving her a smile, but shaking his head. "No, it's not just foals, Rarity. Look... when Cadence was treating her, she said Bronze... Bronze admitted to having violent nightmares about... about horrible things while under the influence of the Poison Joke. That's the real reason she is so leery. She's never been close to anypony romantically, and now all she remembers is the bad things that happened in her head. I... think she feels guilty at even having dreamed such things, even if it was the Poison Joke’s fault."

This gave Rarity cause to pause, and she watched him, at last finally understanding, he hoped. "Then, how about she comes over more often, so she can get more comfortable, and learn that things aren't as bad as her dreams. I want to work on a dress for her for the Grand Galloping Gala. I've nearly finished my pieces for everypony else, and I think she'd look simply wonderful if I could just get her to give me a few hours to work on the dress! Plus, it would give us time to relax and grow closer, and she'd see she be close to all of us, without any disastrous consequences!”

Dusk looked deep into Rarity’s eyes, and couldn’t help but be comforted by the depth of empathy he saw there. It was reassuring, and he let go of the breath he’d been holding without noticing he’d been doing so. He gave her a smile, at last releasing his worries about the damaged guard. “Alright, Rarity. You’re right. I’ll have her come over as soon as our work is done for the day. I hope you aren’t expecting me to wear one of those dresses.”

His attempt to diffuse the tension worked, and Rarity laughed, her hand stroking his jaw as she leaned in and kissing his lips softly. “No, Dusk. I’ve got something even better in mind for you... though you’d look rather stunning in a dress!” Her nose wrinkled as she got another whiff of Dusk. “Now, rather than confuse and tease Bronze with that smell, go jump in the shower, I'll lay out a new suit for you.” Gripping Dusk’s hands, Rarity stood up off the couch and pulled Dusk along behind her.

* * *

12:30pm, At school.

Sweetie Belle turned the sealed invitation in her hands, time and time again, looking around the classroom as the other foals ate, talked, or did Celestia knew what else. She’d finished her grapes and yogurt, but the invitation left on her desk continued to confound her. She didn’t need to open it, she’d seen the fake smile Diamond Tiara had plastered on while giving Twist her copy, and Apple Bloom had been quite loud about announcing she’d be there too, even before they’d given her an invitation as well. But now well into lunch, Apple Bloom continued to stare at her lunch, and hadn’t even touched the candy cane Twist had given everypony in class.

Scootaloo sat just a few feet away, and Sweetie knew she needed somepony to talk to, and Apple Bloom looked like she was in the same kind of obsessive mood as Momma got into sometimes. Swallowing back her worry about how grumpy Scootaloo could be at times, Sweetie got up and moved to Scootaloo’s side, gently tapping her on the shoulder.

Twisting around swiftly and scowling at first, Scootaloo glared up at Sweetie before her face melted into a momentary smile of recognition that was quickly painted over with a half-hearted glare. “Ya, whatcha want, Sweetie?”

Looking over Scootaloo’s shoulder at the busy classroom, Sweetie still didn’t feel comfortable, despite the fact that nopony around appeared to be paying them any attention. Leaning in close, she tried her best to not look worried and gestured outside, towards the hill Scootaloo always practiced at with Dash. “Ca… can you show me one of your awesome backflips? I haven't been able to come watch you practice in forever, and I really wanted to see how much you’ve improved!”

The glare that Scootaloo gave her at her feeble lie nearly made Sweetie’s knees buckle. She was already so nervous that they were already banging together. Giving a slight grunt, Scootaloo pushed her chair back and stood, throwing her arm around Sweetie’s shoulders and nodding to her. “Sure, Sweetie Belle. Maybe if you come to practice more, Dash’ll show you how to do backflips too.”

And that was it! They made their way outside the school without anypony paying them any more attention. Sweetie was sure at any moment somepony would jump up and question them, while Scootaloo talked on loudly about her special flight training. Sweetie was surprised at how casually Scootaloo acted when she could hardly stand up. Squeezing her hands into fists she tried her best to drive her panic away. “Just… just remember, Sweetie Belle. You're doing it for Apple Bloom! She does so much for you already.”

The teacher watching at the school door gave them a small wave, adding their names to the list of students who had left for the school yard during lunch, calling after them as she checked the clock. “Just remember, fillies! Only twenty five minutes left before class starts again! Don’t get too dirty playing in the grass!”

Outside, two teachers watched the other foals, though it was windy enough that few other students had bothered to come outside today. Scootaloo tried to stop right at the door, but Sweetie steeled herself and grabbed the older foal’s hand, and did her best to giggle casually. “C’mon, Scoot! Show me!” Running and doing her best to drag Scoot along, Sweetie tried to put on a normal smile and laugh. She wondered if other ponies had to pretend to be happy and casual when things troubled them. If that was something you had to learn to be an adult. The look on Apple Bloom's face was enough to sadden her, but she was trying her hardest to put on a happy face, at least until her and Scootaloo were alone. Recalling several breakfasts with Dusk over the last few months, she placed him firmly in the category of ponies who could put on a smile no matter how bad a day they were having.

Finally, they crested the hill where Dash always waited on the tree stump for Scootaloo and the other foals who needed help with flying. Empty this early in the day, Sweetie jumped up onto the short seat, brushing her skirt straight before laying her hands on her knees. Nopony was anywhere near them, and she finally felt like it was safe to talk without other ponies overhearing her, so she smiled up at Scootaloo. “Thanks for coming with me, Scoots. I-”

But Scootaloo didn’t let her go on, instead cuffing her on the shoulder playfully and taking a few steps back from the tree stump. “You said you wanted to see my backflip. Before we get all wrapped up in whatever you really want to talk about, you’ll watch me do a backflip and tell me I’m great, ‘cause I am!”

That made Sweetie laugh. Something in Scootaloo’s confidence made it impossible for her to say no. Sitting up taller, she giggled and clapped her hands together. “Alright! Then show me your best stuff, Scootaloo!”

Scoot cocked an eyebrow at that, and took another step backwards, her eye shifting to examine the space between them. Her tongue slipped free of her lips, wetting them as she squared her shoulders, and stomped down her right foot into the dirt, planting herself and adjusting her balance to the balls of her feet. Her wings unfolded behind her back, and flexed out, fully expanding them to the limit before relaxing several times. Cracking her neck, Scootaloo rolled her shoulders and finally locked eyes with Sweetie again. “J… Just don’t move, okay, Sweetie?”

Giggling softly, Sweetie kicked her feet as they hung off the tree stump, and nodded excitedly at Scootaloo. “Sure!”

Scootaloo suddenly launched off with her left foot, controlling her passage through the air with a precise series of wing flaps. Her arc was so steep, and Sweetie straightened up in her seat, all the while her jaw dropped, amazed at how high Scootaloo was soaring. Twisting around in midair, she suddenly dropped straight to the ground, landing heavily, nearly falling to her knees due to the weight of the impact with the ground. Just as Sweetie was about to cry out, Scootaloo suddenly kicked off again, this time staying low to the ground and flipping forward, her hands crossed behind her back as she cartwheeled across the grass, directly towards Sweetie. In one fluid motion, she landed the second low cartwheel, then launched off into a forward flip, this time flapping her wings again, to carry herself over Sweetie Belle’s head, landing and standing at full height behind her, hands thrown high into the air, wings spread wide. Only her tail’s excited dancing behind her hip revealed just how much she had enjoyed showing off for Sweetie.

Standing up and turning to face Scoot, Sweetie enthusiastically began clapping and dancing on the spot. “Scootaloo, that was amazing! You just did four flips in a row! Do you and Dash practise that often!?”

Blushing, Scootaloo crossed her arms behind her back, nervously planting the tip of her right foot in the dirt and rolling her ankle around in a circle. “What? I- well, uh. I’ve never tried that before. Changing the momentum around that much is kinda hard on the head, and I’ve been trying to practice that in private hoping I can show it off for Dash sometime.”

Sweetie jumped over the tree stump and hugged Scootaloo around the hips, burying her head against Scoot’s shoulder, laughing happily. “Scootaloo! You should totally show Dash you can do that! You’re fantastic, I’m sure she’d be so proud of you!”

Scootaloo blushed and kicked a foot in the dirt, refusing to look Sweetie in the eye, though she did slip a hand around the smaller filly’s shoulders. Taking a deep breath she straightened up and looked off towards the school. “So, uh yeah, before we’re late for class, what was it that you wanted to talk about, Sweetie?”

Remembering herself, Sweetie released Scootaloo and nodded, a hand straightening back some of her hair that had fallen out of place. Nervous all over again, she tried her best to straighten up and act confident like Rarity always did. “It’s about Diamond Tiara’s cuteceñera. I think th-”

Before she could finish, Scootaloo spat in the dirt and turned to head back to school, her wings flattening themselves against her back as she muttered aloud. “Yeah, ‘cause I SO want to go to that nightmare! Just standing in a corner while everypony in town pretends that Diamond Tiara is just so great while she rubs her cutie mark in my face! Thanks, but no thanks Sweetie!”

Having to run to catch up with Scootaloo, Sweetie grabbed her hand and tried her best to dig in her feet to stop the pegasus in her tracks. “But Scootaloo! You know Apple Bloom’s going to go even if we don’t! And you just know if she’s alone, Diamond Tiara will specifically find some way to single her out before all the adults, and that wouldn’t be right! We’d be horrible friends to leave her alone… and… well… oh... fiddlesticks!

Dragging Sweetie several feet as she talked, Scootaloo finally stopped, mostly because she needed a moment to catch her breath. Glowering at the younger mare, she shrugged, trying to free her arm from Sweetie’s grip. “So!? That’s her fault. Just ‘cause Peppermint Twist won her dumb bet with Diamond Tiara doesn’t mean we all have to go to her stupid party! Most ponies don’t even have cuteceñeras! It’s just an excuse for her to show off her dad’s money anyways!”

Stepping between Scootaloo and the school now that she’d stopped walking, Sweetie took a hold of both of Scootaloo’s hands and squeezed them tightly. “Yeah, but that’s why we have to go! If we don’t, Apple Bloom will be all alone. If we’re there, we can stick up for her, and you can tell Diamond off, and I can um… like… hide behind you or something, right?”

Fuming still, Scootaloo glared down at her, so Sweetie turned on her big eyes, the way she did that always worked on Rarity and Apple Bloom, and curled up her lip, pouting as deeply as she could. Twice, Scootaloo tried to form a response, but froze up each time. At last, she grunted and deflated, her shoulders drooping and head shaking. “Alright, alright! Enough. Just… just promise me you’ll get my drink and bring me snacks when I ask, alright?”

Releasing Scootaloo’s hands so she could excitedly clap her hands together and jump in place, she rushed to tightly hug Scootaloo around the hips again. “Thank you so much, Scootaloo! Maybe we can even have some fun at the party, right?!”

Groaning, Scootaloo ruffled Sweetie’s hair with one hand and rolled her eyes. “Sure, sure... and Silver Spoon will serve us cake and ice cream with a smile, right?”

Giggling, Sweetie linked arms with Scootaloo and joined her in walking back to class. “You’re right! That would be so much fun! Can you imagine it? She’d have to plaster a smile on and totally suck up to you!”

Author's Note

And another part complete. This is turning out longer than I'd thought but I am really liking how things are growing. Next comes the Diamond's Party, I can not wait to see how that goes. And just what is Mac up to?