Wisp

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Ponyville; Twilight's Castle

"There it is." She states with irritation along with her extended cyan foreleg, "Again!"

"We can all see it, deary." Another sounds out with calmer tone, "Along with your tongue, Rainbow Dash."

"Hey at least I'm not acting like it's not a big deal. What is somepony's in trouble?" Rainbow Dash rises in her chair to all four hooves, "You just don't want to go because you might have to get a little dirty!" until finally taking to the air in hover.

"And you just want any reason at all to go dressing up as Daring Do." She quickly lifts her muzzle in contempt.

"But Rarity, what if somebody really is in trouble?" Another voice, soft as silk, immediately softens into nothingness as many pairs of eyes focus in on her abrupt intrusion, "..."

"Fluttershy, my dear, if that were true then the guardponies sent several weeks ago would have reported of such." Rarity, having lowered her muzzle only to butterscotch, "I for one simply see no need to put ourselves in danger over a..." giving a light press of hoof to underside muzzle, "..mistake. There, I said it."

"Rarity broke the table!" Over energetic pink almost screams in surprise.

"Pinkie!" Rarity, startled by the outburst, loses some of her calm demeanor, "I did not break the table!"

"Then how do you know it's a mistake? Hmmm!" Pinkie, having hopped out of her chair and over across the colorful replica of their homeland, "I mean Rainbow was just going on the other daaaaa..!" muffled only by cyan hooves slowly covered in blue hue.

"Hehehe... what she means to say is that maybe not all of us are giving it our all. Right Pinkie?" Rainbow struggles to shake Pinkie's head up and down against the ever tightening blue haze wrapped over her hooves, "Stop it already!"

"Not until you, Rainbow Dash, apologize!" Rarity slowly steps forth from her chair onto table, taking in her wake the pride of the buffalo, "I am certainly, without question, giving it my all!"

"Oh yeah? Then I say we all go ourselves to Hayseed Swamp and give it our all." Rainbow pushes forward against the drag below even as light pink begins to match darker mane, "Obviously something is going on and it's our job and find out what."

Rarity drudges forward until her lifted muzzle presses against cyan, "Exactly." Her agreements causing confused retorts both before and around, "And we can't be doing that for all the ponies that we can help if we're off in some dreary swamp lost and confused." along with muffled screams.

"Ya'll wanna know what ah think?" Stetson orange speaks across the table with a strong tone not used for asking, "Ah think ah'm gonna get my rope if you two don't start acting right," with a resounding hoof stomp, "and let the poor girl breath!"

"Are you sure nothing was found out of the ordinary Sergeant..um.."

"Sergeant Clover, your highness." Sergeant Clover gracefully slides down in respect. "Upon the sixth day of patrol we were still unable to locate or observe anything that would grant suspicion." Coming into rigid posture from his slow rise, "Furthermore, we were able to maintain to the nature of Hayseed Swamp as having not pacified in any case."

"Oh." With hesitation in words, clarity in expression, "Sounds rather uneventful, huh." is his warning cast aside.

"We...yes your highness." Clover, almost giving in to mild agitation, recovers not without slight observation. Letting the gaze once only in peripheral come into direct focus, he does his best to bolster to his profession before his compassion.

"Did I say something wrong, Mister Clover?" Her words, meant in genuine concern, riles only that much further. "Listen I'm... It's just that I'm... Gah, That's it Twilight just keep making a fool of yourself." Her ears flattening until the subtle coughing catches her attention once more, to which she nods forward. "Please, go on."

"It is just that we were taught it is unbecoming for the princess to address us outside of our rank." Clover attempts to clarify with a bolstered tone, "It is believed to be spoken of while in uniform, as if out of it, is to of somehow acted unbefitting of it."

"Wait. What? Oh no no no please that wasn't what I meant Mist...Sergeant Clover!" Princess Twilight fumbles along in apologetic tone, "It's just that I'm not used to all," giving her lavender hoof a long stride up and over, "..this. I meant no disrespect. And...and I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

Sergeant Clover, having remained silent both in and out with best of intentions, struggles to find victory through words until the light pressure of touch brings his attention to his left foreleg. Through the slow crane of neck does he take in purple and green, of talons and spikes adorned, and of sympathetic stare.

"You'll have to forgive her big guy." The small figure's words, without falter or guise, attempt understanding. His attempts notwithstanding, "She'll eventually pull the stick out of your butt." fails to stop the change of lavender to magenta.

"Spike!!" Through words and pink glow, "I'm so sorry Sergeant Clover. And you, mister, had better apologize right now."

"But you said it yourself last night!" Spike retorts with less than apologetic ruse.

"I did not!" She almost squeaks as magenta brightens ever more, "What I said was that I'm not very good at this yet and I hope I don't hurt somepony by not taking their station as seriously as they take mine."

"Yeah." Spike nods in agreement, "And then you said it wouldn't be so bad if they all didn't have a stick up their butt." With finally placing his closed talons over his hips, "You even went through the charades of pulling them out with your magic."

"Ooooh...it's coming back again." Princess Twilight affords further embarrassment with the resting of hooves over her eyes and muzzle as she sits back on her haunches. "This is even worse than Private Squiggly's introduction."

"Oh the one where you held your giggles too much and...mmmph!"

"Sergeant Clover." Princess Twilight, having mustered enough to regain both her posture and color, "Please accompany me to the chamber of harmony. My friends have been a bit unconvinced on the severity of Hayseed Swamp and I would like for you to help smooth out any questions that they have of the recent expedition." Having forced her eyes closed the entire request.

"Yes, your highness." Sergeant Clover confirms with strong tone, only to nearly bite his tongue as Princess Twilight swiftly turns her head into one of several high standing vanity just behind. "Are you alright, your highness?"

"Mmmmm... y-yep! ow. Perfectly fine!" Her journey given added context through subtle wetness in her one wide eye with each passing bewildered stare. "It's just that ever since we've discovered that we can find ponies in trouble through that table it's been almost non stop coming and going. And then of course this Hayseed Swamp keeps lighting up every now and then before fading again."

"Your subjects are ever grateful, Princess Twilight, let me assure you."

"I know." Of slight downtrodden expression and tone before giving her head another good shake, "It's just that apples still need picking, dresses need hemming, animals given care." Before turning her head to give the Sergeant an more direct stare, "Did you know we had sleet last week? Or that some ponies are celebrating their birthday early or late just so that they can still have the party?"

She turns her head forward once more as they approach two large doors. Having opted to not have guards up and down her hallways, she sets her horn aglow, the magical hue seeping into long center crevice between both doors. Of subtle rise and fall of her chest, she can only hope for little to no further unexpected happenings of what has already been an already hectic day.

"At least the worse is now out of the way..."

"Pinkie? Pinkie you need to breath!" One of many frantic voices ring out just down and behind the hallway double doors.

"Oh what...!" Princess Twilight exclaims in frustration as double doors flare forward. Robbed of words and emotional expression, she can do little more than give a blank stare to the theatrics displayed even as orange foreleg waves her forward.

"Don't worry none sugarcube, ah got these rascals under control." Stetson orange yells out with energized excitement. "Rarity and Rainbow got all up in each others muzzle and ah'm teaching them an good old fashioned lesson, Apple style!"

"Applejack, you release me this instant!" Rarity shrieks with her neck craned back as far as possible.

"No can do sugarcube. Not till you and Rainbow make good and proper." Applejack states with slight parental undertone.

"Oh, I'll make good and proper alright." Rainbow, with neck craned as far forward as possible, bites the air much to the ever louder fuss and shrieks pummeling her already flattened backwards. "Rarity here thinks we shouldn't go to Hayseed Swamp!"

"Aiieeee!!! Will somepony please save me!" Rarity cries out, the corner of her eyes having already caught glimpse. "Oh...if only some gentlecolt would only have the courage to-AH!" Before her attention returns once more before her, "You bite me!"

"Gosh darnit Rarity just follow yer own advice and apologize like a lady!" Applejack once more tries to encourage reason even as cyan and white muzzles begin their epic battle or nipping to and fro. "Or just follow Rainbow's lead and act like feral coons. How's Pinkie?"

Having gone unanswered, Applejack's vision slowly shifts from savagery to therapy. "Ah think she's alright there, Fluttershy."

"B-but she isn't moving!" Fluttershy responds with frantic worry in her voice, "Pinkie never stops moving!" With hooves heaving with as much strength as feathers, she continues to rub the light pink upright underside chest with watery eyes. "Pinkie, stop playing around!"

"Awww! Fluttershy loves me!" Pinkie's sudden yell brings jolts to many as pink forelegs reach up and over butterscotch and pink, pulling down and into mighty bear hug. Her words "Don't worry, Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie loves you too!" muffling bone popping cries for help.

Letting her expression adopt one of sympathetic pain, Applejack finally turns her attention to the open double doors. Taking notice of the utterly embarrassed Princess of Friendship, her finally bring into focus one of many newly stationed guardponies as orange foreleg begins to wave enthusiastically.

"Howdy partner!" Her foreleg still in rigorous motion, "Don't worry none, this here is normal!" letting common apple courtesy fully take over in welcoming smile as the guardpony hesitantly waves back.

"Then the legends are indeed true..." Sergeant Clover vocally notes under his breath, foreleg still in motion.

"I..." Princess Twilight, having been locked in possible shocked denial, begins to literally shake back to life.

"Your highness?"

"I've only been gone...a few minutes..." She continues with an ever so subtle twitch cascading across her left brow and less than subtle retreat of purple and green to behind befuddled Sergeant. "Girls this is not how we are supposed to conduct ourselves!"

"Well pardon the observation sugarcube but we're only in this here situation cause of that darn blinking light over on the Hayseed Swamp." Applejack, having hopped off the table and moved closer with each word, "Kinda hard to stay reasonable without the sound of reason."

"That's exactly what I was doing." Princess Twilight swingers her foreleg out and behind, "This is Sergeant Clover, head of the recent expedition into the Hayseed Swamp." Quick to take note of full attention, "He's here to answer all of our questions, okay?"

"Okay, okay. Rarity I'm sorry blah blah blah...untie me."

"Annnd?" Rarity offers an unladylike expression as she etches her muzzle forward.

"And for biting you?" Rainbow, in turn, merely raises her right brow.

"Then I accept your apology, as half felt as it was, and offer my own." She quickly comes back to her hooves as Applejack releases them from their too close for comfort bounds.

"You know you're supposed to actually say you're sorry." Rainbow is quick to quip even against the light swishing of purple bouncy tail leading away from her. Narrowing her eyes as she hovers backwards to her own chair, she cannot help but give a light snort when her eye catches the clump of fur to her left. "Hey what happened to Fluttershy?"

"Pinkie." Applejack casually replies from across the table while giving a stern eye to Pinkie, who upon release of her butterscotch friend begins to drown in one of many puddles across the table. "Pinkie!"

"Sorry!" Pinkie frantically apologizes as she continues to shift her kindest of friends around and about until finally settling for her clumping into a ball of lightly breathing fur. "Awww, isn't she just the cutest."

"Pinkie, deary, I do not think that our kind and gentle Fluttershy would appreciate you petting her while under the weather." An wide eyed Rarity nervously states over the now deathly quiet table. "Oh dear. I'm afraid we simply cannot proceed with her in such a state. We'll simply just have to wait until she..." with eyes narrowing to cyan hooves fidgeting distractedly. "Rainbow what are you doing now?"

With all eyes upon the now triumphant cyan muzzle, she merely presses her flattened together hooves to her lips and lets forth an ear flattening high pitched squeal.

"Bunny?" Do the words, soft and gentle, flow out of the now upright and rigid Fluttershy, who then begins to rub the top of her brow with the inside of her forelegs, "O-ow... W-what happened?" only to gasp in surprise to the down and out pink beside her chair, "Pinkie? Pinkie!"

"M-maybe it just isn't a good time, your highness?" Sergeant Clover nervously questions to his right. "I can come back..."

"Y'all better hand over that thing you got hiding behind yer back Rainbow."

"This...this isn't how we usually are, Sergeant Clover." Princess Twilight gently replies under face felt foreleg. "Tensions have been running rather high when the very thing you're supposed to do also has to be ignored." Only to let said foreleg drop, "Just.. give me a few minutes."

"No way! You got an whole farm of grass!"

"Then I will entrust my patience to your efforts, your highness." Sergeant Clover slides down in respect before rising back up and disappearing behind slowly closing double doors.

"We all just made complete fools out of ourselves in front of yet another royal guardpony." Princess Twilight declares.

"Hey it isn't our fault!" Rainbow declares right back, "I'm not gonna change who I am for nopony."

"I never said you needed to." Twilight replies, having lifted her crown and set it aside. "I love each and every one of you for the pony that you are and wouldn't trade any of you for the most rigid guardponies in all of Equestria."

"She's just embarrassed because she almost knocked herself out on the way in here." Spike, under renewed glare and several fold curious stare, continues to tempt fate. "Plus I think he will stay. He didn't even flinch when Twilight told him she'd take the stick out of his butt."

"Way ta go Twi!" Applejack interjects with wholesome cheer, "Show them stick in the mud's right and proper."

"Well that is rather forward for a lady but.." Only to give brief hesitation before lifting her foreleg forward, "Good for you."

"Um, if I may, who?" Fluttershy, having adopted confusion, genuinely inquires.

"Just the stallion that came in when you were unconscious." Rainbow answers with a smirk until her expression turns to guilt as Fluttershy mouths the statement into a question to herself. "Yeah, you know, during which Pinkie hugged you until sure you were okay?"

"O-oh! Okay." Only to let confusion turn into genuine appreciation, "Thank you, Pinkie."

"Apology accepted!" Pinkie gleams across the table, forcing silent confusion to take hold once more.

"Okay girls, so here's the deal, once again. Sergeant Clover personally lead the mission into Hayseed Swamp and has all of the details. He is here to answer any and all questions so that we might finally make a decision as a group on what direction to move forward with. Got it?" Twilight details laid bare, nods in return as doors once more move inwards. "Sergeant Clover. Would you please step forward?"

"Yes, your highness." For which he comes to an halt between Princess Twilight and Rarity.

"Please give your assessment." She asks as her crown is magically set back behind her horn.

"Yes, your highness."

"Ugh..."

"Three weeks ago the Royal Sisters elected to put together a expedition of fourteen guardponies for the sole purpose of investigation of the Hayseed Swamp. One week later, upon arrival to our designated point of interest we set up camp and began routine reconnaissance and established a parameter maintained for nine rotations. We observed nothing beyond already established expectations."

"That's it?" Rainbow, having adorned an expression of utter disinterest, asks with flat tone.

"That is all, Ma'am." Losing more than a few of once interested stares.

"You see?" Rarity chimes in through the awkward silence, "Now did we really need to waste our dear gentlecolt's time with telling once again what we were already informed of?" even upon renewed glare. "I, for one, say we've wasted far too much precious time on this already."

"Yeah, well, maybe they just didn't look hard enough?" Rainbow, earning several wide eyed stares, focuses only once more on the glare. "This is what we do Rarity. Look at all the time we've spent in the Everfree. You know, the most dangerous place in Equestria?"

"U-um..girls. P-lease..s-top.." Comes the soft and stuttering voice of grounded in chair butterflies, whose fret comes not of rainbows and diamonds but from rigid clover, "Y-you really n-need to calm down!"

"Ain't no getting through those two's thick noggins, Fluttershy." Applejack almost grumbles outs, "Not until they get past all the downright hurtful things they said over that darn fight they had the other week."

"Hey I didn't hear about any fight." Spike, having refrained from all the tension, pips up with curious interest. Giving a quick back and fro between cyan and pearl white, he finally turns to lavender, whose rigid glare follows back towards stetson orange. "Huh?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Spike." Princess Twilight's tone, soft and welcoming, is accompanied with smile before shifting once more towards that which still smolders. "Isn't that right, girls." Before letting her chest heave with silent answer. "I'm sorry Sergeant."

However, as if winter swelled up and came through the still ajar double doors, does the Sergeant remain ever silent. His posture, while still rigid, now comes with the ever subtle grit of hooves grinding marble. His eyes, once relaxed to half lidded, narrowed into rage inducing unfocused stare. Even of his muzzle, now just barely tensed to give the hint of pressured white, does such cold bite all near.

"Um, Sergeant Clover?" Princess Twilight once more kindly, if apprehensively, addresses in question. "Are you alright?"

"Permission, your highness." He addresses without turning his head, "To take my leave." Giving just enough grit for butterscotch to jump and hide behind ever straightening pink. "I believe it to be counter productive to continue any further, as hooves stand."

"Hey, if you got a problem buddy then feel free to speak up." Rainbow, still carrying edge from her previous adversary reinforces it against the considerable cold push coming her way, "Don't take it out on us just because it's so obvious that you don't want to be here."

"Of what you say is true." For which he, for the first time, refrains from respectful dialect. "This entire endeavor has indeed been both wasteful of precious time and effort better served elsewhere. Now, if so inclined, I once more request relief of duty so that I may plan."

Princess Twilight edges forth in earnest approach, hopeful of her intent. "I do apologize for high tensions and can rest assure that this is definitively not how we normally conduct ourselves. However if I am to be correct in understanding, of the small regiment returning from the Hayseed Swamps you plan to remained in Ponyville for several more days?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Then, if I may, shall I inquire on what you need to plan for, Sergeant? If only so that I may know where to reach you."

"Funerals."

Amidst gasps and singular affirmations does his stare borrow only into that of purple gaze, leaving little room for anything but hesitant confirmation of long delayed request. Yet through the giving of his own does he spare nary a passing glimpse to shocked expressions against his slow but steadily fading presence past closing double doors, leaving only the chill of honor tarnished in passing wake.

"Waste of time, they say." Sergeant Clover mumbles under his breath through the long hallway as slow trot skits along emotions hard felt, "Just didn't give it our all?" slowing only once barred in exit by yet another set of large double doors.

"Sergeant Clover, requesting exit." to which further silence of voice and hinge compels once more, "Requesting Exit."

"S-sorry sir!" Comes the faint yell across thick metal, "The last unicorn guardpony seems to have forgotten to undo their locking spell!"

"Then simply have the changeover unicorn break it for you." Sergeant Clover grumbles out with shrinking reserves.

"Y-yes sir! O-or we would if there wasn't a mix up and...wait, what did you say? I couldn't quite hear you!"

"Move." Of only several seconds before the winged Sergeant dashes backwards with just enough room to launch forward at full speed and tilt, all four hooves slamming into the right door with riveting effect both forward and of echoes far behind.

Saying but not a word, the Sergeant trots with hard clops out the still vibrating door without even a passing side glance, his vision held elsewhere as several armored ponies give onto him their own. Divided between, the other armored ponies proceed in the Sergeant's wake as they leave both jolted guards and oncoming troubles behind.

"You know you're going to be in deep water for this." Says the pegasus mare to his left.

"It's just a door." Sergeant Clover simply states through moderate trot. "And shouldn't you all be at the train station?"

"We were." Says the baritone worthy stallion unicorn to his right, "But we seemed to have lost our Sergeant somewhere along the way."

"The others left this morning." Of an earth pony mare leading up the rear, "We waited for you to show but..."

"I know what I heard." Sergeant Clover only seems to quicken in pace, "And had that pompous coward not pulled rank I'd of not been wasting my time here entertaining rather than looking to bring those lost back home." letting low grumble give harsh words further weight.

"And what would you have us do? Go running back to the swamp with not even a third of our original numbers?" As rear becomes movement barring front, "It's been three whole days since they disappeared through that mist. Even you have to accept what that means."

"Of which that stands before me, couldn't be made any more clear." His words, not meant of such hurt, reflect all that much more with the shifting to downcast stare. Reaching his foreleg forward, he does a light tab of hoof against the mare's metal clad chest.

"It was an honor to of had each of you in service under my wing, no matter how short lived. To have come forward for such an mission is nothing short of admirable, and for that, we were all promised leave on return to be with our families. I ask only to be afforded the same."

With silent understanding, the Sergeant moves forward and away, given of no notice to that of large shadow moving the other way.

Southeastern Hayseed Swamp

"I say we kill this one and be done with it." One bipedal figure growls out as it yanks hard of chain in hand, causing something to splash down into the muck riddling trek, "Worthless thing can't even walk straight without both wings." His leg pushing down against mild struggle.

"End it's life in forfeit of your own, dog!" Comes the growl riddled yell of an even larger bipedal, it's scales glistening to the ever constant downpour of overly saturating rain. "Hegon is the one who will cut it's thread if he so wills. Not you!"

With war of words comes drawn blades and the farther yank of air deny chain as one quadrupedal lunges with all her might towards that which slowly sinks into blackened mud. Denied rescue of comrade in arms, she nearly hisses with struggle before yet another of many rounded blows to the head. Falling as well, muzzle deep, into the muck does is she allowed a moment of weakness for their plight.

"Do not trifle with me much longer, overgrown lizard." The other bipedal shakes with threat and muscle, much to the raise in dark fur that covers it's top heavy body. "Xyran, not Hegan, will not only have their heads, but yours too for your treachery!"

As scales and fur begin to encircle each other, both blade and dragging chain in hand, they give no cause for concern to the air struggling pain and cries of those dragged along through the mud. Giving wide birth, do many of similar nature create an ever louder enclosure of yells and weapons raised in air.

With lunges and swings more wild and vicious than skillful, they are brought only to an halt by the entanglement of mud clad prisoners. Giving pain inducing pulls, the one on top gives no quarter as her grip only seems to tighten.

"Release." The scales clad figure commands with no remorse as the flat of it's blade comes down across it's tense back. "I said release!" For which, with each harder downward crash, does the even the groan begin to fade. "You worthless filthy...!" With anger masking the turning of it's wrist with high rise to the sky, the creature catches sight of movement atop an outcrop barely visible beyond the mist.

"Movement." His voice and blade forced to give relief to that which still cradles below. Giving sway of hand as to spread that which blocks his level view, he narrows his eyes in annoyance to the constant sniffing beside him. Yet through light rattle of chain and defensive arch of blade, does the bipedal canine speak clearer than words. "Is it him?"

"No mistake." The bipedal canine speaks through continued light shake, "But we avoided it's territory!" Only for his vision to slowly follow that which has caught the scales attention before him, or rather below. "The ponies! They must of trespassed!"

"No." Scales states in contemplative drag of tone, "It would of already killed us along with them if that was all." Forgoing link of chain for grip of collar, he gives enough jolting pressure to pull apart. "It wants them alive. Best hope yours can still deliver, dog."

Reaching down to grab hold much like his scaled partner, he adopts grim expression to the lifeless movement even after sharp lift. Letting the pony drop before his twisting grip of wet stump seemingly pulls the pony screaming back to life. "Worthless thing."

"Be ready. Remember it wants them alive. Go no further than need be to get our position across." Only for Scales to lower his voice into side whisper, "Just throw yours first after approach since it won't last much longer. Got it?" for which subtle nod returns. "Good. Here it comes."

With scales and canine giving no sway to approach, does yet another bipedal slowly emerge from behind the veil. Of taller and leaner build, does the creature fail to appear of natural cover save for atop of it's head. It's hairless skin, matched in face and upper limb, is highlighted only through the tattered mismatched clothing long since given in to swampy grime.

Be it of no visible weapons to speak of, it shows no hesitation in stride to just before that which also keeps it at bay. With long arm open in hand, left in casual display, does the creature stand in dead stare even as one of the ponies splatters onto the muck before it's bare feet.

"Take it and go!" Scales commands the creature, his blade tensioned against the grit of cold iron collar, to which grinds even tighter to the slow but steady outcropping of open palm up. "I said take it and go less you wish for me to...!" silenced instead to the closing of it.

The pony, having just a moment of confusion to the sudden impact behind and own falling, manages to land on hind legs before resting onto all fours. Giving nary a hesitation, the pony lunges forward just as tall and slender does the same, passing each other without incident.

"Please be alive, please be alive." The pony rapidly repeats under her breath as she places one ear up alongside the other one's side. "Ah!" to which smile erupts across her muzzle along with the messy slide of her head underneath his mid-section, "C'mon we gotta get out of here!"

Given gentle rise, the pony ridden begins it's haphazard trek across hoof sucking muck as it wiggles, jumps, and slides back and forth. Efforts notwithstanding, the pony can do little to prevent the eventual departure of grime encased fur against it's own, much to it's vain struggle. With but a moment to shake off it's most recent muzzle plunge into smelly gunk, the pony can only freeze under foreign gaze.

With large eyes directly aligned to that of small and narrow, the pony remains stilled as coherent thought is pushed aside for instinctual. Having bore witness to the lethality of it's actions on once brutal captors, the pony still cannot find leisure or comfort upon the stare that seems to be giving weight to it's very worth of life. Of giving in to it's nature, the pony slowly etches closer and over that which lays of shallow breath and muck, as if to give protective cover from judgement still considered.

As movement of lower limbs etching forward so does four become two, as if in mimic, to the rise of the pony upon it's hind legs. Although of slight stagger and sway, does the pony attempt to appear bigger even as tall and slender comes to just an foreleg lengths away. Now of such closeness, does the subtle refraction of green iris shine of greater clarity. Of chance given, does the pony give hard swallow.

"C-can you understand me, um..." The she struggles to find knowledgeable denomination of reference, "P-pointy ears?" Only for her eyes to quickly widen in reaction of the very same, "Sorry! I just don't know what to call you!"

The pony, having begun to wain under the constant struggle of gravity, hobbles backwards in wayward flip as it finds it's muzzle once more caked in the smelly blackness of swamp bile. Careful to roll off that which needs no more injury, the pony instinctively nips as alien hand gives hold and pull on shackled iron collar.

"Hey just what do you think you're...!" Given pause with the sudden relief of pressure, "..doing?" with wide eyes following that which moves to do the same of it's fellow kind. It steps forward to watch as nimble appendage slips in and pushes out that which no hoof could grasp.

Letting ears pivot and tilt forward, the pony seems to give onto nothing until the dawn of realization. "So you do understand me! I know because you got mad when I accidentally insulted your ears. W-well I didn't mean to insult them, they're actually very nice! H-hey wait!"

As if determined to ignore, tall and slender continues his rigid stride away from the once dim of frantic call. Getting of little means away from that which serves to ask yet for more, it focuses it's stare with the light lift of right limb to that which now pulls on already tattered clothing. With it's attention obtained, the pony looks up with humbled expression.

"M-my comrade is hurt, real bad. They took one of his wings so he couldn't escape and it's infected." The pony speaks with slight rattle in voice, "I fear he won't... make it through nightfall and I don't know where to go from here. I...need help."

With subtle shake, the creature's nostrils flare for several seconds before turning away yet again. It's attention, if forward, staggers along even against the noise that refuses to be turned away by deaf ear, or feigned ignorance.

"As members of the Royal Guard I can assure you that the Kingdom of Equestria would give proper gratitude for your help!" The pony begins to falter in it's pace already leading too far away, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have made personal promise to it!" until the words spoken give rise to fear once more as grace turns to mud splattering stomp. "Oh crap."

Taking but a stilled moment, tall and lean gives only one deep shuttering breath before swift turnabout alerts it to misunderstood display. Through mutter under breath too low to understand, it passes that of frozen worry until buckling down to that of heavy injury. With long reach does the tiny appendages grab and roll for better view, low moans and groans given in return through the light grip of broken bone.

"H-hey, be careful, okay?" The other pony states with hushed urgency, forced instead to take a few trots back against the surprising lift of under wrapped limb to injured companion. Taking observations to the slight strain upon it's brow, the pony moves about until course of direction is shown through it's faster than expected lead.

"Hey wait up, will ya? I can't move that fast in the deep mud..." She mutters with each hoof sucking move forward, "Bunch of stupid smelly gunk I swear if I never step hoof in another swamp.." until much to her surprise comes the distinct clop of hard rock. "Huh?"

With her attention pulled forward to down, she begins to tap her front left hoof several times even as each clop serves to further only her bewilderment. Forced into confronting reality, her brow becomes rigid as she begins to hop in place before giving several full turns.

"Well if that don't beat all. Could have sworn..." with dawning surprise upon her rising eyes, "..that you couldn't get any weirder."

She can only tilt her head once more to the visual of black muck crackling into solid sediment in the wake of each step taken. Swearing under breath, she begins to move not of her own violation but to the seeming liquidation once more to a path needing less dawdled. Dragging herself back to hoof, she struggles until once more her hooves find solid ground with quickening pace less left to fall behind.

Chapter 2

Canterlot; Barracks - Mid Afternoon

"Hey," Does one guardpony speak as she wiggles back and forth under the weight of lopsided barb, "Did you check out the half dozen ponies coming back from that swamp expedition this afternoon?"

"What about them?" Another guardpony, not far behind, continue as he himself fidgets with his helmet.

"Weren't there around a dozen who volunteered?"

"I thought so too! But that's all I saw get off the train from Ponyville this morning while at my station." Another gives account.

"But don't you all think that is just a bit weird?" Does the conversation instigator once more inquire.

"You worry too much." Comes yet another voice to her left, "I heard they were all granted bonus leave upon completion of their assignment. Most chances are as soon as they got into Ponyville they hit the ground galloping." Giving the room a quick once over, "I know I would."

"Ah, well maybe." The mare gives halfhearted consideration, giving her head but another light shake with helmet falling in place. "Still. For a bunch of ponies about to get time off they sure don't seem too happy about it." Her attention grabbed with flickering ear, "Hear that?"

Upon the once noisy barrack, silence gives cover save for the distant but steadily approaching clop. As if of melody, ears begin to flick with widening eyes shifting in unison towards that of closed metal door, save for one stallion who begins to frantically slide discarded barding back on. With the clop coming to an end just before their door, they fully turn and adopt rigid posture regardless of proper uniform.

"Oh pish posh. They must be in between changing of the guard." Comes the soft velvet like tone that serves only to heighten anxiety and anticipation, to the point of at least one resounding clash of metal to marble. Of a few tense seconds, finally comes several light knocks. "Hello?"

"Yes, your highness!" of returned chorus, comes the slow creak of weighted hinges and forward sliding hooves.

Of taller stature and purest of white, the pony of golden adornment slowly moves through the archway to that of a dozen and a half still in respectful kneeling display. Adopting a warm genuine smile, she ushers them back up with the subtle raising of her muzzle. Bidding her time for all to rise, she barely stifles an chuckle to the ruffled mane of one in only partial barb.

"I believe I must apologize, my little ponies. It appears my visit could of been of better timing." She lifts her foreleg in order to hopefully quell the visibly apologetic expressions already forming, "Please, be at ease." To of only partial, and silent, success.

"I hope to have come to you all in good spirits?" Does she attempt once more to coax that which often remains hidden, "Ah, is that the new barding of Princess Luna's banner?" causing instead the mare now spotlighted to freeze under soft but steady gaze. "She will be pleased."

"Y-yes!" Does the guard snap in tone and posture, "T-thank you Princess Celestia!"

"Oh, best not to let Princess Luna hear you say it like that." Princess Celestia attempts now to tease with slight crook in her smile, "She might accuse me of trying to steal you for my own." Taking casual trot up close and near, "She often laments of how precious each and every Lunar Guard is to her. Why just the other day she was boasting about a Private Whistling Willow having just come under her wing."

"..." Through silence and deep blush, does the slight creep of grin begin to form. Struggle as she may, the mare only succeeds in forming an expression from a small too foul, much to the domino effect of any guard looking back as muffled snicker and giggles ring out.

"See?" Princess Celestia adopts an casual smirk, "It is so much easier to just let it come than force it back." Of even greater internal glee to hear the mist of stagnant repertoire replaced with something not often openly afforded to her. "But she really did say she was proud."

"..thank you."

"Of all here, and those not, mind you." She looks back and around to each and every pony, who in turn trade laughter for expressions of pride. "Of these words, and more, I am also eager to give to those returning from an mission. But I seem to have missed finding them..."

"I think they're in another barrack down the hall, your highness." One guardpony speaks up with an more relaxed tone, "The six of them arrived earlier in the afternoon of locomotive, from Ponyville station." His own eyes widening to the change in expression sent his way.

"Six, you say." Princess Celestia lets her eyes fall slightly to the ground, of deep contemplation, before her ears flick and pivot towards the open doorway. Lifting her eyes as to make sure of no misunderstandings, she keeps her ears turned and tilted even as she smiles and nods.

"He's going to get himself killed, is what he's going to do."

"I dunno. The Sergeant's pretty darn tough. Hay, the whole family is."

"Yeah, and who did we lose? The cannonball with wings and the brick wall they called little sis."

"But would you do any different? Especially if you thought you heard one of them scream for help behind all that mist?"

"We searched for two days and didn't even find a hoof print. Even if he goes back, how does he expect to find them?"

"I'm sure the Princesses will.."

"..never get bothered with such blemishes, as that newly stationed Captain oh so put it?"

Against the unnoticed from outside passing, does the weight of words find no such luxury. Of no guards does even shifting hoof give sound of presence, with that of fleeting heart felt earnest so easily pushed aside. Upon the faint clip of golden metal to granite flooring, do a few guards react in flinch, of widened eyes anew as if the very heat of the sun moves alongside them.

"Please excuse me." Princess Celestia neither looks back nor slows her stride. She only comes to an halt with partially out of the archway, the door swung out already clasped in subtle golden glow, with her gaze onto that which continues to walk and talk oblivious. Of but a moment in passing, she gives yet one final look back as the door begins to move along with her own hooves.

With closed door to her flank, she gently clips her hooves to the floor on her journey not far behind that of three still in official barb. Careful not to make a sound, she is forced to dip into adjacent corridor as the three guard ponies reach their barrack door. With muzzle dipped low, she waits for creak and click before taking step back on route. Of opposite hall, does the wide eyed stare of once trotting guard meet her own, with hoof to pursed lips responded with hesitant nod. Giving her thanks in mouthed routine, she continues onwards to closed door.

"Well?"

"He was adamant in going back."

"And you just let him go?"

"Hey I didn't see any of you trying to stronghoof the Sergeant!"

"That's cause none of us know him!"

"And we do? We've worked with him only a few times okay?"

"Well, what are we going to do now?"

"What can we do?"

"W-well maybe we should go and tell somepony?"

"And just who're we going to tell?"

"Me." Does she speak mere inches from closed door, of ruckus and verbal surprise non existent in return. Taking of cue, she uses her golden glow to unlock and swing open to that of ever increasing fearful expression across that of nine muzzles. Stepping forth, she barely clears the arched groove on the floor before closing the door behind her with resounding click, never to take her eyes off those before her.

"You are not in trouble." Does her words and soft tone give remedy to stares unbecoming of those she so cares for. Using her magic once more, every trim of closed door glitters in golden hue. "For what you have to say shall fall on wandering ear no more."

"Princess Celestia!" comes the resounding wave of unified speech as forelegs etch forward in kneeling display.

"You needn't kneel here, my little ponies." She gives a bit more haste to her quickly repeated upturn of muzzle, "You need only speak the truth, of nothing more or less." Forced once more past normal mannerism, "Twelve were sent. Only nine return. Why?"

"U-um...w-well..." Of one rattled unicorn stallion giving failing attempt, with many falling in line.

"We were on the final day of our mission with nothing abnormal to report. Two guards on morning patrol went missing. We were informed and started immediate search and rescue efforts, to no avail. Sergeant Clover reported hearing one of them through the deep mist." The pegasus mare near the forefront speaks with flat professional tone, even if light quiver of feathers cannot help but find their way through.

"Then why have you returned?" Princess Celestia's tone gives of curiosity rather than threat. "Neither I or Princess Luna have been informed of any such rescue efforts." Wishing to hear once more that which had only been said in quick passing.

"We were ordered back to Princess Twilight's castle." Comes next the very low tone belonging to stallion unicorn farther left.

"Who relieved the expedition?" Princess Celestia, under growing internal duress, feigns ignorance once more.

"Captain Virtuous, your highness." The earth mare to the right marks third to the trio of mere minutes ago.

"Princess Twilight's Captain was given no such jurisdiction." She lifts her brow slightly, "Nor did he give of any mention when he came to retrieve Princess Twilight's just completed royal chariot." before finally letting them become rigid. "Where is Sergeant Clover?"

"Sergeant Clover was ordered to give personal account of the mission to Princess Twilight Sparkle, your highness." The earth mare speaks once more even under wane of strong stare, "He had just met with the Princess when we boarded the train leaving Ponyville."

"Did he give reason as to why he sought to remain in Ponyville?" Princess Celestia, giving them of a few moments, finds only silence. With shifting eyes, she finds all caught within forced into downward stare. "Then I will send for him to account..."

"He went back."

"To rejoin the rescue efforts?"

"..what rescue efforts." Does the pegasus mare, to the sharp inhale of several farther back of her cold tone, finally bring to light. "The Captain didn't relieve us. He just came and ordered us back. Sergeant Clover protested but after the Captain threatened him.."

"To move forward with needless assumption is of luxury, one of many that I refuse to partake." She steps closer to the one most forthcoming, "Tell of what transpired between Twilight's Captain and my Sergeant, and spare to me no detail."

"W-well we were all moving about looking for anything, especially the Sergeant, and..." Causing the mare to turn back and twirl her foreleg towards stallion unicorn, who in turn adopts serious expression along with deep inhale of breath.

"Sergeant Clover." Does the stallion in pearl white armor of borderline pink trim loudly address, "You are hereby ordered without delay to the Halls of Harmony, upon Princess Twilight Sparkle's request." to which lack of reply brings forceful outcry. "Sergeant Clover!"

"I heard you!" Sergeant Clover nearly growls in distinct reply, much to the visibly disconcerting expression far below. With the lofty setting of wing, does once in flight Sergeant come barreling down in mud splattering display. "And as I said to the other one, no!"

"This is an order from an Princess of Equestria, Sergeant. You will comply." The guard, of so far several in try, attempt once more to bring back that which resists all attempts to be tethered. "Resist further and risk being brought under Tribunal for Dereliction of Duty."

"We have members of the guard missing in action." Sergeant Clover announces of what has been several fold, "Until relieved by proper reinforcement I shall not abandon my post nor those under my command." of almost nose to nose. "Do I make myself, clear?"

"But of course. But maybe so must I, yes?" Comes yet another voice of more callous conjecture, "As Captain, of course."

"I...was not aware that you were of the area, Captain Virtuous."

"Nevertheless..." The unicorn Captain moves with grace granted only by magically suspended walkway, "If I am to be made aware, Sergeant, you wish to refuse Royal decree and continue in mission approved by none but yourself?"

"We may have completed our original mission sir but the resc..."

"Sergeant!" The Captain's voice echos about, "If you will still be called that shall remain entirely up to you and you alone. I shall do but a favor, and once more relay that which comes from Princess Twilight Sparkle herself." before resting in proper sight, "And please do care that you answer not only for yourself but also of those under your temporary command."

"I...understand, Sir."

"Good." For which the Captain begins his retreating in pompous stride, "Oh and Sergeant? I do hate blemishes. Especially when a Princess must force even things of utmost urgency to fall in delay because of all the questions that may come of them."

"Yes, Sir." Sergeant Clover clenches through the words as many a swear proceed to spew through growling breath. With eyes blinded of rage does his mouth open and take hold of fallen wooden rubble. Giving it a few wild shakes, he slams it back onto the ground followed by the heavy pound of frontal hooves unbeknownst to the trio of tiny sets eyes giving mixed stares of wonder and confusion.

"..are you sure he isn't related to you?" Does the orange pegasus whisper from behind nearby bush, of many better concealing foliage disregarded in their hasty pursuit of Everfree edge bound stallion. "I mean who wears a shroud in the dead of summer heat?"

"Fer the last durn time, no!" The bright red mane wiggles from under rustling guise. "Mah family ain't crazy ya hear?"

"Ah! He's looking this way!" Another squeaks with rustled brush shaking violently once more, "Ow! Move over!" To which two more voices of discomfort, and occasional borderline swear, spew forth like that of ever increasing broken leaf. "I'm telling!"

"For/Fer what?!" With two of three given rise to such declaration.

"For swearing..."

"Uh, Sweetie belle, that was you."

"No it wasn't!" Sweetie belle pitches high in defense.

"Uh-huh. That definitely had Rarity written all over it!"

"An mah sister Applejack don't cuss none like that." The little filly proclaims proudly.

"Yeah right, Apple Bloom" Does the lowest voice come once more into play, "What about that time she fell in the hog pit?"

"Ah, yah... But she apologized mighty quick fer what she done!" Apple Bloom eagerly professes.

"Only cause Granny Smith threatened to get it from the real good tree."

"Oh like yer one ta talk, Scootaloo." Apple Bloom attempts deflection.

"Hey I ain't got anything to hide!" Scootaloo, now on the defend, throws both forelegs in the air.

"What about the time you got grounded from Rainbow Dash for 3 months." Does squeaky voice begin anew, "We warned you!"

"Hey it's not my fault my mom and dad aren't cool enough." Now crossing that which once held high.

"Ah don't think anypony is cool enough fer what Rainbow Dash has ta say about being stuck in ah old apple tree."

"Hey he's gone!" Sweetie belle makes in observation, "Maybe he really didn't see us." against the downtrodden double stare given under once leaf filled cover. "Maybe he's just upset cause he has that Canterlot stick sickness everypony is going on about."

"Stick sickness?" Scootaloo confesses slight interest.

"Yeah ah heard mah sister going on about it too." Apple Bloom rubs her foreleg to underside muzzle, "Don't think we gonna catch it do ya?"

"Don't worry," "Sweetie Belle turns back with confidence, "I've been around it all my life and I'm still okay!"

"Achoo!"

"Well, there goes Fluttershy. Again." Applejack makes verbal observation against the light patting of hoof to chest, "Bless ya, Rarity." Who in turn begins to rigorously search for that which might give proper relief of her embarrassment, struggles of words in kind.

"Here, I got you." Spike, having mostly remained silent and stilled of before and now, reaches over and snatches upon that which one be considered adorned. Taking of no mind to surprise in purple eyes, he rushes and hands over. "Hope you're not catching a cold."

"Ahem."

Quick to snatch, she wipes and gleams clean against wide range in attention still mostly unseen. "Why thank you, Applejack." Before using her light blue magical hue to ball and throw of things now unclean. "And you too, my little Spikey Wikey."

"Ahem."

Rainbow, who merely rolls her eyes, returns her stare towards that of even greater disdain alongside souring apple. With party popper and once more down and out butterfly given in to reprisal of antics does lavender and diamonds begin the same to purple and green.

"Ahem!"

"We heard you/ya!" Comes raspy southern discomfort to the most undignified of return glare, with such verbal recourse bringing Fluttershy back in slight confused rise. With Pink returning to her seat, butterscotch gives but quick side glance before looking back down.

"Princess Twilight, please." Captain Virtuous addresses under well composed strain, "Perhaps it would be best if we continued this discussion elsewhere? I assure you that it is of most importance in regards to your royal presence throughout your kingdom."

"My royal presence?" Princess Twilight turns her head in response with a drag taken of notice, "Did we finally obtain additional funding to help build onto the castle for holding friendship court?" Of no smile or joy given through or after.

"Are you okay?" Applejack asks across the table, forced to ignore the pompous huff that follows. "Maybe call it ah day?"

"Oh, I'm alright." Princess Twilight returns with forced half smile, "Plus the Captain's been patiently waiting for hours and I don't want to miss out if we've finally secured the funding." with subtle sincerity pushing up other half. "Right, Captain?"

"Unfortunately, your highness, we are still in the process of filing all the necessary paperwork." The Captain once more struggles of intended display, "But surely, your majesty. If you would only give but a few private moments of your time..."

"So what were their names?" Rainbow dash, of somewhere between annoyed and guilt ridden, grabs attention from unusual tone.

"Pardon me?" Captain Virtuous raises his left brow before looking back towards Princess Twilight, of whom shares the same ilk from all around the circular table. Letting his eyes remain only on that which he feels he owes of any reply, "Princess?"

"Rainbow's asking fer the names of those lost to the Hayseed Swamps." Applejack slightly looks over to now rising Fluttershy and retreating Pinkie Pie, "Ah think we all are, Mister Virtuous."

"Who told.." His quick to ire flaring up the same of several in return, "..you of such unfortunate events?"

"Sergeant Virtuous." Princess Twilight kindly addresses to which attention is now given, "I know the loss weighs heavily on you especially, having been ponies directly under your command, but please remember that we are still in shock of just having found out ourselves."

He readies himself for reply until continued gaze demands only further silence.

"But of several times during your wait you've needlessly taken it out on all in this room." Of slightly hardened stare becomes borderline glare, "You chided Fluttershy when she asked how you were feeling, you stared at Pinkie Pie's good gesture cupcake in disgust."

Opting finally to hop off her chair and onwards to unsettled stallion, "You scoffed when Rarity, who might I add designed the color scheme on the uniform you wear, made compliment to you. You even called Applejack the workpony after she tried to introduce herself."

His eyes continue to widen to the slow encircle of riled lavender coat.

"You haven't even acknowledged Spike, whom attempted several times to talk to you during your wait. And maybe you thought using your magic to subtlety lock the doors so that no more ponies from Ponyville, our home, could interrupt would go unnoticed." Finally taken to mere inches between muzzle to muzzle, "But it didn't."

"P-princess I can assure you..."

"Do you know why you were asked to be stationed as Captain under banner?" Her tone warns to remain silent even further, "Because of every pony and dragon that you've refused to consider, they did just that for you." Taking a step back, "I have no personal need for one."

"You're firing me?!" Captain Virtuous nearly shrieks, causing lavender hoof to strike just below base of horn.

"She's telling you that you're a big jerk!" Rainbow's expression tightens into a scowl, "Can't believe I voted for you."

"You be quiet!" The Captain, to the rage of cyan, swings up his foreleg in hoof jab.

"Then give us the names!" Rainbow Dash takes to the air in rough hover.

"I don't know them!" Having misunderstood true meaning behind his royal scolding, lets mannerism fall to the wayside along with those all around the table, now having adopted heightened anger or shock. "All I know is two went missing."

"Your lying." Rainbow accuses in hover across the table, "How do you search for ponies you know nothing about, huh?"

"The only pony that I needed to make contact with was Sergeant Clover." Captain Virtuous replies once more with a bit of venom, "That's how this works. How all of this is supposed to work!" with developing sneer. "But it seems that even Sergeant Clover forgets his place."

"Well this here workhorse sure don't." Applejack tips the underside of her stetson, "And ah reckon Sergeant Clover don't neither, considering just how upset he up and got over losing those ponies that ya don't seem to give two durn bits about."

"No! He disobeyed direct orders and for that I will see him put before tribunal!" He spits out in contempt, "To embarrass me in such a way, over two guard ponies who knew the risks getting lost in the mist? We could of searched for weeks and never found them!"

"Lost?" Does Princess Twilight almost whisper out, "But we were told funerals were already planned!"

"Of which, yet again, was not of his place to inform." The Captain begins to regain control of his ire, "I saw absolutely no need to risk further lives over one account of hearing a call for help two days stale. We were lucky, in my honest opinion, to have not lost the entire expedition."

"You... left them to die?!" Fluttershy, in growing tears, almost screams out.

"They were already dead, Element." He simply replies in condescending tone, once again.

"Cupcake rescinded!" Pinkie yells through her leap towards the Captain, landing just before and picking back up with her teeth that which was rudely left alone on the floor. "Meanie!" she somehow chastises coherently before her rush back to her seat.

"But you just said somepony heard them call for help?" Rarity raises her voice next, hoof over muzzle giving of no barrier.

"The Sergeant misheard, I assure you."

"Wait. Sergeant Clover is the one who heard them?" Princess Twilight asks with growing shock, "So he abandoned them?!"

Of only a moment, with ever so subtle flicker to his eyelids, "Yes."

"Ya no good filthy varmit!" Applejack slams both front hooves to the table, "Ah don't need nothing to know yer lying! But just so ya do know, ah do!" With such declaration turning any and all looks of residual shock towards unified anger, "Now fess up ya hear!"

"The Sergeant was given orders, issued by Princess Twilight Sparkle herself, to return to the Kingdom and give personal account of the original mission. He refused, and only after being reminded of his real responsibility did he conform to his orders." The Captain states as if on used paper, forced out of his indirect stare past intense glares to the sudden nearby flare of wings and nostrils.

"Are you telling me that you used me, like a weapon, to threaten the Sergeant into abandoning the search and rescue of ponies lost whose last known contact was a cry for help?" Closing of a few feet in the literal blink of an eye.

"Those were your orders." He barely keeps his composure under ever rising intensity, "What did you expect me to do?!"

"Spike!" Princess Twilight means of no redirection of her ire, "I need you to sent word to Princess..." with pause given only to the sudden implosive resonating sound just outside the throne room double doors, whose deep vibration lingers but for a few tense seconds.

Of no sound comes from anypony, or dragon, be it mare or stallion. Their attention upon the door is secured even further of the subtle but nerve rattling knocking undeserving of anticipated encore.

"T-the doors open?" Princess Twilight speaks with slight reservation, her neck giving in crook as the doors begin to creak open.

"Greetings." Comes the elegant but mild toned voice of lunar princess.

"Princess Luna!" Princess Twilight, with widening eyes, catches herself too late, "I-I mean, welcome!"

"Princess Twilight." Princess Luna gently dips her muzzle down in mutual respect before doing the same in wide spread. "Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Spike, and of course brave Rainbow Dash." With her eyes finally narrowing in downward glare.

Of which once defiant unicorn, flattened ears and pinprick iris give silent reply.

"You are most fortunate to wear the banner of another, Captain." She tersely informs.

"New motion!" Rainbow Dash swoops back down into her seat, foreleg raised high in the air, even as Princess Luna's glare only continues to grow as unicorn gradually shrinks. "I move to fire and replace our Captain!"

"Um...w-well..." Princess Twilight stammers to the legality of the notion.

"Here here!" Rarity joins in with her foreleg raised just as high along with passing apologetic glance given both ways.

"Ah reckon you have my support, unfortunately." Applejack joins in next, who quirks her brow with stare. "Only need one hoof, sugarcube."

Fluttershy, with wet butterscotch hair under her puffy eyes, holds both forelegs up with an rather sour but silent expression.

Pinkie Pie, having switched back and forth between double Fluttershy hooves and her own, rolls back and raises all four.

Princess Twilight, along with Spike, give each other rather long stern stares before the raising of talon and hoof.

Princess Luna lifts her muzzle and gaze towards Princess Twilight. "I wish I were here under better circumstances. However if the atmosphere within is of any indication, you have been made aware of what has transpired during and after the Hayseed Swamp expedition?" Giving but a few moments for nodding confirmation seven fold, "Then I must take my leave, once more."

"W-wait!" Princess Twilight speaks for all, "What about us?"

"Rescue efforts have resumed, with an entire regiment en route." She replies with understanding, "But given of what information we've obtained thus far too many complications have arisen to haphazardly send any and all." in the hope of it returned. "It is for the best."

"But we're the elements of harmony!" Rainbow professes, "We've fought Discord and Tirek!"

"I know." Princess Luna softly agrees.

"Ah gotta agree with Rainbow on this one." Applejack cautiously rings in, "Ah mean the Everfree is the most dangerous place in Equestria and we've always come on out okay, through thick and thin."

"I know." Does she agree, even softer in tone to growing disassociation, once more.

"And I think we owe it to the Sergeant." Rarity confesses, "Oh I feel just dreadful over what hurtful things I may have insinuated..."

"The Sergeant isn't part of the rescue regiment, I'm afraid."

"He isn't in trouble is he?" Fluttershy asks in sincere surprise.

"Greatly." Princess Luna internally sighs, "The Sergeant isn't part of the rescue regiment but he is part of the rescue mission." forced to push aside subtleties of guilt to confused expressions, "Of those lost to the Hayseed, were of his younger brother and sister."

"What?!" With even somewhat floored former stallion Captain giving verbal surprise to the notion.

"Did ya know that when you went and ordered him to abandon them!?" Applejack slams her front hooves atop the table.

"N-no!"

"Sergeant Clover has already returned to the Hayseed Swamp, alone, in attempt to mount rescue." Princess Luna lightly shakes her head in frustration, "Of such, but not all, are of complications mentioned earlier."

"What complications?" Princess Twilight asks with worried tone.

"Of more I shall not say, for against such things discretion must remain in forefront." Giving of light front hoof stomp, to hopefully reaffirm her declaration. "I am truly sorry. But please, do not persist."

She gives one last dip in muzzle with closed eyes before nightshade hue encompasses both herself and still huddled former Captain. With less theatrics in sound, she opens her eyes once more to that of more darkened bricked room.

"And of you." She returns her gaze, stern but not cruel, back to just below, "You have done of great misdeed not only to your fellow guardpony, but of your former title and very own name. Had I been of younger years, I would have already dealt onto you punishment befitting of such transgression." Giving of closer lean with subtle hush, "But I am no longer that young pony, am I?"

"Do you think of yourself as a good pony, Virtuous?" She tilts her head slightly.

"..." Answers but the silent stare of wary stallion.

"Do you think of yourself as a good pony, whom may have lost his way but still befitting of such consideration?"

"I...y-yes..."

"Then I do not envy you, in the years yet to come. For it is not I, nor Princess Celestia, or even your fellow pony whom you shall suffer of visage most severe, but of that looked upon only in an mirror. You have, without question, caused harm to your fellow pony and possibly aided in their demise through gluttonous pursuit of self promotion. Further, you have caused others to take wrongful share of blame."

"...I understand."

"No," She twists her neck to the side to give one eyed stare to that which she begins to leave behind of closing steel door, "you do not. Of official inquiry shall be made not only of yourself but also towards the banner that you served. Those whom have taken the oath, be it Captain or Princess, are always held to standards that must transcend even that of fairness."

"But I only did what was asked of me, Princess Luna!" Virtuous almost laments in his defense, "Go to the Hayseed Swamps, have the Sergeant return, it is urgent." given strength through greater isolation. "And to not please just one, but of seven?"

"You will have your chance to give say during the proceedings." Princess Luna turns about once past the door, even as several other ponies in royal barb of her own banner venture within, "Of such, you must make prior in official sworn statement, to the best of your ability."

Hayseed Swamp; Unknown - Evening

"Do you understand, why I sent you to the north?" The being of shimmering yellow scales almost mumbles towards ragged and wounded ensemble knelt before him, their knees wobbling against cold hard granite. Opting to straighten it's posture, long talons of relaxed open palm stretch for but an moment before closing in tight. "Do you understand, why I said to only keep ward against further incursion?"

"W-we had no choice, Hegan!" One canine, much to the pained scowls sent his way, raises his voice. "Two ponies attempted to flank us and we were forced to take them prisoner less the others discovered the bodies. Had we..."

"Had you listened you worthless mongrel you'd of never been seen!" Hegan elicits to taking of both feet, of noticeably higher statue even to that of heavily armored nearby guards, "Worse yet you let the ponies and creature have beneficial meeting!" to which he begins to move.

"It..it wanted them both!" The canine, along with that of it's peers, begin to wobble backwards in frightened attempt to incoming rage. "It killed any near the ones holding the ponies!" Lifting it's arms in defense, "We had no choice but to..." to words cut off by flesh cutting talons.

Hegan stands above that which begins to topple over, paws almost digging open that which already seals it's fate with shock and fear taking last hold on slowly steadying eyes. "...and if that is all you can do, then neither do I." The slow drift of glare already beginning to take hold.

"Hegan." With new voice giving unexpected pause to the bloody talons already lifting high into the air, "You're too rough, old friend."

Hegan begins to lower his arm, "Of such failure what other course would you have me take, Xyran? Forgive them? Perhaps even console them for having returned safe like the cowards that they are?" before giving of single talon point. "Mere words have no place in this!"

"Mere words, as you say, always have a place." Xyran, of not such thickness as Hegan and instead covered in thick grey fur, "Or do you forget that had you kept to yours none of this would even be of issue?" Walking to just behind those still on nerves end, "Remember?"

"Pah!" He in turn motions with his arm as if to wipe away annoyance, "It had already begun seeing through your deception. Or did you truly believe that you could get it to keep helping us if you kept showing sick pups more afraid of you than of it?" Turning away, "I think not."

"And how was I to know that the crystals in purest form were lethal?" Xyran lifts both paws adjacent to shoulders in mock gesture. "Just like how were you supposed to know how badly it would react to seeing one collapse on your impromptu visit for even more?

Hegan begins to pace back and forth, talons clasped behind his armored back. "I tell you. I tell you and I tell you. That thing has a stockpile hidden somewhere and if the ponies find out where." Giving towards Xyran renewed glare, "What do you plan to do about it?"

"Nothing." Does he answer with resolution in tone.

"Have you gone mad?!" Hegan tenses up with talons forward instead of behind. "It's finally anchored and you say do nothing?!"

"That would be your forte Hegan, not mine." Xyran turns halfway around as if to begin his leave, "If you wish to lure, then you need proper bait which we surely lack. But this situation might change that, if we're patient." Giving of his own glare before walking further away.

With low growl, Hegan continues his rigid glare as Xyran takes his leave from makeshift but worn throne room. Taking of his own short retreat, he waves with the back of his hand to knelt soldiers forcefully ushered away. Returning to his stone cut seating, his subtle nod to the darkened right brings forth another almost of his own in stature. "Use just enough to keep them under control."

Chapter 3

Hayseed Swamp; Unknown - Dusk

"I can carry him for a bit." The mare earth pony, through almost nerve wracking silence for many an hour, attempts to solicit anything but. Like once before, and with that many more having been ignored, she continues on. "My coat is dry and it might be better for the both of you?"

With yet another snub, she furrows her brow with lowered indirect stare. Without much needed distraction, her mind wanders like the eventual rise of eyes, onto that which lays slumped over towering shoulder. "Please don't let go."

As if to answer her fears of fate still to be considered, tall and slender comes to gradual cease of long stride. Stepping forward and to the side, she does her best to look about against the faint residual light to the ever growing twinkle above. Finding nothing of note save for swamp muck and sparse rubble of stone, she looks up to speak before ushered into further silence by the shine of deep green iris.

She cannot help but scream in fright, to the ever rising hollow pillar of dirt and stone threatening to swallow them whole. Of partial turnabout, she rears back and bumps her rear into tired leg, causing it to almost buckle even if she is not aware. Her breathing increases to the same rate of swallowing sky, dull twinkle given of greater focus through the lens of dwindling escape. "W-what's going on?!"

She rears back again, of this time nothing stopping her eventual backwards tumble onto what was once soft and wet, now painfully hardened. Whipping around in darkness, she finds no solace or comfort in company now thought lost. With nostrils given of rapid flare, her ears begin to pound to the heightened pressure along with her worry. "Hello?" of resounding echo, "Hello?!"

With not to subtle but familiar sounding mumble, does the mare freeze having not known just how close. Forced to focus on the only light, of darkened green hue, the loud stomp before her ears brings forth a scream once more along with shut eyes to sudden flash of light.

"This sucks, this sucks, this sucks." The mare uses the underside of bent foreleg to frantically rub up and down her face, "Foalnapped, dragged through the swamp, rescued by somepony who refuses to even talk, blind...!"

"...Mo...Mox..ie..?"

The mare, still partially blinded to the red haze of impacted bright light, gives fuller attention in ear. "Steadfast?!"

Through light step and grunt, does the rustle and more familiar voice forced into light moans of pain bring her trotting forward. In her haste, she once more barrels into that which remains softer than bedrock in body only, plopping back down on her haunches with the underside of both forelegs giving rub. "S-steadfast? L-listen we're okay, something came and drove them off. Your hurt so don't...!"

"...c-can't...see.." To which clops usher closer to just behind laid sideways head. "...c-can't..."

"Hey..hey you gotta hang in there okay? Listen we got some help and I think he knows what to do to." The mare, overburdened with guilt and ever constant ache of her own wounds, cannot help but let eyes glisten to the blue shimmer of selenite. "Don't let go, okay?"

"..is it...what we...were sent here for..?" Steadfast pivots one ear sideways. "Is it a...pony..or?"

"I don't know, Steadfast." The mare answers in an dry and exhausted tone, "...and I don't know what it is."

"...safe?" Steadfast, with weakening and exhausted voice of his own, asks of most important question.

She responds after some hesitation, "Safer."

"..okay..." Steadfast whispers out with exhaustion forcing him back into silence once more.

"Okay." She, in turn, states the very same with eyes downtrodden.

"The infection shall take him, twice the sunrise." Tall and lean, much to the eye widening surprise of almost frozen mare, make first raspy reply. As if rusty, he grunts with the closing of his mouth and slight twist of neck, finale of signature sigh with hand still resting on stallion.

With the ever slow slide of large eyelids, water pushes out and down southward tipped muzzle. "..hello to you too."

"Of even sooner, that which was forced to flee shall venture back many fold." Tall and lean remains focused on down and wounded stallion rather than ever sullen mare slowly slipping off makeshift bedding. "They would consider my actions shortsighted. But of careless mistake."

"..."

"Of such accusation, I would be forced to comply." Tall and lean continues once more to the slight narrow of newly directed eyes.

"So why did you save us!?" The mare forces through sorrow into misguided rage.

"To set free was of my own violation, E'quus." Does his own agitated gaze bare down on the mare's. "Do not mistake one for the other."

Granting no return motion against the sudden rise of front hooves between himself and the bed ridden stallion, he continues his stern return stare onto most rigid of glares. With no verbal threat from mare or recourse from foreign tall and lean, they continue to attempt judgement of each others intent. With the movement of long limb, the mare tenses up with eyes quickly switching to and fro.

"Are we prisoners?" The mare keeps her eyes narrow with the light swish of her tail.

"Only to your words, E'quus." Tall and lean makes passing remark with hand finding it's mark. Lifting up and over, that of imperfect swollen clay comes to rest upon the floor just before makeshift bedding. Using light twist, the lid grinds in rotation until wretched aroma almost forces him to twist it shut once more. Shaking his head with disgust, he sets the lid off to the side before sliding his fingers down inside.

Through the pivot of ears forward, the mare shifts her sight upon the clay jar. The slow crane of her neck forward serves as her mistake with the sudden rearing and wild head shaking. She lifts her forelegs in order to bury her nostrils in between with tightly shut eyes.

"What is that?!" She yells under the muffle of clenched forelegs. "Smells worse than an barrack full of new recruits on high protein diet!"

"The third sunrise." Tall and lean almost scoffs in tone to the theatrics displayed by both, but perhaps even more to the hobble backwards of the mare on her haunches against his gradual stretch of gunk just before her ever tightening forelegs. He ignores her slow but steady rise of muzzle and fall of hooves to the vapor of something just a little less vile, of purpose most valuable.

"You help us, and then you act like it was the last thing you wanted to do." The mare opts to only stare towards surprisingly gentle touch of gel like medicine to swollen stub. "You make me think I wouldn't have enough time to save him, and now you're giving him the chance."

His lack of reply forces her to almost gallop around the bed to the other side, to force face to face.

"You know we have somepony like that back home? He likes to mess with you and see how you react." Her eyes stern but not yet in glare, "But it's chocolate milk, pink manes, walking statues, and a bunch of silly crap." even to the change in tone. "My brother's life isn't silly crap."

"I fail to see the comparison, E'quus."

"You shouldn't play games with somepony's feelings like that."

"You venture onto my home, bringing with you haste to that which has already run out of time. Imprisoned, you would take but my good will to your plight and cast it aside as if paltry." Tall and lean retracts his hand in order to bring it into clenched ball. "Further, you would threaten me with the Princesses of hubris and covetousness." Giving steady rise onto both of his feet. "And you dare accuse me of games?"

"I-I...listen I'm just trying to say t-that..." The mare stutters against the sudden display of controlled sharp edge as if held like an knife.

"Go to sleep, E'quus. I shall safeguard until I see you fit to be on your way." He finally turns to walk away, tone of firm grit.

Hesitant to raise further fuss, given her circumstances, she watches as tall and lean slowly fades to past the reach of shimmering light. Frustrated, but of even greater confusion, she starts to trot in circle to the bedding that comforts her brother, muzzle hung low with brow shifting about to the process of her garbled thoughts. Of just a few rotations, her travels are cut short to the sudden eclipse of darkness to light, almost tripping in the process.

"Hey!" She yells to no avail as neither footstep or voice gives any consideration.

With a few shakes, her freedom still denied, she begins to rustle and kick with instincts beginning to take hold. In her frantic frenzy, she topples over just as light begins to creep in from down and then all around, now reminded of the fruits of day to the sting up and down her spine. She no sooner rolls back onto her nestled below legs that the unnoticed dust causes her into sneezing frenzy, four fold.

Of unlady like behavior, almost wipes her wet nostrils onto the top of her foreleg before taking in what had caused yet but another inconvenience. Giving her right foreleg a stretch with her muzzle lifted high into the air, she pulls it closer and gives a hearty blow onto dirt and dust caked fabric. Looking about, of no where to be found, she resides herself to having to accept such mannerisms as her front legs starts to pound, drag, and fold the large fabric into something fit to lay upon.

"...maybe the floor is cleaner?" She stares down at somewhat presentable top cover, most unclean hidden underneath. Of single sigh, she moves closer before setting down upon the bend of her forelegs, her rear still high in the air to the squint of eyes to mostly faded etched pattern now given notice. Letting her eyes drag along subtle edges of curious pattern, her ears pricked to distracting interest.

"The moon." She crooks her neck as her narrowed eyes traces even more. "Surrounded by stars?"

Dodge Junction; Just North - Midnight Approach

"Hey I'm not sure how I feel about this!" Rainbow Dash yells back over the deafening rush of wind over her ears.

"But you're doing such an wonderful job of it, my dear!" Rarity yells back from further back. "You too, Fluttershy!"

"Mmmmm!" Fluttershy, doing her best to keep up the balancing act of her side, keeps her nose pointed far into the wind.

"Ah don't wanna hear it Rainbow!" Applejack yells next, "Ah pull the wagon full of apples every durn morning into market!"

"Okay, first off that's made of wood!" Rainbow gives raspy retort, "Second, this isn't!"

"Hey I'm doing the best I can to lighten the load!" Twilight responds under subtle strain, her horn clasped in vibrant hue with the chariot in question the very same, but of lesser shade. "Besides, this is our responsibility and this is the fastest way there!"

"So, uh, what exactly do we intend to do once we get there, sugarcube?" Applejack poises her question. "Ah mean, the Sergeant has an head start and since you said not to tell the other princesses we have nothing really to go on."

"While I'm in full agreement to righting our wrongs, I'm afraid Applejack does have a point, my dear." Rarity, somehow oblivious to the light glare sent her way under stetson cover, pushes the notion further along. "We lack even a map to find our way, and past nightfall?"

"Ain't no map like there ain't none for the Everfree. Sides, what good's some map gonna do us if we're looking for ponies?" Applejack points her hoof towards Rarity, readying yet another volley of words before her attention is pulled to just behind instead. "Hey, Pinkie!"

To the silent reply, does stetson orange move but a few feet forward. "You're awfully quiet there, Pinkie."

"Hey isn't that those two stallions who almost won your farm?" Pinkie tilts her head before her hoof raises up to wave.

"Pthu!" Applejack hides nothing with her forelegs bent over the railing, tail swishing back and forth to the squabble of offended diamonds just behind. "Hah! Got one!" The turning of her head ends with slight tilting, "Sugarcube, ah don't think he's waving atcha no more."

"Applejack!" Rarity almost shrieks, "That was absolutely, positively, disgusting!"

"Don't hurt me none." She gives no effort in reply, "Serves em right for all they've gone and done. Some things ya can't easily forgive."

With apples and diamonds giving onto each other squabbling discourse, Princess Twilight can do little more than sigh to yet another of what has become many fold. Pushing back for another time, she opts instead to push even more magic into that which already shows strain.

"Rainbow! Fluttershy!" Twilight yells forward, "I'm going to try and speed this up a bit okay! Just close your eyes and keep doing..." Her stare turning half sour to the cyan half lidded one given in return. "Okay Rainbow, just close your eyes and keep doing what you're doing!"

With Rainbow's concentration returned forward, Twilight's own begins to encompassing not just of the same but all around. With her horn set almost ablaze, the entire chariot becomes shrouded in translucent pink, flickering almost violently before teleporting them far forward.

"Okay! You can open your eyes now!" Twilight yells once more as what was once summer breeze turns into shivering chill. Careful not to lose herself and that of chariot filled friends, she does take notice of slight worry on those just inside. "We'll be okay."

"It's.. so dark." Rarity is the first gives sound to her thoughts, "And cold." to which her light shivering brings quick sympathy.

"Ah reckon it is a bit chilly here." Applejack returns to her foreleg overhang perch. "And spooky."

"Um, Twilight?" Pinkie raises her voice while looking over opposite railing.

"Yes?"

"I see big fireflies." She looks back with an worried expression, "Really really BIG fireflies." Pinkie's words start to bring all but that which cannot less control is lost to shifting weight of carriage, just as the sudden pull downwards from front left sends them all rolling with.

"What are you doing?!" Rainbow screams to the heavier pegasus taking hold of her reins and dragging down. "Stop!"

"Shut off your magic!" Sergeant Clover commands, "They cannot see where we land!"

"What do you mean by...!" Twilight, now on rear decline to front, takes in that which widens her eyes. Of immediate response, of both horn and lightly glowing chariot, does the hesitant but ever increasing free fall begin. "They can't take all the weight!"

"Why aren't you in proper barding?!" Sergeant Clover once more chastises, "It's imbued to prevent this sort of thing!"

"Twilight!" Rarity nearly screams, "We're falling!" almost in hysteria from explosive impact to her side of chariot.

"Dive you idiots! Dive!" His stern commands brings even gentle butterscotch into rapid descent worthy of any royal escort. He flies up and over, slamming his hooves onto the back of the chariot in order to do his best to grapple proper leverage, rapidly flapping his wings.

"I can't see a damn thing!" Rainbow grudges out, "Where the hay are we going to land this thing?!"

"J-just...ahead...w-water!" Sergeant Clover struggles to even speak against all his effort to keep the chariot level in descent to the forward pegasi own, almost growling as the decline starts to flatten out. "N-no more...cup..cakes for any..of you!"

"Girls!" Twilight yells as out as she can to grab all of their attention. "Rainbow make sure you and Fluttershy cut loose once over the water! The rest of you I want you to grab onto me and I will teleport us off before we hit!" Giving stern to incoming worry, "Got it?!"

"Got it!/Yep!/Okay!"

"I think I see the water!" Rainbow calls out to oncoming shimmer.

"Okay everypony!" Twilight calls out to the sudden envelope of less than joyous embrace, "Get ready!"

As greater chill hits her muzzle, Rainbow veers to her right, grabbing onto that which binds Fluttershy to harsh fate to release before doing so of her own. With giving light bump, she sends the butterscotch pegasus veering off to further safety with herself flying shotgun, matching velocity and veer perfectly. She hears the pop before the crash, of which still serves to cause her eyes to squeeze shut for but a moment.

With both pegasus giving sharp turnabout, they can only cringe to the powerful flickering of magic given cushion to impact of murky water. With worry and fear they swoop forward, like birds of prey, to the water's disturbance. They are given even further surprise to the sudden and harder impact mere seconds later, of much less ripple as it too disappears under the surface.

"Oh no Oh no!" Fluttershy murmurs to the shedding of tears as they near the point of impact, diving in unison to cyan beside her onto even greater darkness. Flailing her hooves out and about, she finds jarring impact to which she lunges forward and pulls up along with her.

"I...ack..Is everypony okay?!" Twilight calls out once to the surface, taking with her haste that of nasty taste. She swivels about, making to give each and every pair of eyes that she knows so well direct contact. "Where's Applejack?!" Causing magenta to sink once more.

"S-she tried to...oomph! ...grab hold of her hat!" Rarity forces out the words to her gagging, "She went back down before she could!"

The sudden splash between them all almost brings an end to several already rapid heartbeat, but such is forgone to the rise in joy to the cyan and orange, both coughing and hacking while suddenly embraced.

"We gotta get out of the water!" Rainbow screams with urgency, and less than subtle fear. "Twilight, teleport us to the shoreline!"

"W-wait!" Applejack's waterlogged voice too low to grab attention.

"O-okay!" Twilight, unsure of what has brought fear to her cyan best friend, takes actions over contemplation with the embrace of six once more to the light pop and clop of hooves on harder ground. She finally looks about, and then above. "Where's Sergeant Clover?"

"Something pulled me under! Applejack catches her breath, "Ah saw him hit it and go down farther along with it!" She begins to gallop back into the water before almost falling to deep gash hidden behind adrenaline and darkness. "Ah...dang nabbit!"

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy flutters closer in order to inspect, "Y-you're bleeding!" with eyes glued to her left rear pastern, even if her ears pivot towards the sound of impact of water, yet again. "Ah! The kit was left on the chariot!"

"Rarity, go help Fluttershy with Applejack. Pinkie, we need to help...Pinkie?" Twilight whirls about only to find no sign of pink or cyan. With worry growing even more having only seen cyan dive back in, her ears pivot towards the water to that of eroding splashing. "Pinkie?!"

"A-applejack, you need to lay on your side okay? Applejack, now you need to listen to...!" Fluttershy, having tried to block that of stubborn orange no longer of proper stetson, finds even wounded three hooves are more than enough to lose to. "We've got to stop the bleeding."

"Ah'm alright, gosh darnit." Applejack refutes, "We gotta help the Sergeant and then ah'm getting mah pa's hat back!"

"Applejack, now see here!" Rarity comes shoulder to shoulder Fluttershy, "Rainbow and Pinkie are already back in that dirty water, of which you need not a drop more. And I assure you we will look for your family memento no sooner than everypony is safe and sound."

"Fishy!" Does the high pitched voice of party extraordinaire ring across the water. "Bad Fishy!"

"Pinkie?!" comes all four on shore in unified concern.

"I got the med kit!" Pinkie yells out while in desperate paddle to shore, rising blackness growing in her wake. "I think it's hungry!"

"Pinkie, hold on!" Twilight begins to flare up her horn, undeterred to future consequence against the emergency in the now. Just as she envelopes Pinkie in further pink hue, rising darkness seems to be shot out of the water and to the side, adding only to further confusion.

"Guppy!" Pinkie twists about, kit in one hoof, other outstretched to that of disappearing black figure to the view of two smaller ones.

"Rainbow! Sergeant Clover!" Twilight calls out in smile to the relief in sight. "Hurry and get to shore before it comes back!"

With all that be drenched in the chill of swampy night now safely ashore, they all attempt to recover their bearings to mixed avail. Fluttershy and Rarity continue to try and docile the highly agitated farmer pony, verbally thrashing to lost father's hat, while Pinkie stares out from shore to that of lost new friend. Rainbow Dash and Twilight, however, appear trapped to the silent considerations of even stare Clover.

"You came alone?" Sergeant Clover asks in flat tone.

"Yeah we did." Rainbow answers before Twilight gets a more understanding set of words in, "We're not helpless you know."

"I have to agree, Miss Rainbow Dash." Sergeant Clover responds of mixed tone to words voiced. "You all are of a great many things."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow grits her own voice a bit, "You know we came here to help you, you big jerk."

"And now hundreds of marauding creatures are headed this way to help as well." Sergeant Clover responds with rising anger. "Furthermore, an Element of Harmony has been poisoned and needs immediate medical attention where none is to be had."

Rainbow begins to respond with ire of her own, before taking but a moment to consider. Her eyes still narrow, she swivels about to look upon each of her friends until eyes are forced downward, to that of on her side Applejack. "AJ!"

"No matter what I may feel right now, I must insist upon the safety of all of you." The Sergeant pushes aside what he yearns to say until later, "Dodge Junction has a readily supply of treatments for this particular venom. But you need to go and you need to go now."

"But they're see us if we take to the air." Twilight gives worried reply, "And I don't think I can teleport all of us like that again after doing it twice already, chariot and all. It's too far." with ears going flat. "And we just came from there. We're cut off less we head north."

"C-can you tell me more about the venom, Mister Sergeant?" Fluttershy ventures from wounded Applejack towards light brown pegasus stallion, having long since given back his natural cover from that of magically altered under barding. "M-maybe I can make it out here."

"So what's gonna happen to her, huh?!" Rainbow, of inner frustration, haphazardly unleashes upon the only one not her friend. She glares in preparation for whatever my come, but almost loses her vigor to the lack thereof along with grim returned expression. "W-well?"

"Her life or her hoof." Sergeant Clover responds with unheard of softer tone. "But for one such as her, it's the same thing." Opting to move just to the side of butterscotch tinted ear, "Cytotoxins." Of whispered words now dissipate, so does the hope of quick remedy.

"Ah ain't losing nothing ya hear?!" Applejack, much to the frightened and worried expression of Rarity, whom also fears for her own with attempting to hold down and out apple farmer from further self injury. "Just tell how long ah got... before ah'm in real trouble."

"About a day and a half until it's decided for you, Miss Applejack."

"Well okay then!" Applejack, under the underpowered force of light blue hue, begins to move back to her hooves.

"Maybe just half if you continue to walk on it."

"Well okay then..." Applejack, under the overpowered force of inner fear, begins to lay back down upon her side just as pink glow slowly overtakes light blue both in area and vibrant display. "Ah, thanks darling. But aren't ya too dang tired to be lobbing be around?"

"Physically, no." Twilight begins to explain, "I've been controlling everything from the chariot to the pull stress on the harnesses. I'm mentally exhausted and while group teleportation requires perfect multitasking, I think I can make due with basic levitation."

"Egg head brain dead?" Pinkie tilts her head with soft smile, of jest not entirely for her own benefit with the light chuckles given about.

Twilight is about to refute in similar jest, until the cold chill hits her side once more as Sergeant Clover trots by. Instantly robbed, along with any and all who feels the same cold air in the wake of stern stallion, she hesitates to speak even when he stops facing away from them all.

"While I am familiar with your talents along with having read of your stargazing hobbies, I shall still inform of the best route north." He states with his normal professional tone. "Some ways directly ahead you shall come to yet another small lake. You must avoid it at all costs. Once in sight, keep clear and go about into the west and continue as such until you reach the clearing, of south Dodge Junction."

"But what about you? And what do you know about all of those creatures?" Twilight asks with caution.

"Best that I can tell, an unknown breed of Diamond Dogs and some form of reptilian bipedal." He states to the lowering of once pointed hoof, "Along with what I can only describe as moderately sized dragon like creatures of lesser progress."

"D-dragons?" Fluttershy backs away slowly.

"These mold their wings and front limbs as one, and seem entirely bipedal if but for their heavy slouch forward." He finally turns around. "I came here for answers and I found them. Now I'm gathering for what may be the start of an invasion of unknown forces. I cannot leave."

Of greater patience, and awkward stare, he watches as all before him shift their eyes on and about. "Damn it..."

"So... it's just you here?" Rainbow fails at intended feign ignorance.

"They're dead, Miss Rainbow." He grumbles to the shock and sadness that he himself is refused time for. "But they may not be the only ones if you keep dawdling! You're only hope of not being the beacon that leads them is by being far enough ahead of them."

"So you came down here for revenge, huh." Rainbow denies attention to any light gasp near her. "Well that's what I would'a done."

"You speak too casually of something not yet allowed to bleed, Miss Rainbow." Nearly gritting his teeth in the process.

"Well maybe I just don't think it's good to see somepony go out like you're gonna end up doing." Rainbow steps forward but a few, "I mean the Princesses said they sent an entire regiment to mount an rescue right? So what's going to happen when they all run into those things?"

"An entire regiment?" He turns to face Twilight, "You did? But you said you came alone."

"No, I didn't. And yes, we did." Steeling herself to the less than subtle letdown growing upon Sergeant Clover's face. "Princess Luna came to inform of the dispatch of guards to the Hayseed Swamp, and also took with her former Captain Virtuous."

"Former?"

"We fired his pompous flank." Rainbow, aloof to the continued interruption of others unable to get an word in, finds her muzzle slowly wrapped in light blue hue much to her frantic surprise and struggle. "Mmmph!"

"What Rainbow means to say is that we relieved that ruffian of my splendidly designed barding for dreadfully misrepresenting all that we stand for." Rarity finally gets to speak, "But we understand words may never be enough, Sir Clover. That is precisely why we're here."

"We never meant for anypony to be abandoned." Fluttershy hunkers down just a bit while looking to the sky. "It's just that we thought if something bad had happened he would have just stayed and helped while sending word for us to...wait..d-d-d-ragon!"

"Everypony get behind the rocks!" The Sergeant forces a low toned command before he rushes over and under, "Drop her on top of me, hurry now..alright, get moving!" to which his angered confusion focuses on zipping cyan headed back across the water instead.

"Rainbow...!" Fluttershy cries out before being grabbed by Rarity's magic and pulled alongside with to just behind small rocky formation.

"What in tarnation is that girl.." Applejack's worry pushing down rising anxiety like wet stetson on blonde mane, "...doing? Mah hat!"

"Shhhhh!" Pinkie hisses out with all hunkering down and behind to the sudden vibration almost directly on opposite side, to which enough room is given for but Princess Twilight Sparkle to look under proper cover, pink forearms holding back disgruntled cyan gruff.

Canterlot; Throne Room - Just after Midnight

"Preposterous!" Princess Luna thinks aloud, of echoes throughout heard only by personal Lunar Guard, parchment held of magical hue with her eyes shifting to and fro, over and over again. "He makes them out to be nothing more than arrogant tyrants!"

"Honest Applejack would never use her status to gouge the bits of her family's apples." Shifting out several parchments to align side by side, "Or gracious Rarity to threaten punishment against those whom her barding design is not granted it's rightful beauty."

"And here!" Her foreleg lifts and moves to tap her hoof onto the paper's edge, "To insinuate that Princess Twilight Sparkle couldn't care less about the well being of her fellow ponies, or that she would give snide remark to proper discourse of Royal Guard. Or towards her...!"

"...former..." Her words hang to the forward crane of her neck on right most parchment. "...my sister is not disproportionate!"

"Nicest way to be called fat, I am sure." Comes the soft but tired voice of yawning Princess Celestia. "Are those the official statements?"

"Official rants of an scorned stallion, I'd rather call them." Princess Luna leans farther right, "From Virtuous, nonetheless."

"You shouldn't torture yourself, Luna." Princess Celestia states in understanding tone, "Each of them are loved throughout the land for merits that cannot be so easily undone, regardless of truth or lies."

"How can I not worry?" Luna responds with more emotion in her voice, "This is how it starts!"

"And it is through us that we can guide so that never again there need be such an ending." Celestia returns with a bit of her own. "Both of us, Luna, not just through myself. They all love you and to suddenly become so distant as to not even explain..."

"That there shall be inquiry into their possible misconduct?" Luna almost snaps back. "Or that even after a thousand years, even I myself still must struggle day and night to the never ending questions of answers I still fear to give? I am the last pony they need at their side in this."

Celestia slightly opens her mouth, but closes it just the same to just listen.

"Of mere fortnight, I had made it priority to visit one of Canterlot's schools for our youngest. Of so many questions, with so many answers, it was but from one little colt who rushed up and gave me but the tightest hug upon my foreleg that one so small could." Her pause covered by with fluttering sigh, "When I asked if everything was alright, he said it was so that I wouldn't be..." with yet one more. "..sent away again."

"So there I was, sent back a thousand years by the hug of one so small. I had to use my wings to embrace in return just to hide my eyes!" Luna shakes loose that which she barely wrestles back from casting even more, "And all I felt was humbled guilt."

"Guilt." Celestia moves forward with slow but steady clops, "Is not what a bad pony would ever feel. Of neither you, nor I, can such revelations ever be made more clear." until reaching but the first of several short steps. "Even if we ourselves cannot take solace."

"Yet guilt by association is not one to be so easily ignored. Such is the way of wandering mind even today." Luna quickly deflects into new direction, "Which is precisely why it would be best for you to stand beside them during this turbulent time, and not I."

"I cannot do them justice." Celestia confesses, "I am but infallible purity given form like that of the sun above. Surrogate mother to both young and old, of innocence and sin, and to whatever my hoof may touch shall be deemed absolute, absolutely." with long wave of hoof.

"You sounded absolutely thrilled of each word ushered, dear sister." Luna's low and flat tone rides second to her mundane stare.

"Oh, I do hate it." Celestia once more confesses with arched brow from widened eyes. "Were I to befriend any pony they would be placed so high on an pedestal that not even I could keep sight. As were If I to smile down upon either party of what but for a short time acted as one, the other would immediately be cast aside as guilty, even if through intention or ignorance both share blame."

"Are we not saying the same thing, sister?" Luna begins to lose some of her patience, "Again?"

"I would like to think not?" Celestia eases down her left brow, "Less of course you insist on abandoning me to raise just over an million of our little ponies alone." Of surefire jest, not entirely hitting the intended mark.

"Did you just call me a stallion?" Luna narrows her eyes into intense glare.

"No, but..." Celestia's muzzle etches into hearty smirk, "If I had, you'd have to be the prettiest stallion I've ever seen."

Luna intensifies her glare before erupting in snorts, her foreleg raised to try and quell that which lays just behind.

"I'll have to talk to discord about next Draconequus day perhaps..." Celestia rubs the underside of her muzzle.

"Don't you dare!"

"Mmm?" Celestia feigns ignorance, "Oh I wouldn't worry Luna. It's me for hoof sake."

"I know."

"Luna." Celestia adopts a more humbled tone, rarely heard and enough to realign them both once more.

"We are but equals, in almost all things save for perspective. Of that, I am not afraid to admit, I would look onto you for personal insight." Celestia continues forth, "I lack the experience of the heart, of which is most needed by ones too young to understand the cost."

"What of night court?" Luna gives one last attempt to diversion, betrayed by the ear twitching chirp from distant corner. With the slow closing of her eyes, and deep inhale and forthcoming sigh, "And what if some of the allegations have merit?"

"Then look forward to your friendship reports!" Celestia gently smiles, to ever increasing groan.

Chapter 4

Hayseed Swamp; Underground - Breaking Dawn

"We don't bite, you know." Steadfast nearly whispers out, reserved to remaining unmoving otherwise save for his rather parched lips. Of a few moments silence renewed once more, he falls back on his namesake. "Wanted to thank you, however. For all that you've done for us."

Through subtle breathing does his ears pick up letting him know that which has been in silent observation, does so still from safe distance. Of much closer, does the light snoring of passed out from exhaustion mare send ripple to that of more delicate reception. Having awoken to dull ache of bone, but not agony like what felt of an eternity, he finds his own reluctance shriveling to the need of understanding.

"Little sis can be a bit of a pain as well, so for that I'd like to apologize." Steadfast continues onwards. "While drifting in and out I caught just enough of what was said to know things may have gotten a bit heated between you two? She's just used to ponies talking something nice even if they do something otherwise. So you're throwing her off a bit."

Of yet even more...

"To be quite honest, I was surprised and considered myself a bit closer to death than I had hoped." He lets off a bit of dry and irritated chuckle, "Only got a passing glimpse but I can tell you're something of an oddity? Even here, if I am to figure. Yet you know quite a bit?"

Pursuit continued even as light friction of soft steps tells him of an vacating audience.

"But betting you still don't know why we're here." He opens his eyes to the cease of receding movement. "And you still helped us. You could of walked away, and left us to our tormentors. You also could of left us to die after releasing us from their shackles, but you didn't."

"I need no one else to remind what is right and what is wrong, E'quus." Tall and lean gives reply in his usually flat tone, of voice that seems to demand something else entirely. "I have no yearning to be cruel nor the ability to erase memories that prove otherwise."

"So is that why you've been watching us for the past few hours in silence?" Steadfast cranes his neck to look up, sideways on his bedding, to that of now much clearer figure. "You know my mother always said it's best to talk about it when it's fresh and honest."

"I...may have been unnecessarily unpleasant onto your sister." Tall and slender begins to lean against hollowed out bedrock of his right side. "I believe she was just unfortunate enough to have been the first of your kind to make personal meeting with me."

"If the first, then why do you make such personal observations of our Princesses?" Steadfast asks without negativity, just genuine curiosity. "Not many a pony, if they were to hear you speak of them in such an manner, would remain as docile as my sister had."

"They are but just a part, but one nonetheless." He responds with just a bit more in his voice, "It is what it is."

"You don't seem to fancy the swamp any more than I." Steadfast makes idle, but cautious, observation.

"It is but a prison, of any hope to redemption swallowed like everything else."

"Can you not leave?"

"I could of left long ago." Tall and lean states with an inkling of disgust, "But I hesitated, and not even that is possible now."

"But why wouldn't you try and go home, if this is not there?"

"Home must be something one can still find claim." Tall and lean sighs with the shake of his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Cloudsdale." Steadfast edges out before coughing a bit, "I can see it. I can even visit. Hay, I was born there. But I cannot live there."

"But did you get to choose, E'quus?" His voice a bit more stern as he begins to walk closer. "To forsake through one's own actions or decisions is of one thing that reflection can give closure. Of which, I was simply not granted the consideration."

"My little sis, regardless of even the most expensive accommodations, cannot live in Cloudsdale any longer." Steadfast continues, "You see Cloudsdale is made of clouds, and through birthright do only pegasi get to call it home. We live in Canterlot now, have been for years."

"Then you have family." Tall and lean comes close enough to need to crouch in order to be comfortable in conversation.

"Yes, I have family."

"Then you always have a home."

"...yeah I do, I guess." Steadfast drifts into silence to contemplations of innuendos. Shifting to and fro, he wiggles a bit under nerves rattled anew to the thought of having actually been lead when having intended otherwise. "And I know if lost, they would search for me."

"You presume much, E'quus." He softly mentions with heavier sigh.

"You do not think that they would come to your rescue?"

"After such a time, I should hope not." Tall and lean tilts his head, "To do so still would not bode well for their health, nor would my mother's culture support such denials." His eyes traveling back to severed pegasi wing bone, "Some things are too obvious to ignore."

"Is... that how you were maimed?" Steadfast goes tit for tat with his own stare.

"Ah.." Tall and lean lifts but the stub mid bicep down, "Consequence to a conscience, I'm afraid. But not of how I got here."

"Then how did you get here?"

"I was, for better a word, an explorer of things best left to the passing squabble of drunkards and the like. It wasn't of noble cause, like that of my elder siblings, much to the disdain of my mother." He moves his gaze back into that of the stallion's own. "She would always mumble against the influence of her late husband, my father mind you, of how I, like him, always kept my eyes to the ground and not forward.

"Suffice to say many wishing to be left alone often went deep aground, and not many of my mother's ears favored the dirty work needed to explore that far down." Lifting his right arm to let his hand rub the sides of his chin, "Well, that and their darker cousins, of course."

"Darker cousins?"

"Ah, one of three against the mold." Only to crack a smile, "You know I would have been incarcerated back home for saying that?" Finally letting his arm drop in relaxed over knee rest. "You have three kinds. The Highborn, Woodland, and Drow. My mother was Highborn, and of strict doctrine the choices to move forward in their society is straight and narrow. But I'm an half breed so most doors never opened."

"I'm not sure that I'm..." Steadfast scrunches his brow, "...you shouldn't ever call yourself that."

"Of such stigma, do I take the utmost pride." He responds with just the hint of intolerance to well intended scolding, "Once more, you needn't nor could you understand. But less I forgo my requested story, I suggest you remind yourself of such without a voice, for now."

"...alright."

"I had ventured far from what you could call my Canterlot, if I were so bold as to compare. Dealing with many a wanderer, and even further of those who would welcome such lone passing for the platinum in your pocket, I established somewhat of an reputation." Pulling in his nostrils to quick inhale, "Of which finally made word back to my mother, who out of desperation sought compromise over obedience."

With a few moments of understanding silence, tall and lean continues on.

"I was given but few choices, of which none would allow further compromise or reconsideration. I could leave behind my name, and continue on like I always had. I could also seek official employment with sanctioned expeditions involving many throughout our alliances."

"So, you were a treasure hunter so to speak?"

"Tomb robber. Artifact smuggler. Morally inept perhaps?" Tall and lean shrugs, "Well that is what I was considered by my elder siblings. Outside of the Highborn lands, across the great Ocean of Tears, I was just considered profitable at the very least. As luck would have it, my father's namesake still held some weight in some parts, and I made sure to ring ever true to it's melody."

"Was he also, um, profitable?"

"Humans don't quite enjoy Elves, of any kind. Albeit, of all three, only the Drow and man have ever waged true warfare. To that point, by being with an Highborn, and like her onto him, they lost more than they gained socially. I heard he died to kobolds, actually."

"Kobolds?"

"Canines. Very aggressive as a whole, mind you, unlike that of Gnolls." Taking notice to further confusion, "Gnolls are also canines from back home, but are of lesser progress than that of Kobolds. However, they can also be peaceful and generally just prefer the be left alone."

"Sounds a bit like Diamond Dogs." Steadfast does the favor in return, "Gnolls, not Kobolds."

"...and Kobolds, if you haven't so easily forgotten." Finally opting to slowly lean backwards until he plops down on his rear, he crosses both of his legs in seeming uncomfortably looking comfort. "But no, he wasn't, nor from what I heard ever had been, very profitable to anyone."

"Is that why you refused to tell Moxie your name?"

"Do you have bards upon your land, by chance?"

"What's a Bard?"

"Your enemy, it would seem." Of no further explanation to rather inquisitive but growing in glare stare, "But as you presumed, yes, I left both my name and my shield behind. With my decision made, I found myself no longer welcomed in my homeland of but an second time."

"So you came to Equestria?"

"Against my will, quite." His voice riles with a bit of sarcasm, "I found myself tolerated well enough in quite questionable territory to get far enough inside to not be able to find myself any way out. I essentially have become my own most sought after boon."

"Well, sorry to say but I still don't get it then. If this isn't home, and it's obvious never going to be, then why not leave and try and make one elsewhere?" Steadfast offers suggestion to mask further inquiry, "Plenty of other lands not occupied by us ponies you know? And regardless of what you may think of us, we allow safe passage to any whom follows our laws while within our borders. The Princesses make sure of it."

"It matters not." Tall and slender begins to unfold his legs with hand on one knee, "Nowhere could I go that I would be free to be free."

"...free to be free?" Steadfast watches as left rises to the right, sideways view permitting.

"You needn't understand. You only need to be on your way as soon as you can, if for your own good." Lending the tilt of his head to go along with his stare, "The medicine numbs the pain, but of nothing stronger can I give you to mend the wound itself."

"Woozy."

"Hmm?"

"The smell, is pretty powerful." He lets only one chuckle escape before the cringe, "Oh...I really shouldn't do that..."

"You are...much like that of your sister." Tall and lean surprisingly restarts their idle conversation, "She shielded you, of many reprisals she never faltered. Was not what I had expected." With short pause, "..and you take the pain, that I know too well, well yourself."

"Moxie's never needed anypony to do what she wants to do, regardless of what comes next." He drifts his head upwards a little more along with light lift to give eyesight to that which slumbers farther down on the ground, "Like sleeping fourteen hours a day."

"I do not think I will ever fully adjust to your home's rotations." Tall and lean gives casual, but strange mention.

"Rotations?"

"The sun, and the one moon." Of yet more strange mentions, does he mention. "I am used to much slower." To which he finally turns his back and makes his way back through darkened hollowed bedrock corridor, of soft footsteps eventually leaving nothing the same.

"You can stop acting now, sis." Steadfast speaks once more, "I know you snore."

"No I don't!" Moxie jerks upright in glare to sideways stare, "I can't believe you would do such a thing, Steadfast."

"What did I do?!" He responds in higher pitch, followed by cringed aftershock.

"Okay! First, you didn't even try and wake me up to let me know that you finally woke up!" Moxie lifts her foreleg to hoof in point, "Second, you were leading him on with your questions." With another jab and low growl, "Third, you said I was a pain."

"Okay." He responds in kind, "First, I hit you with one of the sticks that makes up this wonderful bed to try and wake you up, which you just snorted and rolled around on." Nodding his head towards her to which she looks down in slight embarrassment, "Second, that's our job and I'll be damned if the best I can inform the Kingdom if we make it back is that it might be male, talks in old doctrine, and hates ponies."

Of his own tirade, and uncomfortable thumping upon his mid backside, does the growing glare continue to do as such. "Okay, what?"

"If we live through this... I'll remind you." Her expression beginning to soften, "And we are going to live through this, okay?"

"I should be dead, Moxie." His voice low enough to rob the air of any sense of relief, "I lost too much blood. I haven't even eaten anything for days, and yet, here I am, in pain but alive. And you? After all the blows they gave, even you should still be laying down in pain."

"W-well maybe, we're just.. hey my welts are gone..."

"It's this cave, I think." He begins to think aloud, "Maybe that's why he brought us here?"

"I see nothing but bedrock, Steadfast." Moxie lifts her left brow, "And he hasn't exactly made us feel the most welcome."

"Maybe not in words, but he put me on something better than the ground, gave you a blanket, and even came back to check up on us." His own lowering to match Moxie's southern drift of her own, "He apologized Moxie. Let it go."

"Well, then, I will when he says it." She taps her hoof against the hard rock below, "To me."

"You've never really cared about such things before, you know."

"Never had somepony save my life that made me feel bad about saying thank you, either."

"Wait. You're actually offended by that?"

"It's mean!"

"And secondary!"

"And we do, in fact, have had Bards in our history. They sang stories in melody!"

"What does that...! Then why did he say they were my enemy?"

"Because you suck at being subtle."

"Oh, coming from the stiff log sleeping on the floor?"

"I. Don't. Snore."

"Will the both of you cease your infernal ruckus!" Comes the strong but distant yell from darkened corridor, it's echo hitting Moxie and Steadfast several fold as both go wide eyed in surprise. "Worse than the snore!"

"That was rude, Mister I'm too good to give out my name!" Moxie yells right back to the even wider eyes of her slightly upright brother.

"Moxie!" He attempts to chastise, before remembering whom he was talking to, causing him to hunker back down a bit.

"So yeah, I wasn't asleep and I heard you talking to my brother!" She continues to yell into the dark, "You know it's very very mean to make somepony feel bad about being saved! And I won't apologize for being proud of who I am either!" To her words, do her ears also flick to the ever increasing tap of footsteps until once more does the features of alien face gleam of light. "S-so there."

"Then perhaps it is finally time for you to pony up to your claim, E'quus." Lifting his forearm to give point with single slim appendage, "In return for the assistance granted in releasing you from your bonds, I ask nor will I accept anything in return. However, for bringing you further, you made promise of your Princesses to reasonable reward."

"Well, yes, I did say such a thing." Moxie looks down before back up, "Maybe you could make your request personally..."

"Don't come back."

"What?"

"Do not look back, after you go." His words, soft and monotone, carry an different weight than expected. "In bringing you into one of my havens, I have also given away it's location to all that surround me. That, E'quus, was the mistake I made mention when we first spoke. I may have set you free, and lent further aid, but do not mistake that for anything but the need to not lose anymore sleep."

"You truly consider ponies a threat to you?"

"I consider none of you a friend. Nothing that has happened this day or night could hope to change that. At best, you've only secured that as things stand, neither do I consider all of you an direct enemy." Narrowing his eyes a bit, "But I know how easily that will change."

"Then why did you tell my brother all of that stuff about yourself if you want us to leave you alone?"

"I wanted to show just a taste of what I've been forced to walk away from already, E'quus. What I've had to deal with, on my own, time and time again." Lifting his forearm and clenching his hand into a fist, "I do not intend to walk away, forced or asked, any longer."

"We're not here for any such thing!"

"You have your lives, whether you accept the reasons why matters not to me. But if you return here then I will be take back what I harbored." Stomping his foot to the sudden violent cracks sent out in spiderweb like pattern, "Tell the Princesses the very same, and if they so wish to grant boon for your lives, then I only ask that they send no more that would force me instead to take it away."

"Saying something like that may bring the Princesses themselves." Moxie stiffens to the further narrowing gaze, "You're basically saying that you've claimed part of our land, and will kill ponies if they come here. That's not going to...!"

"If that is your wish, then we will word it exactly as so." Steadfast interrupts that which almost doubles over from looking back in shock.

"Steadfast, what are you saying?!"

"I'm thanking our host and taking no more that what's been offered, before we overstay our welcome." Letting his muzzle dip and rise in subtle nod to the flattened ears downwind, "We need to go."

"From the south?" Tall and lean looks up onto the bedrock ceiling with an scrunched brow, "...not alone either." His words causing his two guests to also look up with even greater confusion, "You have company, as do I."

"I don't see or hear anything." Steadfast flicks his left ear several times with one eye slightly opening wider, "Wait... are those?"

"I hear it too!" Moxie, standing upon all four hooves, cranes her neck down in order to grab hold of what she once slept upon for tolerated comfort, taking hold with her teeth in order to sling it over her backside. "Hop on, brother."

"Um.." He vigorously shakes his head, "I think I'd rather walk?"

"Get on!" To which embarrassment awkwardly complies, in sideways straddled compliance. "Ready!"

"You E'quus act like you haven't a natural sense when it comes to being hunted." Tall and lean shakes his own head at the silly spectacle, raising his hand into the air, fingers held into a fist suddenly spring out and apart, along with what used to be solid bedrock. Acting as if nothing had happened, he lets the ever shifting sand plow against his legs as muffled yells and screams of surprise and pain fall down into the ever rising pile now even threatening to take over head that of doubled up guests.

He begins to close his hand once more before several more seem to drift down willingly, oblivious to that which remains hidden behind dust filled veils. Remaining silent, he slowly finishes closing his hand once more into a fist as empty space closes back onto itself.

"Is everypony okay?"

"I've got sand in my... I got sand everywhere!"

"Pffffffffffff"

"Hey isn't this almost like that time we went after those Diamond Dogs?" An overly cheerful voice calls out, hidden still from clear view.

"Cept we're the ones done been chased down the rabbit hole and ah got bit by some stinkin rattler?"

"Oooh, my head... must of hit a stupid rock when I dove!"

"You hit me, Miss Rainbow."

"Clover?!" Comes the unified voice to the opposite side of the sand encased pony pile, their yell causing only further disturbance as sand flies out against the renewed yells and screams of those pushed aside, "Clover! Calm down! Don't go and...!"

"Moxie?! Steadfast?!" Sergeant Clover bolts out from underneath that which binds him, pulling in sliding slope others in his departing wake, "I-I thought you were dead! I found.. I saw Steadfast's... Hey say something alright? I can't really see with all this sand in my eyes!"

"Brother, you've got to calm down, okay?" Steadfast nearly yells, to the quick turn of eyes clenched shut stallion now looking his way with ears pivoted full forward, "Listen, something helped us and you really, really, need to calm down okay?"

"I heard two voices!" Loud and cheerful only increases twice fold, "Yay! They're alive!"

"Private Moxie? Corporal Steadfast? Oh thank Celestia they're okay." Another figure slides forth from underneath the large pile of sand, giving her lavender coating an hard shake with wings extending out to do the same, "They said somepony helped them?"

"Not somepony, something." Moxie attempts to inform with her eyes nervously shifting about as the tallest figure in the cavern now appears no where to be seen, not even blotched under sandy haze. "You all really need to... to... Princess?!"

"One of them! Hehe.. heh..." Princess Twilight flutters her eyelids in the hopes of clearer vision, "And... AHH!"

"I expected something entirely different." Tall and lean, now not so tall and lean, squats down mere inches in front of shocked lavender. "One is to be pearl white, and the other like nightshade, and of greater stature." He tilts his head, "Perhaps you are one of their offspring..."

"Hey!" One eye forced open, does Cyan tear herself from the pony sand pile, "You better stay away whatever you are!"

"Regardless.." He continues to stare into widened eyes, composed not of the faint red veins of irritation, but dilated pupils.

"What's going on? Whose that voice? Ow! Stop kicking!"

"Something's attacking Twilight!"

"What?!"

"I'm running out of time.." Tall and lean casually raises his forearm with his elbow resting on same sided knee, closed hand opening into flat hand point straight above with bedrock raising up only around him and the Princess before him, "..and so are you."

"Twilight!? Blast him or something!" Rainbow Dash yells just as she gets free, making weighted leap with sand weighted wings flapping to little avail just as she slams into perfectly oval outer enclosure, slamming her front hooves to even lesser progress. "It's a trap!"

"No it's not!" Comes, once more, unified voices from over and behind.

"That thing just kidnapped Twilight!" Rainbow yells right back with an crooked scowl on her scrunched up face.

"He may hate us but he saved our lives." Moxie receives mixed, with mostly shocked to the negative against actions just taken, reactions save for her eldest brother, who just just keeps moving closer and closer. "It's complicated but you need to calm down and not make things worse!"

"Worse? Worse?!" Rainbow almost sneers as she does full turnabout off oval bedrock, "We're being chased by a bunch of Diamond Dogs and Dragons, my best friend is poisoned, we're now underground and something just trapped another friend under solid rock!"

"Why does it hate us?" Sergeant Clover pushes aside any and all personal reservations with having to focus on going forward.

"He only appears to hate the Princesses, actually." Steadfast poorly worded reply giving further rise as the other mares from behind his brother all jump towards the enclosure, showing varying degrees of concern. "She isn't in any danger!"

"How do you know?" Fluttershy asks with eyes taking focus on that of life threatening wound, "You're wing!"

"Don't worry about that... Listen! We need to get ready to move out of here as soon as they come out of there." Steadfast once more addresses even as more eyes shift onto what should have greater consequence, "I'll explain later, but we can't stay here."

"Ain't leaving without all of us, partner." Applejack hobbles about, "What ah'm hearing and what ah'm seeing ain't the same, neither."

"Tell me about it..." Moxie mumbles.

"To whom does it align." Sergeant Clover, once more, attempts to ask of further clarity.

"As far as I can tell, none." Steadfast gives far too casual of tone in reply, earning irritation in return. "It's complicated."

"How can you be so sure that this is not a trap to use the injured to lure others in?"

"Because it is alone."

"From what we have seen with our own eyes, Steadfast, that might not be the case much longer."

"It does not ally with them, Clover. I can assure you of that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have seen him draw their blood with my own eyes, brother, along with several of their very lives."

"Wait, what?" Moxie turns her head to look back in side stare, "It only chased them away Steadfast!"

"I know what I saw, when you tried to carry me on your back." He softens his gaze to the one of renewed confusion and worry, "I only saw those who stood their ground swallowed up in it, but those who ran he let go, if that means anything."

"No way!" Moxie attempts to further argue, "When I look around the only thing that I saw were pillars of... r-rock."

"I've seen those many times over, once I traveled far enough south, myself." Sergeant Clover looks down before back up, "If each of those represents an life ending confrontation, then that only serves to cause me even greater concern."

"But you've seen how brutal they are then, brother!" Moxie, pushing aside unknowns, reminds herself of whatever is. "And you heard Steadfast. He let those who ran go. If he hadn't come along when he did then neither of us would of... been okay."

"The concern, Moxie, isn't only the what, but also of the when." Sergeant Clover quirks one eye, "Some of the rock pillars are quite long standing, with moss and even long dead vegetation such as trees and vines growing around and even encompassing some of them inside the trunks."

"But that would take..."

"Decades." Applejack fesses up to her profession and passion, "Ah might not be from all around but ah know mah trees. If yer figuring what ah'm figuring too, then this here stranger done been out here for ah long time." Tilting her muzzle down and then up, "Not fighting ponies, either."

"Well what if nopony lived to tell?" Rainbow budges into the conversation while kicking one of her back hooves to loud clop, "Cause even if it hasn't been attacking ponies it's been killing for years and while I don't like Diamond Dogs that still doesn't give it the right."

"They broke my wing off so I couldn't fly away." Steadfast grabs Rainbow's attention most of all. "Put us in chains far too tight and dragged us through the swamp, myself literally. They would yank, choke, and drag us through mud and water and push us down on rocks on the whim. Moxie was shielding me as I lay dying while they beat her until they had enough." Letting his head slightly tilt, "We weren't even alive to them."

"There have only been seldom reports of any missing pony to the Hayseed Swamp, over the last few decades." Sergeant Clover adds in, "Of those, even fewer were their remains never found, and in the cases that were, often to the same misgivings given onto Miss Applejack."

"How did he lose it's arm?" Fluttershy cuts through the tension like a hot knife, dull edge of no, of further respect none other given.

"He only said consequence to a conscience, and left it at that." Moxie gives the butterscotch mare her reply, "I think he lost it fighting?"

"We're not that far northeast of Dodge Junction, but along that border to the Hayseed enough guards are posted that nothing can really happen without us knowing." The Sergeant alludes with thinking aloud, "But we're just far enough east that the rough sea along the coast serves as a fine barrier to hinder any real surveillance of activity. Farther north and it amounts to the same alongside Dodge Junction. We're at the very edge."

"The very edge of what, Sir Clover?" Rarity, still using her magic to try and clean herself, "Of safety? Danger? Because as far as what we've seen this kind of place shouldn't even exist outside the Everfree." Of letting her inner agitation flow out, "Oh how I hate this swamp!"

"Of both, Miss Rarity." He turns his head to the side to look back. "He's standing guard."

"Well I couldn't even see before it disappeared along with Twilight, but I can plainly hear tell that it is not an pony. Also, that it does not seem to fancy our kind in any light." Rarity arch's her brow, "For whatever reason would you come to such an... assumption?"

"It's a dead zone, where we are now." The Sergeant attempts once more to explain. "Neither the Dogs or Dragons are able to encroach farther and through that are they unable to take the lives that they would so easily be able to. And of the strange creature that I have absolutely nothing else to go on other than the only known contact was saving the lives of ponies? If it hates us, then that's a kind of hate I can live with."

"Um...W-well I can certainly see how you might approach such an conclusion then." Rarity looks down for a moment. "But what if what it guards isn't what lays behind, but farther below?" Finally looking back up, "And what if we ponies were to suddenly, somehow, get in it's way?"

"So what did it look like?" Pinkie directs her question towards greatly annoyed cyan. "That way when it comes out we won't be scared!"

"Tall." Rainbow seems to slur out from the corner of her muzzle, "Tall, thin, and stupid looking."

"How tall?" Pinkie tilts her head.

"What?" Rainbow finally gives the pink party pony more direct attention, "How the hay should I know?"

"Rainbow, ya just said it was tall." Applejack hobbles over closer, "So fess up, girl!"

"Uh, sorry?" Rainbow switches her stare to the apple farmer, "Totally forgot to get out the tape measure during the sudden foalnapping."

"Now don't be getting all sassy, Rainbow." Applejack quirks her right brow, "Don't need things getting any worse than they already are."

"Mind giving out some details, Steadfast?" The Sergeant turns back towards his doubled up siblings.

"Male? Well maybe. Strictly bipedal, with fullest stature meeting to the very tip of Princess Celestia's horn while lowest to my own eyes. Upper limb appendages like that of an Minotaur's hand, but from what I can tell nothing quite like that of the lower. There also lacks any sign of an tail. Of facial features it has forward facing eyes along with incisors and with molars, omnivore in any case."

"...and of any behavioral traits?"

"Territorial, to say the least. Prone to absolutes in action rather than compromise. Has an rather extensive range in dialect, but shows signs of forced isolation in his social interaction. For example he saved our lives but made sure to speak too bluntly to the consequence of such, causing Moxie to feel as if her being saved was wrong. But he also gave her bedding to lay on just afterwards, along with medicine for my pain."

"How is..."

"Furthermore, he also shows signs of favorable moral compass. Disgust to cruelty. Firm to his word, even if he disagrees with his very own. But also seems to demand the same when given from others onto him, which I find fair. He also has seen no reason to hide his less than favorable view of ponies or the Princesses, or even of our home in general, though he could of done quite the opposite to mislead us."

"And did he ever explain why he..."

"He would not explain why. Just that it is what it is, in his own words. However that may be, he has also admitted to Moxie and I being the first ponies to having interacted personally with him. But it is his descriptions of his home of origin that causes me the greatest confusion."

"What do you mean by...?"

"Where he heralds, it seems that time flows differently." Steadfast's statement causes all of those before him to widen in eye or tilt their heads, to which he begins to offer more when the rumbling from behind Rainbow Dash causes all faced forward to now do sharp turnabout.

"...why?" Twilight softly speaks to the erosion of that which once shielded their words. "Why didn't you ever come and ask for our help?"

"Like you could offer it!" Tall and lean retorts with heavy grit and rigid glare.

"You never gave anypony the chance!" She steps forward, mere inches between nose and muzzle, eyes darting from tall and lean's to that of stubby upper limb. "Take off the cover. I want to see it."

"You are not in the position to ask any such thing, E'quus." He intensifies his glare, "Take your kind and leave, without dawdle."

"Twilight!" Rainbow rushes over along with the others, save for The Sergeant and his two siblings, "You okay?"

"No, I'm not." She continues to stare onto that of well covered stub.

Rainbow looking behind to the varying degrees of concern and curiosity, and finally onto that which almost matches Twilight in intensified stare. Looking back with her own, she fixates on that which causes two of six the greatest focus. "Well?"

"Take it off." Twilight once more repeats in stern tone. "You can't tell me all that and just expect me to trot away."

"Twilight? Deary? What's going on with you?" Rarity, getting more nervous by the ever intense passing moments, softly questions.

"You need to leave, before that which has trailed you make their arrival." He once more tempers his words, "You further endanger even myself by refusing to listen to proper reason! You have been given warning of what Xyran has in store. You should take heed and make haste!"

"And what of you? If they capture you, then what?" Twilight tempers down just the same, but still on the line. "We can help you. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna especially would do whatever they can to..."

"To find a use of me?" He begins to stand back up, to which all but Twilight backs up a hoof. "I do not need you to coddle the truth before my very ears under the guise of good intentions. I have absolutely no intentions of being used any longer as a source of fuel for any banner of war."

"They would never do such a thing to any living being!"

"They threw their entire world into turmoil!" He looks down now at full stature, "So much so that one of your own sought to create a means to destroy them, only to cast it away in shame once those children finished having their planet altering spat!"

"I... I can't speak of such things." Twilight looks up with her expression remaining strong, "But nopony is perfect, not even them, or him."

"I know that, damn you!" His temper, and otherwise refined dialect, causes even Twilight to take a hoof back. "You would dare ask me to venture forth only to find better reason to convince the hatred in my heart that it has true merit? Have you no sense to leave better off left alone?"

"A bad pony wouldn't be afraid of becoming a bad pony." She switches her stare back to his arm.

"Not a pony." He quips, "Listen, you need to go!"

"It's you, isn't it." She almost whispers.

"What madness do you speak of now?"

"Girls?" Twilight looks back towards her friends as the wake of her deep sigh dawns slow realization onto their expressions.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Rainbow erupts with a scowl.

"Are you sure, sugarcube?" Applejack confesses to some doubt, "Ah mean, this just isn't...."

"But we can't stay with Applejack's condition..." Fluttershy's eyes shifting to orange rear leg, of once ever swollen infection, grabs her full attention. "A-applejack? Are you feeling any different?"

"Well, it sure ain't hurting like it..." Applejack takes notice of the slight lack thereof, along with what once caused even more with pressure to have gone mostly unnoticed, with her rear hoof planted firmly to the solid rock floor. "Hah! Can't keep an apple down, do ya see that?"

"So it is this place, isn't it." Steadfast makes inner thoughts spoken aloud to the attention grabbing statement. "Something here is healing us?"

"It's not healing you." Twilight speaks with the same grab of attention, "It's keeping you strong, inside and out, for the time being."

"So ah won't lose mah hoof?" Applejack cannot help but let some glee escape in her pitch.

"It isn't so simple." Twilight begins to explain with contrasting expression to what should be otherwise to the words. "We're all being given a small boost from condensed nearby energy. But once we leave, the drop will be much harsher than the rise."

"Ah...darnit.."

"Unless of course the condensed energy stays nearby as we travel, all of us will find ourselves severely drained shortly after."

"C-can we have some, Mister...?" Fluttershy moves forward with her soft plea, her nervous but partial smile evaporating once tall and lean turns his back and walks away to the closest wall of rock, slightly hanging his head down as he faces it in silence. "P-please?"

"...damnit."

Ears begin to flick towards the faintest of murmurs.

"...damnit."

Of no distraction, idle rage flows into without fail along with the light clops of hooves backing up farther.

"Hey we just need a little bit!" Rainbow pushes past her own reservation for the sake of her friends in need.

"...damn it all."

"W-well if ya go and help, ah can pay ya back!" Applejack fumbles on what her hoof be worth in apples or bits.

"Maybe.. maybe we can have something made to keep you warm?" Rarity nearly stutters through, "Y-yes! I can make sure of it. You would have the finest attire that hooves can find throughout the land." After slight hesitation, "If you would only let us borrow enough to make it through?"

"...by an orc's forsaken mother."

"What's an orc?" Pinkie looks up, directly down to the side of once distracted but redirected empty stare. "But you're our friend now. And friend's don't let their friend's down when they're in trouble!" She adopts a soft smile, "We're sorry we couldn't find you before the meanies did but you know, it only feels bad because you're fighting it!" She then taps her front hoof to his leg, "We promise we won't forget about you, now."

"You know not what you ask, overly pink one." He continues to look down with an nearly blank expression, "There is no trinket or mere object to be broken off and given on the whim. To take but a piece, you would have me give all, for all that's left otherwise has been destroyed already."

"What do you mean by that?" Rainbow Dash adopts an confused stare, to the gradual increase as once wayward hand raises and begins to unravel that which once hindered plain view. She switches her view to that which only shows deep sorrow, and hint of guilt. "Twilight?"

"I'll explain when we're all back home and safe." She slightly turns her head to give almost whispered reply.

"You test my patience, E'quus." Tall and lean interjects himself back in conversation without invitation, "To talk so casually as if you've already secured your cargo, within earshot even. But perhaps that is just more of what it was, still is."

"You're acting like you have to follow us all the way back to Ponyville!" Rainbow once more loosens her grip on her temper.

"He would have to, actually." Twilight reaffirms what already conflicts, "Steadfast will go into shock before we even got that far past the edge of the Hayseed." Before taking a deep dry swallow, "...and what was over a day shall become less than an hour then, as well."

"You creatures...all of you, must so enjoy the power you continue to hold over me." Tall and lean turns about and begins to walk away, to which to his continued annoyance, is followed by the many cumbersome clops of the weary and unsure. "But soon, that too will come to an end."

"We're not trying to take anything more from you." Twilight clears her throat for clearer voice, "But thank you for giving it."

"But how are we going to return it?" Fluttershy asks through lack of knowledge to make realization. "That's stealing."

"I'm sure if we just throw it back into the swamp it'll be okay." Rainbow makes uncaring remark to the same ilk.

"Rainbow, that wasn't nice. He seems to really care about us having to borrow it." Fluttershy softly chastises her friend.

"Sounds like some kind or rock or something. Only so much you can do with a rock, Fluttershy."

"But maybe it's unique? O-or a gift from somepony important to him?" She throw back, "Or maybe he needs it."

"Well if it's so important than why'd he say he went and destroyed the rest, huh?" Rainbow makes solid comeback.

"If ya got what's needing to be gotten, then somepony's bound to come'a knocking." Applejack attempts to interject some wisdom, "Or did ya go and durn forget that this old fella been fighting against them wild looking Diamond Dogs and strange Dragons?"

"Maybe they just don't like each other?" Rainbow retorts, "Suuure surprises me."

"Girls!" Twilight looks back in shock.

"But they have some good points, Twilight." Rarity chimes in, "Why destroy something that has benefit to others, even if not to oneself?"

"Yeah!" Rainbow bolsters to the increase to her side of the court, "Sounds like he just didn't want to share until he had to."

"And ah'm telling all of ya that yapping about something you don't all understand is a fine way to get yerself in trouble." Applejack lightly snorts, "The fella is helping us. Ah say leave well enough alone." With a hint of worry, "Mah hoof depends on it, ya hear?"

"Sorry/okay/fine." Comes three conflicting in unison voices, before another takes focus for all.

"What?!" Twilight yells in surprise to something instantly fetched from memory of etched book illustrations. "Can't be.."

"Remnants." Tall and lean continues to stride as shallow corridor opens up into an massive expanse, of molded bedrock etching into worn of artistically cut marble and granite underneath their approach. Of further sequences of stone, even further out of place, does that of age old and long forgotten underground home take hold of all save for that of the one in forefront. "Of yours, and my own."

"That.. that's a cutie mark.." Twilight nearly gallops forward, past that which continues his own steady pace nevertheless to the ever passing clops of all save for that of still doubled up bringing up the far rear. Twilight stops just before the front temple mount. "Starswirl the Bearded!"

"Starswirl the Wicked." Tall and lean, now bringing up the rear, garners several less than thrilled return expressions, along with those of shock and one of ears laid back in guilt. "Starswirl the Cruel. Starswirl the Coward."

"Now see here!" Rarity flares up, "Of the one to so scornfully lament all of ponykind holds as high as any. Now you've so far been ever so helpful to our plight, but there is absolutely no need to say such hurtful things of one not still able to defend his very name."

"That is rather fortunate, for his sake." Tall and lean continues to ask past and inside that of partially destroyed complex.

"Why would you say such a mean thing?" Fluttershy asks in genuine concern for the sudden change in demeanor.

"Because if he were still alive I would rectify that myself." He finally comes to a stop. "For he is the very reason not only did I lose my life, but I've been forced to live onward in another, still aware of all that has been lost. Cast from my home, my world, into one not capable."

Letting his one hand reach out, he drags his fingers along rotted wood that seems to flake into dust.

"I think this is of an greater mistake than the one even he made. But you would, like the other, ask for more. Never satisfied. Never enough to quell that which you cannot help but demand more, for you have never become so parched to know nothing ever will, again." His fingers finally dragging over hard cover of book, strangely of quite favorable condition. "But that is something you need to live through, to understand."

Of those, many of whom beginning to fill with visual reservation.

"So be it then." Taking the book into his hand, "I will see for myself what you shall offer, and give only that which in return." His eyes makes direct contact with that held up in hand. "I have been spared nothing, and for your actions here and consequence onward, neither shall you."

With an weary silence settled onto many a nerve in and all around, not even a clop rings out. But of a few passing moments more, that which once was is denied to the sudden vibrating impact almost directly above. With gasps and huffs ringing out, another impact resounds even closer, and continues several fold until all stand firm or hunkered down. Of smaller contemplative eyes, do they slowly give rise onto underside above.

"Or you."