Ponies Give Me Hope

Chapters

1 Let It Rain
2 Dreams Meet Disasters
3 Between Worlds
4 Out of Place
5 Feast and Firelight
6 In Shadow
7 Remnants of Another Life
8 Brothers and Sisters
9 Council and Cause
10 Never Too Late
11 The Calm Before
12 The Storm
13 Loss and Ashes
14 One Last Push
16 Epilogue
15 From the Ashes

1 Let It Rain

One warm Saturday afternoon, after snoozing my cell phone’s alarm for what must have been hours, I dragged myself out of bed only to find that my effort had been in vain. There was no doubt about it; my only orange juice carton was empty. A half-hour later, I found myself waiting in line at the grocery store with another jug of orange extra pulpy goodness. That’s when I first noticed it.

There was a little girl in line ahead of me with her hand buried in her mother’s fist, standing idly by while the discussion over her mother's expired reward certificates got real heated. The girl turned toward the shelves of candy, and as she did, a little toy on a keychain caught my eye. She had somehow attached it to the zipper of her windbreaker, and it flipped and flopped as she swayed to the rhythm of a song only she could hear. The toy was a pony—My Little Pony, to be precise. I dropped the orange juice right then and there. The girl shrieked as it exploded, but I was already halfway out of the automatic doors.

I recognized that pony, and I needed to be as far from it as possible.

After sprinting back to my apartment as quickly as my little asthmatic backside could carry me, I spent the next half a day curled up between my couch and the front door. I cradled the empty orange juice carton in both arms, occasionally glancing into it for the same reason that a single search through the refrigerator or cupboard is never enough. The thought that I should get up and make something of my day didn’t occur to me until it was far too late, so after consulting my work schedule to confirm that I did indeed work the following afternoon, I crawled back between my sheets and fell into a restless sleep.

The next afternoon I stumbled in to work bleary-eyed and bushy-haired. Of course, this would have been the day that my boss finally took notice of me. The extent of his efforts to assist with his diagnosis of my “overwhelming depression” only consisted of my first and last warning to shape up or ship out. I’ve never wanted to quit so badly, and I almost did right then and there, but I was worried that I would be disowned by my distant family. I managed to smile for the rest of my shift and stumbled back home to cradle my orange juice carton in the middle of the floor for a few more hours before I hit the hay. The carpet was comfortable, and the next day was the first of my weekend, which meant more time alone to think. I don’t like thinking anymore.

The belltower of the Catholic church up the hill and across the street from my apartment building binged and bonged six times before it got muffled, like it always does when a bird gets caught in the workings. It sounded like it may have tolled another five or so times before the muted ringing rolled off into the night. I managed to crawl my way down the little hall to my bedroom, where I fell asleep in my clothes on top of all the sheets.

I awoke to the sound of sleet smattering the little window over my bed. It somehow made sense that it would really start coming down on this day, of all days; the day I determined to take up jogging again. Adorned with colorful track shoes, green polyester shorts, and a grey hoodie, I stood in the doorway and watched the sleet come down in thicker sheets with each passing minute. It was then or never, or else not until I could muster the courage again. I took off down the road before I could make up my mind.

Two blocks away, I was turning onto the little trail that cuts through the park when I saw her. That same little girl from the grocery store was playing in her backyard just off the path, her windbreaker holding back the elements. The precipitation didn’t seem to bother her; she was engrossed in some little town she had constructed. I almost passed her by without a second glance, but then I saw the toy that she was playing with. Of course, it was the same My Little Pony toy. At least I could blame the downpour for the wetness around my eyes.

I had to stop halfway through the park to catch my breath, so I sat down on the grass in a little wooded glade and sobbed for a couple of minutes while I was at it. Soaked through and freezing cold, with mud sopping through my shorts; I was a spectacular mess. That must have been why she was so unconcerned. Finding a strange man crying his eyes out in an athletic outfit must be rather disarming.

It was the girl, hood up and hands clasped in front of her, holding the pink little pony. She was only a couple feet away, studying me as if to see whether her intrusion was welcomed. I rubbed the tears out of my eyes and simply nodded. I think she understood.

Without a word, she gingerly stepped forward and held the pony out toward me. As soon as I had accepted it, she turned and ran back up the path, slipping in an extra muddy patch as she rounded a corner and veered out of sight. So there I was; with the pony in hand, I found that I didn’t have it in me to cry anymore.

“Well, Pinkie Pie,” I said. “It looks like I can’t just avoid you forever.”

The sleet began to clear up as I tucked the pony into the hood of my jacket for safekeeping. I jogged the rest of the way home in patchy sunlight, arriving at my apartment just before dusk.

Author's Note

First Edition: November 10th, 2014
Second Edition: December 24th, 2014

2 Dreams Meet Disasters

As soon as I got home, that little pony went straight to my shelf for special things. The shelf was up high in my bedroom, right across from my bed so I could admire it while I was drifting off to sleep or when I was just waking up. There was a picture of my family there amidst other odds and ends, and a gilded arrow I was given for winning an archery competition, as well as the crispy remnants of the boutonniere from my senior prom. They were some of the most important pieces of my past; people and times I don’t want to ever forget.

I took a shower to wash off and warm up. The water got real cold all of a sudden, and I yelled as I smacked my knee leaping out of the stream of water. Somehow I landed upside down in a heap on the bathroom floor, so I reached up with my uninjured leg to shut the shower off. There was a fresh wave of despair as the sound of running water in the pipes continued. Something must have burst.

I emerged from my apartment wearing a clean set of sweats to find an extremely disgruntled plumber.

“Wazz’at you?” He grunted, one eye searching my face while the other went off somewhere to my right.

“I’m sorry. I was just taking a shower, and the hot water shut off.”

“That’s ‘cause I got the hot water pipe all undone. Doin’ the cold next. The joints are loosen’, everythin’ came t’ bits when some’n turned on their shower. Been flyers and signs f’days.” He stamped his foot down for emphasis.

I glanced back toward my door, and spotted half a dozen pieces of paper taped over one another. I guess I always had my head down when I came up the steps.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I started, foolishly letting my mind take over and finish the sentence on its own. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

There was most certainly something I could do, and he let me take care of that and everything else he could find until long after dark. I had the unfortunate combination of plumbing knowledge and a lack of the necessary willpower to say “no”. When I was finally in for the night, all I wanted was a tall glass of orange juice, but it continued to elude me. “Oh well,” I thought, as I made myself some instant ramen. After dinner, I curled up on the couch with my empty orange juice carton and decided to make another trip to the grocery store tomorrow.

I didn’t want to sleep out on the couch, but things rarely go as I intend. All night long I had strange, fevered dreams. The only clear memory I have is waking up to hear the muffled gong of the church bell three times, and then falling right into a strange dream involving something moving around my apartment in the dark. I heard it crashing into things, and it even muttered that it wished somepony was around who could cast a spell. In a patch of moonlight, I caught a glimpse of pink, and three balloons. A baby began to cry somewhere in the distance, and whatever was stumbling around my apartment left to investigate the noise, leaving me alone again.

The next day, in a rare change of pace, I woke up quite refreshed. I made my way into my bedroom to check the time on my cell phone and disable the alarms, but while I was there I felt a sudden wave of remorse. The girl had so freely given me what seemed to be her favorite toy, and I had taken it without a second thought. While I certainly appreciated the gesture, I couldn't keep it. It was a comforting totem, but there was too much emotion wrapped up in that little pink pony.

I reached toward the shelf to grab the toy, but I met only empty space. It had disappeared.

I began to frantically search my room, tossing aside piles of clothes and old scraps of fast food meals in my haste. After nearly ten minutes, I had determined several times over that it had not fallen off the shelf and landed somewhere below. I broadened my search pattern, checking under the bed and the nightstand, before I slammed my hand to the bed in frustration as I was standing up. Instead of my down comforter, I struck something hard.

The Pinkie Pie toy grinned back at me from the middle of my bed.

I paced back and forth between the shelf and the bed several times, considering everything from earthquakes to poltergeists, but the only conclusion I could reach was that the little girl deserved her prized possession back.

I grabbed the pony on my way out the door, before jogging down the street until I came to the head of the trail through the park. Same as yesterday, I saw the little girl out playing with the town she had built out of blocks and sticks. Clutched tightly in her hands was Pinkie Pie.

I knew it was the same My Little Pony toy. It had to be, because it was the same pink color, with the same fluffy pink mane. Three balloons adorned the pony’s flank—the same balloons that I had seen in the gloom of my apartment the night before. I was concerned with how quickly Pinkie Pie had infiltrated my sleeping thoughts, and wondered whether or not I should keep the toy. Pinkie Pie might prove too painful to keep so close at hand.

While I stood there perplexed the girl glanced up and noticed me. I decided that it was my turn to run away.

Rather than running home, I made my way back through the park. I needed more time to clear my head. As I was entering the glade where I had stopped before, the glint of what appeared to be a flaming bird passed between two treetops. I was so distracted that I failed to notice the giant patch of mud right in the middle of the path.

Naturally, I slipped, which sent me sailing through the air with my arms and legs flailing in a frantic attempt to gain control. I realized that it wasn’t going to work just a split-second before I slammed into a wrinkly old oak headfirst. My momentum carried me spinning in an arc toward a large stone statue: a majestic stallion rearing back triumphantly atop a chiseled marble base.

What a nice sculpture, I thought to myself, as I collided with it at full velocity. Everything went black after that.

Author's Note

Yes, the statue is a reference. No, it is not the same one, but of the same type. ;)

3 Between Worlds

In the depths of my addled mind, the first thing I noticed was the sound of multiple voices conversing. I found it difficult to open my eyes, and they sounded less than hostile, so I decided to let my concussion sort itself out while I listened to what they had to say.

“Get away from it, it could be dangerous!”

“I don’t think so. I’ve met some of its kind before. I didn’t get a chance to study them, but the preliminaries were quite successful!”

“Oh! So it’s nice? Oh, oh oh! Once it’s awake, can I be the one to welcome it?”

“No! No songs, Pinkie. We can’t afford to attract attention.”

With renewed energy, thanks to a burst of adrenaline, I managed to crack one eye open. I expected to be blinded by the sun, but found that I was laying in the shade of some very large and strange looking trees. It almost looked like the same glade I had knocked myself out in, but just like the trees towering above, everything around me had an unnaturally smooth coloration. Three especially colorful patches gradually resolved themselves into three little ponies, almost five feet from hoof to shoulder.

The closest one to me was a purple pony, with a darker purple mane that had bright pink and violet highlights. She had a horn in the center of her forehead, which honestly didn’t look dangerous at all. The next nearest pony was a lighter violet, with a long golden mane, a pair of wings, and a skeptical, defensive expression. She was holding back the third pony, who I immediately recognized thanks to her color and the balloons on her flank. It was her. Pinkie Pie. I found that it suddenly felt difficult to breathe, so I tried sitting up.

The closest pony’s eyes grew wide and curious, drinking in every detail as I moved upright. The violet one only seemed to become more suspicious of me, while Pinkie Pie started to grin.

“Oh, please, please can I sing him my welcoming song?” Pinkie said, as she struggled to get around the pony with the golden mane. Without waiting for a response, Pinkie began to belt out her song. “Welcome! Welcome! Wel—”

“Shush!” The violet pony stuffed a hoof into Pinkie’s mouth. The purple one didn’t take her eyes off of me the whole time. Once I seemed cognizant, she smiled and addressed me.

“Hello! I’m Twilight Sparkle, what’s your name?”

“I’m Max,” I responded. My full name is actually Timothy James Maxwell, but I had always liked the sound of Max, and this seemed as good of a chance as any for a fresh start. It felt strangely natural to be conversing with a child’s toy. Maybe I had hit my head harder that I thought. I noticed that, like Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle had a mark on her flank as well—some kind of star burst. The violet pony’s flank was adorned with a trio of prominent magenta flowers.

“Nice to meet you, Max. Do you know where you are?” I took a leisurely look around. The world had suddenly turned into some Saturday morning cartoon, as far as colors and shapes were concerned. The grass was incredibly soft, and I started to believe that if I had a decent supply of orange juice, I might just lay there and never get up. The sun was low in the clear cyan sky, peeking through the tree canopy to my left and dappling the glade with leafy shadow patterns. It was definitely not the same one from the park near my apartment. I shook my head, which reminded me of exactly how I had arrived there. The headache was dizzying.

“Ah, I see. What happened to you? You seem quite dazed—did you hit your head?” After having a good look around I was too awe-struck by the whole situation to form a coherent sentence, so I simply nodded, more gently this time.

“Well, not to worry, Max! We’ll get your head bump taken care of.” Twilight’s horn started to glow, and I felt as though I had become weightless. I started to float up and over toward Twilight until I found myself rather unceremoniously draped across her back.

“Twilight, we can’t take it back to camp! What if it’s with them?” The violet pony appeared shocked that Twilight would even dare to suggest such a thing.

“Come on, Lily. It will be fun! Oh, oh oh! Can I sing it the song once we get back to camp?!” Pinkie simply exploded with excitement.

“Sure, Pink—” Twilight began to answer, but was suddenly interrupted by a burst of cheering from Pinkie Pie.

“Shush!” Lily clamped her front hooves around Pinkie’s mouth, eyes darting from side to side at the shrubs and bushes ringing the glade. When Pinkie was finished, she removed her hooves and started back down the path, gesturing that the other ponies should follow. “We’ve made quite enough noise for now. This area seems clear. Let’s head back before that changes.”

Twilight set off at a trot, with Pinkie falling slightly behind so that she could get a good look at me. I was quite the oddity for them, but it worked both ways. Pinkie in particular was uncomfortably familiar to me though, so I couldn’t bring myself to return her wonder filled gaze.

Author's Note

When I was first laying the groundwork for the story, I knew that I wanted to introduce an OC, but one that was a bit more grounded in the preexisting lore than traditional OCs.

Meet Lily Blossom, based on the MLP toy of the same name. I've seen her around the fandom before, but I thought it would be fun to take her and give her my own twist, building her character for my tale from the ground up. I hope you have as much fun getting to know her as I did writing her =)

4 Out of Place

We followed the path as it wound over wooded hills and through valleys with bubbling streams. Before I knew it, the sun was almost directly overhead. Several hours must have passed since they found me out in the forest, but I barely noticed the passage of time. Everything was still far too surreal.

We eventually emerged into a large clearing, dotted with makeshift structures and tents. There were dozens, if not hundreds of ponies bustling about their daily routines. I saw a wide variety of ponies representing every color of the rainbow, some of them with horns like Twilight, some flying about with the wings anchored in the center of their backs, and others without any distinguishing traits besides their flank marks. As soon as our little party emerged from the forest, many ponies turned to greet the returning three with cheerful smiles, but froze when they saw me. I attracted a lot of stunned and mystified stares; it wasn’t altogether unlike high school for me. Apparently, even though Twilight had some kind of past encounter with humans, it wasn’t a common experience.

Pinkie Pie promptly burst into song the second we crossed into the huge meadow, but I was experiencing a sensory overload; I didn’t hear a word she said. The four of us made our way through the growing throng, having to travel in single file until we arrived at a small hut made of mud and sticks with a tall chimney in the center of the roof.

“Zecora?” Twilight called, knocking on the makeshift door with her hoof. There was the clatter of glass and the sound of something wooden falling over, before the door opened to reveal a black and white striped pony with a tall, spiky mane. The zebra smiled, glancing around at the massive collection of ponies that had gathered at her door, all of them studying me.

“Hello Twilight! What is it you need? A potion for healing, or something for feed? For this many ponies I couldn’t hope to provide, enough food for all; I may just run and hide. ” Yes, it was a rhyming zebra. I suppose I should have expected as much.

Twilight giggled. “Oh, no. I just need some medicine for my friend here. I found him in the forest while we were on patrol. His name is Max!”

At the mention of my name, a low murmur went up from the gathering of ponies. Some of them tried gingerly sounding it out.

“Ah, a potion for healing; that I can do! Wait just a moment, while I mix a brew.” With that, Zecora disappeared into her hut. She emerged a minute later with a glass flask balanced on her nose that was filled with some sort of deep red liquid. It wasn’t orange juice, but I still hoped that it could sooth my thrumming headache.

“Thanks!” Twilight’s horn began to glow again, and the flask levitated through the air toward me, coming to rest on my back. I awkwardly contorted my arm to grab it before it could topple off. Zecora bowed her head slightly and returned inside, while our group set off again through the sea of ponies, arriving at a small hut seated atop a hill overlooking the town. A few minutes later, I found myself in a little bed made of soft blankets and surrounded by bookshelves in what I rightly presumed to have been Twilight’s home. The two other ponies peered in through the door. Lily frowned, still disapproving of my presence.

“Alright, time to take your medicine!” Twilight smiled, her horn glowing yet again, and I suddenly found the flask pressed against my lips. I cautiously took a small sip of the liquid, and discovered that it was incredibly sweet, like the richest blend of berries and fruit I had ever tasted. Quickly gulping down the rest, I found that the world around me returned to a blurry jumble of colors and shapes.

“You can rest here for a while. Dinner won’t be for a couple of hours. I hope you feel better,” Twilight said softly while moving toward the door. It could have been something in the potion, but all of a sudden I felt exhausted. I only briefly fought my heavy eyelids before the warmth and comfort of my little nook in the blankets drew me in, and I fell asleep.

5 Feast and Firelight

I awoke hours later completely refreshed from my little nap, and I made my way toward the door to peer out into the growing twilight. The first stars of the evening were twinkling in the sky, and the chill bite of the wind made me glad that I had forgotten to change out of my sweats the day before. In the distance, between the ramshackle structures, I could see the bright and cheery glow of some kind of bonfire. By the sound of it, every pony in town was there. It wasn’t long before I convinced myself to head over and investigate; didn’t Twilight mention something about dinner?

I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I began to think about food. There was no time to waste, and so I soon found myself at the edge of a small clearing in the center of town, trying to make sense of what was going on. It looked like a massive feast had been prepared.

Tables were scattered all around what appeared to be the town square, piled high with a variety of pies, cupcakes, muffins, and other baked goods. The ponies had already seen to a great deal of the meal; heaps of empty dishes and tins were collecting at the ends of every table. The smell was absolutely heavenly. My mouth started to water, but I felt rather uncomfortable, as though I didn’t belong and didn’t have the right to barge in and eat. Of course, I most definitely did not belong here.

Thankfully, Twilight Sparkle noticed me standing outside of the firelight. She smiled and hopped down off of the bench she was sitting on, beckoning to me with a hoof.

“Max, you finally woke up! How’s your head?”

“It feels fine,” I replied. “Whatever was in that potion seemed to work.”

It really didn’t hurt anymore, but I wouldn’t have noticed anyways; my stomach was noisily demanding that I appease it. Once again, I had begun to attract the attention of the ponies, but since they were already somewhat familiar with me, it wasn’t long before their interest returned to their plates.

Maybe I was still dreaming. I couldn’t really be sitting in the midst of a feast with several hundred ponies.

Well, I thought, I’m still here after my nap. Don’t you usually wake up when you fall asleep in a dream?

“Max? You’re staring,” Twilight laughed, snapping me out of my reverie. I hope she still thinks that I’m just a little hazy from the blow to the head, or else I must seem rather rude.

“Right, sorry,” I apologized. “So, what’s going on here? May I have something to eat? I’m really hungry.”

“Oh, of course you can!” Twilight shoved a massive pie in front of me, and I sat down in a hurry. Before I took a bite, I glanced around first to confirm a growing suspicion.

“No forks, or spoons, or anything?”

“Forks?” Twilight cocked her head to the side. Oh well.

I dove right in, using my hands as necessary to shovel as much of that delightful treat into my mouth as I could fit. It was apple pie, mixed through with some kind of spices that tasted vaguely like cinnamon, and a thick, flaky crust that was baked to perfection. All of the ponies at the table stopped eating to watch me give that pie what for, but I was too hungry to care.

I finished it in about ten seconds, and as soon as I had pushed the tin back and licked my fingers, Twilight maneuvered a tray of cupcakes in front of me.

“Try these,” she said. They looked tasty, but smelled like they were infused with apples as well. Didn’t they have any other fruits? Maybe an orange?

Random, non-equine visitors can’t be choosers, I suppose.

I crammed them into my mouth, and discovered that the blend of spices was completely different. Taken all together, it barely tasted like apples at all, but it was immensely sweet.

“Those cupcakes were made by the pink pony from the group of us that found you,” Twilight explained. “I’ll have to introduce you; her name is Pinkie Pie!”

I nearly choked. What I couldn’t manage to force down my throat, I ended up spewing all over the table. The ponies opposite of me probably received far more for their first contact with a human than they could have ever hoped.

“Are you alright?” Twilight said, slapping my back heartily. There's nothing like a hoof to the spine to clear out your airways.

“Yeah,” I coughed. “I’m fine, thanks. It was just so good that I overdid it.” I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks.

“It happens to all of us from time to time,” she said, giving me a little half smile before she kindly changed the subject. “So, how exactly did you end up here?”

“Well, I was running through the park near my apartment, and I slipped and fell.” Short, sweet, and concise.

“Apartment? Where do you live, exactly? You’re a long way from Fillydelphia or Manehatten, but I don’t think you’ve come from either of those cities, have you?” Twilight’s ears perked up, eagerly anticipating my response. I needed to get to the bottom of this.

“No, I definitely have not,” I replied. “Where am I right now?”

“You’re in New Ponyville!” Twilight gestured in a wide arc to the whole town.

“I don’t think I’m in California anymore.” I definitely hit my head harder than I thought.

“No, you’re most certainly not in Cal-i-for-nia anymore,” she said, enunciating each syllable as she tested the word. She seemed pleased, and smiled at me before continuing. “You’re in Equestria! Deep within the Everfree Forest, to be precise.”

Equestria, and the Everfree Forest . . . So, for my purgatory, I get sucked into the wonderful world of My Little Pony? Well, I thought, if the food is always this delightful it might not be half bad for an afterlife. Raised voices behind us drew Twilight’s attention, and she gestured toward the distant edge of the clearing.

“Look, another patrol group is coming back!” Three ponies stepped into the firelight: a timid looking yellow one, with wings and a flowing pink mane; a white one, with a wavy purple mane; and a big, red stallion with a mop of an orange mane. The returning group exchanged greetings with their relief, who trotted up to meet them. The other patrol strode off into the darkness, as nearby ponies waved goodbye or stomped their hooves to send them off. The yellow pony and the white pony parted ways with the stallion, and made their way over to Twilight once they had picked her out of the crowd.

“Max, I’d like you to meet Fluttershy and Rarity, two of my best friends!” Twilight beamed with joy.

“Oh, uh . . . Hello,” Fluttershy muttered, shrinking back from me. As she turned away, I saw that she had a mark on her flank as well; hers was three butterflies. The white one, Rarity, had a trio of diamonds for her mark.

“Delighted to meet you, sir,” Rarity said as she made an elegant curtsy, which she managed to do gracefully despite having four legs. I liked her; she seemed to take meeting a human in stride. Meanwhile, the other ponies at our table had grown rather rowdy, all of them scrambling over one another to grab the last pie.

“How was the patrol, girls?” Twilight asked, leaning toward them in order to hear over the melee.

“It was fabulous! Absolutely quiet, just the way I like it,” Rarity replied.

“I-it was alright,” Fluttershy squeaked, still turned obliquely away from me. “Has there been any word from Rainbow Dash?”

Twilight began to answer Fluttershy’s question, but stopped to address me first. She must have noticed my curious expression.

“Rainbow Dash is another friend of ours. She’s currently leading a team of Pegasi over the Eastern Mountains to scout out a more permanent place for us to settle down,” Twilight explained. “As nice as this place is, it’s definitely not our home.”

“How did you end up here?” I asked. I thought it was a legitimate question, but Twilight didn’t seem especially keen on answering it.

“Say, girls, have you eaten yet? You must be hungry after your patrol.” Real subtle Twilight, but lucky for you I can take a hint.

Rarity and Fluttershy said goodbye and set off to find a less crowded table for dinner. When Twilight and I turned back to our plates, we discovered that the other ponies had utterly consumed everything and then left while we were talking. Well, dinner had been nice enough.

“What warranted the feast tonight?” I asked.

Twilight answered my question cheerfully. “Usually, on this day of the year in Ponyville, all of the ponies get together and have what we call ‘Winter Wrap Up’. The Pegasus, Unicorn, and Earth ponies each form teams with their own list of tasks to help bring in spring.”

I looked around, but I couldn't find a single speck of snow. “Seems like you all did a good job.”

Twilight shrugged. “There wasn’t really any winter to wrap up this year, but we decided that it would be a good boost to morale if we held the festivities anyways.”

I deduced that the Pegasus ponies must be the ones with wings, and that the Earth ponies were the regular ones. It was interesting to see so many different types of ponies working and playing together in harmony. Even the Earth ponies seemed content just to be themselves, without the ability to fly or magic spells. Their tight knit community was heartening.

“Oh, the dance is starting!” Twilight exclaimed, leaping up when she noticed that the ponies were beginning to gather around the fire, moving the nearest tables back to make room.

“You go have fun.” I didn’t have to tell her twice; she rushed off before I could finish.

The ponies formed rings around the fire, spreading out in layers like an onion. A group off to the side began stomping their hooves in a rhythmic beat, while the circles of ponies began to move in opposite directions every other layer.

They twirled in and out, switching places as they spun. The beat increased in tempo, and the ponies matched it, exchanging spots with other dancers so quickly that it seemed impossible to keep track of where one should be, until the mess cleared and the layers rematerialized again with all the ponies in their original locations. It reminded me of a waltz, only far more complex.

I spotted Twilight near the center, spinning around until I wondered how she didn’t fall over. She was waving her hooves around as she danced; it looked rather ridiculous, but it was somehow endearing at the same time. The whole lot of them seemed so carefree that I found it contagious; I couldn’t help but start tapping my foot to the beat.

As they danced, a pony across the square from me drew my attention. The violet Pegasus from Twilight’s patrol, Lily, was standing at the very limit of the firelight, watching the dancers with a mournful expression. She turned away and moved down an alley, disappearing into the night. To follow her, or not to follow her? It wasn’t a tough choice. I’ve always been too inquisitive for my own good.

I made my way over to the alley, dodging ponies who were still eating or obviously trying to appear deep in conversation so that they wouldn’t be thought less of for not joining in the dance. With one last glance backward to make sure that Twilight hadn’t noticed, I melted into the shadows. The alley connected to a street, which led out of the town, disappearing into the thick, tangled bushes at the perimeter of the Everfree Forest. The bushes swayed slightly; Lily must have already passed into the inky black beneath the boughs of the trees.
I crept toward the edge of the forest, checking once more to ensure that I hadn’t attracted any attention, before pushing through into the wilderness beyond.

Author's Note

When I first discovered the Redwall series, I managed to talk a friend of mine into letting me borrow his massive stack of the first twenty or so books, and I binged on them through one warm, memorable summer. The feasts in the world of Mossflower were always meticulously detailed, and grounded the fantasy in something that everyone could relate to- the love of great food, peaceful times, and pleasant company.

Thank you, Mr. Jacques, for all the "good yarns".

6 In Shadow

It was a gloomy world out there after dark. The foliage seemed to muffle any noise from within or without. Distant insect chirps and nocturnal bird calls weren’t enough to obscure the sound of my own beating heart. I followed the path for miles over hills, around boulders, and under naturally formed arches of earth and stone suspended between rocky cliffs.

I was beginning to think that I had lost Lily’s trail when I caught the briefest glimpse of a pony just ahead of me as the figure passed between two trees. I tried to pick up the pace, but ended up snapping a twig in my haste.

I froze, every breath sounding obnoxiously loud and my heart racing at the thought of being discovered. How could I possibly explain this in a way that didn’t seem creepy or downright suspicious? Curiosity would kill the Max, for sure.

The pony peeked back between the trees, and I noticed that she was a Pegasus like Lily, but with a shorter, yellow mane and a gray colored body . . . Definitely not her. She took off once she noticed me ever so stealthily standing out in the open. I let out a quick, explosive sigh as I attempted to catch my breath again.

Wham!

I was struck from behind by something very hard and very fast, which sent me flat out on my face in the dirt. I spat out soil as I spun around to find a very angry Lily.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Um . . . ” I hesitated, searching for a reasonable answer. Quite honestly, at the time, that little pony terrified me. She seemed utterly enraged.

“Speak up, foal!”

“I was wondering“—I changed my approach mid-sentence—“I saw that you were standing off by yourself during the feast. I wanted to know that you were alright.” My answer seemed less than satisfactory to the both of us.

“Like you care,” she hissed between gritted teeth. “So then it just followed naturally to sneak after me and scare her off, is that it? That was the first time I had seen her in months.” She was seething at this point, venomously spitting out every word.

“I’m sorry! I really am!” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, until my filter disengaged and I asked something spectacularly thoughtless. “Who was she? That other pony?”

All I received in response was an exasperated “Humph”, along with a flurry of hooves and wings. Covering my head and peering through my fingers, I watched Lily take off and tear through the tree canopy, causing sticks and leaves to rain back down on me.

Good job there, Max.

It was a long and lonely trip back to New Ponyville, and when I finally stumbled out of the bushes into town, I almost tripped over a unicorn with a lantern hanging from his horn who hurriedly announced my presence.

“He’s over here,” the stallion called back over his shoulder. Oh, they noticed that I was gone.

A wave of ponies came crashing down around me. The sea parted as quickly as it had formed, and Twilight stood in the gap. She trotted up to me and threw her front hooves around my shoulders.

“Where did you go? I was so worried for you! It’s dangerous to be out after dark around here, especially alone.” The sincerity in her voice reassured me that she was just watching out for me. Before I could fully dispel the sensation of being a scolded, guilty child, I heard another voice speak up.

“Yeah, where were you, newcomer?” Lily strode out of the crowd and glared at me.

“I just went out for a walk. I didn’t know it was so dangerous here. I find it quite refreshing to get off by myself; it helps me to sort my thoughts,” I said in a rush. “I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m a little out of my element here.”

That earned a sympathetic laugh from the ponies, Twilight included. Lily continued to glare at me, the slightest edge of anger still visible.

Twilight let go of me, and stepped away. “Well, if you’re going to stay here for any length of time, it looks like we’ll have to set down some ground rules. For your own safety, I can assure you. For one, just like everypony else, no more expeditions into the forest alone. Two, I think you’ll need a representative of ponykind to serve as a liaison for the duration of your visit. I suppose I will fill that role for the time being.”

“Alright, everypony! I think it’s time we get some rest. More patrol rotations tomorrow,” Twilight said, trying her best to act enthusiastic, though I could hear the weariness in her voice.

The ponies began to disperse, some yawning and struggling to keep their eyes open. Lily made eye contact one last time before she left, to ensure that I knew she hadn't forgiven me. I followed Twilight back to her hut, where we were met by a nice little purple and green dragon named Spike who was another close friend of Twilight’s. He retrieved some blankets from a small wooden chest, and the three of us set up a bed for me in the common area of Twilight’s hut.

“Tomorrow, I’ll take you with us on patrol,” Twilight commented. “It will be good to have another pair of eyes along!”

She retreated back into her little alcove after bidding me goodnight, and Spike curled up near the foot of her bed. As I was drifting off, I heard Twilight rouse a grumpy Spike.

“Oh, Spike! I almost forgot. Before you fall asleep, could you take a letter for me?” He grumbled something, but retrieved a piece of paper and a quill from another chest in the back.

Twilight cleared her throat, and began: “Dear Princess Luna . . . “

7 Remnants of Another Life

I woke up nearly an hour before dawn and watched the sunrise from the doorway of Twilight’s hut. Just as the shafts of golden light touched the treetops, Twilight emerged from her corner of the hut and yawned. Spike was still snoring at the foot of her bed.

“Good morning,” she said cheerfully.

“Good morning, Twilight,” I replied. “How’d you sleep?”

“I slept quite wonderfully, thank you for asking!” She smiled at me and completely assuaged any lingering homesickness. It wasn’t like I had much else waiting for me back home, and I felt as though we were already old friends.

Breakfast was a delightfully tasty affair. All of the ponies gathered again in the town square, sitting at tables around the smoldering remains of the bonfire from last night. An orange pony wearing a cowboy hat and three apples for a flank mark wheeled in a large wagon shortly after every pony had gathered.

The wagon was filled with pots of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Every pony lined up and came away with steaming bowls of rich, creamy oatmeal, topped with a variety of fruits and berries. I made my way through the queue and quickly downed my first bowl, preparing to seek out seconds when Lily plopped down at the table Twilight and I had chosen.

“Hello, Lily Blossom!” Twilight greeted her with her usual enthusiasm. Lily nodded and smiled at Twilight, but she wouldn’t look at me.

Twilight seemed to notice, but before she addressed the tension, she also saw that my bowl was empty. “Oh! Allow me, Max. Would you like some as well, Lily?”

Lily nodded again. Twilight grabbed my bowl and her own with magic and trotted over to the line of ponies forming for seconds. I didn’t know what else to do, so I tried to apologize.

“Look, Lily; I’m sor—”

“I don’t care,” Lily grumbled. I appreciated her honesty.

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Then you’re careless,” she snapped.

“Hey, I’m just trying to—”

Her eyes narrowed as she interrupted me again. “Apologize? I don’t want to hear your apology. How about a new rule? We are not to speak to one another for the rest of your stay here.” I almost allowed myself to feel snubbed, but then I remembered that what happened last night was ultimately my fault. A lovely, looming cloud of failure parked over my head, and I started to feel an uncomfortably familiar ache in my chest.

It wasn’t long before Twilight returned with three full bowls. “Here you go, you two. Eat up!”

While Lily and I set to the new portions of oatmeal, Twilight caught Pinkie Pie’s attention and waved her over to our table. With the whole patrol sitting together, Twilight assumed her leadership persona.

“Listen up, everypony. Today, we’ll be taking our standard route west, curving north toward Old Ponyville, and then back down to New Ponyville. As usual, we should arrive home just in time to help the Apple family prepare for dinner.” I mentally checked out for a moment to ponder the humor in an entire family being named after apples. It was no wonder that they ate so much apple related stuff. I presumed that it must have been some kind of cultural thing.

“Max, are you paying attention?” Twilight didn’t seem upset by my lapse of concentration—rather, she seemed amused.

“I am now.”

She nodded, satisfied. “Good, because this is important! As I was saying, the purpose for our patrols is twofold: verify the integrity of our borders, and search the Everfree Forest for a lost pony. She left New Ponyville just shy of two months ago, and we haven’t seen or heard from her since.” Lily turned away from our group, while Twilight continued. “She’s out there somewhere, but it only becomes more dangerous for her with each passing day. We are to keep an eye out for any clues as to her whereabouts as we patrol the Everfree. Perhaps we may even find her ourselves, and bring her home.”

Pinkie Pie scooted over toward Lily Blossom and threw a hoof around her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Lily,” Pinkie reassured her. “We’ll find her.”

*****

We embarked on our patrol immediately after breakfast. Twilight gave me a satchel that Rarity had made for me overnight. I was amazed at the intricate, detailed needlework—Rarity was quite the seamstress. There was a day’s worth of provisions inside: some apples, bread, and cupcakes from the feast, as well as a glass flask filled with water. It cheered me up that she had thought of me.

As we walked, I lingered near the rear of the line, mulling over the situation with Lily and the significance of the lost pony. I was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice when Pinkie Pie fell back to walk beside me.

“So, this must be weird, huh? You being a . . . Whatever you are, so far from home,” Pinkie Pie inquired, her fluffy tail bobbing up and down as she trotted along the path. ”Where is your home, anyways?”

Despite my internal crisis, I laughed. “Well, I’m called a ‘human’, and I don’t exactly know where home is anymore.”

Pinkie Pie’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, watching me drink in the sights. “Is it like this there too?”

There were more shades of green on display between the trees, shrubs, and grass than I had ever seen before. Flowers and fruit bearing trees dotted the landscape, speckling the fields and tree canopy with color.

“No,” I replied. “Not really. It’s especially beautiful here.” We passed a large patch of blue flowers off to one side of the path, which the ponies gave a wide berth.

In the distance, between the trees, I spotted the ruins of a castle. It was set into the side of another mountain ridge beside the Eastern Mountains, and the remnants of its glittering towers and blindingly white walls were breathtaking. I tried to imagine how it looked in its prime. Pinkie Pie smiled at me and made her way forward to talk to Lily, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

That was my first carefree interaction with Pinkie Pie. It was a pretty big milestone for me—just a year ago, I didn’t think I would have ever been able to look at that little pony without bursting into tears, and already I was able to converse with her without painful memories cropping up until after the fact.

Since my eyes were clouded with daydreams and had blurred with tears, I didn’t notice that the group had stopped. I tripped over Twilight and sprained my wrist trying to catch myself.

“Ouch!” she yelped, which prompted the other ponies to clap their hooves over her mouth. Her eyes were wide, staring up through the leaves and branches. I followed her gaze, and caught a glimpse of something gliding silently across the sky, slithering through the air like a snake through grass. The creature flew behind two tall, birch-like trees, and in the gap between them I was finally able to see it unobstructed.

It was some kind of hybrid—an assortment of body parts attached to an elongated trunk covered in dark brown fur. A zebra’s mane and antlers adorned its head, with one arm which looked like an eagle’s claw, the other like a lion’s paw, and legs which looked like a cross between a chicken and a dinosaur. Its tail was scaly, and ended in a white tuft of fur.

It might have been comical under other circumstances, but the reaction of my companions coupled with the chill down my spine tempered the humor of its appearance. Soon enough, the creature had carried on, away from us and out of sight. The ponies gasped in unison; they had been holding their breath.

“What was that?” I asked, once I was satisfied that the danger had passed.

“Dissonance,” Twilight said, growling slightly.

About a quarter of a mile later the trees thinned, and we could see out of the forest over a vast valley of rolling hills, lush grass, beautiful flowers, and the wrecked remnants of dozens of buildings in the center of it all. Some of them still sent wisps of smoke spiraling up into the sky—there wasn’t much left standing. The charred trunk of a massive tree stood sentry over the rubble near to where the center of town would have been, and the crystal shards of another castle or fortification stood just beyond it.

“Old Ponyville,” Pinkie Pie whispered. “Can we go back now, Twilight? Please?”

Twilight silently guided the group back down the path, but I stole one last glance over my shoulder as we departed. Dissonance had perched in the shattered remains of the crystal structure, surveying the debris with his shoulders shaking as though he were laughing.

8 Brothers and Sisters

We made it back to New Ponyville later than expected, while the evening sky was still brilliant shades of orange and pink. The next group due for patrol sauntered over to begin their journey as we entered the square. We took their old table in the just as dinner was being served: delightful dandelion soufflés with a side of hay fries. Twilight excused herself as soon as she had finished her plate, saying that she had letters to write.

She grabbed Spike out of the crowd with her magic and took him along. He protested the whole way, clutching fistfuls of hay fries and his half eaten soufflé. In her haste, Twilight swung him by his invisible leash directly across a table, causing ponies to dive out of the way as platters covered with food flew everywhere.

Pinkie Pie and Lily doubled over with laughter at the spectacle, having to support one another or risk toppling off of the bench. Rarity, Fluttershy, and the orange pony who had introduced herself to me as Applejack came over just to see what all the fuss was about, and ended up laughing simply at the sight of those two. I joined in as well, and found it quite refreshing—I hadn’t enjoyed myself like that in a long time.

After the ponies finished wiping the mirthful tears from their eyes, a cart came by with mugs and a big barrel of cider, so the three newcomers hurried into open seats at our table. Everyone had their own mug, filled to the brim with spiced apple cider that foamed over and cascaded down the sides. I don’t know where they were producing the barrels from, but the flow of cider never relented—the serving ponies were always right there with a new barrel and another mug-full of the frothy, cold beverage.

“Imagine what Dashie would say if she knew we were drinking her favorite cider without her,” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle.

I listened in silence as the ponies talked, not wanting to interrupt the pleasant conversation between good friends, but then they noticed my lack of participation and determined to invite me into their circle. Every pony except for Lily asked me all sorts of questions, mostly about what my world was like, but eventually they started straying into questions about my family and I grew uncomfortable rather quickly. I think the ponies could sense my hesitation, all save for Pinkie Pie. The question was bound to come sooner or later.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Pinkie asked, grinning as she anticipated my response. Of all the ponies to ask me that, why did it have to be her?

I slowly shook my head. “You know what, it’s been a long day, and I’m pretty tired . . . “

Awkwardly excusing myself, I made my way back to Twilight’s hut, where I found her reading a thick old tome in the common area. Just like last night, Spike was sawing logs from his spot at the foot of her bed. As soon as she noticed me, Twilight closed the book and gave me her full attention.

“Hello, Max. Did you have a good time?” I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and if I were being honest, the evening had been wonderful up until the last five minutes. I tried to focus on the rest of the night, gathering my wits for a moment before replying.

“I had a great time,” I said, with a half-hearted smile that I hoped would convince her. “The cider was delicious, and your friends are good company.”

“I’m glad you think so,” she smiled, cocking her head to the side and raising an eyebrow quizzically. “Are you ready for another patrol tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

This time, my smile was genuine.

*****

“Move!” Twilight shouted, knocking me aside. So far, my second day on patrol with her group was going swimmingly. I flew sideways into the bushes, just a split-second before the meaty paw of a huge, lumbering beast cut through the air where I had been standing. Slobber dripped from his chin as the creature struggled to process this sudden and unexpected turn of events.

“Over here, ugly!” Pinkie Pie had come up right behind him and promptly delivered a powerful kick with her hind legs. The massive brute reeled forward, but was caught by two of his kin and shoved back toward our group. Lily flew down from the tree she had been perched on and collided, hooves first, with his head. That was the final straw which allowed him to slip the burdens of consciousness. The two pack mates he blundered in with did not take kindly to his defeat.

“What are these things?” I called to Twilight as I ducked another gnarled paw.

Twilight was pouring all of her concentration into levitating an old, rotted tree trunk and slamming it into the nearest of the strange, misshapen canines. I don’t think she even heard me.

“They’re called Diamond Dogs!” Lily yelled, buffeting the last one with her wings while Pinkie cannoned her hooves into its gut. Oh, now she’s talking to me? That’s a clear violation of her rule. I’ll have to bring that up with her.

Twilight had just finished pummeling her adversary into senselessness when the Diamond Dog that Lily and Pinkie were teaming up on toppled over with a ground-shaking thud.

“Twilight, I think they know that we’re here now,” Pinkie said. She was still huffing and puffing from the confrontation, while I was doing the same and hoping that those things wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.

“But they couldn’t know exactly where! Probability dictates that they will be unable to determine our precise location for another month!” Twilight seemed to be pleading with the powers that be.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Let’s face facts, Twilight. The Everfree Forest isn’t that big; it was bound to happen sooner or later. We need to get back to New Ponyville and warn the others.” Twilight absently nodded, lost in thought.

“Let’s go,” Lily put a wing around Twilight and gently led her back the way we came.

We were only a couple of miles out from New Ponyville—they told me that this was the closest any of them had ever seen the allies of Dissonance come to finding their temporary home, and according to Twilight, the first time that the Diamond Dogs had ventured beyond the lesser western portion of the forest. The day to day routine was becoming dangerous.

When we were halfway home, I noticed something unusual on the path ahead.

“Is that a muffin?” As soon as I had spoken, Lily’s head snapped up like I had shocked her.

“A wha—” she started, trailing off once she noticed it too. She said something under her breath and trotted ahead to inspect the muffin. She started searching the trees around the path, and seemed to be working up the courage to call out into the forest when a massive form came crashing toward us. Some of the ancient trees snapped in half and some were torn from their roots, narrowly missing us as they fell all around our patrol. Two more burly Diamond Dogs burst from the forest, scattering branches and birds’ nests every which way. Before we could respond, one smacked Twilight aside while the other grabbed Lily, pinning her wings to her body with both hands. Pinkie and I took a step back to size up the situation; Twilight was clearly unconscious, and Lily was struggling within the vicelike grip.

The Diamond Dog who hit Twilight began to chuckle. “Peek a boo, little ponies! We find you!” As though he were noticing me for the first time, he sized me up and erupted into full on laughter. “And who is you? Not pony.”

Instead of responding, I tried to whisper to Pinkie Pie.

“Hey!” He growled. “No hush. I am talking. Answer question.” I kept my mouth shut. Pinkie gave me a reassuring glance.

“You need answer . . . A muffin!” His threat was cut short once he caught sight of the baked treat lying on the path. “I seen muffin before.“

The other Diamond Dog, still holding Lily, leaned over and lowered his voice. “Uh, boss—we be chasin’ the dumb pony what likes muffins for a bunch-a days.”

That elicited another chuckle. “Of course I know’d that! That stupid bubble pony, without a brain.”

“My. Name. Is. Derpy!” The grey blur of a Pegasus pony exploded from the treetops and veered straight toward the leader of the pack. He threw up his arms to protect his head, but it wasn’t enough; she struck with enough force to send him sailing head over tail. In shock, the other Diamond Dog loosened his grip on Lily. She dropped to the ground, and immediately kicked his legs out from under him. Toppling in my general direction, I jabbed my elbow hard into the side of the Diamond Dog’s head. He ended up hitting the ground unconscious, just a short moment before his boss finally stopped flipping through the air due to an untimely collision with a willow tree.

Lily collapsed to her knees, desperately trying to replace the air that had been squeezed from her lungs. Derpy seemed a bit loopy after hitting that Dog as hard as she did. She stumbled to and fro for a little while until she ended up by the muffin, which she promptly ate. This was the first time that I was able get a good look at her—she was definitely the pony I had seen in the forest two nights ago. Her eyes reminded me of the plumber who had been working on my apartment building back home, and she had a burst of bubbles on her flank.

Twilight groaned as she rolled over into a sitting position, all four of her legs tucked beneath her. Pinkie Pie was the only pony unscathed after the ambush, so she trotted over toward Twilight to check on her. Derpy turned around, crumbs tumbling from her mouth, and faced Lily.

“D-Derpy . . . ” Lily wheezed, once she had gathered enough strength. “We’ve b-been looking for you. I need t-to tell you . . . ”

Derpy threw herself down in front of Lily, wrapping both of her forelegs around Lily’s shoulders in a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry sis,” Lily squeaked, her voice thick with emotion. Both of their eyes brimmed with tears.

“I missed you so much,” Derpy sniffed. “I’m sorry too. I love you, Lily.” Lily nuzzled her neck in response.

Twilight watched reverently from a distance. Pinkie started to hop up and down with excitement.

“Yay! We found you! We found you! We found you!” Pinkie bounced all around, over fallen trees and between the prone forms of the Diamond Dogs. Twilight managed a lopsided smile.

“We need to get back and warn the town, before more Diamond Dogs or others show up,” Twilight said softly.

Lily and Derpy rose to their feet together and we all set off toward New Ponyville. On the way back, more apologies, hugs, and tears were shared—I found it hard to maintain my grudge against Lily after that. Maybe we had more in common than I realized.

9 Council and Cause

That evening, the ponies held a council of defense around the bonfire. Twilight sat center stage at a long table with her four closest friends: Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. Spike stood nearby with a piece of parchment and a quill, ready to transcribe the meeting.

Lily and Derpy were off to the side, at another table with myself and several other ponies; Lily had apparently forgiven me, or at least she didn’t seem to be harboring a grudge. Twilight pounded her hoof down, and called the meeting to order.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, we have gathered here this evening to discuss several urgent matters,” Twilight began. “Enemies of ponykind have strayed closer to our new home than ever before. I fear that we may be forced into action, and that this temporary period of safety and peace must be cut short. We should prepare ourselves to relocate, possibly even before Rainbow Dash returns with her team.”

Many ponies shouted their dissent. Rainbow Dash might be back any day now, they said, with good news of a permanent home across the mountains. If only they waited a little longer . . .

“No!” Twilight’s voice rose to match theirs. “We cannot afford mistakes now, and inaction may prove to be the worst mistake of all. We might have already spent too long simply biding our time.”

Bickering began in earnest, divided between the ponies for and against another upheaval and change of location so near to hostile territory.

“After what happened in the forest today, I also fear that we may need to lay down our love of peace and become versed in the ways of physical conflict if we are to survive. The Royal Guard fell with Canterlot, and so each of us now have a role to play in the defense of our way of life.”

The uproar reached remarkable levels. Twilight was unable to regain order, so she simply slumped back in her chair. Applejack placed a comforting hoof on Twilight’s back, while Rarity and Fluttershy watched the mob with nervous expressions. Lily and Derpy put their hooves around one another and held each other close.

After several minutes, Twilight had heard enough. “Quiet!” she cried, magic leaping from her horn and bathing the entire assembly in a shimmering purple light. The ponies suddenly fell silent, though I could still see their mouths forming words. I figured that it must have been another spell she had up her sleeve, so to speak.

Once they realized that they could not be heard no matter how hard they tried, the ponies returned their attention to Twilight. Their body language spoke volumes despite the silence—all of the ponies were still thoroughly agitated.

“I understand that this is something we’ve dared not speak of,” Twilight sympathized. “We are not creatures of war, but of love and kindness. Our only knowledge of weapons and armor are those we saw carried and worn by the Royal Guards, and those we heard about in dusty tales of the ancient wars between the different races of ponykind. This is not something that I say lightly—if nothing else, we must be able to defend ourselves! We no longer have the luxury of allowing only the strong and the brave among us to fight on our behalf.”

The crowd seemed to accept that, though it could have been that they were simply unable to voice their objections.

“Take heart, though! As you can see, the patrols did accomplish one of their objectives. The sisters have been reunited!”

Many of the ponies threw their hooves skyward in an eerily silent gesture, and Twilight watched them curiously before she remembered to cease her spell. A sudden rush of cheers filled the assembly.

Twilight allowed the crowd a short time of celebration before continuing. “We have worked so hard to rebuild even this small portion of what we lost. We have managed incredible feats of pony ingenuity and resourcefulness. We left our old home in Ponyville behind, forced out by Dissonance and his miscreants, but we brought its heart and soul along with us into exile. We constructed New Ponyville here, upon bare earth and grass in the untamed Everfree Forest. We’ve defended ourselves against countless attacks from the wildlife, and after today, repelled the first of what will certainly prove to be many parties of Dissonance’s forces. Whether we like it or not, we are already growing out of our old ways.”

“Let us officially recognize and embrace this change, doing our best to ready ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead. Even so, I fear that what is yet to come could prove to be the darkest trial that we have ever faced. If we are to be tested, then we must meet the coming challenge head on—as brothers, sisters, and above all, as friends!”

The crowd approved of her speech, and they began to cheer anew.

“Therefore, we shall remain organized into patrols, and starting tomorrow we will begin training in the ways of physical and magical combat. We must be prepared to meet whatever Dissonance sends our way. Prepare yourselves to relocate if we have not heard from Rainbow Dash within a week.”

I guess I had never really considered it before, but what could a bunch of ponies know about fighting, in any capacity? Twilight seemed to get it though, and by the end of her speech so did the rest of them. As the ponies began to disperse, Twilight and her friends made their way over to Derpy, Lily, and me.

“Thanks, Lily,” Twilight gracefully curtsied. “I wouldn’t have known what to say, if you hadn’t worked with me all afternoon on that speech. You have quite a way with words.”

Lily just smiled shyly and nodded in return.

“What is Dissonance, exactly?” I asked.

“Dissonance is a Draconequus. He’s a kind of hybrid, though primarily draconic or serpentine in appearance and movement,” Twilight explained.

“He’s got lots’a magical what’sit, like our Twi here,” Applejack interjected. Twilight blushed in response.

“He’s just a big meanie like his brother,” Fluttershy commented, in an uncharacteristically stern voice.

“We’ve dealt with another of his kind in the past,” Rarity said. “He made us all absolutely horrid, and turned Old Ponyville into a mess of chaos, but we managed to undo it all.”

“We thought that Discord had changed . . . ” Twilight began to explain, but she stopped herself after she saw Fluttershy’s dejected expression.

Applejack picked up where she had left off. “Discord hasn’t been seen for ‘bout as long as Dissonance has been rampagin’ across Equestria, so I s’pose that they could have had a fallin’ out as well. I’m sure we can beat ‘em both anyways, if’n it comes to that.”

“Twilight and her friends are the Elements of Harmony!” Lily beamed. “As long as they’re all together, they’re unstoppable!”

“So,” I inquired, “what drove Dissonance to attack Ponyville, then?”

“We don’t know for certain, but his wrath is a terrifying sight to behold,” Rarity replied.

“The specifics are still vague,” Twilight added, “but as best we can tell, Dissonance went to Tartarus first. He freed a centaur named Tirek that we imprisoned there, in that terrible realm. At some point, he must have also made contact with Queen Chrysalis and the Diamond Dogs. I don’t know how he earned their allegiance, but they have all been working together throughout this campaign of his.”

“Next, he turned his sights upon Canterlot. Dissonance and Tirek infiltrated the castle under the cover of night, with Chrysalis and her army of shapeshifting Changelings waiting to close in.”

Every one of Twilight’s friends placed a supportive hoof on her shoulders or back as she shuddered, the memory still vivid and clearly painful for her. “I was in Canterlot on official business. Tirek came to my quarters first. He grabbed me and tried to drain me of my magic—I was powerless to stop him. He tore away my Alicorn Aspect, but was interrupted before he could take the rest of my magic ability by shouts from the hallway. The Changelings had moved too soon, and the scheme had been uncovered.”

Tears streaked down Twilight’s cheeks. “Celestia gave herself up to Tirek and Dissonance as a distraction. The Royal Guard were engaged in battle outside. They weren’t even a match for the full force of the Changelings anyways, not without my brother to lead them.”

“As one final act before Celestia’s Alicorn Aspect was stolen, she ignored the centaur bellowing in her face to cast a spell that I had only read about—she used the banishment spell to send Luna to the moon again, this time as a place of refuge. Celestia sent along a messenger dragon as well, to keep Luna company and ensure that we could communicate, but I didn’t find out where she had gone until Spike delivered the first letter. For days afterward, I thought that she had been taken too.”

“I ran,” Twilight hesitated, choking back sobs. “I left her there. She wanted me to run, I know she did, but guilt is blind to circumstances. When I close my eyes, I can still see her face as I turned to leave—she was at peace with her decision.”

“She left Equestria in good hooves,” Fluttershy whispered. “Celestia knew what she was doing.”

Twilight drew her foreleg across her face, drying her tears. “I teleported into Ponyville to raise the alarm, but Diamond Dogs were already rampaging across the outskirts of town. My friends and I saved as many ponies as we could, fleeing just in time to watch Ponyville burn from the fringes of the Everfree. If Discord is the architect of chaos, then his brother must be the artisan of destruction.”

“They destroyed the castle, and the Royal Guard along with it. After that, Chrysalis was seen heading north with Tirek and her Changelings. We presumed that Dissonance intended to turn his attention to the Crystal Empire, so I sent a warning via dragon to Princess Cadance and her husband, my brother Shining Armor. We haven’t received a response yet, but I know that they will do everything in their power to guide the Crystal Empire through this.”

“Dissonance must be stopped,” Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper, and her eyes sparkling in the firelight as they burned with determination. All of the friends slowly nodded in agreement.

“This is not your struggle, Max,” Twilight suddenly muttered, turning toward me. “You are under no obligation to stay. You must wish to return to your own home, don’t you?”

The question surprised me. Going home wasn’t even an option that had crossed my mind. They were in desperate need of allies, and I wasn’t about to leave them to their fate. It was time to take a stand.

Twilight hesitated for a moment before elaborating. “Ever since you arrived, I’ve been searching my books for a spell that might be able to help me locate another portal to your world—the only functional one that I know of must be buried in the ruins of my crystal castle outside Old Ponyville. The portal that you came through seems to be only one way, but last night, I think I found one that may allow you to return.” Her eyes searched my face. “If you would like to return—“

“No, I don’t want to go. I want to stay, and help in any way that I can.”

All of the ponies cheered and wrapped me up with a group hug—even Lily. In that moment, I realized that I was sitting in the midst of friends who welcomed and accepted me. It was a refreshing change of pace from the life I was slowly leaving behind. I felt as though I had finally found a place where I belonged.

“If I’m going to help though, I’ll need a weapon.”

“What kind?” Twilight asked. “There is an old castle here in the Everfree Forest which has a cache of armaments used by the Royal Guard. Maybe we could find you a spear.”

“Oh, I was never any good with close-combat weapons,” I explained, thinking back to a childhood filled with martial arts lessons and summer camp adventures. “The bow and arrow was my favorite.”

Twilight gave me a blank look. “Something from your world, I presume.”

I nodded. “I might be able to make one, if I can get the right materials. I could probably find them here in the forest.”

“Then we’ll keep an eye out while on patrol tomorrow, and see what turns up,” Twilight said with a slight smile.

After that, it seemed as though everything which needed to be said had been said. The eight of us sat in silence together for hours, watching the moon rise over the treetops as the bonfire burned down to a pile of glowing embers.

10 Never Too Late

“The Rainbow Refuge!” Twilight announced, as our patrol crested a hill deep within the Everfree Forest.

Down the other side and nestled in a narrow valley was a shallow pool of water, fed by a stream that cascaded down a mossy wall of rocks. Vines draped down from the rim of the granite cliffs, bearing fruits which looked somewhat like peaches.

Where the water splashed down into the crystal clear pool, it appeared to stir up the full spectrum of color, pulsing and glowing with each ripple across the surface. The sandy bottom of the pool didn’t appear to be any more than three feet down.

“What makes it glow?” I asked, as I worked on my bow.

We had found a proper tree limb: straight, without any knots, and with just the right amount of give. The bow string was far more troublesome—I had to wind together strands of fiber from a reed I found near a river. It was a long and tedious process, so I was thankful for a diversion.

“There’s a particularly high concentration of magical energy here,” Twilight explained. “It manifests itself with a brilliant display when the water in the pool is disturbed.”

“Yep, this is it!” Derpy exclaimed. She had been added to our patrol at Lily’s request. I think that she just couldn’t bear the thought of Derpy being out of her sight again. Perfectly understandable.

“This is where you were hiding?” Lily responded.

Derpy nodded vigorously. “I think that the Dogs were worried about the water. They wouldn’t come near it, so I slept up there.” She gestured to a narrow cleft in the rocks, high enough that only a Pegasus could reach it from the pool’s edge.

“Look at all the sweet, juicy fruit!” Pinkie cried, eyes wide as she admired the bounty.

“I ate those, mostly. I tried to save the muffins I brought with me for the nights that I felt especially homesick,” Derpy explained. Lily embraced Derpy with her wings.

“Never again,” Lily sighed.

Of course I was curious as to what happened between them, but I had learned my lesson. Besides, I was so pleased to have made amends with Lily that the details seemed inconsequential to seeing the two of them together again—they hardly ever left each other’s side. I wish I could have known what that felt like, but it was enough for now to vicariously appreciate their bond.

Pinkie finally caught up with the rest of us, and paused for a moment to admire the spectacle as she caught her breath.

Now that she had a captive audience, Twilight did what she loved most—sharing her knowledge. “There are only a few places like this in Equestria. The magic in the water is incredibly concentrated, and rather potent. It’s not just a beautiful landmark, it’s also quite useful.”

“How so?” I asked, as I wove the last strand of fiber into the thread I was working on. I tested it with a yank, and frowned when several of the strands snapped. Thankfully, there were some more reeds growing around the pool that I could use, so I plucked some and began to strip them as Twilight answered my question.

“Well, for one, it can be used as a power source to aid in casting particularly taxing spells. Physical contact with the water is all that’s required to draw upon its properties. It can also rejuvenate weary travelers and even has the capacity to heal wounds!”

“Could we take a teensy little break, then? My hooves could use a little rejuvenation,” Pinkie sighed, gazing longingly at the pool.

Twilight laughed. “I suppose a little break wouldn’t hurt.”

We took lunch around the pool, digging goodies out of the bags that Rarity had packed for us. I continued to labor over the bowstring while we ate. The reeds from the Rainbow Refuge seemed to be more durable than the ones I had been working with earlier, so I was cautiously optimistic about the finished product. Pinkie frolicked behind us in the water, splashing enthusiastically.

“You know, Max, those reeds have been soaking up the magical essence of the water for a long time. I could probably imbue your bow with a helpful spell, once I get back to my books,” Twilight said with a grin.

“I'll take all the help I can get,” I replied between mouthfuls of a baked treat.

“So, that’s a bow, huh? Doesn’t look too dangerous yet,” Lily said with a smirk.

I simply smiled in return. “Just you wait. After I get some practice in, this might even the odds next time we face something big and mean. I don’t exactly have much else going for me, like magic or wings.”

“Well neither do I,” Pinkie Pie cheerfully pointed out as she sat down on the grass beside me, still dripping water, and dumped out the contents of her pack.

“We’ll just have to watch out for each other, then. Us normal folk need to stick together,” I said with a wink, which made the pink pony giggle.

“We’d better get a move on, if we want to be back in time to help prepare dinner!” Twilight urged us on. We wasted no time in gathering up the bits of our lunch, though Pinkie protested that she hadn’t had enough time to eat. She stuffed her mouth with an entire pasty as we set off down the ravine toward home.

Home. It had been a long time since I knew a place that felt like home.

*****

“Thanks for the help, y’all! Go ahead ‘n ring the bell Pinkie!” Applejack stood back to admire the row of carts, all topped with heaping bowls of Everfree fruit medley, turnip ‘n tater pies, and glasses of tea brewed with the blue flowers that grow wild in the forest. Twilight had to harvest the flowers with magic, lest they make contact and contaminate us with the “poison joke” before we had cooked it out.

Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie spontaneously broke out into some song about an evil enchantress while we stirred the flowers into the boiling cauldron, reminding me of the in-jokes I used to have with my best friends from high school. I regretted not keeping in touch with them—I decided that I would have to find them again, if I ever took Twilight up on her offer to send me home.

“Come and get it!” Pinkie hollered over the cacophony she made ringing the dinner bell, which sent ponies scurrying from all corners of New Ponyville into the town square. They hurried to find their seats as we wheeled out the carts laden with delights beyond measure.

I helped with the pies, which were cooked to perfection.

After we had delivered the goods to the eager connoisseurs, we made our way back to the table that Rarity, Fluttershy, Lily, and Derpy had reserved for us. I was pleased to note that they had devoured the pie straight away, but tragically, I wasn’t given the opportunity to taste my masterpiece. Oh well.

The jug of joke tea was making its way around, so I decided to fill the void in my heart left by the lack of pie with something hopefully tasty to drink. I poured half a mug and took a swig—it was surprisingly tangy, with an aftertaste like honeysuckle. I didn't feel any funnier though.

“How beautiful,” Rarity gasped suddenly, eyes locked over my shoulder. I twisted around as best I could in my seat to see what all the fuss was about.

“So many phoenixes!” Twilight clapped her hooves. “Incredibly rare to see all together in flight!”

“No way,” I muttered, as I was struck with a recent memory.

I had nearly forgotten about the bird on fire which had distracted me before I slipped and flew into the portal to Equestria. A whole group of them now emerged from the treeline, brilliant dots of light like blazing embers given off by the setting sun.

“I saw one of those,” I told Twilight. “It was in my world, before I came through the portal.”

Twilight seemed perplexed. “Are you certain? Perhaps it would be worthwhile to travel back to where we found you, and check again. If you saw one, then that must mean that the portal is indeed two-way, at least under certain conditions.”

“Has that ever happened before,” I asked. “Can wildlife travel between worlds?”

“I’m not familiar enough with your world to know, but phoenixes are mysterious creatures.” Twilight shrugged her shoulders. “I wonder whether there’s enough residual magic in your world for the phoenix to draw upon.”

I pondered for a moment. “They explode or something, right?”

Twilight chuckled in response.

“Oh, I wish Philomena were still around,” Fluttershy pouted. “She gave me such a scare, but she was really a lovely bird.”

“She’ll turn up,” Twilight consoled her.

“She’s pretty smart,” Pinkie added. “I’m sure that she escaped Canterlot.”

“To answer your question, though,” Twilight smiled. “Yes, Max—something like that. They live for a certain amount of time, which can differ depending on the mood of the phoenix and its living conditions. They begin to age rapidly, until they finally burst into a ball of flames! Shortly thereafter, they are reborn from the pile of ashes, as strong and majestic as ever!”

“Sounds like a lot of wasted energy,” I said.

“You’d think so,” Twilight chuckled. “As I understand it, it’s just like waking up in the morning for them. They emerge from the ashes of their old life, so to speak, both different and the same. Refreshed completely, but with a foundation of memories and experiences that shape them continually, day by day. Phoenixes are an excellent reminder that it’s never too late for a new beginning.”

“Interesting,” I replied softly, considering what Twilight had said as I watched the flaming birds disappear into the rosy sky beyond the forest.

It’s never too late for a new beginning.

Author's Note

Just remember, it's never too late ;)

11 The Calm Before

The next several days after we saw the phoenixes weren’t especially eventful. That night, I woke up around midnight from a nightmare, gasping for breath and dripping sweat. In my dream, the Diamond Dogs were attacking New Ponyville, and as I rushed to confront them I realized that I had no arrows. I ended up crushed beneath two boulder-sized fists, but I knew what my task was to be the following day.

On patrol that day, we gathered as many potential arrows as we could find. Fluttershy and three little fillies without flank marks helped me by gathering feathers from the chickens Fluttershy kept in a little coop by her hut, and that night around the bonfire I worked on my arrows for hours. Fletching wasn’t exactly something I was very good at, but I had learned the basics during my time studying archery. I didn’t have any arrowheads, so I simply whittled the tips into points with a sharp chuck of obsidian that I found in the forest.

The next day was spent throwing together a simple archery range on the outskirts of the village, using bits of bark from a pine tree as rudimentary targets, and measuring lanes of varying lengths so I could work on my accuracy at a distance. I spent all of my free time before and after the patrol on that project—I was so exhausted that I turned in right after dinner.

The next sunrise found me there at my little range, arrows stuck into the loamy soil beside me, and the chunk of pine bark downrange bristling with a dozen tightly grouped shots. I allowed myself a little smile of satisfaction.

“Ok, I’m convinced,” conceded a familiar voice.

“Oh, hi Lily!” I was surprised when I noticed her sitting at the edge of the archery range. I hadn’t heard her approach—I guess I was in the zone. She simply nodded and smiled in response, the morning sunlight making her bright blond mane seem to glow.

“Breakfast is being served. It was unusual not to see you at the head of the line, so I thought I had better come find you,” Lily smirked.

I laughed. “I guess I should take a break. I’ll need something in my stomach so I can work on rebuilding my arm muscles.”

Lily raised an eyebrow. “It sure looked like you knew what you were doing.”

I rubbed my forearm, which still burned where the bowstring had smacked it. “The motions came back naturally, but I’ve let myself get out of shape.”

“Kind of like when a Pegasus spends too much time on the ground, huh? Any more than a month without using our wings, and the first couple of days back in the air can be wobbly and especially tiring.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” I replied. I left my bow propped against a tree and followed Lily back to the town square, where we sat down at a table with Derpy and Twilight. There was a steaming bowl of soup waiting for me.

I brought the bowl closer and peered into its depths. It was murky, with bits of vegetables and green onions floating within the broth.

“Try it! It tastes better than it looks,” Twilight encouraged.

I brought the bowl to my lips, and carefully sipped, trying to avoid scalding my tongue. It almost tasted savory, and it was rather salty—similar to a soup I had tried once at a sushi bar.

“Yeech,” Derpy protested. “Mine looks cloudy.”

“Everyone’s looks cloudy,” Lily scoffed. “Just eat it. Like Twilight said, it’s better than it looks.”

“Mmm,” I muttered, making a big show of downing the rest of my soup. “Absolutely delightful!”

Derpy watched me curiously, at least with one eye. When I had finished, I winked at her and grinned, wiping a few stray drops from my chin. She gingerly dipped her head toward the bowl, and took a tiny slurp of the broth. Her eyes widened, and she drained the rest of her bowl in short order.

“It’s delicious!” Derpy exclaimed.

“I’m mighty pleased y’think so Derpy,” Applejack said, as she sat down at our table.

“I’m glad you’re here, Applejack,” Twilight commented. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about preparing travelling provisions.”

“Y’sure we should leave, even if Rainbow isn’t back?” Applejack seemed uncertain.

Twilight simply nodded.

Applejack shrugged her shoulders. “Well, alright. Anypony but you, Twi, and I’d be a bit less convinced ‘bout this.”

Twilight placed a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am for everyone you’ve done, and what you continue to do every day.”

“Aw, shucks,” Applejack pulled her hat down low to cover her blushing cheeks. “Just doin’ my part.”

Twilight sat back, eyes unfocused as she mentally crunched numbers. “We will need supplies to last us for two weeks back on the trail. That should be enough time to locate another place to settle deeper within the forest. Do you think you and your family can have that done in three days?”

Applejack pushed her hat back to reveal a mask of determination. “It’ll be done in two.”

Twilight somehow smiled with her eyes. “That’s our Applejack!”

As soon as breakfast was over, Applejack rushed off to meet her family and make plans for all the work to come over the next several days. Twilight returned to her hut, but not before reminding me to continue considering what kind of spell I would like for her to cast on my bow. I smiled and nodded slowly, rather groggy after eating such a rich breakfast and rising so early in the morning.

I think Lily and Derpy felt the same way, because they began to yawn as well. Without a word, we rose from our seats together and made our way to an open field beside the river that served as the southern limit to New Ponyville. The grass grew tall and thick there, and it was extremely comfortable if you flattened out a patch to lay upon. It formed a barrier which blocked out the distant sounds of the ponies in town, leaving only a muffled silence which was occasionally broken by the buzzing of insects or the sound of air rushing through the wings of a Pegasus flying overhead.

The two sisters made similar nooks next to mine, and we sprawled out on our backs to enjoy the morning before our patrol. The humid air was softened by a gentle breeze, which slowly ushered fluffy clouds across the sky. It looked as though a storm might be on its way, but I wasn’t particularly worried about it arriving during our nap.

Derpy laid down between me and Lily, and just before I fell asleep she rolled over and nuzzled in close. I put an arm around her and closed my eyes, completely content.

*****

“Wake up!” Someone was yelling in the distance. I cracked open my eyes slowly, expecting to be blinded by the sunlight, but was surprised to find that the sun had disappeared. Instead, the sky was overcast, and the thick layer of clouds diffused the meager light that made it through. Small drops of rain began to spatter my face, so I rolled over to avoid them and noticed that Lily and Derpy were gone.

This was another nightmare. It had to be.

“Wake up!” The voice shouted again. I awkwardly rose to my feet and glanced back toward the town, shaking my head to sort my thoughts.

I saw the whole scene in a moment. Lily was galloping at full speed toward me. Derpy was nowhere to be seen. I heard the screams of ponies within New Ponyville, and saw the orange glow of a large fire.

Something wasn’t right; that wasn’t where the bonfire used to be. I blinked, trying to clear my double vision, but I quickly realized that I was indeed seeing multiple columns of flame reaching up into the murky twilight beneath the clouds.

New Ponyville was on fire.

I was still dazed and disoriented. “Lily, I’m think I'm having another nightmare.”

She skidded to a stop just in front of me, her eyes glistening with tears. “This isn’t a dream, Max. They’re back!”

12 The Storm

Lily and I cautiously made our way into town, moving from cover to cover until we found ourselves huddled behind an overturned cart. Across the street, a Diamond Dog tore through a hut, the screams of the occupants fading away as they fled.

“Where’s Derpy?” I asked in a whisper.

“She—” Lily began, stopping herself as another Diamond Dog sprinted past our hiding place. It disappeared around a corner down the road, and shortly afterward came the sound of splintering wood.

“She left, and said that she would try to find Rainbow Dash.”

“Why didn’t you go with her—” I was interrupted as our cart was heaved aside.

Towering over us, the Diamond Dog cackled with glee at his discovery. Lily reared back, her wings spread defensively to shield me.

The Dog swung a powerful right hook. I ducked beneath its wide arc, while Lily stumbled backward and out of reach. I shot forward and slammed a fist into his ample gut, which seemed to absorb the force completely. He grunted in response, and as I backed up for another attack he brought his left hand forward, spread wide to sweep me away.

There was no time to dodge it—I was smacked aside. My vision exploded with bursts of color as I tumbled like a ragdoll, my knees striking the earth first and taking the brunt of my momentum. Sprawled out on my back, I tried to breathe but found that the impact had knocked the wind from my lungs. I was completely helpless.

My ears were ringing. I couldn’t even hear if he was coming to finish the job. I just stared at the turbulent sea of clouds above me, and wondered if that was the last sight I would ever see.

“Max!” Lily’s voice sounded as though I were hearing it through a tunnel. Her face came into view, etched with concern for me.

Rolling over, I struggled to prop myself up into a crouch. The Diamond Dog lay motionless just past Lily, face down in the mud.

I fought for air, coughing and gasping. Lily turned away to check the street, and revealed a long, deep gash down her side.

“Are you hurt?” I croaked.

“I’m fine,” she said tersely. “How about you? Can you stand?”

I shakily rose to my feet while the rush of adrenaline was fading away. Every joint from my hips down protested; the pain surged in all at once.

“I’ll survive,” I managed. “But I need my bow. I left it back at the range.”

Lily nodded, and started up the road. “Stay close to me.”

I limped along behind her, struggling to keep pace as she darted between structures and around piles of rubble and debris. In the distance, the flames were dancing above the rooftops, barely stunted by the increasing tempo of the storm. Rain soaked through my clothes, and matted Lily’s mane. Where it ran off her back, it mingled with the blood seeping from her wound and left streaks of crimson on her coat.

We passed by an alleyway that connected to the town square. There was a crowd of desperate, terrified ponies gathered there. Applejack and Fluttershy hurried back and forth, trying to tend to the chaos. It seemed like the Diamond Dogs hadn’t managed yet to make it that far.

KABOOM!

An explosion sent us scurrying backward to avoid flying splinters and chunks of wood. Just ahead of us, a hut had ceased to be—one unfortunate Diamond Dog tumbled backward through what remained of the building’s smoldering rear wall. It made no effort to rise after it had ground to a stop.

Beyond the demolished home, Twilight stood facing us. Her eyes were glowing pure white, and her horn shimmered with energy. She wheeled around to confront another Diamond Dog that was charging up behind her, blasting him with a magical pulse which sent him sailing down the road and out of sight.

“Let’s go!” Lily urged. We set off again toward the outskirts of town.

“Twilight and her friends, they’re the Elements of Harmony or something, right? Can’t they stop this?” I asked.

“All together they would stand a chance, but they won’t be complete until Rainbow Dash can join them too.” Lily answered, without looking back.

“I hope Derpy finds her soon,” I said. Lily didn’t respond.

We managed to reach the archery range without further conflict, though the sounds of battle were never far away. The bow was still propped against the tree where I had left it, and I retrieved my arrows from the target downrange. I had a dozen arrows in one fist, and my bow in the other—I felt ready to take on anything, despite the throbbing pain in my legs.

“I’ll need a satchel to store the arrows,” I thought aloud. “I wonder where I left mine.”

“We’ll find you one. For now, we should head back to the town square,” Lily said. “I’m sure they could use our help.”

“Let’s rock,” I smirked.

Lily raised an eyebrow.

“Conceited fools,” bellowed a deep, commanding voice. “You thought that you could hide from my fury?”

Lily’s eyes widened with terror. We spun toward the source of the threat, as he hovered above the heart of New Ponyville. Powerful wings stirred the clouds, obscuring the serpentine figure behind tendrils of fog.

Dissonance had arrived.

13 Loss and Ashes

Nearly an hour after Dissonance appeared, I was standing with the ponies at war in the town square. Rarity was fighting beside Lily and me, using her magic to wield one of the dining tables as a club.

The Draconequus was across the clearing, well protected behind scores of Diamond Dogs and partially hidden by the sheets of rain pouring down. He had attached metal spikes to his tail, which flipped back and forth impatiently. For the time being, he seemed content to let the Dogs handle the heavy lifting, while he hurled insults and destroyed any buildings within his reach.

I think he was afraid of Twilight. It was hard to blame him.

I wasn’t exactly certain when she had returned to the square, but I noticed that the magical overdrive had worn off. I also saw the Diamond Dog stalking up behind her, raising his fists high while she was distracted by one of his brethren.

“Look out,” I yelled, diving through the melee to knock her aside. The ground shook with the impact of the Dog’s fists touching down where she had just been standing. We scrambled to our feet, and Twilight wasted no time in grabbing the aggressor with magic and slamming him into another Dog until they were both completely senseless.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Glad I could return the favor.” I winked in return, adjusting the satchel slung over my shoulder. I had found one in the square, and though it wasn’t mine I was certain that the owner wouldn’t mind me borrowing it.

Applejack darted by, whirling around to buck a Diamond Dog beneath the chin with her hind legs.

“Hyaah, take that ya varmint!” she cried. The Diamond Dog toppled over, spewing teeth as he landed in the mud with a squelchy thump.

The battle lines had been drawn down the center of the square. We were engaging the forces of Dissonance around the bonfire pit—Twilight had hastily organized a ragtag defense of able-bodied stallions and mares, which included Applejack, Rarity, Lily, and myself.

Behind us, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie struggled to organize an evacuation. As long as we held the line they would have a clear route out of New Ponyville, passing by my archery range on their way to the forest. There was some talk of meeting up at the castle ruins deeper within the Everfree, but as soon as the ponies crossed into the woods they usually just ran for their lives.

We had bought enough time for the majority to escape, but the tide of battle was beginning to turn against us. I had already used a half-dozen arrows, and less than half of those found their mark—my heart was pounding so hard that it threw off my aim.

One stallion fell beside me, crushed by an enraged Diamond Dog. I drew an arrow and nocked it with a practiced motion, stepping backward to steady myself as I fired it at the beast’s center of mass.

The Dog roared in defiance, grabbing the shaft protruding from his chest and tearing it out with a spray of blood. I hurried to nock another and loose it before he could close the distance between us. The next one found his neck, and that sent him to the ground.

The situation was spiraling out of control. I heard a cry of pain, and glanced over to see Applejack limping away, dragging one of her hind legs through the mud. Rarity galloped over to help her along.

I was about to call out to Twilight, when she ordered the retreat.

“Everypony run! Get out of here!” She pushed any pony within her reach back toward our only exit from the square. I moved up beside her, putting another arrow to the string and dropping a Dog that was towering over a wounded mare.

The mare barely managed to get out from under him before he crashed down.

“Twilight, I’m with you.” I put my back to her flank and nocked another arrow.

“Me too,” Lily added, coming up on the other side of Twilight.

“You both need to leave while you still can!” Twilight grabbed a stallion with magic, pulling him out of the reach of a bloodthirsty Dog. I sent an arrow in the Dog’s direction, but it was deflected by his leather vest.

“Not without you,” I said. The Dog tried to rush us, but I swung my bow at him like a cudgel, warding him off for a moment.

I saw Applejack and Rarity in the sea of ponies galloping from the square into the Everfree. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie stayed behind, standing guard at the cross streets to protect the escaping townsfolk.

“Most of the ponies have left,” I said over my shoulder to Twilight. She didn’t respond.

"Twilight?" I turned, setting arrow to string. Twilight was standing over the lifeless body of a stallion, his mane messy and his coat caked with mud.

“Not enough," she said softly.

The fighting ceased all at once. The Diamond Dogs stood around us in a semicircle, leaving plenty of room between themselves and Twilight. Several brave ponies had remained with us to form a defiant resistance, though we were clearly outnumbered.

Dissonance strode out of the crowd, his dark eyes focused on Twilight.

“It seems your friends have left you. To join the sixth, I presume.”

Twilight’s eyes sparkled with tears, her expression a mixture of rage and despair.

“I had to be sure you were scattered,” he continued. “I wasn’t about to make the same mistake as my brother.”

Gritting her teeth, Twilight glared back at Dissonance through the rain.

“Oh, perhaps I spoke too soon,” he chortled. “But I believe you're still missing one.”

I risked a glance over my shoulder to see Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack standing behind us. Applejack was leaning on Rarity for support, still favoring her injured leg.

“It’s really a shame—about my brother, I mean. He brought dishonor upon all Draconequus in failing to eliminate Equestria.”

Fluttershy nearly surged forward, but Pinkie Pie managed to hold her back.

“He’s taken his rightful place in the prison realm, within sight of the Sun in chains—the source of his weakness toward your kind. I've come to correct that which he could not.”

Dissonance kneeled down, prodding the body of a mare with his claw. “These ones were perhaps the luckiest.”

“This isn’t over,” Twilight growled.

“You would prolong your suffering willfully? I can assure you, Princess, that neither you nor your friends shall find death here today. I have a better plan for you all.”

Twilight’s friends all crowded around her, including Lily and I.

“Harmony will be restored,” Lily countered. Dissonance cackled.

BWOOM!

It was as though the skies above us had been torn open. Something zipped down through the storm, generating a rainbow shockwave that swept the clouds away. All of the Diamond Dogs shrunk back in fear.

A colorful blur streaked down next to Twilight, sending up a spray of mud where it landed. The mud settled to reveal a sky-blue pony, with a brilliant rainbow colored mane and majestic wings. Her flank mark was equally appropriate: a rainbow lightning bolt striking from a cloud.

“Rainbow Dash!” Lily cheered.

“The one and only,” she replied.

“It’s so good to see you!” Twilight grinned.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Rainbow said, “but I brought some other friends home with me.”

The skies darkened again, but this time with a cloud of reinforcements. Rainbow Dash’s team of Pegasi poured from the sunny sky, dropping down all around the town square with hundreds of griffons in tow. They completely surrounded the Diamond Dogs, who began cowering and groveling for their lives.

One griffon landed gracefully on her paws next to Rainbow Dash. "I heard you dweebs needed some help."

Twilight laughed, along with the other Elements of Harmony.

“Derpy!” Lily called out joyfully to her sister, who alighted just ahead of us.

Dissonance narrowed his eyes and grumbled, as if to himself. "You're right, Princess. This isn't over."

“Watch out!” I saw his tail whipping around too late. It slammed into Derpy's side, impaling her on the metal spikes. A few of them went straight through, blood spurting from the wounds.

“L-Lily,” Derpy coughed.

Dissonance wrenched his tail free and snapped his fingers, vanishing in a flash of light. I lunged forward, dropping my bow to catch Derpy as she fell. Landing on my knees, I cradled her as she labored to breathe. Lily rushed over to kneel beside her sister.

“I f-found Rainbow D-Dash,” Derpy rasped.

“I took care of Max like you asked me to,” Lily said, her voice thick. “We both did our jobs.”

“I’m sorry,” Derpy whispered. “I’m s-sorry for being ditzy.”

“No, don’t you apologize,” Lily’s voice cracked. “I love you no matter what.”

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I rocked back and forth, hoping to provide some small comfort.

“Let them go,” I heard Twilight say behind me. “We’re not like them.”

The Diamond Dogs turned and fled, uncontested. The griffons secured the square after the Dogs had left, with the Pegasi and the ponies that stayed behind. They stood guard around the perimeter while we huddled together in the mud, surrounded by the still bodies of friends and foes.

The Battle of New Ponyville was over.

14 One Last Push

I clutched Derpy close to me, her breathing shallow. Lily laid her head upon her sister’s chest, while Twilight and her friends encircled us, providing some measure of privacy.

The griffon that greeted the Elements of Harmony began issuing orders to her subordinates, sending some to watch after the retreating Diamond Dogs and others to safeguard the ponies.

“What can I do,” I whispered to myself. It was happening again. I could see myself in the pain that filled Lily’s eyes, overflowing onto Derpy. It was the pain of losing your little sister.

I looked to my bow, considering the spell I had yet to invoke. A plan took shape in my mind.

“Not again.” I whipped my head up, startling Twilight, who was leaning over me to see Derpy.

“Twilight, I need you to cast a spell.”

“Max,” she replied softly. “When I was an Alicorn, perhaps I would have had enough power to heal her, but now—”

I was unfazed. “Can you teleport us to the Rainbow Refuge?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up as she connected the dots. She trotted over to where my bow was lying on the ground.

“There isn’t much time,” she said, bending down to touch the bow with her horn. It began to glow, the bowstring shimmering purple in response to her magic.

“What do I have to do?” I asked. Lily looked desperately between me and Twilight.

“Snap the string. That will release the spell, and it will put the two of you as close to the pool as the magic reserves within the bowstring allow. I need to be with the refugees, to lead them to our new home. This is something you will have to do yourself, Max.”

Lily didn’t hesitate. “I’ll meet you there.”

She took off, disappearing into the sky like a bolt of violet lightning.

Another griffon descended, landing next to their leader. “Our scouts spotted Dissonance on the other side of the forest, near the ponies.”

Twilight locked eyes with me. “I have to go.”

Rainbow Dash spread her wings and looked toward the head gryphon. “C’mon, Gilda.”

Gilda flew after her, with the messenger griffon trailing behind. The other ponies galloped out of the square behind Twilight.

I reached over and grabbed the bow, struggling to hold Derpy on my lap with one hand. The bowstring was strong—I had no idea how I would break it.

One of the griffons noticed me frantically twisting and wrenching the string.

“Allow me,” he said, claws appearing from his footpaw. He swiped them at the bow, and as soon as he made contact I felt a jerk; like tripping or falling in a dream.

We were somewhere deep within the Everfree Forest. I was still kneeling, resting on the side of a hill in the soft mosses and leaves. I tried to find any landmark that could give me a clue as to our whereabouts.

Derpy’s blood had soaked through my clothes. I watched her chest for the subtle signs of life, but my trembling arms made it difficult to discern any movement. If we stayed here, she wouldn’t have a chance.

I got my feet under me, lifting Derpy up and over my shoulders. It took every ounce of strength to stand. I climbed the hill slowly, one step at a time.

As we neared the top, through the deafening sound of my heart pounding in my ears, I heard a waterfall in the distance.

“Almost there, Derpy. Just hold on,” I wheezed. Asthma gripped my airways, but I knew that I couldn’t afford to slow down.

Cresting the hill, I looked down into a familiar valley. The surface of the pool rippled with the breeze and the stream crashing down into it, causing it to twinkle with lively color. So close to the Rainbow Refuge, and still so far away.

I picked my way carefully down the other side of the hill. The grass was slick from the rain, and each step threatened to send my feet out from under me.

Once I had reached the bottom, I braced myself for the final leg of the journey. Derpy hadn’t moved or made any noise since the square, but I had to believe. I had to try.

Inch by agonizing inch, I narrowed the gap between us and the water’s edge. We were nearly there when I felt a sudden presence behind me.

“You’re not Twilight,” muttered a sinister voice. I turned cautiously, finding myself face to face with Dissonance. I glared back at him.

“I didn’t expect to find you at the terminus of a spell with her magical signature,” he said, smiling wickedly. “Are you going somewhere?”

I couldn’t fight him alone, and I wasn’t about to set Derpy down. I had no choice. I turned back toward the water, and put one foot in front of the other. Two steps later, I was struck from behind.

The shock of the blow caused me to drop Derpy, who fell forward and tumbled to a stop just short of the pool. I didn’t feel any immediate pain, so I was surprised to notice that there was a metal spike protruding from my stomach.

I groaned as he yanked it free, causing my own blood to pour out of the wound and mix with the blood that already coated me. I fell into a kneeling position, suddenly weak.

“No!” I heard Lily yell from somewhere above. My vision darkened around the edges—Derpy was lying ahead of me at the end of the tunnel.

Lily flew past me. Dissonance roared. I started to crawl on my hands and knees toward Derpy.

My ears were ringing. Each breath was laborious and painful. I struggled to stay conscious.

“Max!” I glanced backward to see Lily looking at me, her eyes wide. She had planted herself between me and Dissonance. “Get to the water!”

The Draconequus swung his tail around, but Lily ducked just in time. She launched herself toward him, wrapping her forelegs around his trunk and knocking him backward.

I saw the trail of blood behind me. Time was running out.

I kept crawling, the sounds of struggle behind me fading away as the ringing in my ears grew louder. I reached Derpy, and feebly tried pushing her ahead of me toward the water. She barely moved, if I even moved her at all.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die, but for me it was just a single moment of time. I saw my sister’s nursery, and her empty crib—empty except for the Pinkie Pie plush doll sitting in the corner.

I felt a surge of adrenaline, and knew that I would only have the strength for one last push. It would have to be enough.

Crying out, I grabbed Derpy with both arms and rolled over her, pulling her with me. We tumbled together down the gentle slope toward the pool. Splashing down, I twisted around to angle us so that our heads would stay on the shoreline, out of the water. A circle of rusty color spread out from where we landed, the pool cleansing us of the blood and dirt covering our bodies.

The pain receded immediately, though I still felt completely drained from the effort. Derpy opened her eyes, one of them looking back into mine as she gasped for breath.

The darkness closed in on me and the Rainbow Refuge faded away as I lost consciousness.

16 Epilogue

“Once I reopen the portal, I cannot predict how long it will be stable. It’s likely to only remain open for a few minutes,” Twilight informed me.

We stood in the field where I had first appeared in Equestria. Beside us, the other five Elements of Harmony and the two sisters waited to say goodbye. After the last night's celebration, I decided that it was time for me to return home. It wasn’t an easy decision; I had always found goodbyes difficult.

We set off on one last patrol together, back to where it all began. The rest of the ponies were back at the outpost, packing up what few possessions they had carried out of New Ponyville and preparing for what would hopefully be the final leg of their journey.

Twilight looked to me, waiting for the signal that I was ready to leave.

I turned to each of the Elements, exchanging hoof bumps and hugs. When I got to Pinkie, I embraced her for an especially long time. She seemed content to hug me back without understanding why I was so emotional.

As I reached Derpy and Lily, they rushed me together and threw their hooves around me. I barely managed to encircle them with my arms. I didn’t know what to say, so I silently held them as they buried their faces in my shoulders.

“We’ll miss you,” Derpy whispered. Lily squeezed me tighter.

“Brother,” Derpy added.

I froze, eyes wide. Looking down, I saw them both smiling back at me.

“We decided that you had earned the title of ‘honorary brother’, for all that you’ve done,” Lily explained. “Thank you, for everything.”

I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, and neither could Derpy or Lily. I squeezed them both as closely to me as I could.

“You have no idea how much that means to me.”

I stepped back, wiping my cheeks. “The honor is mine, sisters.”

They each wrapped a hoof around one another, tears sparkling on their faces.

I walked over to Twilight. “I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“This isn’t goodbye,” Twilight reassured me. “It’s just goodbye until next time.”

I smiled, and hugged her as well. “Until next time, then.”

When she let go, I squared my shoulders and nodded. She bowed her head, her horn glowing, and sent out a pulse which stopped just in front of me. An oval shaped doorway between worlds appeared, swirling with prismatic radiance. I reached out toward it, and once my hand contacted the edge of the portal, I felt it drawing me in. I turned to wave to the ponies with my free hand as I let it pull me across the threshold.

It seemed like no time had passed at all before I found myself on my back at the base of the horse statue in the park, still wearing my bloodstained sweats. I quickly made my way back to my apartment to change, lest I attract any unwanted attention.

I surprised my parents with a phone call that night. We talked for hours, catching up with each other. I left the ponies out of it, but my parents still noticed the change in my personality. I asked if they wanted to meet up for dinner some night that week, and they happily accepted.

I started spending more time at the park, jogging down there and finding a nice shady spot to sit and think for hours. I found another job which would allow me to work from home, developing web content for a locally based company. It was a breath of fresh air to be doing something I loved for a change.

On one of my jogs, I found a blonde woman sitting on a bench, completely lost in the novel on her lap.

“What book is that,” I asked. “It’s been a while since I’ve read something good.”

“Oh, it’s an older story by one of my favorite fantasy authors.” She seemed surprised, but welcomed the friendly conversation. Rather than sitting alone and thinking that day, I talked with her for hours before asking if she would like to meet me for coffee sometime. She smiled shyly and gave me her number.

“I’m Max, by the way.”

“Lily,” she replied, extending her hand.

We’ve been dating for several months now. Lily has a younger sister who’s still in high school, with beautiful eyes that tend to wander in an oddly familiar way. Her sister often goes by the nickname “Ditzy”, though Lily definitely wields it as a term of endearment, and Ditzy owns it anyways. This weekend, we’ve got tickets to go and see the finals for a Battle of the Bands at Ditzy’s school. It feels good to be doing things with people again.

I frequently find my mind drifting, lost in daydreams about the ponies back in Equestria—wondering how they’re doing, and whether they found what they were looking for. I often head back to the statue and run my hands along the smooth concrete base in the hopes of finding the portal again. Nothing yet, but I remain optimistic.

Those ponies gave me hope for my future, and the courage to seize the opportunity for a fresh start.

I couldn’t be happier.

Author's Note

Thanks for joining me for the journey! I sincerely hope you enjoyed it =)

15 From the Ashes

I sat upright, throwing off blankets.

“Derpy!”

Twilight stuck her head into the entrance of the cavern. “You’re awake!”

“Where is Derpy?”

She walked over and sat down next to me. “She’s fine. Still sleeping. You’ve both been in and out of it for several days.”

I looked around the cave. It was small, seemingly carved out by water rushing down from a hole in the ceiling near the back. The sandy floor was cool to the touch, and the breeze blowing in made me shiver. It was dark outside.

I tried to stand up, but my stiff limbs caused me to fall back into a crouch. I was especially sore where I had been stabbed by Dissonance—the hole was still visible in the center of my sweatshirt, ringed by an especially dark bloodstain that contrasted with the rest of them.

I took a deep breath, feeling winded already. “Take me to her.”

“Please,” I added hastily.

Twilight nodded, her face solemn.

She headed out into the gloom with me close behind. It was evening, the sun having already descended below the horizon. A chill wind blew down from the Eastern Mountains which towered overhead and to our right. The clearing we were in was dotted with lean-tos and rudimentary shelters. Ponies and griffons mingled, though there was little conversation among their ranks.

“This way,” Twilight said over her shoulder, leading me to another cave at the bottom of a shallow incline.

She waited outside the entrance, watching me as I stuck my head in. This cave was even smaller than the one I woke up in. Lily was sleeping with her head resting on a pile of blankets, moss peeking out from beneath the edges of the mound. Twilight gently placed a hoof on my shoulder.

“I need to check in with the perimeter guard, I’ll only be gone a moment.” With that, she left me with the two sisters.

I walked in and sat down on the other side of the bed from Lily. Only the top of Derpy’s head was visible, but the subtle rise and fall of the blankets said everything I would have asked.

I leaned over, planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. It was my own way of tying up loose ends, I suppose.

As I sat back, I saw Lily watching me, with a faint smile and tears in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispered. I didn’t know what to say, so I simply nodded.

I noticed that her wings were bound to her, tied with bandages that held them immobile. None of us remained unscathed, but we were alive. That was all that mattered.

After meeting up with Twilight and her five friends by a firepit outside, they filled me in on the details: Rainbow Dash had found safe harbor over the mountains, in a place they called the “Badlands”. Twilight recalled the place it from an old adventure she undertook with her sister-in-law and Discord; it surprised me to hear him mentioned without resentment.

The Badlands weren’t the nicest place to call home, but they were defensible, contained several sources of clean water, and most importantly they would place many miles between the ponies and the looming threat of Dissonance’s army. On her way back, Rainbow Dash encountered the griffons, who offered their assistance after hearing of the mutual enemies that Equestria faced.

The Diamond Dogs weren’t completely defeated in the battle; a sizable amount survived, falling back to regroup with Dissonance at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Before Twilight rejoined the evacuation, the other Elements of Harmony were staring down the remnants of the Dogs and Dissonance, who were blocking their escape.

Just when another skirmish seemed inevitable, Dissonance's head suddenly snapped up, his eyes fixed on someplace deep within the forest. A moment later he snapped his fingers and disappeared, leaving behind the Dogs, who weren’t particularly keen on reengaging the ponies without their leader.

Rainbow Dash knew something was wrong, so when Twilight returned she took a band of Pegasi and griffons in the direction Dissonance had been interested in, coming upon the Rainbow Refuge within minutes of me blacking out. Lily had singlehoofedly kept Dissonance at bay, and when he saw the others approaching, he decided to cut his losses and run.

Lily had been hurt, badly. Most of the magical essence in the pool had been used in keeping Derpy and I alive, so before Lily’s wounds could be addressed, she had to limp back with her Pegasi escort to the makeshift campsite that served as a temporary outpost. There were still many wounded ponies, and many who had lost loved ones—the days before I awoke had been spent bandaging injuries and grieving.

They made plans to carry on to the Badlands after spending another day or two recovering from the blow they had been dealt, but despite the pain that still burdened the ponies, I saw something else spreading among them.

As they gathered around the fire that night—some munching on salvaged baked treats and others nursing healing potions prepared by Zecora—it became an itch at the back of my mind. I saw the gloom fall away as old friends struck up new conversations.

The laughter began slowly and tentatively at first, but then favorite jokes were retold, and it erupted into carefree guffaws that rolled out into the night. The noise awoke a nest of phoenixes, who chirped at the ponies harshly from their perch in the boughs of a massive willow tree, but instead of quieting down the ponies began to cheer.

“From the ashes! From the ashes!”

That night, they celebrated their victory. At the fringes of the firelight, the gryphons and ponies on guard couldn’t help but grin, as they watched the impromptu celebration of life. The big red stallion with the orange mane started to dance by the fire with a purple mare, and within a minute dozens of ponies joined them, twirling around one another as the rest kept a beat with their hooves.

While I watched them dance, Lily and Derpy emerged from their cave. They came over and sat down on either side of me, in the midst of the Elements of Harmony, soaking up the festivities with me in silence. Bandaged in similar fashion to her sister, Derpy rested her head upon my shoulder, causing the intangible itch to manifest itself. It was a feeling I had nearly forgotten after so many long and lonely years.

Hope.